Question

Use the following two links to answer the following questions: Nominal Wages (W) Price index CPI (P) a) (5 points) Calculate the real wage (W/P) the first month of the recession 12/07 and compare it to the last month of the recession 6/09. What is the percent change in the real wage during this most recent recession

Answer 1

Answer:

3.45%

Explanation:

the real wage at the beginning of the recession (12/07) = nominal wage / price index Dec. 2007 = $17.70 / 2.1141 = $8.3721

the real wage at the end of the recession (6/09) = nominal wage / price index June 2009 = $18.53 / 2.14527= $8.6609

% change in real wage = [($8.6609 - $8.3721) / $8.3721] x 100 = 3.44955% = 3.45%

Due to the recession, the price index changed less than the nominal wages since the inflation rate was very low. It is normal that during recessions, specially severe ones, the inflation rate decreases or even turns negative (what happened in Europe in those years).