As bankers warn of crisis risks, is the Chinese economy a cause for concern? January 11, 2015 Clare Howarth is lead Asia Pacific economist at Oxford Economics, says Yes. Chinese producer prices have been falling for almost three years, as growth slows and industry struggles with excess capacity. Falling oil prices have pushed producer price inflation (PPI) down faster in recent months, but are also partly a consequence of the cooling economy. [...]
Britain’s future lies in a reformed EU but the Tories are putting that at risk January 8, 2015 When the British people cast their votes on 7 May, they face a real choice. Do they want a Britain hankering for the past, or preparing for the future? Do they want a Britain closed to the world, or open to opportunity? Do they want an economy and a country that works only for a [...]
Charlie Hebdo shooting: We must not surrender our own freedoms in the face of the vile Paris attacks January 8, 2015 This week, Paris has seen the threat to free speech and freedom of expression realised in its most appalling, extreme form. We must not allow the murderous attack on Charlie Hebdo magazine to be used as a pretext for enhancing the powers of the state to spy on us all. France is (even) further down [...]
The world’s brightest will shun the UK if isolationist rhetoric doesn’t stop now January 8, 2015 We all have our own image of UK entrepreneurship. Sir Richard Branson is a common first choice, and Sir James Dyson is another. For me, it is the Indian Restaurateur. When I first founded Cobra Beer 25 years ago, it was these tireless, unsung heroes of UK entrepreneurship who placed their trust and belief in [...]
Is a new report right to suggest that CPIH is the best headline measure of inflation? January 8, 2015 Paul Johnson is the director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies and led the report UK Consumer Price Statistics: A Review, says Yes Unhelpfully, the four headline inflation figures produced by the ONS produce quite different numbers. Politicians and others are not above selecting whichever gives them the answer they want. There are different ways [...]
Britain’s future lies in a reformed EU – but the Tories are putting that at risk January 8, 2015 When the British people cast their votes on 7 May, they face a real choice. Do they want a Britain hankering for the past, or preparing for the future? Do they want a Britain closed to the world, or open to opportunity? Do they want an economy and a country that works only for a [...]
Why London’s world-beating position in global insurance is now under threat January 7, 2015 A new piece of research into the competitiveness of the London insurance market, released by the London Market Group late last year, confirmed many existing fears. The capital’s position as a world leader in insurance is under threat, and it’s critical that we confront – with the support of the UK government – the challenges [...]
Why QE alone won’t stop the Eurozone’s descent into the deflation trap January 7, 2015 We’re caught in a trap” is the opening line of Suspicious Minds, a song most memorably sung by Elvis Presley, born 80 years ago today. However, it could well be the latest conversational ice-breaker for Mario Draghi, president of the European Central Bank (ECB), with colleagues or other policymakers across the continent. Europe risks entering [...]
8.6m Londoners is a sign of the capital’s success: It’s now time to plan for 10m January 7, 2015 Any day now, the glitter cannons will be fired and the corks popped as London reaches a new milestone, surpassing its 1939 population peak of 8.6m. This isn’t just a number, it’s a validation of London’s success as the world’s business and talent hub, as well as a centre for creativity and innovation. But even [...]
After talks with Angela Merkel, is David Cameron’s quest for EU renegotiation doomed to failure? January 7, 2015 Ruth Lea is economic adviser to the Arbuthnot Banking Group, says Yes Very little was expected from Chancellor Angela Merkel’s latest visit. But putting that aside, there have to be major doubts that any renegotiation of the terms of the UK’s EU membership would amount to much, however badly some of us would like to [...]