The great moderation refers to a period of economic stability characterised by low inflation, positive economic growth, and the belief that the boom and bust cycle had been overcome. In retrospect, economists look back on the great moderation in a different light because although inflation was low, there was great volatility in financial markets and …
Introduction – Recent UK economic performance The UK economy is currently growing at an annual rate of 1.6%, it has low inflation close to the governments target of 2.%. Unemployment has risen in the last 8 months but it is still low at 1.4 million (ILO Survey) compared to the last recession of 1992. The …
A merger will lead to a bigger firm and a greater market concentration. This can have both advantages and disadvantages for the public interest. A merger is likely to reduce competition and give the new firm more market power. Therefore, it will be able to increase prices leading to a decline in consumer surplus and …
The competition commission is the UK body set up in 1998 to regulate mergers and monopoly power in UK markets. It replaced the Monopolies and Mergers Commission. It often deals with issues referred to it by the Office of Fair Trading OFT The competition commission only makes recommendations, enforcement of rules is done by the …
Reasons for the economic decline of Italy.
Readers Question: Will Cutting Public spending bring economic growth?Do Countries with lower government spending as a % of GDP have higher economic growth rates? After recent data on -0.7% growth in Q2 2012, several experts offered suggestions for restoring economic growth to the UK. In the Guadian, Sheila Lawlor suggested (link): The UK’s output figures, …
Readers Question: With talk of a Greek exit from the Euro, the situation is almost always compared to Argentina in the 1980s and 90s. Can you explain what happened there and how it was resolved. In the 1980s, Argentina built up substantial debt and also suffered from periods of very high inflation. To stabilise inflation, …
Readers Question: Should Greece pull out of the euro ? They are in the fifth year of recession despite EU bailouts – it seems like pouring money down a black hole. Yes. I believe they should leave the Euro. I put some arguments for and against here – Should Greece leave the Euro. Leaving the …