ECON1010 Macroeconomics 1 Policy Brief

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ECON1010, sem1 2019, assignment template
ECON 1010 – Macroeconomics 1
Policy Brief
(strictly follow the template below and use this template only for submission)
You must compose the policy brief according to the template detailed in this section. Instructions for each
required element of the brief are included within this template These instructions are reflected in the
requirements of the rubric detailed. Ensure that the policy brief includes each of the elements detailed in the
template, and that you do not reorder, rename, or omit any of these elements.
All members should agree with the following contribution weights to the group assignment.
Group members
Only one submission per group
Student name Student
number
% contribution
(must add up to 100%)
Signature (take a picture of
a signature and paste here)
Final mark
(tutors only)
Please indicate using * in student name who will be submitting the assignment in
Turnitin (in Canvas) on the group’s behalf.
Notes: Your final mark will then be calculated as the group work mark multiplied by
your contribution divided by the highest team member’s contribution. Note that if
equal contribution has been made by a group of 3 for example, the percentages should be
listed as “33.3%”. See the example below
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ECON1010, sem1 2019, assignment template
An example of how the equity of contribution applies is as follows:
 Student A has made the majority of contribution with 60% being contributed towards the group
work, whereas Student B has made a less significant contribution with 30%, and Student C has
made very little contribution with only 10%.
 The group has received 16/20 for the final report.
Thus, the following table is completed and marks will be calculated as the following:
Student name Student
number
% contribution Signature Final mark (tutors only)
Student A* S1234567 60% Student A’s signature 60%/60% x16 =16/20
Student B S2345678 30% Student B’s signature 30%/60% x16 =8/20
Student C S3456789 10% Student C’s signature 10% / 60% x 16 =1.6/20
Please note that submitting equity of contribution is compulsory with your report. Groups who fail to
submit an equity of contribution will receive an overall mark of 0 for their final report, NO
EXCEPTIONS will be made to this rule.
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ECON1010, sem1 2019, assignment template
Template
Part A: Diagnostics Analysis
Name of country: Spain
Indicator 1: Government Gross Debt (% of GDP)
69.5
85.7 95.5100.4 99.3 99 98.1 97.1
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
20112012201320142015201620172018
%
General governmentgrossdebt (%
of GDP)
General government
grossdebt (%of GDP)
Graph 1: Source: Eurostat, 2019.
Fluctuations in government debt over time illustrate the impacts of the budget
deficit. This indicator is appraised as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product
(McTaggart, et al., 2015, p. 72). In recent years, Spain has recorded an increase in
general government gross debt (% of GDP). In 2011, the general government gross debt (%
of GDP) of Spain was 69.5 percent and increased rapidly to 100.4 percent in 2014. In 2015,
there was a slight decline to 99.3%, and since then, the general government gross debt (%
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ECON1010, sem1 2019, assignment template
of GDP) of Spain has remained above 97 percent (Eurostat, 2019). The rising general
government debt-to-GDP ratio of this country is a sign of deteriorating health of economy
and issues in the sustainability of country finance.
2017Q1 2017Q2 2017Q3 2017Q4 2018Q1 2018Q2 2018Q3 2018Q4
95.5
96
96.5
97
97.5
98
98.5
99
99.5
100
99.7
99.4
98.4
98.1
98.7
98.2 98.3
97.1
General government gross debt % of GD
General gove
%Graph 2: Source: Eurostat, 2019.
The graph two above displays the quarterly figures of general government gross
debt (% of GDP) of Spain for 2017 and 2018. From 2017 to 2018, the highest percentage
was experienced in the first quarter of 2017, that is, 99.7 percent. Then, this percentage
decreased steadily to 98.1% in the fourth quarter of 2017. Like in 2017, the first quarter of
2018 began with a higher percentage of 98.7 and ended with a lower percentage of 97.1 in
the fourth quarter (Eurostat, 2019). Between 2017 and 2018, we can conclude that the
government of Spain had the highest budget deficit in the first quarter of 2017 and the
lowest deficit in the fourth quarter of 2018.
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