Tag: Budget

Weekly wrap – Budget fears might ease, but Brexit uncertainty is back

Including thoughts on the Budget, government bond yields, the folly of reopening the Brexit debate, some better news on UK growth, the OBR 15 years on, and Zack Polanski’s grasp of basic economics... Theme of the Week Labour sources are suggesting that the new Chancellor, John Healey, is set to delay ‘difficult choices’ with a … Continue reading Weekly wrap – Budget fears might ease, but Brexit uncertainty is back →

Weekly wrap: Tax cut talk – the good, the bad, and the ugly

Also including thoughts on the latest Budget speculation, paying interest on reserves, the latest from the OECD and IMF, Carney and Blair’s EU fantasies, and what’s really happening to consumer confidence... Theme of the Week It’s party conference season, so politicians will not let a mere fiscal crisis disrupt the usual competition to see who … Continue reading Weekly wrap: Tax cut talk – the good, the bad, and the ugly →

What to make of the new OECD forecasts

The OECD is not really in the forecasting business and its projections are no more interesting than any others. But the consistent policy messages from the OECD and IMF might carry more weight. Frankly, my advice is to ignore the latest OECD projections - they don’t tell us anything that we don’t already know, and … Continue reading What to make of the new OECD forecasts →

Weekly wrap – Government policies continue to do more harm than good

Including thoughts on the “productivity puzzle”, bond yields, monetary policy credibility, and how the government’s clumsy interventions are still costing jobs and adding to rental inflation... Theme of the Week This week’s most interesting economic story was worth a piece of its own: “Six questions and answers on the new productivity data”. In short, the … Continue reading Weekly wrap – Government policies continue to do more harm than good →