The price of oil reached another record high yesterday – $125 Brent Crude oil reached $126 US light crude oil reached $128 before setting back to $127 This means that, even adjusted for inflation, oil is now close to the all time high, last reached in the 1970s. What are the reasons behind the Recent …
Readers Question: What would stop the falling dollar? The dollar has been falling for many reasons. These are some of the factors which would stop the dollar falling and lead to a recovery in the value of the dollar. Higher Interest rates. US interest rates have been cut to 0% in an effort to stave …
There is a report in the Times today, suggesting that young people can’t afford marriage – Marriage too expensive But, on the face of it, it is absurd. When people were really poor 100 years ago, marriage rates were much higher. Despite what people may think, living standards have been gradually rising for the past …
Readers Question: Using the data and your own economic knowledge, evaluate the importance of rising productivity in bringing about an improvement in the UK balance of payment on the current account. Productivity is defined as output per worker or output per input. Rising productivity implies that the economy is becoming more competitive and will be …
A Common question at AS and A2 Level is to understand economic graphs and statistics. Look at the graph below and explain what happens to GDP at current prices between 1974-1983? Many students will answer – In this period GDP is falling. However, this is wrong. What is happening is that the growth rate is …
Despite a slowdown in retail sales during March (Sales fell 0.4% in the month) UK CPI inflation increased to 3%. Retail Price Index RPI (which includes more items) increased to 4.2%. This is at the upper limit of the Government’s inflation target. It is the highest UK inflation rate for quite a while. Last month, …
Readers Question: Assess the view that supply-side reforms have enabled the UK economy to be ‘more successful in maintaining growth, despite an appreciation in the value of its currency’ (Extract 1, lines 5-6}. (From Edexcel unit 3) An appreciation in the exchange rate would tend to reduce aggregate demand and lead to lower economic growth. …
There has been much debate about whether Turkey should be admitted to the European Union. These are some of the benefits and costs which Turkey is likely to face if it is successful in joining the EU. Benefits to Turkey of Joining the European Union EU If Turkey join the EU they have the potential …