By lowering interest rates, the government lowers the threshold of expected return for capital investments, thus making more investments economically viable. However, such supply side initiatives are weighed by firms against the potential income. If the economic outlook - that is to say the expected demand - is poor, such that the expected return will still not exceed the cost, then the investment will not be undertaken.

In speaking with a local FedEx station manager, investment decisions are typically made at head office in Memphis. The decisions are based on expectations of future demand. Most capacity decisions at FedEx involve land and building acquisitions (new stations) or airplane leases. Thus, they are typically made on the basis of long-term demand projections. These relate to specific measures such as long-term economic growth of the region, population growth of the region and other long-term macroeconomic indicators.

The timing of decisions, however, can...
[ View Full Essay]