Answer:
a. A reduction in business property taxes.
MC - No Change
AVC - No Change
AFC - Shift down
ATC - Shift down
Because business property taxes are a fixed cost, a reduction of this type would shift down bouth the AFC and ATC cost curves.
b. An increase in the nominal wages of production workers.
MC - Shift up
AVC - Shift up
AFC - No Change
ATC - Shift up
Production workers are direct labor, and as direct labor, their cost depends on the level of production. In other words, the wages of production workers are a variable cost, and an increase in their nominal wages would shift up the AVC, and the ATC.
The MC curve would shift up as well because now each additional unit of input (the production workers), becomes more expensive due to the wage increase.
c. A decrease in the price of electricity.
MC - Shift down
AVC - Shift down
AFC - Shift down
ATC - Shift down
Electricity can be both a fixed cost, and a variable cost. For example, the electricity used in the administrative offices is a fixed cost, while the electricity used to power machinery is a variable cost. As a result, a reduction in the price of it would shift down all the cost curves.
d. An increase in insurance rates on plant and equipment.
MC - No Change
AVC - No Change
AFC - Shift up
ATC - Shift up
Insurance rates on plant and equipment are a fixed cost, for this reason, an increase in the rates would shift up both the AFC and the ATC.
e. An increase in transportation costs.
MC - No Change
AVC - Shift up
AFC - No Change
ATC - Shift up
Transportation costs are mostly a variable cost: the more output, the more goods have to be delivered, the higher the transportation costs. An increase in these costs would shift up both the AVC and the ATC curves.
