Tag: interest rates

Bank of England needs to act now to curb inflation risks

The Bank of England may finally be ready to take the foot off the accelerator – at last. The latest economic data already seem to have persuaded some members of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) that the time to scale back the emergency stimulus is fast approaching. I think this should start at the August … Continue reading Bank of England needs to act now to curb inflation risks →

How much should we worry about inflation?

Many people have written about how the ‘spectre of inflation’ has returned to haunt investors. In fact, the financial markets are still remarkably sanguine, reassured by dovish comments from central banks. This was reasonable in the depths of the Covid recession. Now it looks increasingly complacent. There has already been a sharp rise in government … Continue reading How much should we worry about inflation? →

Is there any case for tax increases now?

Few people outside the Treasury think that now is a good time even to be talking about raising taxes, let alone actually doing so. Nonetheless, it seems almost certain that the Chancellor will start down this road in Wednesday’s Budget. This may not be as mad as it sounds. The arguments against immediate tax hikes … Continue reading Is there any case for tax increases now? →