Bitten by inflation, Europe and other animals?

For those of you who endured the Budget (and for those who care), Norman Lamont does not own an iPod. Apart from this anecdote, there has been little to amuse in the last couple of weeks. George Osborne’s austerity package is kicking in as consumers feel the squeeze and, with any luck, the UK economy will gain traction next year. On the other side of the globe, a series of devastating natural disasters, political unrest across the Middle East and north Africa, and sovereign debt issues in Europe, have increased the overall level of uncertainty. These same markets do appear to be gaini...