Taking Stock of Community Development Financial Institutions
Surekha Carpenter and Taylor Pessin share their initial learnings about community development financial institutions that responded to the 2025 CDFI Survey, which is conducted every other year by the Federal Reserve. Carpenter is a senior research analyst and Pessin is an intermediate research analyst, both on the Regional and Community Analysis team at the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. Full transcript and related links: https://www.richmondfed.org/podcasts/speaking_of_the_economy/2025/speaking_2025_10_22_cdfi_survey
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13:38
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13:38
Stocking Up: What Inventory Levels Say About the Economy
Thomas Lubik discusses how inventories are tracked at the firm and aggregate levels and what fluctuations in these levels over time tell us about the health of the overall economy. Lubik is a senior advisor at the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. Full transcript and related links: https://www.richmondfed.org/podcasts/speaking_of_the_economy/2025/speaking_2025_10_15_inventories
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12:42
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12:42
Regional Differences in the Impact of Federal Transfer Payments
Bethany Greene describes the flow of federal funds into Fifth District communities as transfer payments, from healthcare and Social Security benefits to unemployment insurance payments. In particular, she discusses regional variances in communities' reliance on this funding, especially those in rural areas. Greene is a regional economist at the Charlotte branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. Full transcript and related links: https://www.richmondfed.org/podcasts/speaking_of_the_economy/2025/speaking_2025_10_08_federal_transfer_payments
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9:03
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9:03
Latest Trends in Cash and Other Consumer Payments
Doug Borland and Stephanie Mehlhouse share insights from the 2024 Survey and Diary of Consumer Payment Choice, which was compiled by the Federal Reserve to provide a comprehensive picture of payment preferences and behavior in the United States. Borland is assistant vice president of cash services and Mehlhouse is a senior cash manager, both based at the Charlotte office of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. Full transcript and related links: https://www.richmondfed.org/podcasts/speaking_of_the_economy/2025/speaking_2025_09_17_payments_trends
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11:56
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11:56
The Role of Philanthropies in Rural Development
Mary Donnan and Victor Farmer discuss two projects in the Fifth District that illustrate the challenges of economic development in rural communities and the importance of philanthropic organizations in addressing those challenges. They also reflect on how the Richmond Fed's Community Investment Training program helped move the projects forward. Donnan is executive director of the Alleghany Foundation and Farmer is director of the Boone Memorial Health Community Foundation. Full transcript and related links: https://www.richmondfed.org/podcasts/speaking_of_the_economy/2025/speaking_2025_09_10_rural_philanthropy
Speaking of the Economy is the podcast of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. In each episode, we'll hear from the Richmond Fed's economists and other experts at the Bank and in the communities we serve about the economic issues they are exploring.
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