Readers Question: Where is the US economy headed? Is it inflation or depression? Recently, Goldman Sachs predicted a rough year ahead for the US Dollar. They forecast the dollar may fall against Pound Sterling to $1.85 in 12 months. Against the Euro, they forsee it to fall to $1.55 in a year’s time. Exchange rates …
Readers Question: My question is if some many people are aware of this debt and credit problem, why are governments continuing this policy? Debt is nothing more than future taxes which has a crowding out effect. It is a statement that says, government is a more efficient player in the market than individuals. (from Rapid …
In 1945, 500,000 people worked as coal miners in the UK. Today that figure is a fraction. Maybe 1% of the half million are still employed as coal miners. By contrast Tesco now employs 500,000 people across Europe – making it the biggest employer in the EU. In 1945, the first supermarkets were yet to …
For manufacturing investment, the real interest rate is important for determining the viability of investment. Lower interest rates make it cheaper to borrow. Therefore lower interest rates tend to encourage business investment. High real interest rates discourage investment. How interest rates affect the efficiency of investment At lower interest rates, the marginal efficiency of capital …
To many people’s surprise, UK house prices have risen quite strongly in the past 12 months. If we look at the experience of Japan, United States, Ireland or Spain, it seems the experience of Britain is unusual. Countries like Japan and the US had a boom and bust in house prices, similar to the UK. …
Whilst the UK is slowly struggling out of recession – spare a thought for Greece, who are experiencing a real economic crisis – partly of their own making – and exacerbated by the straitjacket that EURO membership entails. The Greek economy has several significant problems Current account deficit of 14% of GDP – their exports …
The arguments for and against the legalization of cannabis and the taxation of the good by the government. Legalising cannabis and placing a tax on the good has several advantages Advantages of legalising cannabis 1. The Government can raise revenue from the tax. Because demand is likely to be inelastic, the tax revenue could be …
Readers Question: What would be the impact of a recession in China on UK and global economy? China’s economy continues to break records with its break neck records. Depending which measure you use, China is likely to be the world’s biggest economy very soon. Yet, there is no guarantee that this impressive growth will always …