Exports and extra spending help Germany avoid recession November 22, 2019 Rising exports, consumer consumption and an increase in government spending helped Germany avoid recession in the third quarter of the year, a breakdown of the statistics showed today. German GDP grew by 0.1 per cent quarter on quarter in the three months to September, data showed last week, meaning it dodged a technical recession after [...]
National insurance payment cut to mostly benefit middle and higher-earners, says IFS November 21, 2019 Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s plans to raise the national insurance contribution (NIC) threshold would mostly benefit middle and higher-income households, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has said. The Conservatives intend to raise the point at which workers pay national insurance to £9,500 in 2020/21 from its currently-planned level of £8,788. The party also intends [...]
OECD: Global growth in 2019 will be worst since financial crisis November 21, 2019 The global economy is set to grow at its slowest pace since the financial crisis this year, the OECD has said, warning that governments are failing to adequately tackle the problem. In a gloomy update to its forecasts, the Paris-based organisation said countries were also failing on tackling climate change, the digitisation of economies and [...]
UK government borrowing jumps in October ahead of post-election splurge November 21, 2019 The UK government borrowed much more than expected last month, official figures have shown, with October borrowing hitting its highest in five years. The increase in borrowing comes even before one of the two main parties has had a chance to carry out large spending increases following the General Election on 12 October. Read more: [...]
Leading German think tank supports minimum global tax rate plans November 20, 2019 A leading German economic think tank has voiced its support for the OECD’s plans for an international minimum corporate tax rate. The Paris-based international organisation has proposed an overhaul to global tax rules that would ensure companies pay a minimum tax rate in their home countries, establishing “a floor for tax competition among jurisdictions”. Read [...]
Stop attacking ECB, new board member tells fellow Germans November 20, 2019 Incoming European Central Bank (ECB) board member Isabel Schnabel has told her fellow German economists to dial back their attacks on the Eurozone’s central bank, saying they threaten the euro. “Dear fellow German economists, if you are wondering what you can do for Europe: Please help to dispel the harmful & wrong narratives about the [...]
ECB: Record-low interest rates causing ‘excessive risk-taking’ November 20, 2019 Record-low interest rates in the Eurozone have led to “excessive risk-taking in some sectors” which could threaten financial stability, the European Central Bank (ECB) has warned. The ECB defended low rates in its latest financial stability report, however, saying they were necessary to support economic activity in the struggling Eurozone. Read more: ECB warned over [...]
UK manufacturing sector continues decline despite some signs of life November 19, 2019 UK manufacturing output continued to fall in November, a closely-watched survey has shown, but there were signs that the sector’s fortunes could be improving. Orders picked up by more than expected from the decade low seen in October. But they stayed well below their historical average, the CBI said in its latest industrial trends survey. [...]
The economy is slowing – can central bankers fight the next downturn? November 19, 2019 The global economy has not had a good year, to put it mildly. Trade-war uncertainty and Chinese weakness have taken a heavy toll, with growth in 2019 set to be the worst since the financial crisis, according to the International Monetary Fund. Such an environment has produced many doomsters and gloomsters, to use Boris Johnson’s [...]
How the pound could react to a Tory General Election victory November 18, 2019 Buffeted by Brexit and a global economic slowdown, the pound has had a wild ride in 2019. Now, City economists believe sterling is at a crossroads, with the upcoming General Election poised to send sterling soaring – or diving. A Conservative majority could fire the pound above $1.40, analysts said, but a Labour victory may [...]