Energy Economics - BP makes record profits
Yet more news of supernormal profits in the oil and gas industry. BP has announced a surge in profits making $7 billion in the 3rd quarter of 2022.
Competition Policy - Mega Publishing Merger is Blocked
Mergers and takeovers are rarely blocked, so this is a good example to add to your Year 13 microeconomics notes on monopoly and competition in markets.
Contestable Markets - EU Digital Markets Act
The new European Union Digital Markets Act (DMA) is designed to open up messaging and app buying and diminish the market power of tech giants, like Google and Apple, by forcing them to make their...
Single Currency - Croatia to join the Euro in January 2023
In June 2022, Croatia was given the go-ahead by fellow member nations of the European Union to switch to the single currency from the 1st of January 2023. Croatia stands to become the 20th nation...
Recession Watch - UK Households Saving More and Borrowing Less
The latest data shows that there was an increase in saving and reduction in borrowing in September, and the macroeconomic implications of this should be self-evident.
Energy Takeover - Octopus Energy set to takeover Bulb
Octopus Energy are going to takeover Bulb's 1.5 million customers, and remove the need for the latter to be supported by the government.
Sustainable Business - Crisp makers adopt plastic-free packets
It seems inevitable that we are moving towards a world with increasingly plastic-free packaging, and the crisp market is one which most obviously would benefit from such a move.
Musk buys Twitter - will he suffer the winners' curse?
Elon Musk has closed the deal to secure Twitter for a reported $44 billion.
Economics Weekly Quiz | 28 October 2022 Jonny Clark
Welcome back to this new half term! Here's our weekly economics news quiz.
Fiscal Policy - How Much Could be Raised by a Wealth Tax?
Campaign group, Tax Justice UK, argues that the government could implement five tax reforms, most notably equalising Capital Gains and income tax rates, to reduce levels of tax avoidance, among...
Shell makes record profits - calls mount for a windfall tax
Shell has announced record profits as the oil giant benefits from high global oil and gas prices which have increased the supernormal profits from their exploration, extraction and refining...
Luxury Goods - Why are Nordic Blueberries so expensive?
It is a question I have often asked of myself wandering down a supermarket aisle. Why are Nordic Blueberries so expensive? "Nordic blueberries" or bilberries, grow in Nordic forest, and rapid lose...
Child Poverty - Rising Numbers of UK Children in Workless Households
Progress in reducing the percentage of children living in workless households seems to have been reversed according to newly-released data.
Comparative Advantage - Taiwan - a Microchip Superpower
BBC Newsnight launched their Newsnight Global programme last night and the special on Taiwan was superb. Within it was a segment from Economics Correspondent Ben Chu on Taiwan's status as - far and...
Key Stats on the World Economy
When you are studying globalisation, it is handy to have some key stats on the world economy at your fingertips.
How to reduce the UK's reliance on high house prices
The head of campaign group Positive Money looks here at why the centrality of the housing market to the UK economy results in dysfunctional outcomes, largely because so much of the country's wealth...
Basic food prices surging - is a £7 pint on the way?
Food prices are having a big impact on people’s cost of living. There have been some eye-watering increases in the prices of basic groceries over the last year. This is a rate of inflation that...
Update on the UK Economy - October 2022
Here is a quick update on the UK economy. We'll aim to produce one each month as we head into what many economists predict will be a difficult autumn and winter for the UK. Can a severe recession...
Business Economics - Can Body Shop Thrive in a Recession?
Today's Observer carries an interview with the CEO of Body Shop, a business owned by Brazilian firm Natura which has weathered several storms in recent years and - having cut back on their store...
UK Economy - What can be done to reduce economic inactivity?
The UK's employment rate has fallen since the pandemic – unlike other major economies. There is a lengthy piece here by The Observer's Heather Stewart on the rise in economic inactivity in the UK...