Explainers
What is the difference between retail sales value and volume?
Value is money through the till; volume is what it bought once prices are taken out. In August, Britons spent more on fuel and bought less of it.
Explainers
One question a week, answered from the source — the reading skills behind the daily letter.
Explainers
What does “seasonally adjusted” mean, and why can one month fall and rise at once?
German motorway freight fell sharply from July to August and rose at the same time. Both are true. A plain-words guide to adjusted economic numbers.
Explainers
Why does Germany report factory orders twice, with and without large orders?
One contract for ships or aircraft can carry a national statistic. Why Destatis publishes two order figures, and which one answers which question.
Explainers
Why does France have two inflation rates? CPI and HICP, explained
France prints 2.4% and 2.7% on the same morning. What the harmonised index is, why it differs from the national CPI, and which one the ECB reads.