Bank of England holds interest rate at 4.5%

The Bank of England (BoE) has decided to maintain its base interest rate at 4.5%, following its latest Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting The Bank of England has warned economic and global trade uncertainty has ‘intensified’ as it held UK interest rates at 4.5%. This decision, supported by eight out of nine committee members, reflects …

Bank of England cuts interest rate to 4.50% and cuts growth forecast for 2025

The Bank of England has halved its growth forecast for 2025 as it cut interest rates to 4.50% – the lowest for around 18 months The economy is now expected to grow by 0.75% in 2025, the Bank of England reportedly said, down from its previous estimate of 1.5%. Not good news for the chancellor, …

Bank of England lowers UK interest rate by 0.25% to 4.75%

The Bank of England cut interest rates by 0.25% Thursday 7th November 2024, even as Labour’s budget announcement confuses the outlook for future policy easing. The anticipated reduction, marking the central bank’s second this year, lowers the key rate to 4.75%. Financial markets had forecast a high probability of the quarter-point decrease at the November 2024 meeting, …

Bank of England cuts rate to 5.0% – the first since the Covid pandemic of March 2020 and from the highest rate for 16 years

The Bank of England (BoE) on Thursday 1st August 2024 announced its first-interest rate reduction in more than four years, taking the key rate to 5%. Although numerous analysts predicted that the Bank of England might announce a reduction in interest rates at its August 2024 meeting, the absence of definitive signals from the central …

UK inflation holds at Bank of England’s 2% target but above projections

U.K. inflation matched the Bank of England’s target of 2% in June 2024, as calculated by data from the Official for National Statistics on Wednesday 17th July 2024. The main figure was slightly higher than the 1.9% forecast by analysts surveyed by Reuters, aligning with May’s 2% figure. Following the announcement, the value of Sterling …

No change as Bank of England holds interest rate at 5.25%

UK interest rates have been left unchanged at 5.25% by the Bank of England (BoE) The Bank has maintained the interest rates at 5.25% for the seventh consecutive time to combat inflation, resulting in increased mortgage repayments and higher savings rates. The interest rates, at their peak for the past 16 years, have been sustained …

UK hits 2% Bank of England’s inflation target for the first time since 2021

Inflation has reached the Bank of England’s target for the first time in nearly three years, having soared to 11.1% in October 2022, the highest in over four decades – driven by a spike in energy and food prices following the pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In the year leading up to May 2024, …

UK interest rate held at a 16-year high as Bank of England holds rates at 5.25%

The decision comes as inflation, which measures price rises over a period of time, remains above the Bank’s 2% target at 3.2%. But bank says cuts are coming. Is the 2% target still a sensible benchmark? The 2% inflation target set by central banks has been a widely adopted benchmark for monetary policy. History The …

Bank of England school report: must try harder – a brutal analysis of ‘out of date’ systems

The Bank of England (BoE) stands as a bastion of economic stability, guiding the United Kingdom through the ebbs and flows of financial tides.  Modernising the Bank of England’s forecasting system has become a critical necessity. A recent independent review has cast a spotlight on the ‘serious deficiencies’ within its economic forecasting system, calling for …

Bank of England governor worried over UK growth outlook

The governor of the Bank of England, Andrew Bailey has raised concerns over economic growth as he warned again that interest rates will not be cut in the ‘foreseeable future’. The bank boss said he was concerned over the UK economy’s potential to grow. It comes after the government’s forecaster cut its growth outlook for …

Surprise! Bank of England hold rates steady at 5.25%

UK interest rates have been left unchanged at 5.25% by the Bank of England (BoE). The decision comes a day after figures revealed an unexpected slowdown in UK nflation in August 2023. The Bank had previously raised rates some14 times in a row to tackle inflation, leading to increases in mortgage payments, business loans and …

Bank of England hits all-time confidence low

Confidence in Bank of England (BoE) is a measure of how much the public trusts the central bank to control inflation, set interest rates and maintain economic stability.  According to the latest Inflation ‘Attitudes Survey‘ conducted by the Bank of England in August 2023, confidence in Bank of England has plummeted to an all-time low. …

Bank of England raises interest rate by 0.25% to 5.25% – highest in the G7

15 year high… and counting The Bank of England (BoE) announced another increase in its base rate, from 5% to 5.25%, the highest level in over 15 years as of 3rd August 2023. This is the 14th consecutive rise since December 2021, when the BoE started to tighten monetary policy in response to rising inflation. …

Banknotes with King Charles III enter circulation for the first time

Banknotes featuring a portrait of King Charles III entered circulation on Wednesday 5th June 2024. Charles’s portrait will be featured on the front of the £5, £10, £20, and £50 banknotes, visible through the notes’ transparent security window. He is only the second monarch to appear on British banknotes, following Queen Elizabeth II. Currently, there …

Central bank predictions were wrong, why should we take any notice now?

Central banks, 18 months ago got it fundamentally wrong and they got it wrong on many other occasions too. So why take any notice? The Fed and other central banks insisted that inflation would be ‘transitory’ – it wasn’t. It reached 7%. That’s 5% above the target of 2%. Along with the misdiagnosis on prices, Fed …

What’s going on in the U.S. bond market?

The U.S. bond market is experiencing some turbulence due to rising Treasury yields and concerns over government debt. Investors are demanding higher yields because they’re worried about the GOP’s tax-cut plans, which could lead to increased borrowing and a larger deficit. Additionally, the recent Trump tax bill has caused Treasury bond yields to surge, as …

UK inflation hits 3.5% in April 2025 as household bills surge

UK inflation rose to 3.5% in April 2025, exceeding expectations and placing further financial strain on households. The increase, reported by the Office for National Statistics, was driven by higher energy costs, water bills, and taxation pressures on businesses. One of the most striking factors behind the surge was the 26.1% increase in water and …

UK economy shows welcome signs of resilience with positive GDP growth and inflation relief

The UK economy displayed unexpected resilience in February 2025, with GDP growing by 0.5%. This figure has exceeded market expectations and provided a welcome boost to UK economic confidence. The growth was fueled by robust activity in the services and manufacturing sectors, which helped counterbalance ongoing challenges in other areas. February’s performance marks a recovery …

EEK! Only 0.1% growth for the UK

The U.K. economy grew by just 0.1% in the fourth quarter according to a preliminary estimate from the U.K.’s Office for National Statistics (ONS) released Thursday 13th February 2025. Economists had expected the country’s GDP to contract by 0.1% over the period. The services and construction sectors contributed to the better-than-expected performance in the economy, …

FTSE 100 hits new all-time high in boost for London

The FTSE 100, London’s premier stock index, has recently achieved a new all-time high, closing at 8,646.88 on 30th January 2025. This milestone marks a significant boost for the City of London, reflecting strong corporate performance, investor confidence, and favourable economic conditions. Factors driving the surge Several key factors have contributed to the FTSE 100’s …

UK FTSE 100 back in favour as it breaks new highs!

The FTSE 100, the UK’s premier stock market index, has recently reached unprecedented new highs, marking a significant milestone in the UK financial world. On 20th January 2025, the FTSE 100 closed at a record high of 8,548, surpassing the 8,500 barrier for the first time. This achievement is a testament to the resilience and …