[2] The recommendation to publish the four new journals was approved by the executive committee of the AEA in 2006 and the publication start date was set in 2009.

This journal publishes papers covering in applied economics, primarily on empirical microeconomic issues.

This journal publishes papers on macroeconomics, including aggregate fluctuations and growth, and policy related to these fields.

He resigned in 2009 stating that his duties as Chief Economist of the International Monetary Fund proved incompatible with editing the journal in the context of the current financial crisis.

Fields that may find an outlet in this journal include industrial organization, international trade, political economy, and finance.