President Trump’s tariff war has already had a large number of consequences – intended or otherwise – for the global economy. But the slump in energy prices is at least one result that we can welcome. On Monday the price of a barrel of Brent fell to US$64, down about 16pc from the average of … Continue reading Tumbling energy prices will provide just a little relief from a tariff war
Tag: bank of england
Thirteen questions and twelve answers on Trump’s tariff war
By popular demand, here is a bitesize Q&A on tariffs. In short, there are no winners from a trade war, but it is not too late to avoid a global recession. For now, ‘wait and see’ may be the best strategy both for central bankers and investors. 1. Do the new ‘reciprocal tariffs’ make any … Continue reading Thirteen questions and twelve answers on Trump’s tariff war
No, the Spring Statement was not a ‘return to austerity’
First, the good news. Rachel Reeves’ Spring Statement is unlikely to do any significant harm to business or consumer confidence, and it was largely shrugged off by the financial markets. These days that is something at least to cheer. In particular, the Chancellor wisely resisted the siren calls to relax her fiscal rules to finance … Continue reading No, the Spring Statement was not a ‘return to austerity’
10 things to look for in the Spring Statement
Here is a short post on some key points to watch for tomorrow when the Chancellor presents her ‘Spring Statement’ to the UK parliament (at about 12.30). More questions than answers, I’m afraid, but I will follow up once we know more! 1. The immediate outlook for growth. The OBR is widely expected to halve … Continue reading 10 things to look for in the Spring Statement
Plain-speaking Economics 