1) Go to the Bureau of Labor Statistics website (www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.toc.htm), and click on Employment Situation Summary for the most up-to-date summary of unemployment in the United States, or the Employment Situation Summary Table A. Household data, seasonally adjusted. What interests or surprises you about the summary tables? How do the current rates compare with the rates in the previous month or quarter? Discuss the differences in unemployment rates by gender, age, education, and so forth.
2) What factors are considered in calculation of the CPI? Explain your answer. Where would you find data on CPI and PPI for the United States? What does the current level of inflation tell you about the state of the U.S. economy?