Is fiscal austerity a drag on growth?
Keynes was right after all when he said: ‘The boom, not the slump, is the right time for austerity at the Treasury.’ That is the conclusion of research by Professors Òscar Jordà and Alan Taylor,...
The Bots Are Taking Over!
A case of market failure, disruptive technologies, Bot Wars, profit gouging and the New York attorney general. Following a 3-year investigation, the New York attorney general, Eric Schneiderman,...
Sterling drops on Brexit uncertainty
Katie Martin from the Financial Times here looks at the 'Boris effect' - which saw a 2% drop in the value of the pound, the largest drop since 2009 and markets are worried about the UK dropping out...
Highest and Lowest Paid Cities in the UK
Here is a small slice of evidence highlighting the regional divide in standards of living in the UK. It will not come as a surprise that northern cities figure prominently in those with the lowest...
The Puzzle of Growth - Rich and Poor Countries
Here is a link to a new video from the team at Marginal Revolution exploring some the factors that help explain why some countries remain relatively poor whilst others are successful in the...
Profits Explained by the Financial Times
Jonathan Guthrie from the Financial Times explains how companies calculate their profit, what investors should be wary of and the different measures used to gauge how a business is really performing.
Economics Student EU Referendum Survival Guide
Ed Conway is on top form here outlining his survival guide for getting through the hype, cut and thrust of the EU Referendum campaign.
IEA predicts that global oil prices will recover
Another oil article, but a rarity: one that predicts that prices are on the point of rising. This is because the International Energy Agency is of the view that at some point in the next five years...
Innovation Clusters as Drivers of Innovation
This short video from the Economist is a tremendous resource to use when covering innovation clusters and agglomeration economies. There are now hundreds of innovation clusters around the world.
The Independent Goes Digital Only
I remember well reading the first ever copy of the Independent when it arrived in newsagents in October 1986 and - whilst rarely buying my own copy in recent times - I have continued to enjoy the...
Impact of competition in the mobile phone market
Why are regulators in Britain and Europe opposed to a proposed £10.5-billion merger between the UK’s second-largest operator, O2, and the fourth-largest, Three?
Alternative Finance and Information Gaps for Investors
Peer to Peer lending and Crowd Funding has grown rapidly in recent years. It is playing an increasingly important part in raising money for start up companies such as the craft beer maker Brewdog....
Ticket prices, fairness and behavioural economics
Who wants to watch the Scousers play football? Certainly no Mancunian, and probably no self-respecting Londoner. Yet demand for tickets at Anfield, the home of Liverpool FC, is high. Indeed, there...
Monopsony Power: Asda asks Suppliers for Discounts
The extent to which the discounters have altered the nature of grocery retailing is self-evident in this Guardian article that looks at Asda's latest moves in the sector. Asda, currently the worst...
Student Essay: Evaluating Fiscal Austerity in the UK
Here is a really good example of a student essay that uses strong contextual evidence to build arguments on both sides of the fiscal austerity debate. First Year student Juhwan Sohn answered this...
BoE Competition - St Olave's Survey of Regional Economic Confidence
The economics team at St Olave's Grammar School Orpington are working hard on their presentation for the next round of the Target 2.0 Competition organised by the Bank of England. As part of their...
Building Contextual Awareness - Country Profile Sheets
I have updated the country profile sheets used by my students as preparation for their A2 macro exams this summer. The resource is available as a free download.
Growth Miracles and Growth Disasters
Some might take issue with continuing to award Japan the accolade of a growth miracle economy, nonetheless this entertaining short video from Marginal Revolution is a a tidy bridging resource on...
Falling copper prices hit Zambian towns
This clip from BBC news looks at the impact of the Chinese slowdown on the global copper price and, by default, the economic fortunes of Zambia's Copperbelt. The town of Kitwe, the capital of the...
UK Housing - A Nation of Permanent Renters?
Such is the affordability crisis in owner-occupied housing in Britain that there is a significant risk that millions of people will never be able to buy their own property. A new report from the...