It is great to be able to start with some good news… The 0.3% growth in the UK economy in November was a bit better than consensus expectations of around 0.1%, with some favourable revisions to previous data as well. The detail showed that the bounce in November was driven in part by a rebound in car … Continue reading What to make of the latest UK GDP data
Tag: manufacturing
Is the UK economy really bouncing back?
The news that the UK economy grew by 0.5% in February, lifting the three-month growth rate to 0.6%, is obviously welcome. But these ONS figures should come plastered with health warnings. For a start, monthly GDP data are notoriously volatile, and often revised. A sharp correction is possible in March and especially in April, when … Continue reading Is the UK economy really bouncing back?
Prospects for UK manufacturing are brighter than Make UK suggests
The quarterly ‘Manufacturing Outlook’ survey from Make UK (formerly the Engineering Employers’ Federation) is one of the better examples of its kind. It has clearly been written up by some serious economists, which I obviously think is a ‘good thing’. Nonetheless, the headlines appear to paint an overly gloomy picture of the prospects for the … Continue reading Prospects for UK manufacturing are brighter than Make UK suggests
Book review: “The Elephant in the Room” by John Mills
John Mills’ new book, The Elephant in the Room (published by Civitas and the John Mills Institute for Prosperity), leads with a dire warning that UK living standards may be lower in 2030 than in 2019, but counters this with the bold claim that the economy could grow sustainably by 3% to 4% a year instead, if … Continue reading Book review: “The Elephant in the Room” by John Mills
Plain-speaking Economics 