The lesson from Haghani’s trading game and my friend’s 2016 bet is clear. Thinking of the stock market as a series of binary bets to which we can attach probabilities is unhelpful - and potentially costly. Crucially, even knowing the outcome of a given event might cost us money.
Since 2020 in particular, the government has thrown a lot more money at the problem, in particular for social housing of various hues. It has done so while also effectively ignoring the growing deficit of rental homes around the country.
The debate around employees returning full-time to their company’s offices has been intensified by Amazon’s decision to require everybody back inside. Other companies will likely follow suit but employees will also have their say.
We have navigated so many unprecedented crises in recent years that both words are losing meaning. But Budget 2025 was not set against Brexit, Covid or spiralling inflation. It was framed against an upcoming election.
The success story of the women's team offers valuable lessons for addressing the challenges in the men's game. With numerous talented players across the country, both male and female, the key lies in creating opportunities.
Mary O’Rourke, who sadly passed away this week, was the very antithesis of “cool”. But behind the folksy exterior was a deeply serious, highly educated woman who wore her erudition lightly.
Budget 2025 broadened tax incentives to get more individuals to invest in early-stage companies. Yet what the sector really needs is a reduction in complexity.
Budgetary decisions can squander more than money. They can damage the credibility of economic management and undermine the capacity to make better decisions in the future. This is particularly true of capital projects.
Part of the proceeds from the tax on fossil fuels is ring-fenced for social programmes, returning more to lower-income households than it costs them. What is missing is a “Paid for by your carbon tax” badge on the projects it funds.
The Government is in an unprecedented position where it can afford to both buy the upcoming election and plan for the country's future infrastructure. This lucky draw presents its own challenges.
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