You’re on a roll
Create a free account to save your CFA progress, track your accuracy by topic, and pick up right where you left off.
Free Questions › CFA › Economics
Free CFA Economics Practice Questions & Answers
2,050 exam-style Economics questions. Pick your answer, hit Check answer, and see the worked solution — free to start, no signup.
100% free · No login to startQuestion 1561
Automatic stabilizers reduce output fluctuations because:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: B — They respond without delays
Explanation: ✔ Why correct: They adjust automatically, smoothing cycles. ✘ Why others wrong: A: No action needed. C & D: Not true.
Question 1562
Discretionary fiscal policy refers to:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: C — Active decisions to change taxes or spending
Explanation: ✔ Why correct: Discretionary = deliberate policy changes. ✘ Why others wrong: A & B: Automatic stabilizers. D: Not fiscal.
Question 1563
A balanced budget occurs when:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: A — Spending equals revenue
Explanation: ✔ Why correct: Balanced = spending = revenue. ✘ Why others wrong: B & C: Surplus/deficit. D: Not required.
Question 1564
Government deficits represent:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: B — Annual difference between spending and revenue
Explanation: ✔ Why correct: Deficit = spending – revenue for a year. ✘ Why others wrong: A: Debt is accumulated deficits. C & D: Not definitions.
Question 1565
Government debt represents:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: B — Accumulated past deficits
Explanation: ✔ Why correct: Debt is the accumulation of past deficits. ✘ Why others wrong: A, C, D: Incorrect.
Get the full CFA question bank — free
Drop your email and we'll send you fresh CFA practice questions, fully worked solutions and exam-deadline reminders. No spam — unsubscribe in one click.
Want to save your score and take a full mock exam? Create a free account →
Question 1566
Government deficits are financed by:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: B — Borrowing from the private sector
Explanation: ✔ Why correct: Governments issue bonds purchased by private investors. ✘ Why others wrong: A: Not the primary method. C & D: Not financing mechanisms.
Question 1567
A large stock of government debt may be owned by:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: C — The private sector
Explanation: ✔ Why correct: Private investors often hold government bonds. ✘ Why others wrong: A & B: Not exclusively. D: Impossible.
Question 1568
The real value of government debt falls when:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: A — Inflation rises
Explanation: ✔ Why correct: Inflation reduces the real burden of nominal debt. ✘ Why others wrong: B: Deflation increases real burden. C & D: Not the main effect.
Question 1569
The debt-to-GDP ratio may fall even if debt stays constant when:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: B — Nominal GDP rises
Explanation: ✔ Why correct: Higher nominal GDP reduces the ratio. ✘ Why others wrong: A: Ratio rises. C & D: Not sufficient.
Question 1570
Rising net interest payments can cause:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: B — Loss of investor confidence
Explanation: ✔ Why correct: High interest burdens raise default concerns. ✘ Why others wrong: A: Opposite. C & D: Not effects.
Question 1571
One argument against worrying about national debt is:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: B — Debt is often owed internally
Explanation: ✔ Why correct: Internal debt means citizens owe it to themselves. ✘ Why others wrong: A, C, D: Incorrect.
Question 1572
Countries like Japan and South Korea have high internal ownership of debt, meaning:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: B — Most debt is held by residents
Explanation: ✔ Why correct: Over 90% is owned domestically. ✘ Why others wrong: A: Opposite. C & D: Incorrect.
Question 1573
A second argument against worrying about debt is that borrowed money may:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: B — Be used for productive investment
Explanation: ✔ Why correct: Investment in capital or education raises future output. ✘ Why others wrong: A, C, D: Not the argument.
Question 1574
A third argument against worrying about debt is that:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: B — Tax changes may reduce distortions
Explanation: ✔ Why correct: Fiscal adjustments may improve tax efficiency. ✘ Why others wrong: A, C, D: Incorrect.
Question 1575
Ricardian equivalence suggests that deficits:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: B — Have no net impact because private saving rises
Explanation: ✔ Why correct: Households save more anticipating future taxes. ✘ Why others wrong: A, C, D: Opposite or incorrect.
Question 1576
Another argument against worrying about debt is that if unemployment exists:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: B — Debt does not divert activity from productive uses
Explanation: ✔ Why correct: Idle resources mean borrowing does not crowd out activity. ✘ Why others wrong: A: Opposite. C & D: Not true.
Question 1577
Fiscal policy can influence:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: C — Aggregate demand, distribution, and resource allocation
Explanation: ✔ Why correct: Fiscal policy affects demand, equity, and sectoral allocation. ✘ Why others wrong: A, B, D: Too narrow.
Question 1578
Expansionary fiscal policy increases aggregate demand by:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: C — Increasing spending or cutting taxes
Explanation: ✔ Why correct: Both actions boost demand. ✘ Why others wrong: A & B: Contractionary. D: Not fiscal.
Question 1579
Contractionary fiscal policy reduces aggregate demand by:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: C — Raising taxes or cutting spending
Explanation: ✔ Why correct: Both actions reduce demand. ✘ Why others wrong: A & B: Expansionary. D: Not fiscal.
Question 1580
Fiscal policy is especially powerful when:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: B — There is substantial spare capacity
Explanation: ✔ Why correct: With idle resources, fiscal stimulus raises output significantly. ✘ Why others wrong: A: Less effective. C & D: Not the main condition.
Question 1581
Monetarists argue fiscal policy effects are temporary because:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: B — Monetary policy dominates long-run outcomes
Explanation: ✔ Why correct: Monetarists emphasize money supply as the key driver. ✘ Why others wrong: A, C, D: Incorrect.
Question 1582
A budget deficit automatically rises in recession because:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: B — Government spending on benefits rises
Explanation: ✔ Why correct: Unemployment benefits and social spending increase. ✘ Why others wrong: A: Revenues fall. C: Spending rises. D: Not the main driver.
Question 1583
A budget surplus automatically rises in a boom because:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: A — Tax revenues rise with income
Explanation: ✔ Why correct: Higher incomes increase tax receipts. ✘ Why others wrong: B: Spending may not rise. C & D: Not relevant.
Question 1584
Automatic stabilizers are beneficial because:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: A — They require no policy decisions
Explanation: ✔ Why correct: They operate without delays or political action. ✘ Why others wrong: B & C: They reduce, not eliminate cycles. D: Opposite.
Question 1585
Discretionary fiscal policy is limited by:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: B — Political delays and timing issues
Explanation: ✔ Why correct: Policy changes take time to legislate and implement. ✘ Why others wrong: A: Opposite. C: Automatic stabilizers. D: Not true.
Question 1586
National debt concerns depend partly on:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: A — Who owns the debt
Explanation: ✔ Why correct: Internal vs external ownership affects sustainability. ✘ Why others wrong: B, C, D: Not the main factor.
Question 1587
A key argument for being concerned about high national debt is that it may:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: B — Require higher tax rates that reduce economic activity
Explanation: ✔ Why correct: High debt may force governments to raise taxes, discouraging work and investment. ✘ Why others wrong: A & C: Higher taxes reduce these. D: Debt concerns often raise inflation risk.
Question 1588
Higher marginal tax rates due to high debt may:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: B — Reduce labor effort and entrepreneurship
Explanation: ✔ Why correct: Higher taxes reduce incentives to work and invest. ✘ Why others wrong: A & D: Opposite. C: Taxes do affect behavior.
Question 1589
If markets lose confidence in a government, the central bank may:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: B — Print money to finance deficits
Explanation: ✔ Why correct: Loss of confidence can force monetary financing, risking inflation. ✘ Why others wrong: A, C, D: Not the mechanism.
Question 1590
Printing money to finance deficits may lead to:
Select an option first.
Correct answer: B — High inflation or hyperinflation
Explanation: ✔ Why correct: Historical examples (Germany 1920s, Zimbabwe) show this. ✘ Why others wrong: A, C, D: Opposite or unrelated.
More free CFA topics
Quantitative Methods1,213
Portfolio Management1,079
Fixed Income908
Financial Statement Analysis904
Corporate Issuers884
Portfolio Construction605
Alternative Investments540
Specialized Pathway - Private Markets500
Asset Allocation499
Derivatives498
Equity390
Performance Measurement295
Specialized Pathway - Portfolio Management253
Derivatives and Risk Management131
Ten questions in
- The ones you miss are saved as a drill you can repeat
- Your place is kept, on this device and any other
- A streak, if that is the thing that gets you back tomorrow
Every question on this page stays free and open either way.