March
Bank of England leaves rates unchanged at 4.5pc as inflation stays high
UK inflation remains at 3 per cent, above the bank’s 2 per cent target and is set to push higher in the coming months.
Canada goes hard on Trump while Australia goes quiet
The traditionally polite Canadian government is condemning Donald Trump’s America as it faces a tough election. Australia’s government is far more cautious, but can that last?
Canada’s Liberals elect new leader as Trudeau bows out
The race is between Mark Carney, former governor of the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England, and former finance minister Chrystia Freeland.
This ex-CEO is risking all to clear his name over Epstein
Former Barclays boss Jes Staley is contesting a ban by UK financial regulators in a case that will again reveal big names tied to the late paedophile.
February
Bank of England cuts key UK interest rate to 4.5pc
The latest reduction reflects some concern about the outlook for the British economy, which has barely grown over the past six months.
January
UK treasurer flies to China as Britain braces for more market turmoil
Rachel Reeves was criticised for being “missing in action” in parliament question time as she flew to Beijing for meetings with communist officials and businesses.
December 2024
Bank of England pauses rate cuts as inflation picks up
The BoE did not join its rate-cutting peers in the US and Europe because, despite a flatlining economy, prices and wages have gathered pace.
November 2024
Bank of England cuts interest rates again, keeps counsel on Trump
The BoE boss warned that the inflation fight wasn’t won, and said it was too early to tell how Trump’s presidency might shift the global economy.
ASX to rise as US election decider and Fed’s second act grip markets
Futures indicate the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index will open 0.4 per cent higher on Monday as investors expected the Federal Reserve to deliver a second rate cut.
October 2024
No ‘secrets’ at RBA private briefings
Andrew Hauser dismissed concerns about the RBA holding private discussions with market participants, arguing it must understand what is happening in the economy.
What Tony Abbott taught Liz Truss about handling illegal immigrants
Attempts by the previous British government to thwart people smuggling by deporting illegal immigrants to Rwanda was based on advice by Tony Abbott
September 2024
Did central banks get the inflation crisis right?
Rate-cutting cycles in recent decades – such as in the early 2000s, or during the financial crisis of 2007 – have tended to be associated with steep economic downturns.
Bank of England holds fire on rate cuts after Fed’s bazooka round
Facing less pressure from its economy or jobs market, the BoE is expected to wait until November to unleash a second interest rate cut.
UK inflation steady at 2.2pc leaves door open for more rate cuts
While policymakers are expected to leave rates unchanged at 5 per cent this week, market expectations of further easing have been mounting.
What Taylor Swift and Oasis can teach us about the economy
The music industry’s shift from product to performance foreshadows a widespread move towards intangible assets in the wider economy.
August 2024
Jackson Hole bankers pivot to cuts as soft landing comes into view
Global rate-setters have left the Wyoming symposium cautiously optimistic, but acutely aware of the risks of either cutting rates too soon or leaving it too late.
Jackson Hole gathering reveals fresh concern for central bankers
Officials from three of the world’s major central banks have signalled they are on course to lower interest rates emerging weakness in labour markets and growth become the chief threat for policymakers.
UK inflation rises less than expected, raising rate hopes
Services inflation, the Bank of England’s key measure of domestic price pressures, declines more than expected.
Stop telling us what to do with interest rates: RBA deputy
Economists and politicians have accused the Reserve Bank of hypocrisy after deputy governor Andrew Hauser labelled economic commentators overconfident “false prophets”.
Central banks need true transparency not fake consensus
The Bank of England isn’t afraid to advertise its differences. That is better for creating trust than the obsession with a united front at the US Fed.