6A – Identifying Opportunities in Economic & Regulatory Trends

• Economic trend: US Unemployment Rate Falls to 18-Year Low
• Source: https://tradingeconomics.com/united-states/unemployment-rate
• A. The first idea that popped into my mind concerning economic trends is the unemployment rate, so I did a quick search and found this article that discusses the unemployment rate.
• B. With unemployment rates dropping, that means that businesses are going out of their way to hire more and more employees. This creates an opportunity for anyone in the labor force as this means that it has become easier and easier to get a job. 
• C. The prototypical customer is a college graduate, because having a degree makes you more valuable to a company than not having a degree, and if companies are hiring more employees, it makes the hiring of college graduates more likely. 
• D. This opportunity is relatively easy to exploit because with job sites like linked in and indeed, it has become easier to find a job across the nation. 
• I formed an opportunity belief based off this information because while others might see the unemployment rate falling and think that will make it much harder for them, I see a market where business is flourishing enough so businesses can afford to hire more employees. 
• Economic trend: Interest Rates Are Rising
• Source: https://www.thebalance.com/top-usa-future-economic-trends-3305666
• A. Another economic trend that I am interested in is stocks, savings, bonds, and CD's. 
• B. This article talks about the rising interest rates of savings bonds and CD's. People often hear rising interest rates and get scared, but when CD interest rates rise, that means they start to gain value. 
• C. I believe the prototypical customer is anyone willing to get into CD's, but mostly older people buying them for their grandchildren. 
• D. This opportunity is relatively easy to exploit because there is nothing baring these interest rates from occurring since they are being enforced by the government. 
• I formed an opportunity belief from this information because I know after taking an economics class in high school, that watching interest rates rise on CD's means they gain value, while others would see rising interest rates as a bad thing. 
• Regulatory trend: H.R. 2513: Police Officers Protecting Children Act
• Source: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr2513/summary
• A. I found this information when scrolling the news on my timeline on twitter.
• B. An opportunity exists because this would allow off-duty and retired cops to carry a concealed weapon onto school grounds. This creates an opportunity for added protection to school zones for children.
• C. The prototypical customer are off duty and retired police officers, and the children they would potentially protect. 
• D. The opportunity is relatively difficult due to the sensitive issues surrounding guns and school shootings. 
• I formed an opportunity belief based off this information because I feel that having off-duty or retired fathers visiting their children at school while carrying a concealed weapon helps protect the children from potential school shootings. 
• *As long as the retired police officers are medically cleared to still carry a concealed weapon.
• Regulatory trend: Baseball Needs More Netting, and Fewer Excuses
• https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/21/sports/baseball/baseball-netting-girl-yankees.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fsports&action=click&contentCollection=sports&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront
• A. I found this article on my timeline on twitter, decided to read the article by the New York Times, and saw an opportunity. 
• B. This information led me to believe that an opportunity existed for more netting at baseball parks. Parent should not be in fear of their children being struck by a 105-mph baseball while going to the game simply because the organization has not taken enough security precautions. Safety is an important need for humans, and the MLB has the opportunity to force all of its baseball clubs to increase it safety measure around Homeplate. 
• C. The prototypical customer of this opportunity is anyone who attends an MLB baseball game. 
• D. This opportunity is relatively easy to exploit since two-thirds of the MLB teams already have extended netting around their Homeplate. 
• I saw an opportunity in this article to provide safety for everyone who goes to a baseball game. Although others may have seen reasons to stay home, I saw this an opportunity for people to enjoy the game of baseball without fear.