Tight monetary policy implies the Central Bank is trying to reduce the demand for money and limit the pace of economic expansion. A tightening of monetary policy, could involve an increase in interest rates. – Higher interest rates increase the cost of borrowing and discourage investment and consumer spending. A tightening of monetary policy would …
Readers Question: How does inflation targeting operate when there is a deflation? and what are the problems associated with this? It’s a good question to ask at the moment, especially with regard to the ECB and Eurozone. Firstly, the EU inflation target is – below but close to 2%. If inflation falls below 2%, the …
Readers Question: Since the debt is mainly in the form of government bonds or gilts then it can only be paid back when the term of the bond terminates. What happens if there is not enough money to pay this back? Government bonds are a method for the government to borrow money. They sell bonds …
The UK recovery paints an unusual situation. We have both positive economic growth and falling real wages. How can we have economic growth with falling real wages? Real wages are not the only source of economic growth. We can see growth from other components of AD – I (Investment), G (Government spending) plus net exports …
The Eurozone inflation rate is 0.4% (ECB database) (Sept 2014) Eurozone HCIP inflation rate HCIP (Harmonized consumer index prices) Source:| (ECB Inflation graphs, sometimes a few months outdated) Food inflation Food inflation is currently negative. Food inflation tends to be one of the most volatile components. This negative food inflation is one factor reducing the …
Readers Question. I came across a company recently which farms mussels of the coast of a small town in Bulgaria, and I started thinking about its structure in the economy. I know since it produces a homogeneous product along with hundreds of other mussel farmers, it must be in perfect competition, however this mussel company …
Readers Questions: Could you not also argue not that the Euro is a failure but that it’s members/ECB are pursuing the wrong policy? Predictions of the death of the Euro seem to have been much exaggerated & surely Europe has the potential to be a world economic superpower to rival the US or China? It …
“Readers Question – A microeconomics question. In you labour market section you discuss a monopsonist.You say that “in order to employ one extra worker the firm has to increase the wages of all workers”- why? You give a coal mine as a possible example of a monopsonist, do you really think that a coal mine …