Introduction
Macroeconomics is about economic growth, business cycles, inflation, unemployment, exchange rates and capital flows, and monetary and fiscal policies. From a business perspective in particular, it is important to understand the mechanisms generating booms and recessions, and the way monetary and fiscal policies affect interest rates, exchange rates and other macroeconomic variables. Also, room is made for the recent experience of financial crises and of China's rise. Events over the last three years have made these topics more fascinating than some like to admit.