Readers Question: Does rising interest rates always result in a fall in house prices? No. It doesn’t always cause a fall in house prices. But, looking at historical data, when there is a sustained and significant rise in interest rates, it is very likely house prices will fall. For example, the 1981 and 1991 house …
Exchange rates are determined by factors, such as interest rates, confidence, the current account on balance of payments, economic growth and relative inflation rates. For example: If US business became relatively more competitive, there would be greater demand for American goods; this increase in demand for US goods would cause an appreciation (increase in value) …
Readers question: Keeping a lower deficit of the National Budget would benefit Americans as interest rates would remain stable and allow new businesses to grow. Would you say this statement is correct? In theory, there is an argument that a rising deficit can cause a rise in bond yields and interest rates. Similarly, there is …
The housing market is influenced by the state of the economy, interest rates, real income and changes in the size of the population. As well as these demand-side factors, house prices will be determined by available supply. With periods of rising demand and limited supply, we will see rising house prices, rising rents and increased …
Investment is expenditure on capital goods – for example, new machines, offices, new technology. Investment is a component of Aggregate Demand (AD) and also influences the capital stock and productive capacity of the economy (long-run aggregate supply) Summary – Investment levels are influenced by: Interest rates (the cost of borrowing) Economic growth (changes in demand) Confidence/expectations …
Is there a link between government debt and the interest rate on government bonds? One argument we often hear is that if government borrowing increases – we can expect higher bond yields. Investors demand higher yields to compensate for the risk of government default. However, other economists argue this is misleading. If inflation is low, …
A look at how interest rates and inflation affect the exchange rate – in short, higher interest rates tend to cause an appreciation in the exchange rate. Readers Question: In currency investing, would it be more profitable to invest in a country with high-interest rates and high inflation, or low to zero interest rates with …
With UK interest rates close to zero, who benefits from low-interest rates? In summary, the main effects of low-interest rates are: Savers will get lower interest payments on their savings. Borrowers, especially mortgage owners will see lower interest payments on their debt, increasing discretionary income. The government can borrow from the private sector at a …