In September, the Pound plunged to its lowest level on record reaching a low of 1.03 during a day’s trading. The markets were spooked by the government’s unfunded tax cuts and likely £190 bn budget deficit. Investors viewed the Kwarteng/Truss budget as the shortest suicide note in history. Investors sold Sterling and UK bonds, creating …
On a basic level net migration will increase gross domestic product, for two reasons. Bigger workforce Increase in demand in the economy. But what effect will immigration have on per capita income, tax revenues employment and other factors affecting living standards like housing costs? The Economic Costs and Benefits of Immigration – The Surprising Winners …
Earlier this summer the Bank of England warned that the UK was heading into the deepest recession in a generation. Yesterday the Bank of England warned the UK was in the longest recession in a generation – a double gloomy prognosis to go with their record-breaking rise in interest rates by 75 basis points from …
Since the great financial crash of 2007, the UK economy has struggled. Although the past 15 years have been challenging from a global perspective, compared to many international competitors, the UK has slipped behind. Economic growth before global financial crisis of 2007-09 was 2.7%, the new normal is now closer to just 1.5% and with …
Central Banks around the world are increasing interest rates because of concerns about inflation. However, the curious feature of this economic cycle is that Central Banks are raising rates, just as economies go into recession. Higher interest rates will, therefore, exacerbate the economic downturn and cause a deeper recession and higher unemployment. So why are …
Research shows that historical interest rates have been consistently falling, ever since the first interest rates could be measured in the medieval ages. Although there are cyclical fluctuations, there is a consistent long-term trend for real interest rates to fall at a steady rate. The interesting thing is that this phenomenon has been noticed in …
The recent surge in UK government gilts is a warning that unfunded tax cuts in a time of high inflation can cause markets to sell off UK bonds and make it harder to finance future government borrowing. After 15 years of ultra-low interest rates and little concern about rising debt, it is a reminder that …
The UK voted to leave the EU in May 2016. It formally left the EU on 31 January 2020. The transition period ended on 31 January 2021. At this time, UK trade with the EU is subject to new paperwork, customs checks and import duties. The impact of Brexit has been made uncertain due to …