The Great Debate UK
Things just got a lot worse for inflation
- David Kuo is director at The Motley Fool. The opinions expressed are his own.-
What is the collective name for a crossing of fingers?
Because that seems to be what the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee members are doing. They are collectively crossing their digits in the hope that they have done enough to steer the UK economy out of recession.
They have pumped billions into the UK economy and it doesn’t seem to be having much effect – yet. That is unless you are a banker looking to bolster your balance sheet with freshly minted notes. Banks are happy to swap their assets for the Bank of England’s cash but remain unwilling to lend. Additionally, there is still uncertaintyabout the ability of the economy to grow unaided if the central bank should stop printing money.
And just when you think that things could not get any worse, it just did. It seems another problem has crawled out of the woodwork is inflation. The Bank believes inflation will be extremely volatile. It may fall in September but near-term inflation may exceed initial forecasts. But because it believes the rise in inflation will be temporary, the suggestion is that interest rates can be maintained at around current record low levels for some time.
However, low interest rates, low growth and low prospects of an economic recovery are spooking foreign investors. Sterling recently sunk to levels not seen for five months against the euro. It has dropped from 1.30 euro a year ago to 1.07 euro, though it has since recovered to 1.11 euro.
UK exporters will undoubtedly welcome the favourable exchange rate against our European trading partners. But the fly in the ointment will be more expensive imports from European.
from Commentaries:
Calling a bottom in Spain
Is the worst over for Spanish mortgage defaults? That’s one way to interpret Santander’s offer to buy back up to 16.5 billion euros of its outstanding asset-backed debt.
The securities are trading below par – more than 40 percent in some cases before today’s announcement - allowing the bank to reduce debt by buying them back. Cash-rich banks such as HSBC have launched similar buybacks this year to profit from the ABS market dislocation, but it's the first time a Spanish bank has launched such a large public buyback.
from Commentaries:
Yep, the banks really are gouging their customers
Michael Saunders will get no thanks from his employers at Citicorp for pointing out how UK interest rates have swung dramatically against the borrower over the last two years.
Bank Rate has plunged by 5.25 percent since July 2007, and two-year swap rates have fallen by 4.1 percent, but surprise surprise, the only rates that have come down anything like as far are those paid to the hapless retail depositor. For many of those wanting to borrow, the price has gone in the opposite direction - if they can get the money at all, that is.
Deflation? It’s inflation you need to watch
– David Kuo is a director at the financial Web site The Motley Fool. The views expressed are his own. –
What are consumers supposed to make of the latest inflation numbers? Do we have inflation, deflation or a bit of stagflation?
from UK News:
Banks rescue package: will they start lending again?
Melanie Bien, director, Savills Private Finance, is a guest commentator. The opinions expressed in this commentary are her own.
It is too early to say whether the latest bank rescue plan will have the desired effect of persuading the banks to start lending again. But it is a step in the right direction and we welcome it as a positive move as it may just remove the remaining stumbling blocks to getting the credit and mortgage markets functioning properly once more.
Clearly, something further had to be done. October’s £37bn bank recapitalisation did little to persuade banks to regain their appetite for lending. Credit continues to be difficult to come by – unless you have a large deposit or equity in your home and a clean credit history.
Britain faces recession without housing ATM
James Saft is a Reuters columnist. The opinions expressed are his own.
Even in the good times, many British consumers were borrowing against their houses just to fund routine consumption, indicating a big hit to come for retail sales and for the banks who hold the loans.
With house prices falling rapidly and mortgage debt tougher to get, it is no surprise that homeowners are less able and inclined to borrow against their houses in order to spend.
