Asking the Right Questions
World Bank forecasts higher global economic growth
The World Bank has embraced the early year optimism on the outlook for the global economy. In their latest quarterly economic report, the World Bank forecasts a moderate acceleration in global economic growth, up from an estimated post-crisis low of 2.3% in 2016 to…
Economic Growth and Asset Prices…..
The OECD released their latest Interim Economic Outlook, warning that “the global economy is projected to grow at a slower pace this year than in 2015, with only a modest uptick expected in 2017”. This is another case of groundhog day, for years now…
Retirement planning; the future is not that far away
In the film “Back to the Future”, Marty McFly transported from 1985 to the year 2015 in the Doc’s DeLorean time machine. The fact that they had flying cars in the future shows how far away 2015 seemed to those in 1985. Now while…
Key points from Janet Yellen’s speech
In April I wrote a blog “Central banks and the certain uncertainty paradox”, reminding everyone that these institutions are no more certain than anyone else about how economic conditions will unfold. Still, market participants continue to hang on every word from the leaders of…
BREXIT – The certainty of forecasts
I found it interesting to hear former Governor of the Bank of England, Mervyn King, be so critical of the British Government and the Treasury for their “scaremongering tactics”. In an interview with the BBC (see clip), he urged calm after what he called…
Forecasting: revisiting my Premier League outlook
At the turn of the year I wrote about the challenge of forecasting, an art that we are faced with in all walks of life. What makes it particularly difficult in the world of economics and financial markets is that we are all part…
Central banks and the certain uncertainty paradox
“Uncertainty is an uncomfortable position. But certainty is an absurd one.” – Voltaire US Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen lifted markets midweek by pouring cold water on recent comments from a number of regional US Federal Reserve Presidents. In a speech at the Economic Club…
Interview Series: 11 Questions for the Minister of Finance
Ireland was the fastest growing economy in Europe in 2015, ranked by percentage change in Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the economic indicator which captures the value of all goods and services in an economy. While there has also been a major improvement across a…
2016, we go again!
Well, we go again. Another year, new resolutions, new goals or perhaps for some a preference to just drift and lament what ‘they would do different, if they only had the time, or the money’. Whatever your current situation or perception of the world,…
Same old Arsenal? The folly of forecasting!
Super-Thursday? No, it’s all about Super-Sunday! The Brazilian Real might have hit a 12-year low against the US dollar last week, but the currency of Liverpool’s Brazilian wizard Philippe Countinho continues to strengthen. A moment of magic was the difference as Liverpool avenged their…
