Unit 2: UK unemployment falls

Latest data from the BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-13059332 and anforme http://www.anforme.co.uk/blog/?p=2078

Unit 2: Why did CPI inflation fall from 4.4% to 4%?

.....Ch4 reports http://www.channel4.com/news/inflation-falls-to-4-per-cent-in-march ....and the BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-13053140 video http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-13045775 article....and anformehttp://www.anforme.co.uk/blog/?feed=rss2

Unit 1: The price of cars

A nice summary from tuto2u including a nice graphic http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/economics/comments/as-micro-prices-for-new-and-second-hand-cars/

Unit 1: How far should a government go in intervening in the free market? Cigarettes in Australia

A great post from Nick Bryant's BBC blog http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/nickbryant/2011/04/big_tobacco_takes_another_big.html a) Discuss the likely success of these policies in reducing the market failure from the consumption of these demerit goods in Australia

Unit 1: Fines to back up regulation

Sky has news of fines for tanning salons that allow children to use their sun beds http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Video-UK-New-Law-Bans-Businesses-From-Allowing-Under-18s-To-Use-Its-Sunbeds/Article/201104215968690?f=rss The BBC has an article http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-12998030 a) Why does this law apply to children only? b) To what extent do you believe this legislation will reduce sunbed use by children?

Unit 2: Rising EU interest rates

This BBC clip shows the dilema faced by the European central bank; to raise interest rates or not? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-13005958 a) Why should the european central bank increase interest rates? b)...and why not? c) What policy actions could a government take if they believed this rise in rates to be against the need of their economy?

Unit 2: The state of the Australian economy

3 stories from the BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12605475 on growth/GDP http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12605302 on inflation/interest rates http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12983692 on falling unemployment and why interest rates may need to rise in the futre a) Comment on the macroeconomic performance of the Australian economy

Unit 1: University education; a merit good?

Ch4 have this summary of a new report http://www.channel4.com/news/a-university-education-what-is-it-worth a) Define a merit good b) To what extent does university education match that definition? c) Does the free market for university education fail ion the economic sense? d) What, if any, actions should the government take in this market?

Unit 1: Organic food; a luxury good?

Economicshelp has this interesting question http://www.economicshelp.org/blog/economics/organic-food-a-luxury-good/

Unit 2: BoP data

...from tutor2u http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/economics/comments/as-macro-key-term-balance-of-payments/

Unit 2: Balance of Payments current account data

Thanks to tutor2u for this recap of the BoP and the current account data as a % of GDP http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/economics/comments/as-macro-key-term-current-account-deficit/