A firm will continue to produce in the short run even though economic profits are negative as long
as
the amount of the loss is no greater than the amount of fixed cost.
it has fixed obligations to pay.
it earned positive economic profits last year.
Suppose a perfectly competitive industry is in long–run equilibrium. If a decrease in demand leads
to a higher long–run price, we know that
after further adjustments, price will fall to its original level.
this is a decreasing–cost industry.
some firms will be losing money in the long run.
this is an increasing–cost industry.
At the short–run break–even point, the perfectly competitive firm is
earning positive economic profits.
earning negative economic profits.
just covering its total variable costs.
earning zero economic profits.
When marginal cost pricing occurs
price equals average variable cost but exceeds average total cost.
price equals the additional cost society incurs in producing the next unit of an item.
the firm can only break even if it does not set price to marginal cost.
the firm is at the shutdown point.