In March 2022, the EU, US and other western countries introduced a range of sanctions on the Russian economy. These sanctions have hurt the Russian economy, but they are also causing unprecedented strain on the West and Europe in particular. The big economic threat to Europe involves: Higher inflation from rising energy prices Threat of …
A recession is defined as a period of negative economic growth. However, there can be different causes and types of economic contraction. Different types of recession will influence the length, depth and effects of the recession. These are some of the different types of recessions. Boom and bust recession (e.g. UK 1991/92) – Very high …
In the aftermath of the invasion, the Russian Ruble rallied, becoming one of the best-performing currencies in the world. This perplexed many commentators, who assumed sanctions on Russia would lead to rapid economic deterioration. But, the strength of the Russian Ruble masks the underlying reality. The high value of the Ruble was due to stringent …
When people talk of UK debt, they usually refer to government debt. This is debt the government has borrowed to finance budget deficits (when government spending is greater than taxation revenue) There is also external debt, which is the net amount the UK (private and public sector) owes abroad. This external debt is high (2011, …
In theory, there is a strong link between the money supply and inflation. If the money supply rises faster than real output, then prices will usually rise. This means if a Central Bank prints more money, we will often (though not always!) get higher inflation. Explanation of why increased money supply causes inflation The money …
The Luddite fallacy is the mistaken belief that new technology leads to higher overall unemployment in the economy. New technology may cause disruption and some workers to lose their job, but the improved technology will also create jobs in other sectors of the economy – balancing out any jobs lost. Historical background In the early …
The UK, along with many other countries, is experiencing a real cost of living crisis with inflation rising faster than average wages. The cost of living crisis is driven by higher transport costs, and energy and food prices, and this is forecast to continue to worsen over this winter. What are the various policies which …
Recently I wrote about impact of rising bond yields on long term bonds. There is uncertainty whether the rise in bond yields reflects economic growth or worries over government debt. This post explains the inverse relationship between bond yields and bond prices Bond Yield Curve Definition: The bond yield curve reflects the yield on government …