THE CHIEF executive of the Essex Chamber of Commerce has responded to the news that for the first time in more than 10 years, the Bank of England has raised interest rates.
The official bank rate has been lifted from 0.25% to 0.5%, the first increase since July 2007.
The move reverses the cut in August of last year – made in the wake of the vote to leave the European Union.
Almost four million households face higher mortgage interest payments after the rise, but it should give savers a modest lift in their returns.
Commenting on today’s interest rate decision by the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee, Denise Rossiter – Chief Executive, Essex Chambers of Commerce, said:
“Our preferred outcome was for a further period of monetary stability, with interest rates steady over the near term. Today’s quarter point rise may have little effect on most companies, but many will view this as the first step in a longer policy movement – not as a simple reversal of last year’s cut.
“These are challenging times for monetary policymakers. The MPC had the unenviable task of weighing future risks to inflation, from a tight – and tightening – labour market, pass-through from a weaker pound and rising commodity prices. Against this, they needed to consider the future risks to under-shooting the inflation target from weak growth, fragile business confidence, and the effects of uncertainty.
“These are finely-balanced judgements: while interest rates will need to return to historic averages at some point, it should be done slowly and with reference to the ever-changing economic context.
“With the Bank of England’s latest forecasts of sluggish growth for the next few years, the government must use the upcoming Autumn Budget to boost business confidence and investment, and reduce the pressure on prices from policy decisions such as the forthcoming hike in business rates.”
