Many commentators like to pontificate about the profits made by big energy companies. But this grandstanding reveals a feeble grasp of basic economics and numbers, and is ultimately counterproductive. In case you missed it, some big companies selling products which are now in short supply have seen their profits rise because of higher prices. This … Continue reading Politicians should work with BP and Shell, not demonise them
Category: global economy
Explainer – debunking the dodgy stats used by Project Rejoin
There is now a bewildering range of estimates for the harm that Brexit is supposed to have done to the UK economy, or the benefits of rejoining the EU. Indeed, pro-EU accounts often present several inconsistent figures as if each were established facts – even in the same post! Here is a brief rundown of … Continue reading Explainer – debunking the dodgy stats used by Project Rejoin
Subdued money growth should limit inflation risks
The jump in UK inflation from 3.0% to 3.3% in March is obviously bad news but not quite as bad as some had feared (or at least no worse). In particular, the Bank of England had expected this number to be “close to 3½%” when interest rates were left on hold last month. Moreover, this jump can … Continue reading Subdued money growth should limit inflation risks
Two scenarios: “TACO”, or “Trumpageddon”?
In the early stages of the Iran crisis the markets priced in a relatively benign scenario. The conflict was expected to be short, lasting days if not weeks, with limited fallout for energy prices and for the global economy. A month on, this has proved to be far too optimistic. Indeed, the future looks increasingly … Continue reading Two scenarios: “TACO”, or “Trumpageddon”?
Plain-speaking Economics 