The UK Labour Market looks to be in pretty good shape
Today has brought the latest UK labour market figures and we can start with an area which looks set to become an issue for the new UK government. The UK employment rate (for people aged 16 to 64 years)...
View ArticleUK Inflation falls below target but food prices remain a worry
This morning has continued yesterday’s theme of better economic news for the UK as inflation has fallen below the Bank of England’s target. The Consumer Prices Index (CPI) rose by 1.7% in the 12 months...
View ArticleWho guards our banking guardians?
Today has brought up a stream of themes from my early days on here. You can sum much of it up under the strap line “The Precious! The Precious!”. In another link I was watching an episode of Yes Prime...
View ArticleUK Retail Sales again hint at an economy in good shape colliding with...
This morning has brought more economic news continuing the theme of the UK having a better year. Retail sales volumes (quantity bought) are estimated to have risen by 0.3% in September 2024, following...
View ArticleChina cuts interest-rates again in an attempt to reverse its property crash
The economic week has opened with further confirmation that the Chinese economy is struggling. China on Monday cut its market-based benchmark lending rates, with the one-year loan prime rate (LPR) down...
View ArticleThe UK Public Finances are about to enter the political arena
Today has brought us the latest numbers in an area of the economy hat has become something of a political football. The new UK government assured everyone that its fiscal plans were “fully costed and...
View ArticleIs the ECB starting to panic about Euro area economic prospects?
In some ways things were quite simple last week as the ECB cut interest-rates for the Euro area by 0.25% to 3.25%. It was after all what we were expecting. However it did come with something of a...
View ArticleBank of England Governor Andrew Bailey has seen UK interest-rates rise since...
As this month has progressed we have seen financial markets move in the opposite direction to the rhetoric from central bankers. We had another example of the latter only yesterday afternoon. Today, we...
View ArticleFinancial Markets will look at the real UK borrowing numbers not fiscal rules
The new UK Labour government has already been through quite a few changes in its approach to fiscal policy. It may seem hard to believe now but in the election campaign it the soon to be Chancellor...
View ArticleThe Japanese Yen is under a lot of pressure again
There is only one place for us to start the week and it is one where the Rishi Sunak award for calling an early election has been handed out. The LDP and Komeito fell well short of the 233 seats...
View ArticleWhat are the economic prospects for the UK ahead of the Budget?
We can start today’s look at the UK economic situation with some good news. We have seen a further fall in shop prices according to the British Retail Consortium. October saw shop prices fall...
View ArticleGermany returns to economic growth (if you believe the GDP figures)
This morning I think we have seen something of a swerve from the German statistics office. It starts with an announcement that looks rather positive in the circumstances. WIESBADEN – Gross domestic...
View ArticleWhat are the economic consequences of the UK Budget?
Yesterday was always going to be both a set piece event and a significant one as we had the first Labour Budget for many years. If I may start with my old stomping ground of the UK government bond...
View ArticleHow much can we trust official statistics?
I thought that I would finish the week by looking at a subject I would prefer did not exist. Regular readers will be aware that I have a rule that I accept official numbers until there are really good...
View ArticleWhat is the state of the US economy ahead of the election and Federal Reserve...
This week will bring two big pieces of news from the worlds largest economy. First we will have the Presidential election and then we will have the latest decision on interest-rates from the Federal...
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