Macroeconomics is a field of study that examines the economy at an aggregate level. It involves describing and measuring macroeconomic variables such as gross domestic product (GDP), prices and inflation, employment and unemployment, aggregate consumption, investment, government spending and taxation, money supply and demand, interest rates, trade deficits and surpluses, the balance of payments, and exchange rates. The construction of simple economic models helps explain the relationships among these variables. Based on this foundation, the course examines short-run economic fluctuations, business cycle issues, supply and demand shocks, and the role of stabilization policies such as fiscal policy and monetary policy.