A more competitive UK won’t come from government targets November 12, 2013 GOVERNMENTS shouldn’t try to centrally plan economies. It is absurd for the coalition to have decreed that it wants UK exports to reach £1 trillion a year by 2020, for example. Of course, UK firms need to produce more; and of course in doing so they will need to sell more overseas. But plucking impressive-sounding [...]
Letters to the Editor – 07/11 – Short memories, HS2 alternatives, Best of Twitter November 6, 2013 Short memories [Re: There is sadly mass support for nationalisation and price controls, Tuesday] I wonder if the supporters of nationalisation ever tried to get a phone line installed in the 1970s. Have they compared energy prices now with rates back then, adjusted for inflation? Are they aware that the state monopolies made substantial operating [...]
There is sadly mass support for nationalisation and price controls | City A.M. November 6, 2013 SLOWLY but surely, the public is turning its back on the free market economy and reembracing an atavistic version of socialism which, if implemented, would end in tears. On some economic issues, the public is far more left-wing than the Tories realise or that Labour can believe. If you think I’m exaggerating, consider the findings [...]
There is sadly mass support for nationalisation and price controls November 4, 2013 SLOWLY but surely, the public is turning its back on the free market economy and reembracing an atavistic version of socialism which, if implemented, would end in tears. On some economic issues, the public is far more left-wing than the Tories realise or that Labour can believe. If you think I’m exaggerating, consider the findings [...]
London Report: Weak energy results push the FTSE 100 down October 31, 2013 ADROP in the share prices of oil major Shell and chemicals maker Croda knocked Britain’s benchmark equity index down from five-month highs yesterday. Some traders said it could herald a further, minor pull-back on the blue-chip FTSE 100 as traders cash in profits from a four per cent rise in the index in October. The [...]
US inflation soft as consumer price index climbs in line with expectations October 30, 2013 The US consumer price index for September met expectations, increasing 0.2 per cent, following August's 0.1 per cent rise. Excluding food and energy, though, prices went up by only 0.1 per cent for the month – the same increase as in August and below the consensus prediction of a 0.2 per cent rise. All the [...]
US producer price index decreases slightly in September owing to falling food costs October 29, 2013 The US producer price index fell 0.1 per cent in September, following analyst expectations it would rise by 0.2 per cent, and August's increase of 0.3 per cent. Year-on-year, the index continued to point to soft inflation, up by 0.3 per cent. Prices for finished consumer foods fell 1.0 per cent – the largest decline [...]
Letters to the Editor – 25/10 – Deferred costs, Best of Twitter October 24, 2013 Deferred costs [Re: The global economy sinks under its debts as the real cost of energy rises, yesterday] Tim Morgan’s article strikes at the real issue facing the global economy and all of us. Perpetual growth is almost certainly over. The debt problem of the credit crisis has not gone away, it has simply been transferred [...]
UK overtakes Estonia with highest EU inflation in September October 16, 2013 Eurozone inflation increased in September as the consumer price index rose to 0.5 per cent from August's 0.1 per cent, in line with expectations. Year-on-year, September saw an expected 1.1 per cent rise – broadly stable after August 2012 to August 2013's 1.3 per cent increase and the lowest level since February 2010. (Eurostat) In [...]
Stubborn price rises still above inflation target October 15, 2013 SOARING energy bills helped keep inflation firmly above its target in September, official figures showed yesterday. Prices increased by 2.7 per cent in the 12-month period, above the Bank of England’s two per cent and the same rate as in the year to August, according to the Office for National Statistics’ consumer prices index (CPI). The [...]