Profile avatar
gavinjackson.bsky.social
Writing about economics at the Economist
1,371 posts 9,509 followers 759 following
Regular Contributor
Active Commenter

Baby cinema

I think people underrate the extent there is already a Joe Rogan for libs, and his name is Ezra Klein: - long-form interview format - performs open-mindedness while pushing ideology - embodies a particular ideal of masculinity - listening signals in-group membership

Greggs should sell stottie cakes down south but call them "Newcastle Flatbreads" until Londoners get used to it.

Not convinced government expenditure as a share of GDP is a good proxy for the size of the state. It mixes up two things: economic activity produced by the state (healthcare and education) and transfer payments (pensions). The latter will normally be spent in the private sector, e.g. on cruises.

on.ft.com/3HHhNuw I believe one of the more significant effects of oil price shocks is to (temporarily) reduce demand for fuel inefficient cars. That leads to firings in car factories and “stranded” assets.

I was brought up to regard English literature as a kind of secular religion. I never doubted that poetry and novels contained the meaning of life I wrote this about the tragedy of the subject's decline and the dawn of a world in which nobody reads www.newstatesman.com/culture/book...

Obviously the crude demand situation is dire in terms of growth evaporating and declining volumes setting in a lot quicker than some hoped, but the supply side will be disorderly creating huge opportunities for 'smart' bulls as prices will spike and crash consistently over the next 20/30 years.

Welcome to Bonne Blue Britain @duncanrobinson.bsky.social www.economist.com/britain/2025...

The British and French air forces helped defend Israel from the Iranian attack in April. Now they’re antisemitic countries because of “Muslim immigration”, according to a top Israeli minister.

Some Labour backbenchers can see the OBR isn’t a pair of handcuffs, but a sword for getting what they want www.economist.com/britain/2025...

The OBR is a paper tiger. Savvy chancellors are able to get the answers they want through changing their rules, changing debt measures, changing treatment of QE etc. They can pencil in fantasy "cuts" at the end of the forecast period or increases in petrol duty.

What does £39bn for “affordable homes” mean? Is it social housing or some sort of subsidies for developers?

Yesterday we learned India's LNG demand was 43% lower than the 5 year avg. LNG is pricey so they choose cheaper options! Let's check in on China. Like in the US and everywhere, the Chinese gas industry wants to build more power plants. But there is a catch! "prohibitively expensive" (1/3)

More so than the premier league, Harry Potter and OnlyFans?