Keeping Track of UK Macro Objectives

Traditionally towards the end of an AS macro course we brings things together by focusing on the possible trade-offs or dilemmas facing economic policy-makers not least in an age of great uncertainty and change. I have usually emphasised the following macro economic indicators as being key though others are sure to differ!

• Price stability (low positive inflation)
• Rising employment / an improving unemployment rate
• Sustainable growth of real GDP / national income
• A degree of balance in trade in goods and services (a sustainable external position on the current account)
• Manageable public sector finances - including sustainable debt levels and annual budget financing

In this blog and using the Timetric data I plan to keep all of this data in one place and automatically updated so that I can return to it when needed and so too can students if they need to refresh quickly and easily what is happening in the UK economy. The charts can be found below

Consumer Price Inflation (Annual % change in prices)

Data from Timetric.

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Bank of England Target 2.0 from Timetric

UK Unemployment rate (LFS measure)

Data from Timetric.

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United Kingdom from Timetric

Growth of real GDP

Data from Timetric.

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Bank of England Target 2.0 from Timetric

Trade balances for the UK (services, and goods and services combined)

Data from Timetric.

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Bank of England Target 2.0 from Timetric

Monthly UK government borrowing and the size of the national debt

Data from Timetric.

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United Kingdom from Timetric