Bank of England’s Bailey: Interest rates hike may not be needed Economics The Bank of England may not raise interest rates in response to the Iran war and has already effectively tightened monetary policy by taking the prospect of future rate cuts off the table, governor Andrew Bailey has said. In a speech in Iceland, the central banking chief said that inflation is “likely to go higher” [...]
End quantitative tightening now Opinion Ending active quantitative tightening is not monetary loosening. The Bank must stop adding avoidable pressure to the gilt market.
Top Bank of England officials warn Reeves against supermarket price cap Economics Senior Bank of England officials have warned that price controls on essential goods are not an effective long-term tool to lower the cost of living, after it emerged the Treasury was pushing supermarkets to commit to cap prices of consumer staples. Speaking at a Treasury Committee appearance, governor Andrew Bailey told MPs that controlling the [...]
Bank of England could cut interest rates ‘if war ends’ April 15, 2026 The Bank of England could cut interest rates this year if the war in Iran ends and the Strait of Hormuz opens up within weeks, an economist at a City broker has said. Peel Hunt’s chief economist Kallum Pickering’s current assumption is that the Bank makes two interest rate cuts at the end of this [...]
Yen weakens after Takaichi selects dovish candidates for Bank of Japan February 25, 2026 The yen slipped sharply against the US dollar on Wednesday morning, after Japan’s prime minister Sanae Takaichi picked two ‘dovish’ candidates for roles at the country’s central bank. Takaichi nominated academics Ayano Sato and Toichiro Asada who both favour economic stimulus and lower interest rates, raising questions they could challenge Bank of Japan governor Kazuo [...]
The era of cheap money is coming to an end – markets aren’t ready February 24, 2026 The era of historically cheap money is ending, forcing a potentially permanent adjustment to higher equilibrium interest rates that will challenge financial markets and government finances built on past assumptions, says Damian Pudner For almost a decade until the pandemic, financial markets priced money as if it would remain cheap indefinitely. Governments borrowed freely, financial [...]
Trump’s reckless assault on central bank independence January 13, 2026 Donald Trump once said he values loyalty “above everything else…more than brains, more than drive and more than energy.” If you’re wondering how he responds to perceived disloyalty, he’s also previously said “I love getting even with people.” With these two statements in mind, the Trump administration’s dramatic escalation of its war against the Chairman [...]
Andy Haldane: Budget speculation is hitting growth November 17, 2025 Former Bank of England chief economist Andy Haldane has said there is “without a shadow of a doubt” a direct link between feverish Budget speculation and sluggish growth in the UK economy. In an interview on Sky News on Monday morning, the incoming president of the British Chamber of Commerce (BCC) told Sophy Ridge that [...]
The Bank of England must cut rates today November 6, 2025 The Bank should cut rates by 25 basis points today to prevent stagnation becoming entrenched, says Damian Pudner On Thursday, the Bank of England will announce its latest decision on interest rates. Less than three weeks later, on 26 November, the Chancellor will deliver her second tax-raising Budget, despite promising that last year’s would be [...]
Bank of England’s Taylor: High rates could push UK into recession October 14, 2025 The UK risks heading into a recession that will be “difficult to contain” if interest rates are kept on hold into next year, a Bank of England rate-setter has said in a speech that has further exposed widening splits between policymakers over the best path for borrowing costs. In a set of dovish comments made [...]