Updated
Updated · BBC.com · Jun 17
Bank of England Set to Hold Rate at 3.75% for Fourth Meeting as Inflation Stays at 2.8%
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · Jun 17

Bank of England Set to Hold Rate at 3.75% for Fourth Meeting as Inflation Stays at 2.8%

3 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Jun 17

Summary

  • 3.75% is widely expected to be the Bank of England’s benchmark rate again on Thursday, extending a pause to a fourth straight meeting after May inflation came in lower than feared.
  • 2.8% annual inflation held steady in May, with food price growth slowing to a 17-month low, reinforcing the view that policymakers do not need to tighten immediately.
  • Oil prices have fallen near their lowest since the Iran conflict began after Donald Trump said a peace deal was signed and the Strait of Hormuz should reopen, easing near-term energy inflation risks.
  • 13% higher Ofgem-capped household energy bills from July still point to a summer inflation pickup, and average new two-year fixed mortgage rates have climbed to 5.60% from 4.83% since March.
  • April’s MPC meeting had signaled rates could still rise this year after the energy shock, but some analysts now see no further increase in 2026 despite lingering uncertainty.

Insights

As the US-Iran deal drops oil prices, why are UK energy bills still set to soar this summer?
Experts call the US-Iran agreement a fragile truce. Is the global economy prepared for when it breaks?