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Bank of England leaves rates unchanged; focus on next week's inflation report

Saturday, November 9th 2013 - 18:27 UTC
Full article 2 comments
The economy grew by 0.8% in the third quarter of the year The economy grew by 0.8% in the third quarter of the year

Bank of England has left interest rates unchanged at 0.5% and made no change to its program of quantitative easing, as had been widely expected. The decision came as no surprise as the Bank has said it will not consider a rate rise until the unemployment rate falls below 7%.

 The focus will now switch to the Bank's latest inflation report, due next week. Analysts will examine the report for indications on how strongly the Bank thinks the UK economy is recovering.

The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has kept interest rates on hold at 0.5% since March 2009. Under the Bank's policy of forward guidance, brought in under new governor Mark Carney, it has said it will not increase interest rates until the rate of unemployment has dropped below 7%.

When the Bank first announced this, in August this year, it said it did not expect this to happen until 2016. However, many analysts believe that the Bank will have to act sooner than that - possibly in 2015 - given the increasing strength of the UK's economy.

The last set of unemployment figures showed the jobless rate had dropped to 7.7% in the June-to-August period. The economy grew by 0.8% in the third quarter of the year, and recent economic surveys have indicated that growth remained strong in October.

“The decision to hold interest rates and QE was expected and correct,” said David Kern, chief economist at the British Chambers of Commerce.

“However, as the pace of economic growth strengthens, it is becoming clear that the first rise in official interest rates is likely to occur well before the Committee's 2016 prediction, due to the earlier than anticipated fall in unemployment.

”The MPC must use next week's Inflation Report to move towards a more realistic timetable for its forward guidance, to maintain business confidence and keep its credibility.”

Categories: Economy, Politics, International.

Top Comments

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  • DanyBerger

    Oh! yeah, yeah, yeah...

    Mean whiles in real Moham world...
    price of energy will rise and business still facing hardship.
    7.7% unemployment just another lie because long time unemployed prospects magically disappear from Ukistan statistics.

    I just wonder why they don't bring all Unemployment and JSS to Dover and push them from the cliff will be a more clean solution.

    Poor Britons once a major power and Lion of the seas now turned into a little cat without hope and with debt for 4 generations.

    It is not sad???

    Nov 11th, 2013 - 10:23 am 0
  • Nightingale

    do I detect the green eyed monster ...lol

    Nov 11th, 2013 - 02:07 pm 0
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