Welcome to the Research Centre
The Research Centre covers a vast array of data, providing proactive information and comment on a huge range of statistics every single month. The economists examine the drivers of economies and investment markets in their effort to spot developing trends early on. In addition, the Research Centre releases in-depth, valued-added reports and analysis on macroeconomic developments to a wider audience, from the "Financial Reality Index", which gauges consumer's real financial well-being, to analysis on the relationship between Inflation and Age.
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The Research Centre covers a vast array of data, providing proactive information and comment on a huge range of statistics every single month. The economists examine the drivers of economies and investment markets in their effort to spot developing trends early on. In addition, the Research Centre releases in-depth, valued-added reports and analysis on macroeconomic developments to a wider audience, from the "Financial Reality Index", which gauges consumer's real financial well-being, to analysis on the relationship between Inflation and Age.
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| After a record decline, UK households see a small improvement in financial wellbeing in Q4 UK consumers saw a small improvement in their financial wellbeing in Q4, following a record decline in Q3. In the fourth quarter of 2011, Alliance Trust’s UK Financial Reality Index rose from 56.7 to 62.1. Despite this, the index and its sub-indices remain well below the critical level of 100, indicating that conditions are below the long term average. Weaker GDP growth, labour market deterioration, high levels of consumer debt and a continued loss of purchasing power continue to weigh on financial conditions facing households. Linsey Thomson, Senior Economic Analyst at the Alliance Trust Economic Research Centre, said, "After a record decline in Q3, our index saw a small improvement in the fourth quarter. However, despite this, conditions facing households remain very tough. In Q4, we saw a further fall in the economic background index due to a continued deterioration in GDP growth and a further rise in the unemployment rate. The net wealth index received a boost from a small increase in both house prices and equity markets, but this is still the weakest component, due to highs level of consumer debt. Meanwhile, household budgets continue to come under pressure from high inflation and muted wage growth, despite a rise in the index in Q4. In the past, our Financial Reality Index has been a good indicator of general consumer spending patterns. The continuing weak level of financial conditions points to a further slowdown in consumer spending as we move through 2012". Click here for the full Press Release Click here for UK Financial Reality Index - Q4 2011 |
Latest Publications UK Financial Reality Index - Q4 2011 US Financial Reality Index - Q4 2011 UK Financial Reality Index - Q3 2011 US Financial Reality Index - Q3 2011 Press Releases After a record decline, UK households see a small improvement in financial wellbeing in Q4 Small improvement in financial conditions facing US households in Q4 Rising gas and electricity prices mean elderly households still suffer highest rates of inflation UK households' financial wellbeing improves slightly in Q2, although economic conditions remain tough More Press Releases |
