Labour market statistics were released today, and they showed another record high employment rate (74%).
Chart of the Week: Week 2, 2016: UK Household Debt
Aviva’s latest Family Finances Report contains the worrying statistic that average household debt is now at its highest point since they started tracking it in 2011, although it is not yet quite as high as a proportion of net household income as it was in Summer 2013.
Chart of the Week: Week 1, 2016: Global Stock Markets
While we’ve been away over the Christmas break, global stock markets suffered another shock, which once again originated in China.
Chart of the Week: Week 51, 2015: Christmas Retail Spending
Every year, retail sales spike in December in the UK as people spend money on presents and preparations for Christmas celebrations.
December 2015
Apart from the normal and incalculable unknown unknowns, a possible debt explosion or a Putin play, 2016 is likely to see a steady improvement in the economic environment. 2 to 3% growth with near zero inflation is really quite benign. With Governments, albeit at glacial speed…
Chart of the Week: Week 50, 2015: US Federal Funds Rate
The board of the US Federal Reserve meets today, and it is widely expected that they will announce a small increase in their target rate, taking it away from the rock-bottom range of 0 – 0.25% for the first time since late 2008.