A look at the impact of strong (overvalued) currency Readers Question: Why would a strong currency be bad for a country? If we consider a country like an individual, having a strong currency means the country can accumulate more assets and resources for its people, thereby increasing the value of its country. As for the …
The current US administration is proposing tax cuts which ‘The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget’, estimates it will include $5.8 trillion of total tax cuts over the decade and a net cost of $2.2 trillion through 2027. The problem with these tax cuts It is unclear how these tax cuts will be financed. An …
Automation and AI have been called the fourth industrial revolution. Robots replacing the jobs of human labour will increase efficiency and enables higher economic growth But, others are concerned that rapid automation can create unequal outcomes, with some losing their job and struggling to gain new forms of employment. A robot tax would, in theory, …
What happens when bubbles burst? Who experiences the most financial losses, and how does it affect the economy? I was reading about the famous Tulip mania of the Netherlands in the 1630s. Firstly, some of the stories may have been slightly exaggerated, but there was no doubt that small tulip bulbs vastly increased in price …
Readers Question: Does expansionary monetary policy, where money supply is increased, also cause a depreciation in the currency? – Since there is a surplus of the currency in the foreign exchange market. Expansionary monetary policy means policies to increase demand in the economy. Expansionary monetary policy typically will involve: Lower interest rates – to make …
I have published a new book “Cracking Economics” (Cassell Octopus Press) It is an overview of economics, split into easily manageable topics. The book is illustrated throughout with diagrams, graphs and photos to give a visual explanation of the text and economic ideas. It is aimed at anyone with an interest in economics. Even a …
Readers Question: What is the cause of deflation? Deflation involves a fall in the price level – a negative rate of inflation. From a very basic standpoint, there are two main potential causes of deflation: A fall in aggregate demand (AD) A shift to the right of aggregate supply (AS) – i.e. lower costs of …
There are several features of eBay which make the market competitive – and perhaps close to the model of perfect competition. Many buyers – thousands of people have access to viewing items listed on eBay. If I sold it in traditional means, smaller numbers of buyers would mean lower prices for me the seller. There …