UK Economics Focus A timetable for the 2007 pay round This Focus sets out the key pay settlements which are likely to be concluded in the coming months. The fact that average earnings rose by 4.1% in both 2005 and 2006, compared to the 4.5% which the MPC... 31st January 2007 · 1 min read
UK Economics Focus Net migration has probably peaked The outlook for migration into the UK is crucial to the health of both the UK’s labour market and the economy as a whole. We think that net migration is probably now at its peak and set to slow. We... 3rd January 2007 · 1 min read
UK Economics Focus UK spending's no fun anymore If you feel that spending money is not as much fun as it used to be, you’re right. Rising debt servicing costs and utility bills mean that households’ spending on “essential” goods and services has... 12th December 2006 · 1 min read
UK Economics Focus UK spending's no fun anymore If you feel that spending money is not as much fun as it used to be, you’re right. Rising debt servicing costs and utility bills mean that households’ spending on “essential” goods and services has... 12th December 2006 · 1 min read
UK Economics Focus UK Pre-Budget Report 2006 This Pre-Budget Report was vintage Gordon Brown - a blizzard of statistics and a flurry of measures and announcements, most of them old, but without many substantive changes. The one noteworthy... 6th December 2006 · 1 min read
UK Economics Focus What's your inflation rate? According to the official figures, consumer price inflation has remained reasonably subdued in recent months. But the published average inflation rates disguise large differences in inflation rates... 30th November 2006 · 1 min read
UK Economics Focus UK Pre-Budget Report 2006 Preview Gordon Brown will give an upbeat assessment of the economic outlook in the Pre-Budget Report, with favourable implications for the public finances. But the big picture is that fiscal policy will be... 27th November 2006 · 1 min read
UK Economics Focus Is the current account about to get a whole lot worse? In recent years the UK’s external position has benefited greatly from a strong net inflow of income on its overseas investments. But changing economic conditions such as a US-led global slowdown could... 20th November 2006 · 1 min read
UK Economics Focus Europe won't rescue UK from the US slowdown Concerns over the effects on the UK of a major US slowdown have been eased by the fact that our closest trading partner, Europe, is growing strongly. But this won’t fully protect the UK, leaving GDP... 1st November 2006 · 1 min read
UK Economics Focus Subdued income growth to limit spending recovery Unless households reduce their saving further, consumer spending growth will not recover without a pick-up in income growth. But with the growth of household income set to remain subdued, we think... 16th October 2006 · 1 min read
UK Economics Focus Subdued income growth to limit spending recovery Unless households reduce their saving further, consumer spending growth will not recover without a pick-up in income growth. But with the growth of household income set to remain subdued, we think... 16th October 2006 · 1 min read
UK Economics Focus The impact of VAT import fraud on the public finances In recent years the Treasury has lost an increasing amount of tax revenue to VAT import fraud. But this fraud is unlikely to have been as prevalent as some of the figures published in the press... 5th October 2006 · 1 min read
UK Economics Focus How far can retailers widen their margins? The recent combination of rising cost pressures and subdued inflation on the high street implies that retailers’ margins have borne the brunt of the rises in energy costs. With a recovery in retail... 20th September 2006 · 1 min read
UK Economics Focus How far can retailers widen their margins? The recent combination of rising cost pressures and subdued inflation on the high street implies that retailers’ margins have borne the brunt of the rises in energy costs. With a recovery in retail... 20th September 2006 · 1 min read
UK Economics Focus Is UK plc investing enough? With nominal business investment currently at an historical low as a share of GDP, the corporate sector’s investment in the capital stock and the future health of the economy appears to be woefully... 23rd August 2006 · 1 min read
