I know the chances of anyone paying attention to this article are slim, but it’s worth putting it out there nevertheless. If you are stockpiling to prepare for Brexit, as it increasingly is the fashion, you need to stop. You are doing yourself and the others around you more harm than good.
When the governor of the Swiss central bank sounds alarmed, it is time to take notice. Switzerland, famous for its cheese but also for its prosperity, has built its economy around trade, and Thomas Jordan is worried that protectionism will now ruin it.
Remember when Donald Trump hinted that he would threaten to restructure the US debt to get better terms on it? His protectionist measures may “help” him to achieve some sort of restructuring, but not in a good way.
The Chinese currency will weaken and this will hurt the international economy, economist Andrew Smithers said in a recent report on the second biggest economy in the world.
As shoppers search for the latest bargains on UK high streets and online, Chancellor George Osborne could be forgiven for believing he really is the artisan of a strong UK recovery.
The year that is about to end was a good one for the UK, judging by some data: low inflation, low interest rates, high employment, rising house prices and a growing gross domestic product – what’s not to like?
But 2014 could turn out to be the year when the recovery ends. Other sets of data reveal the worrying signs of an economy that is running on hopes and dreams, rather than real investment.