Given the precarious state of the UK’s public finances, there has been speculation about whether a loan from the International Monetary Fund will be needed, as happened in 1976. What’s really required...

In an age of trade wars, armed conflict, pandemics and climate change, too little attention is being paid to the vulnerability of the global food system. The UK is not immune to the risks, which…

Over the past few centuries, Britain has undergone three periods of major agricultural change. These revolutions in farming practice are closely tied to long-term economic development and highlight…

Data suggests the drive towards individualism has increased the selection of monikers in recent decades

Short-termism is one of the frequently invoked criticisms of the management of publicly listed firms, asset managers, and individual shareholders.

Economists and experts from around the world debate the key economic questions of our time.

The price of gold has risen in recent years, highlighting the role of this precious metal as a stable investment. While the value of gold is resilient and protected from inflation, its stability is no...

No one who pays attention to news about the economy will have missed the recent spell of stories about the quality of economic statistics, not just in the UK but also internationally.  From the result...

The 16-year-olds who took their GCSEs this summer started secondary school in the middle of the pandemic. The results of these high-stakes exams will highlight the uneven toll that Covid-19 lockdowns ...

Disability – a long-term health problem that limits an individual’s day-to-day activities – is a protected characteristic under UK equality legislation. This means that it is against the law to discri...

This US survey examines: There is no evidence to suggest that the employment estimates produced by the Bureau of Labor Statistics are biased so as to favor any particular political party

The ‘economic prosperity deal’ reduces tariffs for around a quarter of the UK’s goods exports to the United States, including cars and steel. But products not covered by the agreement – as well as ser...

Since 2022, food price increases in the UK have outstripped headline inflation by a significant margin (see Figure 1). In the year to June 2025, food and drink costs increased by 4.5%, well ahead of t...

It is something of a cliche to argue that Britain is running out of money, living beyond its means, wandering through a fiscal fool’s paradise – but no less true for that. The trend of …

The development of new technology is at the heart of economic growth. But the ways in which new products and processes spread around the world are vulnerable to changes in trade policy, with growing p...

We listen directly to people from all parts of the UK. This report is a summary of what we have learnt over the past 12 months and how we have used those insights.

The transition from sail to steam power for cargo and passenger shipping to Australia lagged behind the North Atlantic by nearly two decades. This column explores how Brunel’s iconic ship, the SS Great Britain, succeeded where others failed, thanks to its size and innovative design that combined sail and steam power. The Great Britain made 32 voyages from the UK to Australia between 1852 and 1875, carrying thousands of passengers and cargo. Its owners, Gibbs, Bright and Co., played a crucial role in its success through their business acumen and ability to manage the ship's operations effectively.

The United Kingdom finds itself in a challenging position on account of low growth, above target inflation and limited fiscal space. Ensuring that spending is allocated to maximise economic growth is ...