The Bank of England may have to cut rates to combat low inflation, rather than raise them as its next move, its chief economist Andy Haldane has said. UK inflation may not pick up in the second half of the year, and there are risks of fallout from emerging economies, he said in a speech.
The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee voted Thursday to maintain the official Bank Rate paid on commercial bank reserves at the record low 0.5%. The Committee also voted to maintain the stock of asset purchases financed by the issuance of central bank reserves at £200 billion.
Six members of the Bank of England’s nine-strong Monetary Policy Committee, including Governor Mervyn King, continued to oppose the minority campaign for an immediate rise in benchmark UK interest rates at the MPC’s meeting two weeks ago, minutes revealed Wednesday.
The Bank of England has kept UK interest rates on hold at a record low of 0.5% for the 18th consecutive month. The Monetary Policy Committee's (MPC) decision had been expected, but calls have been growing for an increase in rates to curb inflation.