West Midlands Weekly Economic Impact Monitor – 23rd July 2021

This week England has opened up, lifting most of the restrictions in place to date. This has been met with mixed reviews, especially as Covid-19 cases are rising. It remains to be seen what impact opening up has overall and how public perceptions and behaviour unfold over the coming weeks. The UK has seen a … Continue reading “West Midlands Weekly Economic Impact Monitor – 23rd July 2021”

West Midlands Weekly Economic Impact Monitor – 9th July 2021

This week the UK has seen a resurgence in infection rates, and the daily new cases confirmed in the UK are now the highest out of the selected European countries. This comes as vaccination rates per day in the UK fall and social distancing rules are relaxed, including the re-opening of pubs; which are seeing … Continue reading “West Midlands Weekly Economic Impact Monitor – 9th July 2021”

West Midlands Weekly Economic Impact Monitor – 25th June 2021

This week’s Monitor shows how, generally, the world economy is picking up with pent up demand starting to be released as countries unlock. However, in the UK this week there are stark warnings about the food and drink industry facing labour shortages, especially in fresh food and haulage. This is mainly due to the impact … Continue reading “West Midlands Weekly Economic Impact Monitor – 25th June 2021”

West Midlands Weekly Economic Impact Monitor – 14th May 2021

This week we welcome Andy Street back as Mayor. Following the easing of restrictions, signs of recovery and opening up may signal a new positive phase in the pandemic. We are also pleased to let readers know that the WMCA approach through the Monitor and the State of the Region has received recognition from the … Continue reading “West Midlands Weekly Economic Impact Monitor – 14th May 2021”

West Midlands Weekly Economic Impact Monitor – 16th April 2021

The latest GDP figures indicate the scale of recovery required as service businesses, including shops, restaurants and hairdressers, begin to re-open their doors this week. However, unlike the recessions of the past, many jobs have been retained (due to furlough and other government schemes), and as lockdowns are in place, many individuals have saved up … Continue reading “West Midlands Weekly Economic Impact Monitor – 16th April 2021”

West Midlands Weekly Economic Impact Monitor – 26th March 2021

This week, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported that productivity grew at the fastest rate on record in the middle of 2020 when compared with the quarter before, but this fell away again in the last three months of the year. This was mainly because the least productive industries were those hardest hit by … Continue reading “West Midlands Weekly Economic Impact Monitor – 26th March 2021”

Event: Harnessing the Potential of Createch in the West Midlands – 22nd April 2021, 13:00 – 14:20

Creative industries can be a catalyst of innovation across all sectors, enabling transformative new products and services which can drive regional economic growth, wellbeing and quality of life. In particular, the integration of technology and creative industries (‘Createch’) can satisfy consumer demands and solve societal challenges. Perhaps harnessing virtual production, VR or AR and theatre … Continue reading “Event: Harnessing the Potential of Createch in the West Midlands – 22nd April 2021, 13:00 – 14:20”

Regional Resilience: The Co-dependence of Business and Regions in Recovery

This article was written by Professor Simon Collinson for the National Centre for Universities and Business’ seventh annual assessment of the health of collaborative partnerships – The State of the Relationship Report 2020.  The article reflects on regional specialisms, the unequal impact of the disruptions of 2020 and the value of analysis of regional economies. … Continue reading “Regional Resilience: The Co-dependence of Business and Regions in Recovery”

New Research From the Midlands Engine Economic Observatory Examines the Drivers, Opportunities and Barriers Facing the Midlands

We are happy to announce that the Midlands Engine is today publishing key outputs from the Midlands Engine Economic Observatory (MEEO). The MEEO is a partnership led by City-REDI, which includes Nottingham Trent University, the Black Country Consortium, SQW, and Cambridge Econometrics. It aims to provide essential research capacity and grow contemporary insights into the … Continue reading “New Research From the Midlands Engine Economic Observatory Examines the Drivers, Opportunities and Barriers Facing the Midlands”

Prosperity, Inclusivity and Sustainability Across UK Regions – WM REDI Policy Briefing

This policy briefing reports on a study to assess economic growth, inclusivity and sustainability across UK regions in terms of both current performance (in 2018) and change in performance (between 2013 and 2018). It is part of a larger, on-going (ESRC-funded) project on ‘Local Institutions, Productivity, Sustainability and Inclusivity Trade-offs’ (LIPSIT). We developed a regional … Continue reading “Prosperity, Inclusivity and Sustainability Across UK Regions – WM REDI Policy Briefing”