Which branch studies individual markets and decisions, not the whole economy?

• A. Macroeconomics
• B. Microeconomics
• C. Econometrics
• D. Political economy

Answer: (B)

Microeconomics focuses on how individuals and firms make choices in specific markets. It analyzes how price signals, scarcity, and budget or cost constraints drive decisions about what to buy, how much to produce, and at what price to transact. This branch digs into the behavior of consumers and producers in particular markets—like the coffee market or the labor market—to explain how supply, demand, and prices coordinate actions and allocate resources efficiently at the smaller, market level.

In contrast, macroeconomics looks at the economy as a whole—things like total output, unemployment, inflation, and policy effects on the entire economy. Econometrics is a set of statistical tools used to estimate economic relationships and test theories, applicable to both micro and macro contexts. Political economy examines how political forces, institutions, and policies shape economic outcomes.

So the focus on individual markets and the decisions of buyers and sellers in those markets is the hallmark of microeconomics.