Interpreting Macroeconomic Conditions

You are a senior executive with Starbucks, a retailer focused on gourmet coffee.

Go to the web sites of the Bureau of Economic Analysis, http://www.bea.gov, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, http://www.bls.gov/data/ and review the most recent data on real GDP growth, inflation, unemployment and consumer confidence.

Based on that information and other sources that you may find useful (please cite; Wikipedia is not permitted as a reference source), prepare a Business Report to your company’s CEO summarizing (a) where the economy currently is in the business cycle based on your review of the most recent data and (b) the implications for your firm in terms of both prospects for product sales and operating costs.