Readers Question: would you please explain to me how we can have no inflation, or low inflation if the government injects two or three trillion dollars in the US economy and output falls? This is an interesting question. Although printing more money tends to cause inflation, there are circumstances where you can increase the money …
A summary for understanding exchange rates. Factors that affect exchange rates and the impact of exchange rates on the economy. Terminology Depreciation/devaluation – fall in value of exchange rate – exchange rate becomes weaker (see also: definition of devaluation and depreciation) Appreciation – increase in the value of exchange rate – exchange rate becomes stronger. …
The output gap is a measure of the difference between actual output (Y) and potential output (Yf). Output gap = Y- Yf A Negative Output Gap occurs when actual output is less than potential output gap. In a recession, a fall in Real GDP causes a negative output gap. However, it can become difficult to …
The effective exchange rate measures the value of a currency against a basket of other currencies. This exchange rate index is usually trade-weighted to take into account the relative importance of other currencies. When looking at the effective Sterling exchange rate we compare the value of Sterling against our main trading partners – The Euro, …
Readers Question: what are the pros and cons of price control? Summary Price controls can take the form of maximum and minimum prices. Price controls can also be used to limit price increases as a way to try and reduce the rate of inflation. Maximum prices can reduce the price of food to make it …
Periods of high oil prices frequently lead to periods of recession shortly after. There are two main reasons for this. Higher oil prices reduce disposable income leading to lower spending. Higher oil prices push up inflation causing Central Banks to increase interest rates. Oil prices and recession With oil prices rising above $100 because of …
Summary – Periods of high inflation usually lead to lower returns on the stock market because higher inflation is likely to lead to higher interest rates, lower economic growth and lower dividends. Impact of high inflation on share prices If the inflation rate increases, this will make investors wary for a few reasons. Firstly, if …
Definition of Household savings ratio: The percentage of disposable income that is saved. (1) Total savings = Disposable income – Household consumption UK Saving Ratio Latest UK household savings ratio: 2021 = 10% But, by 2021 Q4 the saving ratio had fallen to 6.2% By contrast, the average savings ratio in the past 54 years …