An upbeat speech from Bank of England governor Mark Carney shortens the odds of an August rate hike
economy
Output growth quickens to four-month high
Today sees the release of June data from the Ulster Bank Northern Ireland PMI®. The latest report – produced for Ulster Bank by IHS Markit – signalled that the Northern Ireland private sector ended the second quarter of 2018 on a positive note, with sharper rises in output and new orders recorded. There were further signs of increasing inflationary pressures, however. Meanwhile, business confidence dipped and was the lowest for almost a year.
New car sales still stuck in reverse
Car sales stuck in reverse
One of the trends that we have been seeing in car sales is motorists shunning diesel vehicles for petrol and plug-in versions. But while consumer behaviour is changing in response to the eventual phasing out of diesel cars, we are also seeing overall sales volumes continuing to follow a downward trend. This highlights a lack of consumer confidence which in turn reflects a squeeze on household incomes. In short, new car sales have been in a state of managed decline over the last two years, and this appears to be continuing. Continue reading
Chief Economist’s Weekly Brief – Cloudy
Some crumbs of comfort for the UK economy, but the outlook remains uncertain
Chief Economist’s Weekly Brief – Largesse
Pressure eases on public finances, but not enough to finance a big Birthday gift without recourse to higher taxes.
Time to promote a ‘property-renting democracy’
There’s no shortage of information on the housing market, telling us how prices and sales activity for instance are changing on an annual, quarterly or even monthly basis. These surveys are important and give us a flavour of how the market, which is a key part of the economy, is performing. But there is a danger that we get too fixated on these numbers and miss a more important trend.
Chief Economist’s Weekly Brief – Full Time
Big, expensive, marred by controversy and inherently political. No, not the World Cup. QE. And the final whistle for this extraordinary period for monetary policy is approaching. At least for this round. And there’s always the chance of extra time.
Chief Economist’s Weekly Brief – Sweet sweet services
A reversal of fortune in the service sector should hail a return to business as usual for the UK economy.
Two years on from Brexit vote, EU’s more fundamental problems resurface…
This month marks two years since the Brexit vote, and in the intervening period, we have become fixated with the relationship between the UK and the EU. However, in many respects what is going on within the EU itself is potentially even more significant, and the next two years could be defining for the bloc.
Chief Economist’s Weekly Brief – Jaws
Rising oil prices means that, like the eponymous shark Jaws, inflation keeps coming back. Manufacturers report tighter margins and consumers face a summer of squeezed budgets. Just when you thought it was over eh!
