Inflation en Belgique - étude en anglais

Inflation :

In 1974, Belgium has known his highest rate of inflation (16, 27% .) because of the oil crisis .If in 1979 it was 3, 99%, it was off again in 1982 reaching 9, 85% in response to austerity measures .

In 2008, we can note that during the subprime crisis the inflation rate in Belgium (4,49% ) was higher than the average inflation rate in Europe( 3,7% ).However, we can observe a deflation (1,68%) in 2009 caused by the recession. Belgium was still above the European average .

Actually the inflation rate in Belgium is 0, 09%.It’s a relay low rate, that’s why the European bank has also a really low rate: 0, 05% . The bank tries to push people save less money and borrow more.

Belgian people are really lucky because there is the indexation on the salary but the new government want to stop it for a bit . Belgian people should expect that the inflation rate will not become higher because if it’s happen their purchasing power will decrease.

Exchange rate:

The 1st of January 1999 euro has exchanged the “franc belge”. We have been waiting until the first of January 2002 to see euro coins and banknotes in our wallets.

1€ = 40, 3399 BEF

Belgium is not the only country with the euro currency, there are 18 countries.

On the table we can see that the euro is really low compare to many countries and that the JPY is a really strong currency. However Belgium compare to Britain has a better currency

The current change for 1€ is 1, 24$. The gap between euro and dollars is decreasing.

Today the day the dollars is a stronger currency than the euro.

That mean for the Belgian people, it will be more interesting to buy products that are exported by the USA. However European products are less competitive than the American products in the USA.

If there isn’t enough national productions, the country (here the USA) should always import and it will cause inflation.

Bibliography:

http://statbel.fgov.be/fr/statistiques/chiffres/economie/prix_consommation/inflation/

http://www.universalis.fr/encyclopedie/premier-choc-petrolier/

http://www.econospheres.be/spip.php?article282

http://fr.inflation.eu/taux-de-inflation/belgique/inflation-historique/ipch-inflation-belgique-2008.aspx

http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/statistics_explained/index.php/Consumer_prices_-_inflation_and_comparative_price_levels/fr

http://www.leconomiste.eu/decryptage-economie/183-zone-euro-de-la-desinflation-au-risque-de-deflation.html

http://fr.euribor-rates.eu/taux-bce.asp

http://www.lalibre.be/actu/politique-belge/voila-ce-qu-a-decide-le-nouveau-gouvernement-federal-543437e7357030e61044fc8c

https://www.ecb.europa.eu/euro/intro/html/index.fr.html

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