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Broadbent: Investment and uncertainty: the value of waiting for news
Good evening! Today I want to talk about “Brexit uncertainty” and investment. This is hardly a new topic. Indeed I put the words in quotes because the phrase has become so commonplace. At least in the context of the economy one rarely hears one without the other attached to it. There are good reasons for that, of course. We know from general experience – from the empirical evidence in the UK and elsewhere (Chart 1) – that greater uncertainty tends to reduce investment spending. It’s also clear, from direct conversation and from more formal surveys, that many businesses are apprehensive about Brexit. Over ... (full story)