My Blog
Scotland’s fiscal fantasy and the impact of an OUT vote
A short visit to the Highlands last week was refreshing. The scenery is just as spectacular as ever, and the
How technology is driving inequality
Inequality is one of the major political topics of our times. Rather like a Shakespearean tragedy, the current splits in
Why we are much better off than the official statistics say
The oldest surviving map of Britain was created in Canterbury a thousand years ago. Our ancestors had a good idea
The IMF is in trouble – and not just due to its poor forecasts
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has played a prominent role in world financial affairs in the post-Second World War period.
A radical idea to revive the North
The Head of OFSTED, Sir Michael Wilshaw, warned last week that secondary schools in Liverpool and Manchester were ‘going into
What game theory tells us about David Cameron’s EU deal
Game theory is the study of how rules and tactics affect outcomes, and it is pervasive in academic economics. The
Ticket prices, fairness and behavioural economics
Who wants to watch the Scousers play football? Certainly no Mancunian, and probably no self-respecting Londoner either. Yet demand for
Why Julian Assange shows that only intelligent machines can be truly rational
Is Julian Assange rational? There are no prizes for guessing the responses of most City A.M. readers to this question.
If it costs nothing, is it worth anything?
Most of us don’t love our banks. We have all experienced the unanswered letter, the seemingly interminable waits on hold
Are the markets telling the truth?
The opening month of 2016 has been marked by sharp falls in asset prices, not just in financial markets but
China is drowning in private sector debt: there’s no telling how this one will end
The eyes of the financial and economics worlds are now fixed on China, with focus predominantly on Chinese stock markets and
Science does not always make sense
The story of the week for many people was the new alcohol guidelines issued by the UK’s chief medical officers.
No more whingeing, please. The recovery is solid.
Last month saw some very positive economic news. The US Federal Reserve raised interest rates for the first time in
A Christmas competition with a difference…
… and the chance to win a bottle of champagne. For the prolonged holiday break, a quiz is appropriate. But
Christmas jerseys: a great intellectual challenge
What would you buy Jeremy Corbyn for Christmas? Printable answers only, please. But somehow, a Christmas jumper seems appropriate. It
Valuing the Future. Why Climate Change Agreement is Hard
The two week long Paris conference on climate change seems to drag on interminably. There are obviously many reasons why
Black Friday, Games and the Stock Market
Black Friday has come and gone. The massive surge into the shops which was anticipated in much of the media
It is not just the Euro. Southern Europe faces a major structural crisis
Major shocks to social and economic systems ruthlessly expose weaknesses which can be contained in more normal times. When the
Could Ernie replace Andy? The Bank’s take on automation
The Chief Economist of the Bank of England, Andy Haldane, has been in the news with his predictions that up
Groucho Marx and Property Bubbles
The commercial property market in London has been booming for several years. The Bank of England is concerned about yet
