Reader’s Question: Why does printing money cause inflation? Does this always occur? Summary If the money supply increases faster than output then, ceteris paribus, inflation will occur. If a government prints extra money, households will have more cash and more money to spend on goods. But, if the amount of goods stays the same, the …
Exchange rates are determined by factors, such as interest rates, confidence, the current account on balance of payments, economic growth and relative inflation rates. For example: If US business became relatively more competitive, there would be greater demand for American goods; this increase in demand for US goods would cause an appreciation (increase in value) …
Reader’s Question: The Central bank is raising interest rates (I understand why). At the same time, the government is being called to reduce taxes. These appear contradictory policies to me? What am I missing? In summary You are right they tend to have opposite impacts on consumer spending and economic growth. Higher interest rates tend …
Readers question: Keeping a lower deficit of the National Budget would benefit Americans as interest rates would remain stable and allow new businesses to grow. Would you say this statement is correct? In theory, there is an argument that a rising deficit can cause a rise in bond yields and interest rates. Similarly, there is …
The UK has avoided any situation of hyperinflation. The highest rates of inflation were after the Napoleonic War in the early nineteenth century. During the First World war (25%) and in the 1970s where inflation rose due to a rise in oil prices and strong wage growth. After the late 1980s inflation was brought under …
Cost-push inflation is caused by higher costs of production, such as rising oil prices, higher nominal wages, and increased commodity prices. To reduce this kind of inflation, the government can pursue deflationary monetary policy and/or supply side policies. But, in truth, it is difficult to reduce cost-push inflation because higher interest rates are likely to …
“By a continuing process of inflation, governments can confiscate, secretly and unobserved, an important part of the wealth of their citizens. By this method they not only confiscate, but they confiscate arbitrarily,” John Maynard Keynes, “The economic consequences of the peace” Inflation tax is an implicit tax on nominal assets, such as cash, bonds and …
Reader’s Question: Why Does Inflation Make it Easier for Governments to pay back the debt? The big fall in national debt as % of GDP occurred during relatively high inflation periods of 50s, 60s, and 70s. The 1920s and 30s were a period of deflation and high debt. There are a few reasons inflation …