The OBR has recently made a prediction that UK national debt could soar from the current 100% of GDP to 320% within 50 years. This bleak assessment is made with regard to factors such as demographic pressures, requiring higher spending on welfare and health care, plus recent geopolitical events and rising energy prices. In 2009, …
Inflation is a period of rising prices. The primary policy for reducing inflation is monetary policy – in particular, raising interest rates reduces demand and helps to bring inflation under control. Other policies to reduce inflation can include tight fiscal policy (higher tax), supply-side policies, wage control, appreciation in the exchange rate and control of …
The best guide to US elections is the state of the economy. If the economy is doing badly with high unemployment and/or higher inflation. The party of the sitting US president tends to get punished by the voters. But, how much influence does the President have on the economy and the rate of inflation? In …
In 2022, the UK economy is struggling with very weak economic growth and one of the highest inflation rates in the OECD. Some of these problems can be attributed to global short-term problems, in particular recovery from Covid lockdowns and rising oil prices which have caused the worst cost-push inflation since the 1970s. However, short-term …
Readers Question: Why was inflation higher in the 1970s? In 2022, inflation has increased in western Europe to the highest levels for many years. With inflation in UK and US approaching 10%. Yet, despite rising oil prices and other inflationary pressures, inflation is still considerably lower than in the 1970s. A big question is whether …
Readers Question: Why is it so expensive to rent a house in the UK? The average cost of renting a property in the UK is now £1,060 a month (£1,752 in greater London) statista. Between 2005 and 2022, the cost of private renting in England has increased nearly 40% (index from 82 to 114) The …
Readers Question: How important is the budget deficit? The budget deficit is the annual amount the government borrow. The government usually financed the budget deficit by selling bonds to the private sector To libertarian and free-market economists, budget deficits are liable to cause significant economic problems – crowding out of the private sector, higher interest …
22 June 2016 If the UK vote to leave the EU, many predict the Pound will fall significantly. Investor George Soros predicted it could be a bigger fall than in 1992 ERM crisis. Soros claims the Pound could fall by up to 20% (BBC) There are different reasons why the Pound may fall. Uncertainty. Leaving …