2. What does synoptic mean?
• Synoptic means
understanding the
whole
• Synoptic means seeing
the bigger picture
• Synoptic means seeing
linkages between ideas
• Macroeconomics has
micro foundations!
• Markets and industries
are affected by macro
factors
3. POPSICLE (Micro)
• Prices Prices for consumers, paid to growers
• Output Production for individual firms / sectors
• Profits Supernormal, normal, subnormal
• Structure of Market Oligopoly, monopoly, contestable market
• Inefficiency Allocative, productive, dynamic, X-inefficiency
• Competition Price and non-price competition in markets
• Labour Market Impact on levels / pattern of jobs, real wages
• Externalities Effects on social costs and benefits
4. DIGESTIF (Macro)
• Development Human development, sustainability
• Inflation Cost push / demand pull factors, expectations
• Growth Impact on short run / long run growth paths
• Employment Jobs, natural rate of unemployment
• Structure of Economy Pattern of GDP, jobs, investment, incomes
• Trade Trade balance, current account, capital flows
• Inequality Effects on income and wealth inequality
• Fiscal Balance Impact on state borrowing, debt, tax burdens
5. Topical Synoptic Issues
Plastic pollution Renewable
energy
Labour
migration
Ageing
Population
Protectionism Effects of Brexit Financial
markets
Gig Economy
9. Micro & Macro Impact of Falling Inward Migration
Possible microeconomic effects Possible macroeconomic effects
Shortages of skilled labour e.g. in the
National Health Service, construction
Fall in net outflow of remittances –
impact on UK current account of BoP
Impact on demand for and prices of
properties to buy and to rent
Impact on employment and
unemployment if aggregate labour
supply contracts
Effects on dynamic efficiency e.g. with
a brain drain of entrepreneurs /
scientists
Consequences for economic growth
and inflation e.g. from slower growth
of AD + possible fall in LRAS
13. A customs union comprises a group of
countries that agree to:
1. Abolish tariffs and quotas between
member nations to encourage free
movement of goods and services.
2. Adopt a common external tariff (CET)
on imports from non-members
countries. In the case of the EU, the
tariff imposed on, say, imports of
South Korean TV screens will be the
same in the UK as in any other EU
country
14. Micro & Macro Consequences of leaving the EU
Customs Union
Possible microeconomic effects Possible macroeconomic effects
Impact on costs & revenues of sectors
that trade heavily with EU
Impact on patterns of trade between
the UK and EU / non-EU countries
Effects on consumers if there are tariffs
applied to goods & services from EU
Consequences for economic growth
and real living standards in long run
Consequences for UK farming sector of
end to EU import tariffs
Consequences for government finances
once outside of the European Union
20. The UK has an aging population: there are
around 12.4 million people of
pensionable age today.
Population projections predict that there
will be 16.3 million people of
pensionable age in the UK by 2041.
Population of pension age:
2016: 12,435,000 (19 per cent)
2041: 16,275,000 (22 per cent)
Population older than 75 years:)
2016: 5,326,000 (8 per cent)
2041: 9,797,000 (13 per cent)
21. Micro & Macro consequences of an ageing
population
Possible microeconomic effects Possible macroeconomic effects
Changing patterns of consumer demand
in markets / affecting profits of
businesses in particular sectors
Impact on government welfare spending
and future tax revenues e.g. NHS care
Impact on housing market e.g. if people
can live in their own homes for longer
Impact on the rate of growth of
productivity and long term GDP growth
Impact on labour market for different
jobs – labour demand and labour supply
consequences to consider
Impact on UK competitiveness if the
median age continue to rise rapidly
26. Micro & Macro Consequences of the rapid
adoption of robotics and artificial intelligence
Possible microeconomic effects Possible macroeconomic effects
Impact on productivity, costs and profits of
firms/industries at cutting edge
Effects on employment & unemployment
from extensive capital-labour substitution
Impact on demand for, supply of labour in
specific jobs and the real wages paid
Effects on competitiveness and exports
and changing patterns of trade
Impact on consumer welfare e.g. through
lower prices, higher real disposable
incomes, economic-wellbeing
Effects on government finances e.g. if tax
revenues from employment fall
27. Diagram opportunities:
Labour demand and supply
analysis
AD and LRAS
Comparative advantage
analysis
Cost & revenue analysis to
show impact on
productivity, prices & profits
29. Micro and macro effects of a
tax on plastic products
Synoptic Economics 2018
30. Micro & Macro effects of a tax on plastic products
Possible microeconomic effects Possible macroeconomic effects
Food & drink manufacturers: Higher
variable costs, impact on profits and
returns to stakeholders
Reduce dependence on oil based products
leads to a fall in oil imports (trade)
Suppliers who do not use plastic packaging
or multi-use plastic cups/containers –
substitute products
Taxes raise revenue – how might the extra
tax revenues be used? Hypothecation?
Plastic tax as an intervention to address
externalities from production /
consumption and improve social welfare
Possible impact on employment e.g. in
plastics industries and in retailing, higher
prices and falling real incomes
31. Micro and macro effects of a
tax on plastic products
Synoptic Economics 2018
Diagram opportunities
• Externalities diagrams
• Indirect tax diagram
• Cost, revenue & profit
diagrams
Core content matters!
• Government failure
• Stakeholders
• Alternatives to a tax
• Behavioural nudges
32. Micro and macro effects of a tax on plastic products
Synoptic Economics 2018
33. Micro and macro effects of a
tax on plastic products
Synoptic Economics 2018
35. REGULATION OF THE FINANCIAL SYSTEM
MICRO AND MACRO PRUDENTIAL POLICIES
Micro-prudential
regulation
Macro-prudential
regulation
Macro-prudential aims to
ensure that an entire financial
system has the capacity to
absorb bad economic news.
Micro-prudential aims to
ensure that individual financial
institutions remain solvent and
that depositors are protected
36. Micro & macro policies to promote financial
stability
Possible microeconomic policies Possible macroeconomic policies
Policies to increase contestability in the
banking system – e.g. to encourage more
challenger banks to enter the market
Changes in interest rates e.g. tightening of
policy to control the rise in household
debt and slow-down house price inflation
Capping of interest rates for unsecured
pay-day loans – to reduce the risk of
poorer families being exploited
Taxes on financial transactions e.g.
currency and share dealing to help reduce
the scale of speculative trading in markets
Increased capital requirements for banks
so that they can weather economic shocks
– this is designed to reduce systemic risk
Controls on bank lending e.g. introducing a
minimum cash-to-deposits ratio – to
improve commercial bank liquidity
37. Mortgage market:
Financial Policy Committee have
introduced a mortgage loan to
income (LTI) cap which limits
the number of mortgages
extended at LTI ratios of 4.5 or
higher to 15% of a lender’s new
mortgage lending.
39. Micro and macro effects of rising
demand for electric vehicles
Synoptic Economics June
2018
40. Micro and macro effects of rising
demand for electric vehicles
Synoptic Economics June
2018
Sales of EVs and
hybrid vehicles
increased by 35% in
2017, according to
figures from the UK
Society of Motor
Manufacturers and
Traders (SMMT).
41. Micro & macro effects of rising demand for
electric vehicles in the UK
Possible microeconomic effects Possible macroeconomic effects
Possible rise in average prices if supply of
electric vehicles is inelastic (low PES)
Impact on jobs / pattern of employment -
Electric vehicles generally require less
manufacturing labour than petrol/diesel
Impact on MR/AR of electric vehicle
manufacturers – moving from loss to profit
(great scope for analysis here)
Long run aggregate supply – might
increase with increased infrastructure
investment in charging facilities etc.
Impact on the environment – e.g. are
electric vehicles good for cutting C02
emissions (analysis + lots of evaluation!)
Government finances - revenues from
petrol taxes could be reduced significantly
perhaps leading to higher budget deficit
42. Micro and macro effects of rising
demand for electric vehicles
Synoptic Economics June
2018
43. Micro and macro influences on the
prices of electric vehicles
Synoptic Economics June
2018
44. Micro and macro influences on the
prices of electric vehicles
Synoptic Economics June
2018
Electric vehicles are more expensive than their petrol or
diesel-powered counterparts. For example, an entry-level
Nissan Leaf costs £25,190 (after the government’s £4,500
low-emission vehicle grant has been applied), whereas the
company’s similarly-sized, petrol engine Pulsar hatchback
starts at just £13,280.
45. Micro & macro influences on the prices of electric
vehicles
Possible microeconomic influences Possible macroeconomic influences
Economies of scale in electric vehicle
production – scale economies in the long
run help to bring prices down
Interest rates on car loans and also
changes in real disposable income &
consumer confidence
Depth/intensity of competition in the
market for electric vehicles (e.g. Nissan v
Tesla v Vauxhall v Jaguar) (contestability)
Value of the £ against the US dollar – a
stronger £ reduces the price of imported
components and finished vehicles
Cost of component parts used in
manufacturing electric vehicles such as
batteries
Government spending – e.g. Plug-in Car
Grant scheme offers £4,500 for pure EVs
and £2,500 for hybrid cars
46. Micro and macro influences on the
prices of electric vehicles
Synoptic Economics June
2018
47. Micro and macro influences profits
of airlines in the European Union
Synoptic Economics June
2018
48. Micro & macro influences on the profits of
airlines operating in the European Union
Possible microeconomic influences Possible macroeconomic influences
Impact of new entrants into the industry –
makes market more contestable e.g. long-
haul, low-cost services from Norwegian
Growth of the world economy – e.g. rising
per capita incomes in emerging economies
– lifting global demand for air travel
Effects of mergers and takeovers in the
industry on efficiency / unit costs e.g. Air
Berlin acquired by Lufthansa in 2017
Changes in world oil prices – typically
aviation (jet) fuel accounts for around 18-
20% of operating costs of major airlines
Effects of changes in environmental
policies e.g. increasing price of carbon
trading permits inside the EU ETS
Impact of trade wars / protectionism and
the risks from Brexit – potentially affecting
flying rights to and from UK/EU
49. Micro and macro influences profits
of airlines in the European Union
Synoptic Economics June
2018
50. Key Areas to Focus on in Final
Revision for Synoptic Economics
Synoptic Economics June
2018
51. Crucial revision:
Economic welfare (CS & PS)
Economic efficiency (allocative, productive, dynamic)
Elasticities of demand and supply
Different business objectives and pricing strategies
Characteristics of each of the key market structures
Market failures and possible government failures
AD-AS analysis applied to UK and other countries
Trade and protectionism diagrams
52. Key Areas to Focus on in Final
Revision for Synoptic Economics
Synoptic Economics June
2018
• Applications of behavioural economics – challenging rationality
• Market structures – mergers, contestable markets / oligopoly /
price discrimination / nationalization (e.g. water, mail & rail)
• Economics of the labour market – including monopsony power,
Gig Economy, trade unions and the gender pay gap
• Market failures – plastic pollution, carbon emissions, gambling,
housing, minimum unit prices for alcohol, e-cigarettes
• Transport economics – rail, electric vehicles, airline industry
• Impact of technological change in markets including robotics
53. Key Areas to Focus on in Final
Revision for Synoptic Economics
Synoptic Economics June
2018
• Monetary policy – interest rate policy, quantitative easing
• The changing Phillips Curve – changing unemployment-inflation
trade-off, impact of labour migration on markets and macro
• Protectionism in advanced and emerging countries
• Economics of Brexit, leaving the single market / customs union
• Regulation of the banking system, financial market failures
• Micro and macroeconomic supply-side policies e.g. to improve a
nation’s competitiveness
• Barriers to economic growth and development
EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said warned of “unavoidable” barriers to trade in goods and services if the U.K. leaves the customs union.
Key industries that many students might focus on are: agriculture, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, aviation, cars and universities
Three sectors most reliant on the EU market for their revenues are mining and quarrying (think oil and gas) at 43% of the sector’s total revenues, manufacturing at 21%, and financial services at 10%
Three sectors most reliant on the EU market for their inputs are manufacturing at 20% of total non-staff production costs, health services (mostly the NHS) and social care at 18%, and accommodation and food services at 15%.
Without a free-trade deal following Brexit, dairy products would experience the highest average import tariff rates of 42.1 percent, with a potential maximum rate of 122 percent.
Forecasted net UK contributions to EU budget from 2014/15 to 2019/2020 (in £m)
A rise in the elderly population, particularly if not matched by health improvements, will place ever-greater pressure on public finances, as a relatively smaller working-age population supports growing spending on health, social care and pensions.
Deloitte: The last 144 years demonstrate that when a machine replaces a human the result, paradoxically, is faster growth and, in time, rising employment.
Note of caution: If the pace of adoption of technology is accelerating, society will need to prepare for higher levels of technological unemployment.
Routine, less well-paid work, has been and remains most susceptible to automation.
Robots have already taken over Wall Street, as hundreds of financial analysts are being replaced with software or robo-advisors.
In the US, claims a 2013 paper by two Oxford academics, 47% percent of jobs are at “high risk” of being automated within the next 20 years – 54% of lost jobs will be in finance.
Technology creates more and better jobs. Some of them come in the new sectors themselves, such as today’s app designers and software engineers.
Ban products that are unnecessarily made from plastic and likely to be littered, like cotton buds and straws (Scotland has already committed to this)
Stop using so many different types of plastic - and ensure that all types used are easily recyclable
Develop recycling markets for the materials that remain
Ban products that are unnecessarily made from plastic and likely to be littered, like cotton buds and straws (Scotland has already committed to this)
Stop using so many different types of plastic - and ensure that all types used are easily recyclable
Develop recycling markets for the materials that remain
Reforms to make the financial sector more stable can be expected to boost long-term economic growth and improve income equality.
macro-prudential instruments to prevent credit over-expansion and the supervision of banks to maintain sufficient capital buffers
Measures to reduce explicit and implicit subsidies to too-big-to-fail financial institutions through break-ups, structural separation, capital surcharges or credible resolution plans.
Challenger banks: Metro Bank launched in 2010 and already has 36 branches scattered across London. Virgin Money, Aldermore, Peer to Peer Lenders
Challenger banks
A relatively small retail bank set up with the intention of competing for business with large, long-established national banks
Lots of scope for evaluation here e.g. revenue from petrol taxes likely to fall – but government might switch more decisively to new forms of road pricing as a way of getting all vehicle users to pay for their use of road space.
Airlines are enjoying a period of record profits, with 2017 setting the fourth highest year of profits on record, according to IATA. However intense competition and a rising cost environment is squeezing margins – the airline industry is a good example of where uncertain micro and macroeconomic factors can have a significant effect on profitability.
easyJet and Ryanair – have both set up parallel companies in Europe and the UK, respectively, to ensure they can continue operations from new hubs should the worst happen.