Monetary Policy
This coverage examines monetary policy decisions and their implications for the UK retail sector, focusing on interest rate changes, inflation control, and central bank guidance. Reporting provides analysis of how these policies influence consumer spending, business costs, and strategic planning. Retail executives and managers can use these insights to assess market conditions, adjust pricing strategies, and plan for economic shifts affecting operations and demand.
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Sep- 2024 -19 SeptemberEconomy
BoE holds interest rates at 5%
The Bank of England (BoE) has decided to hold interest rates at 5% this month, having lowered them for the first time in four years in August. The bank voted by a majority of 8-1 to keep the rate the same in a bid to help “sustain growth and employment”.…
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18 SeptemberNews
Today’s news in brief-18/9/24
UK inflation held steady at 2.2% in August, unchanged from July and slightly above the Bank of England’s 2% target. The stability came despite falling food and energy prices, offset by a 1.2% rise in transport costs, driven notably by a 22.2% increase in air fares. Clothing and retail prices…
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18 SeptemberEconomy
Inflation holds steady at 2.2% in August
The rate of inflation remained steady at 2.2% in August, unchanged since July, yet is still above the Bank of England’s target of 2%.Although food and energy prices continued to fall over the month, this was in part offset by transport, where prices rose by 1.2% in the month. This…
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Aug- 2024 -1 AugustEconomy
BoE cuts interest rates for first time in 4 years
The Bank of England (BoE) has cut interest rates for the first time in four years, with the rate falling to 5%. The bank voted by a majority of 5–4 to reduce the rate by 0.25 percentage points to 5%, marking the first fall in inflation since March 2020, where…
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Jun- 2024 -21 JuneEconomy
UK retail sales jump 2.9% in May
UK retail sales volumes rose by 2.9% in May 2024, following a fall of 1.8% in April 2024, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Sales volumes rose across most sectors, with clothing retailers and furniture stores rebounding following poor weather in April. More broadly, sales volumes rose by…
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20 JuneEconomy
BoE holds interest rates for 7th consecutive month
Interest rates have remained unchanged at 5.25% for the seventh consecutive month, the Bank of England has announced. The bank’s MPC voted by a majority of 7–2 to maintain the rate, despite inflation hitting its target and falling to 2% in May. UK inflation hit its target for the first time…
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Oct- 2023 -18 OctoberEconomy
Inflation remains at 6.7% despite fall in food prices
Inflation remained unchanged at 6.7% in September as a fall in food prices was offset by an increase in the price of fuel. According to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), food and non-alcoholic beverage prices fell by 0.1% between August and September 2023, compared with…
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Sep- 2023 -21 SeptemberEconomy
Bank of England keeps interest rates unchanged at 5.25%
Following 14 straight rate rises, the Bank of England (BoE) has kept interest rates unchanged at 5.25%. At its latest meeting, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted by a slim majority of 5–4 to maintain the current rate, though four members preferred to increase the rate to 5.5%. The MPC…
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20 SeptemberEconomy
Inflation ‘unexpectedly’ falls to 6.7%
The headline rate of inflation has fallen by 0.1% to 6.7% in August, according to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), despite prior concerns from economists that the rate was set to rise. The largest downward contributions to the monthly change in annual rates came from…
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Aug- 2023 -3 AugustEconomy
BoE raises interest rates to 5.25%
The Bank of England (BoE) has raised interest rates for the 14th consecutive time to 5.25% in a bid to combat inflation. The bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) sets monetary policy to meet the 2% inflation target. At its meeting ending on 2 August 2023, the MPC voted by a…
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