Petrol prices set to rise
The cost of a barrel of oil has risen from $40 a year ago to $80 now with the price expected to rise even further in the coming months.
These oil tankers are apparently refusing to dock and unload their contents until the price of oil rises!
Great video on BA and Iberia merger
Following on from my blog yesterday I have found a great video clip on the proposed merger of BA and Iberia. Willie Walsh talks about the synergies that are going to occur due to the merger.
Rated: 
(5/5), based on 1 review
BA and Iberia - economies of scale
The proposed merger of British Airways and Iberia shows types of economies of scale very nicely. Economies of scale occur when a firm grows larger its long run average costs fall. If we remember the mnemonic we used for types of economies of scale - Really, Fun, Mums, Try, Making, Pies, we can then apply this to the merger.
Rated: (5/5), based on 2 reviews
Toy shortage at Christmas?!
Have toy manufacturers misjudged the amount of sales this Christmas? With the UK still in a recession toy manufacturers could have presumed that Santas budget was much lower this year and therefore produced fewer toys.
Competition in action - M&S to sell top brand names
Marks and Spencer have recently lost market share in part due to the emergence of Waitrose but also due to shoppers trading down supermarkets due to the recession. Well M&S have decided to fight back.
read more...»Rated: (5/5), based on 1 review
Demand and Supply in action - The housing market
The housing market has seen six consecutive months of price increases suggesting an upturn. We have also seen the first annual percentage price rise, 2% on the previous year.
Rated: 
(3/5), based on 2 reviews
Price war in the mortgage market?
Competition in most markets is great for the consumer. It can help to drive down prices and improve quality. The market for mortgages is no exception. Nationwide have this week slashed interest rates on their mortgages and are once again offering 95% mortgages.
read more...»Super Starter Sunday - Supply and demand special
This has been a fantastic week to teach supply and demand as there have been so many stories in the news that could be used as examples. This super starter has bought them all together and would work as a great starter where the pupils have to guess the news stories using the pictures or could be used as the basis of a whole supply and demand lesson. I am going to ask my students to draw a supply and demand diagram for each example and show whether there is a shift in supply or demand.
Demand and Supply in action - Champagne affected by the recession
As a luxury good it is probably unsurprising to hear that the sales of champagne have dropped significantly.
Super Starter Sunday - Beat the Teacher 2
This weeks Beat the Teacher is an introduction to demand. Students have to identify the errors in the information.
