Nearly all economists advise keeping inflation low. Low inflation contributes towards economic stability – which encourages saving, investment, economic growth, and helps maintain international competitiveness. Governments usually target an inflation rate of around 2%. This moderate but low rate of inflation is considered the best compromise between avoiding the costs of inflation but also avoiding …
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 …
Readers Question: What Happens when Inflation is Higher than Interest Rates? A negative real interest rate means that inflation is higher than interest rates. Therefore, savers will see a fall in the real value of their savings. For example in 2011, CPI inflation was 5%. Bank of England Base interest rates are 0.5% In theory, …
When interest rates were cut to 0.5% in March 2009, few would have predicted that interest rates would have stayed low in UK, US and the Eurozone for so long. Interest rates have stayed at zero for several years – defying several predictions that they will rise soon. Who benefits from low-interest rates and who …
Readers Question: I would like your help in answering a query of mine………Is foreign exchange rate an indicator of economic growth? No. The foreign exchange rate is determined independently to the economic growth rate. The exchange rate can have an influence on economic growth. And the economic growth rate can influence the exchange rate. But, …
The real effective exchange rate measures the value of a currency against a basket of other currencies; it takes into account changes in relative prices and shows what can actually be bought. Sterling effective exchange rate index. Nominal exchange rate The nominal exchange rate measures the current value of a currency against another. For example, …
Monetarists argue that if the Money Supply rises faster than the rate of growth of national income, then there will be inflation. If the money supply increases in line with real output then there will be no inflation. M.Friedman stated: “Inflation is always and everywhere a monetary phenomenon in the sense that it is and …
The real interest rate is the nominal interest rate – inflation rate. For example, if the Bank of England set base rates of 5.5% and the CPI inflation rate is 3.4%. Then the real interest rates is said to be 2.1% A higher real interest rate is good for savers and bad for borrowers. Note, …