*Previous research has predominantly focused on the lower male-female ratio to explain the lower marriage rates of black individuals relative to white individuals in the United States. However, economic prospects for black individuals are less promising than those of whites. In our paper, we investigate the role of economic factors as drivers of marriage formation and their potential to explain this racial gap. Specifically, we estimate the impact of minimum wage hikes on the marital racial gap between black and white individuals. Our findings indicate that following minimum wage increases, young black individuals affected by the policies, experience an increase in marriage rates compared to their white counterparts. These results are consistent with an improvement in the economic prospects of black individuals relative to whites.

**Communication strategies of central banks in emerging market economies have changed over time, particularly in gradually signaling their intentions regarding future interest rate adjustments. In this study, I evaluate the effectiveness of these communication efforts, specifically in guiding the behavior of sovereign bonds in emerging markets. I adopt the perspective of a US-based investor who holds both domestic (US) and foreign (emerging market) bonds, by estimating a joint term structure model that incorporates both US Treasuries and emerging market bond yields, while accounting for currency risk.