Author Archives: Simon Briscoe

GDP trends – financial services suffer

Posted on November 1, 2011 by Simon Briscoe

The UK’s third quarter GDP figures from the ONS were pretty much good news all round – stronger growth than expected and most sectors sharing in that rise. But leaving aside the obsession in the quarter to quarter changes, it is the … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Public Sector, UK | Leave a comment

Economic Growth – not just the UK’s problem

Posted on October 31, 2011 by Simon Briscoe

Just how bad is the state of the UK’s economy? Another clue will come in Tuesday’s GDP figures – the first estimate of third quarter growth. Shadow Chancellor, Ed Balls, leads the “there’s no growth” camp with his oft-quoted line: “Our … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Euro area, UK | Leave a comment

The UK’s inflation problem – rates compared internationally

Posted on June 14, 2011 by Simon Briscoe

It’s no wonder that British consumers are feeling pain from higher prices and that questions are being asked about the appetite of policy makers to control inflation. Just look at these charts. In 2008, the inflation rate in the UK … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, EU, Inflation, OECD, UK | Leave a comment

Energy Prices Hit Consumers – the charts behind the story

Posted on June 8, 2011 by Simon Briscoe

The news that Scottish Power is to bring in a double digit increase in domestic gas and electricity prices in August has naturally concerned households whose budgets are already stretched. (See stories in the Guardian and City A.M.) It is … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Energy, Inflation, UK | 1 Comment

Services bounce back

Posted on March 30, 2011 by Simon Briscoe

Just as everyone was dusting off the double-dip narrative, back comes services output to show that the economy is still growing! Services output in January (released today by the ONS) was the second highest (after last September’s) since the recession … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, UK | 1 Comment