Readers Question: Could you comment on This BBC programme on Q.E. The programme highlights several criticisms of Quantitative Easing, especially the Q.E. adopted by the Bank of England. Since 2009, the Bank of England’s balance sheet has quadrupled, and now a third of all government bonds are now held by Bank of England. The programme …
A look at the advantages and benefits of free trade. Readers Question: Why isn’t trade among countries like a game with some winners and some losers? Often in the political world, trade is seen as a game of tit for tat. e.g. the US places tariffs on imports of Chinese chickens; China retaliates by placing …
Definition – The service sector is comprised of firms offering ‘intangible goods’ such as entertainment, retail, insurance, tourism and banking. The service sector will make use of manufactured goods, but there is an additional component of offering a service to customers. In a developed economy like the UK, the service sector is the biggest component …
Substitute goods are two goods which can be used for a similar purpose – they provide different alternatives to consumers. In the case of Android and the iPhone, they offer similar functionality and form, but to some consumers there is a big differential in terms of brand loyalty, meaning for certain types of consumers they …
Definition of a recession A recession is characterised as a period of negative economic growth for two consecutive quarters. In a recession, unemployment will rise, output fall and government borrowing increase. See more on recessions Definition of depression A depression is a recession but much more severe and long lasting. There is no agreed upon …
What happens when bubbles burst? Who experiences the most financial losses, and how does it affect the economy? I was reading about the famous Tulip mania of the Netherlands in the 1630s. Firstly, some of the stories may have been slightly exaggerated, but there was no doubt that small tulip bulbs vastly increased in price …
A niche product is a product targeting a specific section of a larger industry and market. Niche products are often (but not always) more expensive than more generic products. Because niche products are fulfilling a particular specialist demand, we find that demand tends to be more price inelastic. This enables a firm selling niche products …
A look at factors that explain wage inequality – including classical economic theory and labour market imperfections. Readers Question: Idealized free market theory argues that it is automatic for each worker to receive just what he or she is worth; otherwise, an “underpaid” worker could just look elsewhere to bid a higher salary. Could established …