Definition: Money is an object used as a medium of exchange between two parties. It can have intrinsic value like gold or it can be a universally accepted instrument such as notes and coins printed by a Central Bank. Early money These gold coins are an example of money with an intrinsic value. Made out …
Financialisation is a term used to describe the increased role of the financial sector in a modern economy. Source: NYT 2013 Financialisation also refers to particular trends in the financial sector of the economy. This includes: Increased use of financial intermediaries Increased use of futures markets. For example future contracts for bonds, shares, currencies and …
Competition is an essential element of market economies. Different firms have the freedom to attract customers based on price, quality, service and convenient. The type of competition will depend on the product and market structure. For example, in a market with many traders selling potatoes, price will be a key factor. Consumers will shop around …
Some facts about the UK economy. GDP In 2018, UK GDP stood at $2,809 trillion (£2,217) According to IMF, the UK GDP ranked 5th in nominal terms. Behind Germany (4th) and ahead of India (6th) Measured according to Purchasing Power Parity (adjusted for living costs, the UK ranked 9th The Great Moderation. Between 1993 and …
A zombie firm is a company that is currently able to stay in business but is loaded with bad debts and needs bailouts to survive. For example, a company which took on large debts but then a rise in interest rates makes these form debt repayments unaffordable and it would go under – without support …
Readers question: What is Austerity? Simple definition of Austerity Austerity involves policies to reduce government spending (or higher taxes) in order to try and reduce government budget deficits – during a period of weak economic growth. Austerity policies are often associated with higher unemployment and lower economic growth. Austerity policies (and automatic stablisers) have reduced …
The Asian financial crisis of 1997 refers to a macroeconomic shock experienced by several Asian economies – including Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, South Korea and Indonesia. Typically countries experienced rapid devaluation and capital outflows as investor confidence turned from over-exuberance to contagious pessimism as the structural imbalances in the economy became more apparent. The crisis of ’97-99 …
There was a global recession in 1974, 1980-81, 1991-92 and 2007. Readers Question: In this period of recession, is gold a safe investment? Gold is traditionally seen as a safe investment, especially during a time of financial uncertainty, high inflation, depreciating exchange rates and economic recession. The main reason is that gold has an intrinsic …