International markets are an important contributor to U.S. economic activity. U.S. regions have varying exposure to the influences of international markets--foreign demand or exchange rate movements. Still, the overriding determinants of regional economic growth is the state of the domestic economy.

Midwest manufacturing has experienced a resurgence in its competitiveness in export markets during the last decade. There is a widely held view that this increased competitiveness is importantly attributable to the depreciation in the foreign exchange value of the dollar. This article questions...

The United States automotive industry has been undergoing tremendous changes in recent years. Speakers at a recent Chicago Fed conference explored these changes and considered the road to the future for the auto industry.

The nation’s economic growth will soften slightly in 2006, inflation will decrease, and the unemployment rate will remain stable, according to the median forecast of participants at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago’s most recent Economic Outlook Symposium.