RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST: NPR's business news starts with your happiness.</s>RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST: That's the indicator Fed Chief Ben Bernanke wants to see. Bernanke told a conference of economists last night that despite data pointing to a recovery, many people still feel stressed. He said the economic well-being of Americans is the Fed's ultimate objective - that is, the sense that things are going well.</s>RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST: It's not a new idea. The tiny Asian nation of Bhutan tracks national happiness instead of gross national product.
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke told a conference of economists on Monday that despite data pointing to an economic recovery, many people still feel stressed. He said the economic well-being of Americans is the Fed's ultimate objective — that is, the sense that things are going well.