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In the News
Are tax cuts the best way of stimulating economic growth?
With the news that the Chancellor is contemplating pre-election tax cuts, Will Hutton's Observer piece here looks at whether this is the best way of boosting economic growth.
Price Capping - London’s single tube and bus fares to be frozen
The announcement of a price freeze for single fares strikes me as another example of a price cap; if it weren't for the intervention single fares would be higher. But what will its effects be? Yes,...
Economics Weekly Quiz | 19 January 2024
Here's our weekly economics news quiz covering stories from the UK and global economic events of the passed 7 days.
Octopus Boss predicts fall in energy prices this spring
Good news for households, in that the CEO of Octopus Energy, Greg Jackson, has forecast that energy prices will tumble in April, because of nature of the market. Gas for April delivery will have...
Commodity Prices - Cocoa Prices Surge to 40 Year High
World prices for cocoa beans have surged to a forty-year high. Supply-side factors are largely to blame but so too is an increase in speculative demand in the future market as buyers scramble to...
UK Economy - Inflation Rises to 4%
The annual rate of inflation in the UK has edged higher to 4% in the year to December 2023 and there are worries that the widening conflict in the Middle East will bring about another external...
Economics Weekly Quiz | 12 January 2024
Here's our weekly economics news quiz covering stories from the UK and global economic events of the passed 7 days.
Norway votes for deep-sea mining
This article looks at the controversial topic of deep-sea mining and the potential negative externalities that are associated with it.
UK Economy - Electric Car Charging Infrastructure Lags Behind
This BBC article looks at the fact that the move to electric cars is going to require a charging network and the various options available, from rapid charging points, to lamppost charging points...
UK Economy - The Borrowing for Investment Debate
Carsten Jung writes here in the Guardian about the need for increased investment in the UK, not least public sector investment, and suggests that the Labour Party's commitment to a £28bn a year on...
Who is Britain's Best Paid Boss?
The answer is Denise Coates, Managing Director and Co-Founder of Bet365. In the year to March 2023, Coates was paid about £221 million. The founder also took at least £50 million in dividends...
How big is E-commerce in the UK economy?
A quick primer on the continued growth of e-commerce in the UK. In November 2023, internet sales accounted for nearly 27 percent of all retail sales in Great Britain. But the internet accounts for...
Number of UK businesses going bust rises 52% in two years
The environment for small business appears to be markedly worse this year than it was two years ago, with a 52% rise in insolvencies since 2021, attributed in large part to COVID and Brexit.
How China's BYD Overtook Tesla
This is a fascinating insight into the rise of BYD, and how collaboration between the firm and the Chinese government have allowed it to overtake Tesla.
African Economy in Focus - Five Topical News Stories
Here are five recent news stories on the African economy - great for adding application to your study notes if you are revising economic growth and development on the African continent.
10% surge in CEO pay during 2023
By 1pm on Thursday 4th January, median FTSE 100 CEO’s earnings for 2024 will surpass the median annual salary for a full-time worker in the UK. Median FTSE 100 CEO pay (excluding pension) now...
Why do businesses use flash sales?
Many businesses use flash sales as a pricing technique. Flash sales uses dynamic pricing to fill off-peak capacity and generate extra revenue to help cover fixed costs and improve profitability.
Economics Weekly Quiz | 05 January 2024
Happy New Year! Here's our first weekly economics news quiz of 2024.
A Quick Primer on Sticky Wages
A quick primer on the concept of sticky wages - a Keynesian idea - which has become important during the cost of living crisis. Less than 25% of people in work are members of a trade union....
New Global Profits Tax for 2024
140 countries have agreed from 1st January 2024, to apply an effective tax rate of at least 15 per cent on corporate profits.