Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Unit 2: UK's worst ever trade figures

...report Sky news http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Business/UK-Goods-Trade-Gap-Widens-To-Highest-Ever-Level-While-Fourth-Quarter-GDP-Revised-Up-To--05/Article/201103415962136?f=rss ...and a commentary and graph from anforme http://www.anforme.co.uk/blog/?feed=rss2

Friday, March 25, 2011

Unit 2: UK budget 2011 - 12

A summary from the BBC

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12836708

A great interactive guide from the guardian showing income, expenditure and borrowing

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/interactive/2011/mar/23/budget-tax

This one shows the sources of income from various taxes

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/interactive/2011/mar/24/budget-2011-interactive-tax-guide

...and this one cuts the speech in to chunks related to topics; excellent

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/interactive/2011/mar/23/budget-2011-interactive-presentation

...and a commentary from anforme

http://www.anforme.co.uk/blog/?feed=rss2

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Unit 2: Continuing rising UK unemployment

As reported by the BBC; Youth unemployment is particularly bad

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12759753

Unit 2: What ends a recession?

A useful evaluative post from economicshelp; note the evaluation of how likely the reason is to occur

http://econ.economicshelp.org/2011/03/what-causes-recessions-to-end.html

Friday, March 11, 2011

Unit 2: Ireland's economic growth and unemployment rate

....is clearly shown in this graphic from tutor2u

http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/economics/comments/ireland-mass-unemployment-and-shrinking-gdp/

a) Describe the link between changes in irish GDP and the Irish unemployment rate

Unit 1: Further restrictions on tobacco sales

..this time from proposals to ban displays

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-12680815 article
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Article/201103115948614 article and video

and the case against from the manufacturers

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12691348

a) To what extent do you believe this measure will reduce the market failure associated with the tobacco market?

Thursday, March 03, 2011

Unit 2: Fiscal policy in China

The BBC repots a proposed tax cut

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12618201

a) How is this an example of Fiscal policy?
b) Using ad AD/AS diagram, explain the likely effect on the Chinese economy
c) In what way might the outcome have undesirable consequences?

Unit 2: Monetary policy in Brazil

Brazil raises its main interest rate again says the BBC

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12630315

a) Using an AD/AS diagram, explain is the state of the Brazilian economy and what this interest rate rise is meant to achieve

Unit 2: Australia holds interest rates

A nice summary of the Australian economy

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12605302
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12605475