Investments.

Investment is expenditure on productive capital goods. That is, goods which can be used to produce other goods and services. Thus, investment is usually held to be expenditure on factories, machinery and other physical assets. It is important to realize that economists use the word investment in a different context to the layman. An economist referring to investment does not mean the purchase of paper financial assets such as stocks or shares. Clearly, if the ownership of a company's shares is transferred from one UK citizen to another there is no overall impact on the economy.

Investment can be categorized into net investment and gross investment.

Net investment is investment, which actually increases the nation's stock of capital goods. It is such investment that enables the economy to grow. However, some investment is necessary to replace capital stock that is worn out or obsolete. This loss of value of assets is called depreciation. When this replacement is added to the net investment the total achieved is termed gross investment.

You should note that investment increases the circular flow since it comprises extra spending that has not originated in the circular flow. The main influences on the amount of investment that takes place are:

* the rate of interest since firms often have to borrow to undertake the investment

* the firm's expectation about the future behaviour of the economy. If they believe the economy will boom and the level of economic activity will increase, then they are more likely to enjoy increased sales. They may well decide to invest in new machinery or in a new factory.

On the other hand, if the level of investment declines then there will be less injection than previously into the economy and the rate of growth of economic activity (or the national income) will fall. Economic statistics show us that over the last few decades the level of gross investment in the UK economy has fluctuated. This will have been one of the factors affecting the level of national income and the environment in which businesses operate.

Government Expenditure.

Government expenditure takes many forms and, particularly over the last 50 years or so, has been a very substantial total. This heading covers spendings by both central government and local authorities. Government spending results in an injection of funds into the circular flow.

Let us take as an example a decision by the Department of Transport to build a new motorway. This will lead to a variety of spending, which would not have taken place otherwise. The authorities will have to employ surveyors, lawyers, accountants and construction workers and will have to purchase large quantities of construction materials. All of the spending generated in this way will be an addition or an injection to the circular flow.

Government spending can, of course, take many other forms. Major financial items are the provision of health and social security benefits. The latter tends to put money directly into the hands of people who need it badly and who are, therefore, likely to spend all or most of it in the near future. If it so wishes the government can use its own expenditure to rapidly affect the level ol injections and thus the circular flow. Pursuing such policies, however, can have undesirable side effects.

Exports.

Exports are an injection because they result in income entering the UK's circular flow as a result of the spending decisions of foreign households, firms and governments. Notice that this spending by foreign households is a loss (or withdrawal) from their domestic circular flows.

Britain is a major trading nation and, as such, can be described as an open economy. It exports approximately one-third of all the goods and services it produces. The amount of the UK imports varies but over time will be roughly the same proportion. The UK's trade is recorded in the balance of payments figures, which are published monthly and then collected into annual accounts. If you look at the UK's trade figures you will see that rarely, if ever, does the value of exports equal the value of imports.

The balance of payments accounts are split into two broad sections: the current account, which records imports and exports of goods and services; and the capital account, which records international monetary flows in and out of the UK, such as foreign loans and investment in the UK.

Exports have always been important to the UK economy and are indisputably an engine of economic growth. They provide domestic employment not only in the exporting industry but also in the industries, which supply components and raw materials to that industry. Exports bolster the circular flow and promote employment in a range of industries. They also stimulate innovation and competition and generate a satisfying standard of living. Most of the world's most prosperous economies are successful exporters, notably Japan and Germany. Few isolated economies have been economically successful.