Tag: Monetary Policy Committee

BoE minutes: MPC unanimous over fresh round of QE

BoE minutes: MPC unanimous over fresh round of QE

Minutes of the Bank of England’s October 5-6 meeting have been released today and have revealed all nine members of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted to keep interest rates at the historic low of 0.5%. This was the third consecutive month that the Committee voted unanimously to keep rates at the record low, despite [...]

Britain in most serious financial crisis ever

Britain in most serious financial crisis ever

Bank of England Governor, Mervyn King, believes Britain is in the midst of the “most serious financial crisis ever”. The Governor was speaking after the central bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) elected to keep interest rates on hold at the historically low level of 0.5%. Interest rates have now been at this low level since [...]

UK interest rates on hold but central bank announces QE boost

UK interest rates on hold but central bank announces QE boost

The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has today elected to keep UK interest rates on hold at the historically low level of 0.5%, as widely expected. Interest rates have now been at this low level since March 2009 – when the economy was in the midst of recession. Recent figures show the economy [...]

Energy bill hikes will speed up inflation rate

Energy bill hikes will speed up inflation rate

According to Spencer Dale, the Bank of England’s chief economist, UK inflation is set to accelerate due to soaring energy bills. The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed UK Consumer Price Inflation (CPI) rose to annual rate of 4.5% in August from July’s rate of 4.4% – more than double the [...]

Bank minutes suggest further round of QE

Bank minutes suggest further round of QE

Minutes of the Bank of England’s September 7-8 meeting have been released today and have revealed all nine members of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted to keep interest rates at the historic low of 0.5%. This was the second consecutive month that the Committee voted unanimously to keep rates at the record low after [...]

UK interest rates expected to remain on hold

UK interest rates expected to remain on hold

The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) commenced its two-day rate-setting meeting yesterday and interest rates are expected to remain on hold at the record low of 0.5% – where they have been since March 2009. The bank is presented with a dilemma as it comes under pressure to raise interest rates to combat [...]

All nine policymakers vote for rate freeze

All nine policymakers vote for rate freeze

Minutes of the Bank of England’s August 3-4 meeting have been released today and have revealed all nine members of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted to keep interest rates at the historic low of 0.5%. For several months, Martin Weale and Spencer Dale have been lone voices on the Committee by voting to hike [...]

UK interest rates to remain on hold today

UK interest rates to remain on hold today

The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) commenced its two-day rate-setting meeting yesterday and interest rates are expected to remain on hold at the record low of 0.5% – where they have been since March 2009. The bank is presented with a dilemma as it comes under pressure to raise interest rates to combat [...]

Bank minutes suggest low rates for some time to come

Bank minutes suggest low rates for some time to come

Minutes of the Bank of England’s July 6-7 meeting have been released today and have revealed the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) again voted 7-2 to lift interest rates and 8-1 to restart the Bank’s quantitative easing (QE) scheme. Adam Posen, again, called for an injection of £50 billion via the QE scheme to boost the [...]

UK interest rates remain on hold

UK interest rates remain on hold

The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has today elected to keep UK interest rates on hold at the historically low level of 0.5%, as widely expected. Interest rates have now been at this low level since March 2009 – when the economy was in the midst of recession. Recent figures show the economy [...]

UK interest rates to remain on hold today

UK interest rates to remain on hold today

The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) commenced its two-day rate-setting meeting yesterday and interest rates are expected to remain on hold at the record low of 0.5% – where they have been since March 2009. The bank is presented with a dilemma as it comes under pressure to raise interest rates to combat [...]

Just two policy members vote for interest rate rise

Just two policy members vote for interest rate rise

Minutes of the Bank of England’s June 8-9 meeting have been released today and have revealed the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted 7-2 to lift interest rates and 8-1 to restart the Bank’s quantitative easing (QE) scheme. Adam Posen, again, called for an injection of £50 billion via the QE scheme to boost the economy. [...]

UK interest rates remain on hold

UK interest rates remain on hold

The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has today elected to keep UK interest rates on hold at the historically low level of 0.5%, as widely expected. Interest rates have now been at this low level since March 2009 – when the economy was in the midst of recession. Recent figures show the economy [...]

Challenging times ahead warns policymaker

Challenging times ahead warns policymaker

Spencer Dale, one of the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) members, has warned that rising inflation is a “significant risk” to the UK economy. Mr Dale, who is the Bank of England’s chief economist, said the UK can expect some tough times ahead over the next few years and said he is “not [...]

Policymaker against lifting interest rates

Policymaker against lifting interest rates

Bank of England policymaker Adam Posen today said the central bank is right not to have raised interest rates, despite stubbornly high inflation. For several months, three of Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) members have voted for interest rates to be lifted after inflation reached a 2½- year high last month of 4.5% – more than [...]

Three policy members again vote for interest rate rise

Three policy members again vote for interest rate rise

Minutes of the Bank of England’s April 6-7 meeting have been released today and have revealed the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) again voted 6-3 to lift interest rates and 8-1 to restart the Bank’s quantitative easing (QE) scheme. Adam Posen, again, called for an injection of £50 billion via the QE scheme to boost the [...]

UK inflation in surprise fall to 4% in March

UK inflation in surprise fall to 4% in March

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) today announced Consumer Price Inflation (CPI) fell to an annual rate of 4% in March, from February’s 28-month high of 4.4%. The fall was attributed to food prices, which fell 1.4%. While it was the first time in eight months inflation had slowed, it still remains double the target [...]

UK inflation to hold steady at 4.4% in March

UK inflation to hold steady at 4.4% in March

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is scheduled to announce the UK inflation rate for March tomorrow morning, with analysts expecting the annual rate to hold steady at the 28-month high of 4.4%. With inflation more than double the 2% target, many continue to speculate whether interest rates will be lifted next month. Last week, [...]

UK interest rates remain on hold

UK interest rates remain on hold

The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has today elected to keep UK interest rates on hold at the historically low level of 0.5%, as widely expected. Interest rates have now been at this low level since March 2009 – when the economy was in the midst of recession. Recent figures showed the economy [...]

EEF urges Bank to keep interest rates on hold

EEF urges Bank to keep interest rates on hold

The Engineering Employers’ Federation (EEF) is urging the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to keep interest rates on hold when it meets later this week. The manufacturers’ trade body believes the economy is too fragile and the MPC should delay interest rate hikes until later in the year when the recovery is secure. [...]