Tag: bank of england

10 things to look for in the Spring Statement

Here is a short post on some key points to watch for tomorrow when the Chancellor presents her ‘Spring Statement’ to the UK parliament (at about 12.30). More questions than answers, I’m afraid, but I will follow up once we know more! 1. The immediate outlook for growth. The OBR is widely expected to halve … Continue reading 10 things to look for in the Spring Statement →

Bank of England on hold until May

The Bank of England's latest decision on interest rates is announced on Thursday. Here's my take. (TL;DR - I predict a 'dovish hold', albeit with a couple of nagging worries.) The markets are almost certainly right to expect 'no change' this week, with the Bank’s key rate left at 4½%. After cutting by ¼% in … Continue reading Bank of England on hold until May →

What to make of today’s UK jobs data

Tuesday’s official data on the state of the UK labour market have been interpreted in several conflicting ways, so here is an attempt to cut through the fog. I took two main points from the figures themselves. First, activity in the labour market continues to cool. I would not pay much attention to the headline … Continue reading What to make of today’s UK jobs data →