The Hedge Fund in Your Pantry
Many households utilize excess cash to support shopping habits that generate high financial returns.
Researchers: Scott R. Baker, Stephanie Johnson and Lorenz Kueng
April 1, 2024
When Crypto Went Mainstream—and Drove Up Housing Prices
Many Americans have cryptocurrency in their portfolios and treat it much like any other investment.
Researchers: Darren Aiello, Scott R. Baker, Tetyana Balyuk, Marco Di Maggio, Mark J. Johnson and Jason D. Kotter
September 1, 2023
Take 5: What We’ve Learned about Tackling Public-Health Crises
Covid-era research sheds light on how policymakers can guide the economy and the public through future emergencies.
Researchers: Scott R. Baker, Efraim Benmelech, Paola Sapienza, Angela Y. Lee, Benjamin F. Jones, Ryan Hill, Dashun Wang and and coauthors
January 21, 2023
Did China’s One-Child Policy Prompt Households to Save More?
Researchers investigate whether the lack of a “family safety net” is responsible for China’s singularly high household savings rate.
Researchers: Scott R. Baker, Efraim Benmelech, Zhishu Yang and Qi Jacky Zhang
June 3, 2022
How Does Economic Uncertainty Play Out at the Local Level?
Indexing policy uncertainty by state provides new insights—and offers local governments a cautionary tale.
Researchers: Scott R. Baker, Steve Davis and Jeffrey Levy
April 8, 2022
To Better Measure Economic Uncertainty, Look Beyond the Stock Market
Incorporating news sources, surveys, and even Twitter conversations can help give policymakers more nuanced data.
Researchers: David Altig, Scott R. Baker, Jose Maria Barrero, Nick Bloom, Phil Bunn, Scarlet Chen and et al.
August 2, 2021
Here’s How Americans Are Spending Their Stimulus Checks
Real-time data pinpoints what we’re buying, and who’s spending the fastest.
Researchers: Scott R. Baker, R Farrokhnia, Steffen Meyer, Michaela Pagel and Constantine Yannelis
May 5, 2020
A Closer Look at Consumer Stockpiling During the Coronavirus Crisis
Researchers examined how households responded to shelter-in-place orders. They uncovered some surprises.
Researchers: Scott R. Baker, R Farrokhnia, Steffen Meyer, Michaela Pagel and Constantine Yannelis
April 10, 2020
The Unprecedented Stock-Market Reaction to COVID-19
A new analysis explains why this pandemic really is different.
Researchers: Scott R. Baker, Nicholas Bloom, Steven J. Davis, Kyle Kost, Marco Sammon and Tasaneeya Viratyosin
April 1, 2020
Take 5: What Previous Recessions Can Teach Us about the Coronavirus Crisis
From stimulus strategies to how businesses will fare, research on past downturns can help inform our outlook today.
Researchers: Ravi Jagannathan, Filippo Mezzanotti, Sara Moreira, Jacopo Ponticelli and Scott R. Baker
March 24, 2020
How Raising the Sales Tax Could Help Fight a Recession
New research points to a counterintuitive new tool to spur spending.
Researchers: Lorenz Kueng, Scott R. Baker, Brian Melzer and Leslie McGranahan
November 1, 2019
What Causes Stock Market Swings?
Tariffs? Job reports? Oil prices? A new volatility index pinpoints which factors make investors feel uncertain.
Researchers: Scott R. Baker, Nicholas Bloom, Steven J. Davis and Kyle Kost
June 3, 2019
What Google Is Teaching Economists About Unemployment Insurance
Search data can tell policymakers whether extending unemployment benefits delays job-seeking.
Researchers: Scott R. Baker and Andrey Fradkin
December 5, 2018
Take 5: How Do Households Manage Fluctuating Finances?
Plus, how policymakers can help them manage better.
Researchers: Janice C. Eberly, Lorenz Kueng, Scott R. Baker, Anthony DeFusco and John Mondragon
February 5, 2018
How Do People Respond to Sales Tax Increases?
New research shows we aren’t as blasé as economists thought.
Researchers: Scott R. Baker, Stephanie Johnson and Lorenz Kueng
November 2, 2017
Take 5: How to Succeed as an Entrepreneur
Advice from Kellogg faculty experts on starting and running your own business.
Researchers: Scott R. Baker, Sean Johnson, Benjamin F. Jones, David Schonthal, Nicole Staple and Gabriel Vehovsky
May 8, 2017
How the 2013 Government Shutdown Affected Workers’ Household Spending
Even temporary income dips lead to a surprising degree of belt-tightening.
Researchers: Scott R. Baker and Constantine Yannelis
April 4, 2017
Keeping the Angels at Bay
Startups should be wary of accepting too much money from angel investors.
Researchers: Scott R. Baker
May 9, 2016
When Uncertainty Lingers, Growth Lags
Companies’ reluctance to act in the wake of a country’s economic shock can inhibit growth as much as the original shock itself.
Researchers: Scott R. Baker, Nicholas Bloom and Steven J. Davis
January 30, 2015
Is Your Household Liquid Enough?
Ample cash reserves aid households when faced with the unexpected.
Researchers: Scott R. Baker
December 1, 2014