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Sophie Hale

@sophiehale.bsky.social
2.6K followers 103 following 68 posts

Research Director leading on economic growth, trade and intergenerational fairness at the Resolution Foundation.

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Reposted by Sophie Hale
John Springford @johnspringford.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
If this improved productivity is sustained, it fits with the view that macro policy was too tight in the 2010s, and running the economy a little hot should be the priority www.theguardian.com/business/202...
theguardian.com
UK productivity growing faster than official figures suggest, thinktank finds
Resolution Foundation suggests economy may finally be emerging from shadow of 2008 financial crisis
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Sophie Hale @sophiehale.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
The economy grew 0.4% in Q2, down from Q1, but above Britain's dire economic performance over the post-pandemic period. And this leaves the UK fastest growing in the G7 in 2026 so far. See Stephen's full thread below.
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Sophie Hale @sophiehale.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Stephen's hot takes on what we can learn from today's Q2 trade data.
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Sophie Hale @sophiehale.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
What does the announcement today tell us about the shape of fiscal devolution to come? Income tax will be shared, but as of yet no details on how they will balance sharper growth incentives with managing the risk of wider gaps between regions.
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Sophie Hale @sophiehale.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
New Q1 2026 UK trade data out this morning - and the Trump tariff hit on UK exports to the US is now unmissable. Feeding into the longer-term picture of weak goods trade, offset with stronger services trade.
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Sophie Hale @sophiehale.bsky.social · 30/04/2026
We're hiring at the Resolution Foundation. A range of roles across the research team — including one focused on economic growth, to dig deeper into what it takes to lift UK productivity, wages and living standards over the coming decade. www.resolutionfoundation.org/about-us/opp...
resolutionfoundation.org
Opportunities: Resolution Foundation
We're looking for exceptional candidates to join the Resolution Foundation team.
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Reposted by Sophie Hale
Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 18/03/2026
🚨 Out now - the Resolution Foundation response to the Chancellor’s 2026 Mais Lecture. @sophiehale.bsky.social argues that priorities set out by Rachel Reeves yesterday form a credible framework for supporting stronger growth, but important gaps remain. Read it here: buff.ly/1SkyA5G
resolutionfoundation.org
Growth Mais-day • Resolution Foundation
The Chancellor’s reaffirmation of her commitment to focusing on the UK’s miserable growth rate is welcome and reflects the scale of the UK’s challenge: a decade of exceptionally weak growth and a…
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Sophie Hale @sophiehale.bsky.social · 19/02/2026
A nice outline of why the UK is so much more relaxed about goods deficits than the US? And given record deficits last year, whether it should be? www.ft.com/content/af9b...
ft.com
Who’s afraid of the big bad trade deficit?
The divergence between the British and American attitudes isn’t entirely justified
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Sophie Hale @sophiehale.bsky.social · 17/02/2026
The UK goods deficit hit record high in 2025 (in values and volumes terms). This in part reflects the flatlining of goods exports over the last decade: "the volume of UK goods exports last year was still smaller than in 2014". www.ft.com/content/870d...
ft.com
UK trade deficit for goods hits record high in 2025
Official figures show Britain also recorded historic services surplus
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Reposted by Sophie Hale
FT Edit @ftedit.ft.com · 17/02/2026
FT exclusive | UK quietly shelves £110mn frictionless post-Brexit trade border project ft.trib.al/n5uCr9G #FTEdit
ft.trib.al
UK quietly shelves £110mn frictionless post-Brexit trade border project
Experts criticise halt to programme that had used Deloitte and IBM as contractors
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Sophie Hale @sophiehale.bsky.social · 19/01/2026
New report published assesses the UK’s growth challenge 18 months into the current Parliament, examining how economic performance has evolved since the pandemic and evaluating the Government’s progress against its central mission to raise growth. www.resolutionfoundation.org/publications...
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Sophie Hale @sophiehale.bsky.social · 12/12/2025
ONS monthly trade data today shows exports grew 5.2% in October, thanks to a strong monthly rebound in US exports. Imports grew just 1.5% and services trade growth was once again almost zero.
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Reposted by Sophie Hale
ESRC Centre for Population Change and Connecting Generations @cpc-cg.bsky.social · 04/12/2025
📻 Coming up at 4pm today on BBC Radio 4 CPC-CG Director @janefalkingham.bsky.social @uosmedia.bsky.social will discuss #intergenerational #economic justice, with CPC-CG's @sophiehale.bsky.social @resolutionfoundation.org, + @bobbyduffy.bsky.social & @xiaoweixu.bsky.social @theifs.bsky.social ⬇️⬇️
bbc.co.uk
BBC Radio 4 - The Briefing Room, Are the old robbing the young?
Are we seeing inter-generational economic injustice?
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Reposted by Sophie Hale
Alex Clegg @alexclegg.bsky.social · 25/11/2025
Inevitably, there are already arguments that the Chancellor should cut welfare spending instead of raising taxes tomorrow. But is welfare spending really 'out of control'? Here's the facts: www.resolutionfoundation.org/comment/is-w...
resolutionfoundation.org
Is welfare spending ‘out of control’? • Resolution Foundation
The run up to this Budget has seen more than its fair share of rumours, leaks, briefings and counter-briefings. But if there’s one thing we know for sure, it is that tax rises are coming. The public f...
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Sophie Hale @sophiehale.bsky.social · 13/11/2025
Quarterly trade data out this morning. Goods exports were down 0.7% compared to Q2, with weak USA exports certainly contributing. In addition, services trade growth seems to have slowed, with growth of just 0.2%.
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Sophie Hale @sophiehale.bsky.social · 06/11/2025
Research from Yale Budget Lab looks at the impact of US tariffs. As expected, it finds the UK does relatively well. But it goes further suggesting the UK economy will be about 0.1% larger in the long run. budgetlab.yale.edu/research/sta...
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Sophie Hale @sophiehale.bsky.social · 04/11/2025
Research showing rising US wealth inequality across age groups: the wealth of households aged 75 and over increased from 5 percent above the overall average in 1983 to 16 percent above it in 2007, then continued to rise to 55 percent above by 2022. www.nber.org/papers/w34131
nber.org
The Extraordinary Rise in the Wealth of Older American Households
Founded in 1920, the NBER is a private, non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to conducting economic research and to disseminating research findings among academics, public policy makers, an...
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Sophie Hale @sophiehale.bsky.social · 16/10/2025
Monthly trade data for August showed a fall in goods exports, flat goods imports and some services trade growth. A very brief look at the trends in the data below:
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Sophie Hale @sophiehale.bsky.social · 12/09/2025
Exciting news: I’m back from maternity leave👶and so I'm diving straight in with today’s July 2025 trade data release. But after a few months away, I’ll also step back to see how trade has evolved so far this year.
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Sophie Hale @sophiehale.bsky.social · 11/04/2025
Still a week left to apply for this fantastic opportunity to work at the Resolution Foundation!
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Reposted by Sophie Hale
Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 21/11/2024
🚨 New Research🚨 In the sixth Intergenerational Audit for the UK, part of the @ConnectingGens research programme, @mollybroome.bsky.social , @sophiehale.bsky.social and @hannahslaughter.bsky.social evaluate the economic importance of intergenerational exchanges. ➡️ buff.ly/4hYPPb9
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Reposted by Sophie Hale
Tom Clark @tom-clark.bsky.social · 23/11/2024
Enjoyed working on this “inter generational audit” with @hannahslaughter.bsky.social @sophiehale.bsky.social & @mollybroome.bsky.social The role of extended families in care, money & housing is increasing, but also increasingly strained www.resolutionfoundation.org/app/uploads/...
resolutionfoundation.org
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Reposted by Sophie Hale
Emily Fry @emilyfry.bsky.social · 04/12/2024
‼️New report out today 'Trading blows' with @sophiehale.bsky.social We reflect on the UK's trade landscape post-Brexit and Covid - e.g. that exports of some highly regulated professional services – like accounting & tax, engineering, and legal – are growing slower than the average service sector.
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Reposted by Sophie Hale
Jacob Öberg @profjacob.bsky.social · 04/12/2024
🚨🚨 I know there has been a lot of #brexit posting today but this is another truly fascinating @resfoundation.bsky.social report by @sophiehale.bsky.social & @emilyfry.bsky.social with the ominous title "Trading Blows". Key insights are worth restating 🧵 www.resolutionfoundation.org/publications...
resolutionfoundation.org
Trading blows • Resolution Foundation
Recently the UK has faced tough times in trade, juggling twin shocks of Brexit and Covid. While service exports have stayed strong, goods trade has struggled. With a possible further disruption to goo...
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Reposted by Sophie Hale
Jacob Öberg @profjacob.bsky.social · 20/09/2024
🚨🚨 Brexit is ‘stifling’ exports and imports". Report by economists at Aston University finds that the EU-UK TCA has led to ‘profound and ongoing’ impact on goods flow. Great write-up by @pmdfoster.bsky.social of solid research on the negative effects of #brexit on trade. 🧵 www.ft.com/content/21b2...
ft.com
Brexit is ‘stifling’ exports and imports, report finds
UK trade deal with EU has led to ‘profound and ongoing’ impact on goods flow
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Sophie Hale @sophiehale.bsky.social · 11/09/2024
Monthly ONS July trade data weak with monthly trade volumes down by 2.6%, driven by particularly weak monthly export volume of goods. A short thread.
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