Burnham’s former economic adviser gives Budget a four out of 10 Earnings One of Andy Burnham’s former economic advisers has given John Healey’s Budget a four out of 10, warning there remained a 50 per cent chance the UK economy will be in worse shape next year than it is now. Andy Haldane, who for years served as chief economist at the Bank of England, told the [...]
Banks of England chief economist ‘sceptical’ of markets’ interest rate expectations Economics The Bank of England is unlikely to vote for the four interest-rate hikes forecast by financial markets, according to its chief economist, who added the central bank should have raised rates in the early stages of the Iran war. Huw Pill, who has the most hawkish track record on the Monetary Policy Committee, played down [...]
Burnham’s ‘costly’ policy agenda sparks investor nerves Markets Andy Burnham’s “costly” policy agenda and the resurgent threat of inflation are weighing on investors’ appetite for the UK, according to a closely-watched survey of top money managers, which also revealed waning hopes of a rebound in London’s IPO market this year. Berenberg’s Investor Barometer, which polled 300 international investors managing a combined $1 trillion, [...]
Bank of England’s Ramsden says interest rates will need to rise if pressures persist September 28, 2026 Interest rates may need to rise if growing inflation pressures continue to build, according to the Bank of England’s deputy governor, who added there had been “robust discussion” among officials over the authority’s recent bond sale overhaul. Dave Ramsden, who leads the organisation’s oversight of markets and banking, said there would have been “at least [...]
Haldane warns Burnham on ‘tax-and-spend socialists with better TikTok videos’ September 16, 2026 Former Bank of England chief economist Andy Haldane has warned Prime Minister Andy Burnham that markets believe he is presiding over a “traditional tax and spend socialist government with better Tiktok videos”. Haldane, who advised Burnham before he returned to Westminster earlier this year, said the government’s “Achilles’ heel” was its inability to cut public [...]
Andrew Bailey: Populism a threat to global economy September 4, 2026 The groundswell of populist politics threatens to undermine central banks’ independence and hamper their ability to protect the long-term interests of the global economy, Andrew Bailey has warned. In a speech in London, the Bank of England governor accused populist parties of trying to exert increasing levels of influence over monetary authorities the world over, [...]
Government pushes Bank of England to innovate on payments and digital currencies August 27, 2026 The Bank of England will be tracked on its progress on UK payments regulation after it was handed a new objective by ministers. The central bank will be given a new secondary objective to support innovation in payment systems and new forms of digital currencies alongside its main goals of financial stability. The Treasury is [...]
El Nino heatwaves to ‘fuel inflation next year’ August 7, 2026 The ‘Super El Nino’ triggering record temperatures across Europe could add a full percentage point to inflation next year, hampering central bank efforts to slow down price rises, a top investment bank has warned. According to an analysis by Jefferies, harsh weather unleashed by the meteorological phenomenon will pose “an inflationary threat” next year and [...]
House prices slump as Iran war and interest rates hit demand July 31, 2026 House prices slumped in July after the Iran war and higher interest rates squeezed demand and triggered a slowdown in sales. Annual house price growth slowed to 1.8 last month, down from 2.2 per cent the prior month. Month on month, average house prices remained broadly flat, rising by just £58 to reach £277,542, up [...]
Why the Bank of England museum is a one-of-a-kind July 28, 2026 Where else in the country can you walk into a museum and without any guard present, lift a gold bar worth £1.2 million? Welcome to the Bank of England museum, one of the City’s hidden gems. Apart from the gold bar, a reminder of the 400,000 beneath you, the museum is a real treasure house, [...]