Discussion: Real private nonresidential fixed investment

The Bureau of Economic Analysis provides data for real private nonresidential fixed investment in table form at www.bea.gov. Follow these steps prior to posting to this forum:
Access the BEA interactively by first clicking on the tab titled “National.”

Next, click on “Interactive Tables: GDP and the National Income and Product Account (NIPA) Historical Tables.”

Click on “Begin Using the Data.”

Then, scroll down to click on “Section Five” and then scroll down until you find Table 5.3.5, “Private Fixed Investment by Type.”

Examine the data and respond to the following questions in your response. Do not simply “list” your answers to the questions. Instead, organize your responses into a coherent narrative response.

Has recent real private nonresidential fixed investment been volatile (as measured by percentage change from previous quarters)? Which is the largest component of this type of investment, (a) structures, (b) equipment and software, or (c) intellectual property products? Which of these components has been more volatile? How do recent quarterly percentage changes compare with the previous years’ changes? Looking at the investment data, what investment forecast would you make for the upcoming year (feel free to be specific)?

Here are what you have to do:

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