Tuesday, May 22, 2012

IMF tells UK to consider rate cut

LIVE: IMF chief Christine Lagarde speaks

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said the UK's continuing economic weakness means authorities should consider more Quantitative Easing (QE) and even cutting interest rates.

Its annual look at the UK economy endorsed the government's deficit cutting plan, saying it was essential.

It said monetary stimulus had helped the economy, but it remained flat.

The IMF said the Bank of England should "reassess the efficacy" of cutting rates below 0.5%.

The report says that the UK has made "substantial progress" towards achieving a more sustainable budgetary position and reducing fiscal risks.

Pointing to what it calls the country's financial sector's "global importance", it praises policies that have helped build up capital "buffers", and the strengthening of regulation within the UK.

But it says there are many downside risks, not least from events within the eurozone.

It also says the rebalancing of growth between the public and private sector has not fully materialised.

The IMF recently forecast UK growth of 2% in 2013.

The global body's revised UK forecasts now match those of the UK's independent Office for Budget Responsibility.

But both are more optimistic than most independent UK economists, who expect economic growth of about 1.6% next year.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-18158226#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

world news daily mail world news daily net

No comments:

Post a Comment