Despite weak economic growth of the past decade, UK unemployment has fallen quicker than we might expect. It appears the natural rate of unemployment has fallen and despite record employment levels, wage pressures remain muted. Different reasons for this fall in unemployment include – low productivity, more flexible labour markets, disguised unemployment (underemployment) and growth …
Definition Third World Debt: Third world debt is the external debt that governments in developing countries owe to foreign banks and foreign governments. Many of the countries with third world debt, gained their independence post-1945. Some countries like Indonesia acquired debts from the colonial rulers (Dutch) but for most countries their debt accumulated during the 60s, …
With any new technology – especially electronic goods (TVs, computers, cameras), we tend to see a sharp fall in price over time. Initially, the new technology is very expensive, and a high percentage of disposable income, but over time, prices tend to fall considerably. There are a number of reasons to explain this fall in …
A look at the economics reasons for high youth unemployment (16-25) in many western economies. In the UK, youth unemployment has averaged higher than the main unemployment rate. This is is a similar situation to the US and European economies. The reasons for youth unemployment include Lack of qualifications. Young people without any skills are …
In recent years, many advanced (high-income) economies have seen a marked fall in unemployment but only very slow or even negative real wage growth. This phenomenon of slow wage growth, despite falling unemployment, is marked in countries such as the UK, Japan and the US. Reasons to explain this slow growth of wages include Low …
Readers Question: How much are US economic policies are responsible for its current account deficit? At one stage, the US current account deficit reached 6.5% of GDP, which was one of the highest in the industrialised world. Since the early 1980s, the US has been running a persistent current account deficit. Reasons for the US …
The past few months have seen a rise in the US dollar. The trade-weighted index has risen from 95 in 2011 to 111 in Jan 2011. There has been a near 10% rise in the value of the dollar since July of 2014. Against the Euro, the dollar has been even stronger. One Euro was …
Readers Question: Why invest capita in purely competitive industries with equilibrium margins that are razor thin and entrants that erode quasi profits? Suppose volume is not exceptionally large, why then? Economic theory suggests that firms will invest in industries where there is supernormal profit being made. Investment will be more attractive in industries where there …