Data & Analysis: National Economy
Our staff economists regularly monitor the national economy, helping the Richmond Fed grasp current conditions and their implications for monetary policy.
The CFO Survey
The CFO Survey offers insights from business leaders on the financial outlook for their firms, the challenges they face, and their expectations for the economy. The survey is conducted quarterly in partnership with Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.
National Economic Indicators
These charts and tables contain the latest economic data gathered by the Richmond Fed's Research Department. This information is updated weekly.
Hornstein-Kudlyak-Lange Non-Employment Index
The Non-Employment Index is an alternative to the standard unemployment rate that includes all non-employed individuals and accounts for persistent differences in their labor market attachment. The index is updated monthly after the Basic Monthly CPS microdata release, which takes place about two weeks after the monthly BLS Employment Summary release that includes the unemployment rate.
Bailout Barometer™
The Richmond Fed's estimate of the liabilities of the financial system that are subject to explicit or implicit protection from loss by the federal government. This protection may encourage risk taking, making financial crises and bailouts more likely.
Lubik-Matthes Natural Rate of Interest
The natural rate of interest is a hypothetical interest rate that is consistent with economic and price stability. There are various estimates of the natural rate in the economics literature, each making certain assumptions about economic interactions. Using a method developed by two Richmond Fed economists, the natural rate is estimated quarterly.
