Tag: MPC

BoE minutes reveal three-way split

BoE minutes reveal three-way split

Minutes of the Bank of England’s October meeting have been released today and have revealed that the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) were split three ways. Adam Posen called for an injection of £50 billion via its quantitative easing (QE) programme to boost the economy. For the fifth consecutive month, policymaker Andrew Sentance voted for interest [...]

Former MPC member believes UK still at risk of double dip

Former MPC member believes UK still at risk of double dip

Professor David Blanchflower, a former member of the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), has once again said massive spending cuts introduced to deal with the budget deficit could push the UK back into a recession. In June, and again last month, Mr Blanchflower warned the coalition Government that tough spending cuts could pose [...]

Policymaker Andrew Sentance continues argument for higher interest rates

Policymaker Andrew Sentance continues argument for higher interest rates

Andrew Sentance, one of the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) members, has once again spoken of stubbornly high inflation. Mr Sentance has, at the last four rate-setting meetings, voted for the base rate to be lifted, in order to combat high inflation. He is expected to have voted this month for rates to [...]

MPC member suggests monetary policy will remain on hold

MPC member suggests monetary policy will remain on hold

Professor David Miles, who joined the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) in June 2009, has today hinted that monetary policy will remain on hold for the short-term. Speaking in Dublin today, Mr Miles warned that the Bank faces a dilemma as to whether to take more notice of inflation or the threat of [...]

UK interest rates and QE remain on hold

UK interest rates and QE 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% – where they have been since March 2009. Furthermore, the Bank opted not to inject any more funds into the economy via its quantitative easing (QE) scheme – introduced to [...]

BoE expected to keep interest rates on hold tomorrow

BoE expected to keep interest rates on hold tomorrow

The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is tomorrow expected to keep UK interest rates on hold at the historically low level of 0.5% for the 20th consecutive month. Many economists expect no movement on interest rates until early 2011. However, in terms of quantitative easing programme (QE), Bank of England policymakers, Adam Posen [...]

MPC’s Posen suggests printing more money

MPC’s Posen suggests printing more money

Bank of England policymaker, Adam Posen, has suggested injecting more cash into the economy, via the quantitative easing (QE) scheme. According to Mr Posen of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), more stimulus is required to help the recovery and to avoid a similar kind of slump which Japan experienced in the 1990s. His suggestion comes [...]

Policymaker Sentance talks again of high inflation

Policymaker Sentance talks again of high inflation

Andrew Sentance, one of the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) members, has once again spoken of stubbornly high inflation. Minutes of the Bank’s meeting earlier this month, again showed that Mr Sentance had voted to lift interest rates to combat inflation. It was the fourth consecutive month he had voted for a rise. [...]

Policymaker Andrew Sentance continues argument for higher interest rates

Policymaker Andrew Sentance continues argument for higher interest rates

Minutes of the Bank of England’s September meeting have been released today and have revealed that the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), again, voted 8-1 earlier this month to keep interest rates at the historic low of 0.5% – where they have been since March 2009. For several months now, the decision was not unanimous after [...]

Former MPC member believes UK still at risk of double dip

Former MPC member believes UK still at risk of double dip

Professor David Blanchflower, a former member of the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), has today said he still doesn’t rule out a double dip recession. In June, Mr Blanchflower, who is professor of economics at Dartmouth College in the US, warned the coalition Government that tough spending cuts could pose a threat to [...]

BoE policymaker suggests extending QE programme

BoE policymaker suggests extending QE programme

Bank of England policymaker Martin Weale has suggested that the Bank should consider extending its £200 billion quantitative easing (QE) programme. QE, also known as printing money, is a process whereby the Treasury injects funds into the financial system to ease pressure on banks by giving them extra capital. The Bank embarked on its QE [...]

BoE policymaker admits high inflation is a concern

BoE policymaker admits high inflation is a concern

Professor David Miles, who joined the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) in June 2009, has warned that high inflation is a concern and it is likely to remain relatively volatile over the next few years. Professor Miles was quotes in the East Anglian Daily Times as saying: “From my point of view on [...]

UK inflation remains unchanged at 3.1% in August

UK inflation remains unchanged at 3.1% in August

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has today announced Consumer Price Inflation (CPI) held steady at the annual rate of 3.1% in August. The latest figure represents the ninth consecutive month that inflation has been above the Bank of England’s target of 2%. However, analysts had expected CPI to dip slightly to 2.9%. Inflation remained [...]

UK inflation expected to ease slightly in August

UK inflation expected to ease slightly in August

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is scheduled to announce the UK inflation rate this morning, with analysts expecting the annual rate to be around 2.9% – representing the ninth consecutive month that it has been above the Bank of England’s target of 2%. Last month, the ONS reported Consumer Price Inflation (CPI) eased to [...]

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% – where they have been since March 2009. Furthermore, the Bank opted not to inject any more funds into the economy via its quantitative easing (QE) scheme – introduced to [...]

BoE expected to keep interest rates on hold tomorrow

BoE expected to keep interest rates on hold tomorrow

The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is tomorrow expected to keep UK interest rates on hold at the historically low level of 0.5% for the 19th consecutive month. Many economists expect no movement on interest rates until early 2011. Meanwhile, all nine members of the MPC are expected to keep the quantitative easing [...]

Sharp interest rate rises on the way, predicts think tank

Sharp interest rate rises on the way, predicts think tank

Influential think tank, the Policy Exchange, has warned interest rates may be hiked to 8% by 2012, in order to combat stubbornly high inflation. Interest rates remain at the 300-year record low of 0.5% – where they have been since March 2009 – in order to boost the economy and bring it out of recession. [...]

Bank voted 8-1 to hold rates in August

Bank voted 8-1 to hold rates in August

Minutes of the Bank of England’s August meeting have been released today and have revealed that the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted 8-1 earlier this month to keep interest rates at the historic low of 0.5% – where they have been since March 2009. It was Martin Weale’s first rate-setting meeting. Mr Weale replaced Kate [...]

UK interest rates remain on hold

UK interest rates remain on hold

The Bank of England’s (BoE) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has today elected to keep UK interest rates on hold at the historically low level of 0.5% for the 18th consecutive month, as widely expected. Furthermore, the Bank opted not to inject any more funds into the economy via its quantitative easing (QE) scheme – introduced [...]

BoE expected to keep interest rates on hold tomorrow

BoE expected to keep interest rates on hold tomorrow

The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is tomorrow expected to keep UK interest rates on hold at the historically low level of 0.5% for the 18th consecutive month. Furthermore, all members of the MPC are expected to keep the quantitative easing programme (QE) on hold. QE, also known as printing money, is a [...]