As economies reopen, inflation fears return with a vengeance May 12, 2021 London’s FTSE 100 is on course for its worst day in three weeks this afternoon amid inflation concerns. Inflation has never really been away. It’s been a central theme that has dominated conversations among economists, analysts and bankers over the past few months, and more specifically, the possibility that it is about to take off. [...]
Myth-Busting: Money printing must create inflation May 11, 2021 | City Talk London ranks ninth on the UBS Global Real Estate Bubble Index for residential properties. Like in many other countries, property prices in the United Kingdom reached an all-time high in 2020. A global pandemic with sudden mass unemployment should have forced UK citizens to sell their homes, but the furlough policies, stamp duty holidays, and record-low interest rates [...]
BoE does not expect wave of bankruptcies when Covid support measures end May 7, 2021 A tide of bankruptcies among UK firms is not expected when the government pulls its emergency Covid support measures like the furlough scheme later this year, BoE Chief Economist Andy Haldane has said. Many debts racked up recently by companies are spread over long durations “which increases the chances of them being able to be [...]
The recovery is in full swing: UK set for best growth since Second World War May 6, 2021 The economy will grow this year at its fastest pace since the Second World War as Britain stages a vaccine-fuelled recovery. Gross domestic product will rebound by 7.25 per cent in 2021, up from its previous prediction of 5 per cent and the best year of growth since 1941, according to the Bank of England [...]
To taper or not to taper, that is today’s question for the Bank of England May 6, 2021 The two most important days of the week are here; tomorrow, we have the US NFP data, and today, we have the monetary policy decision by the Bank of England. No firework is really expected at this event as it is widely believed that the BOE will leave the interest rate as it is, commented [...]
Sterling slips against US dollar as cautious investors await BoE meeting April 30, 2021 The pound stumbled against the dollar today as traders remained cautious ahead of the Bank of England’s policy meeting next week. Sterling was down 0.2 per cent at $1.392, while holding its ground versus the euro. It brings yesterday’s nine-day high to an end, which followed a slump in the dollar after the Fed waved [...]
UK set for ‘very rapid growth’ over next quarters, says BoE’s Broadbent April 25, 2021 Bank of England deputy governor Ben Broadbent said that the UK would see “very rapid growth” over the next couple of quarters as people rush to spend after lockdown. In an interview with the Telegraph, he said that the economy would see a boost simply from people saving less after the pandemic, let alone spending [...]
COP26: Is the City ready for its leading role in the fight against climate change? April 10, 2021 Windows were smashed at Barclays headquarters this week by climate activists who urged the bank to cut its climate destructive investments. Last week campaigners painted the Bank of England (BoE) black in a bid to raise the alarm on the institution’s funding of Big Oil. Where money goes within the City is under more scrutiny [...]
Bank of England targeted by Extinction Rebellion activists April 1, 2021 Climate activist group Extinction Rebellion has this morning targeted the Bank of England, spraying the building with fake oil. The demonstrators were protesting investments in fossil fuels, accusing the Bank of “funding destruction in a climate crisis”. Activists, some dressed as jesters, sprayed the dye at the building, known as “the Old Lady of Threadneedle [...]
Stamp duty holiday extension boosts mortgage lending to five-year high but approvals slip March 29, 2021 The stamp duty holiday extension boosted net mortgage borrowing to its highest level since March 2016, according to new Bank of England data. Net mortgage lending hit £6.2bn in February, with mortgage approvals for house purchase reaching 87,700. Andrew Montlake, managing director at mortgage broker Coreco, said the stamp duty extension was pivotal in fuelling [...]