Michael Bullen

Michael Bullen was trained as an economist and is a qualified Chartered Accountant. He has had a profession in the City as a proprietary trader and investment manager at banks and hedge funds, including JPMorgan, Scotia Capital, Sanwa International and Itau Europa.

An Imaginary Board Meeting at Pearson

According to a new study, Britain - far from being a basket case at education - is in fact ranked 6 in the world. But who was the ranking produced by? Does it stand up? And who is it really good for? Michael Bullen plays fly-on-the-wall at an imagined Pearson board meeting.

By Michael Bullen

/ 7 Dec 2012

Soros: economist/philosopher or trading superstar?

A finance insider reads Soros' intervention at Trento and wonders whether this is just a trading superstar talking up his own portfolio?

By Michael Bullen

/ 27 Jun 2012

Greece should leave the Euro, but for jobs, not to get away from the vultures

In a lengthy response to Ann Pettifor's call for Europe to abandon the Euro's "fetters of gold", the author disagrees with almost everything, except for the conclusion that Greece should leave the single currency

By Michael Bullen

/ 6 Jun 2012

Taxation: revenue maximisation vs. the politics of envy

Is there any reason to set top tax rates at anything but the rate which maximises government revenues? And what is that rate? Jeremy Fox has argued that the 50p rate does not constrain growth. Michael Bullen returned with the argument that 50p is too high for public revenue maximisation. Jeremy Fo

By Michael Bullen

/ 29 Sep 2011

Blame the speculator, shoot the messenger: habits of the trapped politician

Sergio Bruno makes much of the recent rise in the cost of borrowing for the Italian government, blaming speculation for the disruption to public finances. But investors have every reason to be worried, and it is in our interest that they act on these worries

By Michael Bullen

/ 23 Sep 2011

Don't tax the rich any more: it will cost us more than it raises

Should the marginal rate of income tax be reduced for very high earners? Jeremy Fox argues that there is no obvious link to growth. But the link to government revenue is much better understood, argues Michael Bullen, and the numbers suggest that 50% is too high

By Michael Bullen

/ 19 Sep 2011

A return to financial health is simple: Glass Steagall plus transparency

Financial regulation in the wake of the credit crisis is a simpler matter than the re-moralising advocated by Roger Scruton (Unreal Estates). Simply return to the regulatory environment pre-1999 and press on with transparency in markets

By Michael Bullen

/ 16 Sep 2011