UK Economics Focus Profits set to disappoint the stockmarket The UK corporate sector has a lot to live up to over the next year or two. The optimism regarding future stockmarket earnings implies that the recent pick-up in corporate profits is expected to become... 10th May 2005 · 1 min read
UK Economics Focus The election and the markets With the general election now less than two weeks away, it is a good time to take a look back at history to see what impact an election usually has on the financial markets. 25th April 2005 · 1 min read
UK Economics Focus Household incomes feel the pinch Household spending growth has slowed sharply since the end of last year. The Monetary Policy Committee has taken the view that this slowdown will prove to be temporary. But after a closer examination... 19th April 2005 · 1 min read
UK Economics Focus Household incomes feel the pinch Household spending growth has slowed sharply since the end of last year. The Monetary Policy Committee has taken the view that this slowdown will prove to be temporary. But after a closer examination... 19th April 2005 · 1 min read
UK Economics Focus The economy and the election At face value, current conditions in the UK economy would appear strongly to support the widely held expectations of a third consecutive general election victory for Labour on May 5th. GDP has... 12th April 2005 · 1 min read
UK Economics Focus Where is the strength in the economy? Retailers are producing a steady flow of poor results, the housing market is undergoing a downward adjustment and the UK economy appears to be weakening from almost every angle. Yet the Monetary... 31st March 2005 · 1 min read
UK Economics Focus Long term trends in consumer spending Spending in different consumer sub-sectors can fluctuate significantly on a monthly, quarterly or even annual basis. But a look back over the past 40 years suggests that spending in most sectors has... 22nd March 2005 · 1 min read
UK Economics Focus Long term trends in consumer spending Spending in different consumer sub-sectors can fluctuate significantly on a monthly, quarterly or even annual basis. But a look back over the past 40 years suggests that spending in most sectors has... 22nd March 2005 · 1 min read
UK Economics Focus Budget 2005: Tight, but not quite as tight as it looks For a pre-election Budget, this was a pretty restrained affair. Indeed, the tax and spending measures add up to a small fiscal tightening of £265m in 2005-06, a far cry from the giveaway of up to £5bn... 16th March 2005 · 1 min read
UK Economics Focus Is there a hidden fiscal crisis? Recent discussion on the public finances has focused on the very narrow question of whether the Chancellor is likely to meet his fiscal rules and whether taxes are likely to rise after the general... 9th March 2005 · 1 min read
UK Economics Focus Budget 2005 Preview Gordon Brown presents his ninth Budget on Wednesday 16th March against a pretty favourable economic backdrop. As he will no doubt remind us, his prediction a year ago that the economy would grow by at... 2nd March 2005 · 1 min read
UK Economics Focus Budget 2005 Preview Gordon Brown presents his ninth Budget on Wednesday 16th March against a pretty favourable economic backdrop. As he will no doubt remind us, his prediction a year ago that the economy would grow by at... 2nd March 2005 · 1 min read
UK Economics Focus MPC may be too sanguine on link between housing & spending The Monetary Policy Committee has soothed concerns over the recent slowdown in the housing market by pointing out that the link between house prices and household spending has loosened markedly in... 14th February 2005 · 1 min read
UK Economics Focus MPC may be too sanguine on link between housing & spending The Monetary Policy Committee has soothed concerns over the recent slowdown in the housing market by pointing out that the link between house prices and household spending has loosened markedly in... 14th February 2005 · 1 min read
UK Economics Focus The three hurdles facing UK exports Over the last decade the weakness of the UK’s external sector has been more than offset by the strength of domestic demand. But now that domestic demand is weakening as the housing market slows, the... 7th February 2005 · 1 min read
UK Economics Focus The falling dollar’s threat to the UK The realignment of the US dollar against the world’s other major currencies has pushed the dollar/pound exchange rate to its highest levels since Black Wednesday and put a $2.00 pound within reach... 27th January 2005 · 1 min read
