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In the News
Economics Weekly Quiz | 30 September 2022
Here's our weekly economics news quiz. The 'fallout' from Kwasi Kwarteng's mini-budget still dominates!
Short News Videos on the UK Economic Crisis
Trying to make sense of these turbulent times for the UK economy is a tough job! I've put together a collection of short video analysis that might be useful as bridges for discussion in the...
Regional Economics - Turmoil engulfs Britishvolt’s £3.8bn battery factory
This story could be ether micro or macroeconomic, but it seems that the future for the much vaunted electric car battery factory, Britishvolt, is not as rosy as the artist's impression associated...
BoE acts to prevent a pension fund collapse
How close did we come today to witnessing the collapse of numerous pension funds – especially those managing fund providing final salary pension schemes for savers?
IMF issues a critique of UK fiscal policy
The IMF has issued unprecedented criticism of the UK government's policy of tax cuts, arguing that they run contrary to the aim of bringing inflation down and far from stoking growth are going to...
UK Bond Yields Climb above Italy and Greece
This is big news! Bond yields have gone up after Friday's mini-Budget to the extent that it is currently costing the UK government more to borrow than the government's of Italy and Greece. Just let...
China slowing - is the centre of economic gravity shifting again?
Is the centre of gravity shifting in the world economy? Revised forecasts from the World Bank reported in the Guardian suggest that China, the world’s second-largest economy, is projected to grow...
Globalisation - Apple shifts iPhone production from China to India
Something for Economics and Business students alike: Apple is planning to make its new iPhone 14 handsets in India, as it looks to diversify away from China.
The Race for Clean Energy - A Case of Derived Demand and Inelastic Supply
This FT clip looks at the prospects for net zero carbon, initially by highlighting the need to adopt renewable energy and electric cars.
Economics of Incentives - Cost of charging an electric car nudges closer to petrol and diesel prices
Economics is always about incentives - as made clear here. Rising energy prices have meant that the cost of charging an electric car is now getting close to petrol prices, making electric cars less...
Would households benefit from nationalisation of the energy sector?
The Director-General of the TUC, Frances O'Grady writes a piece that tangential looks at distribution theory and wonders whether the UK energy market generates the desired outcomes, or whether it...
Negative externalities - UK nuclear waste cleanup operation could cost £260bn
The extent to which nuclear waste generates negative externalities is highlighted here because the decommissioning of Britain's ageing nuclear power stations appears likely to cost more than...
Why the fall in sterling keeps petrol pump prices high
You might be forgiven for wondering why there's been a lot of talk about the depreciation of the pound this week. Well, here's a great example.
The Mini Budget - A Chancellor Risking Financial Instability
In more than thirty-five years of teaching economics, I have never encountered anything quite like what was announced by the new Chancellor today in his so-called "mini-budget".
Economics Weekly Quiz | 23 September 2022
Here's our weekly economics news quiz. Unsurprisingly, there's a few questions on Kwasi Kwarteng's mini-budget!
2nd pay rise in a year lifts Lidl to highest-paying supermarket
This is an interesting look at the competition for labour in the supermarket industry with Lidl offering its workers a second pay rise this year, making it the best paying UK supermarket.
Bank of England raises interest rates to 2.25% - highest level for 14 years
By a majority of five to four, the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England has decided to raise interest rates to 2.25% - a 0.5% rise - to the highest level in 14 years.
Competition Policy - Ofcom to investigate tech giants’ dominance of cloud computing
OFCOM are going to look into whether the market for cloud computing services is seeing the abuse of a dominant position by three tech giants, namely Amazon, Microsoft and Google.
Energy Crisis - Germany nationalises energy giant Uniper
The German government has taken the drastic step of taking a 98% stake in Uniper, effectively nationalising it via a Euro 29 billion bail-out. The firm is one of the country's biggest gas suppliers...
Changing tastes and preferences - Is plant-based meat staying on the menu?
This FT clip looks at the change in consumer tastes away from meat towards plant-based alternatives.