Britain's poorer areas' high streets & shopping arcades having much higher incidence of bookies & vape shops.

Retailers go where the business is, and so to some extent this relates to different patterns of consumption driven by poverty (and hopelessness?).

But, for many locals this is a clear index of local decline (when major retailers have evacuated the area).

The Q. is: what is the response? And that is a lot harder than stating the problem!

#economics #inequality
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/feb/09/englands-poorest-areas-have-70-more-vape-shops-and-bookmakers-than-wealthier-ones

In an interesting post exploring the contemporary relevance of John Rawls' political theory, Mark Braund sums up well a key political problem of our times:

'people’s attitudes & behaviours are shaped by their experience of life, and the institutions through which they engage with others. If those institutions reward competitive behaviour, people will behave more competitively. Imagine what would happen if they rewarded cooperation instead'...

#politics #economics

https://www.bearlypolitics.co.uk/p/rawls-reversed

In an interesting post exploring the contemporary relevance of John Rawls' political theory, Mark Braund sums up well a key political problem of our times:

'people’s attitudes & behaviours are shaped by their experience of life, and the institutions through which they engage with others. If those institutions reward competitive behaviour, people will behave more competitively. Imagine what would happen if they rewarded cooperation instead'...

#politics #economics

https://www.bearlypolitics.co.uk/p/rawls-reversed

Demonstrating that actions have consequences... in 2025 while world-wide international travel grew by around 4%, international visitors to the USA dropped by 4%.

And we can be sure that this trend will have continued into 2026 (although it might be ameliorated by the FIFA World Cup?).

If we think of tourism as a form of export (service) industry, then its another sign of the growing pivot away from the economy of the USA.

#USPol #economics #tourism
h/t FT

If you are a Keynesian, or proto-Keynesian then this chart is the key to understanding the continuing flat-lining of the UK economy; the continuing crisis in 'effective demand'.

Static effective demand driven by the costs of living crisis, compounded by the draining upwards of wealth is on of the UK's key problems... and reflecting stagnant productivity.

(Household consumption is a reasonable proxy for effective demand, as it reduces the effect of top 1% consumption).

#economics #politics

If you are a Keynesian, or proto-Keynesian then this chart is the key to understanding the continuing flat-lining of the UK economy; the continuing crisis in 'effective demand'.

Static effective demand driven by the costs of living crisis, compounded by the draining upwards of wealth is on of the UK's key problems... and reflecting stagnant productivity.

(Household consumption is a reasonable proxy for effective demand, as it reduces the effect of top 1% consumption).

#economics #politics

This is not a meme coin.

This is Palantir, $PLTR.

It is down 12% today, nearly 15% on the week.

#news #finance #economics #stocks #options

This is not a meme coin.

This is Palantir, $PLTR.

It is down 12% today, nearly 15% on the week.

#news #finance #economics #stocks #options

Interestingly, there's a trickle of stories in the FT about investment trusts planning to reduce exposure to US (dollar denominated) shares & stocks.

The pivot away from the US in the global political economy is happening, slowly but surely reducing (further) the importance of the US market & economy to the global system.

And once this move, made in response to the Tangerine Tyrant, has been made, it won't be reversed any time soon.

The tectonic plates of economics are moving.

#economics