Category
In the News
Horizontal Integration - Unilever pursues £50bn-plus mega-merger
There's a mega-merger on the cards with Unilever eyeing up GlaxoSmithKline's healthcare and consumer goods arm, adding Sensodyne toothpaste, Panadol and Centrum vitamins to its portfolio.
Economics Weekly Quiz - 14 January 2022
Here's our weekly economics news quiz! In which month of 2021 did the UK economic output reach pre-pandemic levels? The UK started trade talks with which of the BRICS countries? Which energy...
Mixed externalities - the green credentials of wood pellets
The complexity of environmental policy is laid bare in this investigation into the green credentials of burning wood pellets as an a energy source.
Labour Market: Sainsbury's raises pay to £10 an hour
Sainsbury's have announced that they are going to increase the basic rate of pay to £10 per hour matching Morrisons, and the discounters Lidl and Aldi.
Development Economics: Is China burdening low income countries with unsustainable debt?
This is a fascinating article that looks at the extent to which Chinese lending to developing economies is a tool to increase its geopolitical influence.
Economics Weekly Quiz - 07 January 2022
Happy new year and welcome back! Here's our first weekly economics news quiz for 2022! The annual meeting of which world leaders and business chiefs in which town has been suspended? Which sector...
RAC claims motorists are being ripped off by £5 million a day
Petrol prices in the spotlight again here with the RAC claiming that motorists are being ripped off.
Carbon shift - 65% of new cars bought in Norway are electric
65% of new cars bought in Norway are electric. You might be surprised that an oil producer is so keen to encourage electric car take-up.
Market Failure - Scotland bans single-use plastic
Scotland is adopting legislation to outlaw the use of single use plastics from summer 2022 covering items including food containers, presumably for deep fried Mars bars.
Is Sri Lanka on the point of bankruptcy?
This Guardian article looks at how the pandemic has had a severe impact upon the Sri Lankan economy.
UK energy crisis - should the Government cut green taxes?
The UK energy crisis rumbles on. A number of Conservative MPs have written to the PM to ask for action to lower energy bills - possibly by lowering environmental taxes.
Price Discrimination: FCA acts to end price gouging of loyal customers
News that that the UK car and home insurance market is going to be more closely regulated, with companies being prevented from charging existing customers more than new customers.
Brexit Update: How has Brexit changed trading between the EU and the UK?
This BBC clip looks at how Brexit has affected trade between the EU and the UK.
Dr Doom on economic and geo-political risks in 2022
Nouriel Roubini, aka Dr Doom serves up a litany of downside economic and geo-political risks for the world economy as we move into 2022.
Turning Into 2022 - Some Important Economics News Issues
There are plenty of important economics and business news stories in focus as a New Year approaches.
Monetary Policy - Bank of England raises interest rates from 0.1% to 0.25%
The Bank of England has raised the base rate from 0.1% to 0.25% - a signal that they are prepared to tackle rising inflation.
Duopoly and Competition Policy - Apple and Google duopoly limits competition and choice
Much interest today in a new report on Apple and Google duopolistic dominance of the smartphone market in the UK.
Horizontal Integration - National Express seals takeover of rival Stagecoach
A horizontal merger has been agreed between National Express and Stagecoach, creating a proposed company with a fleet of 40,000 vehicles and 70,000 employees.
Labour Market - UK Job Vacancies Reach New High of 1.2 million
Have we reached full employment? What even is full employment?
Development Economics - Vending Machines and Retailing in Kenya
CK Prahalad wrote about "The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid" and this is a lovely example of where it exists.