Category
In the News
Development Economics: Cocoa Profits and Pension Funds
Two economic development stories relevant especially for EdExcel economics students and teachers.
Economics Weekly News Quiz - 20 October 2017
Here's this week's quiz about news stories linked to economics. Good luck!
50,000 deaths a year in the UK attributed to pollution
The scale of annual deaths around the world attributed to air, water and other forms of pollution is staggering. The majority are concentrated in low to middle income countries but in the UK around...
Why bonus-based pay packages are a mess
The bonus-culture for executives is attacked in this short comment video from the FT. A good video to watch especially for the applied side of labour market economics.
OECD wants the UK to reverse Brexit
Reversing Brexit will provide a significant stimulus to the UK economy according to the new report on Britain from the OECD which claims that a negative view of the impact of Brexit has been borne...
Automation and the UK Labour Market
This article looks at the macroeconomic effects of automation in the labour market, with the Future Advocacy arguing that 20% of UK jobs will be under threat, and that figure rising to 40% in some...
Elasticity of Demand in Action: Sugary Drink Demand and Higher Prices
This article on (limited) research into the effects of higher prices for sugary drinks at Jamie Oliver's restaurants might be used when discussing price elasticity of demand and also the importance...
Economics: Does it Have a Problem with Women?
I'm very big on gender bias in labour markets: is the market for academic economists any different? It appears not: only around one-sixth of academic economists are female. So why is this the case?
World Bank adds two new poverty lines
The World Bank has added two new poverty lines—set at $3.20 and $5.50 a day (PPP) to join the $1.90 a day benchmark.
Palladium tops $1,000 an ounce
A great example of price volatility to use in microeconomics lessons!
Tech and Development - Apps and Crop Diseases
This is just brilliant. Plain brilliant. Technology making a difference to the standard of living of the poorest in society.
How do you clear out a fatberg?
One to save for teaching negative externalities. The marginal private cost of disposing of fat, tampons, wipes and condoms is close to zero but the challenge of clearing up the consequences has to...
Inside the Cadbury's Chocolate Factory
The FT visits the Mondelez chocolate factory in Bournville, Birmingham. The company has reinvested and set up their global chocolate research department there.
Is the UK too tolerant of monopolies?
Yes, according to this timely piece in the Financial Times. A great article to use with students when discussing competition policy issues across a range of markets.
The UK's need for infrastructure
There is plenty of evidence in this gem of an article for some of the causes of the UK's lagging productivity, from an interview with Lord Adonis, the chairman of the national infrastructure...
Europe's Busiest Airports
London Heathrow saw 75.7 million passengers flow through its terminals in 2016 - little wonder that, according to most estimates, the airport is right up against capacity constraints.
What if Apple and Google merged?
An erroneous report published by Dow Jones this week suggested a merger was on the cards! The Lex column at the FT actually thinks there is enterprise value in an integration between the two...
This week's Economics News Quiz - 13 October 2017
Here's this week's quiz on news stories relating to economics. Good luck!
Behavioural Economics has a Nobel Moment
Behavioural economics has received the ultimate accolade. Richard Thaler of the University of Chicago Business School has been awarded the Nobel Prize in economics for his work in this area
Craft distilleries drive gin boom
Gin festivals are becoming more popular with every passing year and soaring demand is creating a supply response as new craft gin distilleries open.