09/07/2009

Interest Rate To Remain At 0.5%

The Bank of England has announced it is to hold the base rate of interest at 0.5% for the fourth month in a row.

However, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) surprised markets by stating there will be no expansion of its quantitative easing (QE) scheme in order to stimulate the economy.

So far the Bank has created over £100 billion from the scheme, and the Chancellor has granted permission to boost this figure to as much as £150bn.

Despite hopes that the condition of the British economy had improved, manufacturing was dealt a tough blow, with a surprise slump in May. Meanwhile, official figures have shown a much worse than expected 2.4% drop in overall GDP in the first three months of the year - the worst in more than half a century.

Unemployment is also still on the rise, with the figure of those out of work at a staggering 2.261 million in the three months to April, the highest since November 1996.

The Bank's own data also showed credit conditions still remain tight and lending to business fell in April and May.

This would suggest the boost to the money supply is having a limited immediate impact.

(JM/BMcC)

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