BoE’s Greene warns stalled wage disinflation raises inflation risks
Megan Greene, a member of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Bank of England (BoE), said on Tuesday that “wage disinflation has stalled,” a hint that salaries could begin to push prices higher.
Greene added that she continues to believe that “We [the BoE] should proactively lean against the risk of second-round inflation effects,” noting that the risks are “greater than we thought.”
She underscored that wage disinflation appears to have stalled at levels above the BoE’s goal. Her comments come a day before the release of inflation figures in the UK.
Key highlights:
Wage disinflation has stalled
Continue to believe we should proactively lean against the risk of second-round inflation effects
The risk of second-round effects is greater than we thought.
Forward-looking data point to pay growth closer to 3.5%
Wage disinflation appears to have stalled at levels above those consistent with inflation at 2%
Economy has shown surprising resilience
Labor market slack might have hit its peak
BoE FAQs
The Bank of England (BoE) decides monetary policy for the United Kingdom. Its primary goal is to achieve ‘price stability’, or a steady inflation rate of 2%. Its tool for achieving this is via the adjustment of base lending rates. The BoE sets the rate at which it lends to commercial banks and banks lend to each other, determining the level of interest rates in the economy overall. This also impacts the value of the Pound Sterling (GBP).
When inflation is above the Bank of England’s target it responds by raising interest rates, making it more expensive for people and businesses to access credit. This is positive for the Pound Sterling because higher interest rates make the UK a more attractive place for global investors to park their money. When inflation falls below target, it is a sign economic growth is slowing, and the BoE will consider lowering interest rates to cheapen credit in the hope businesses will borrow to invest in growth-generating projects – a negative for the Pound Sterling.
In extreme situations, the Bank of England can enact a policy called Quantitative Easing (QE). QE is the process by which the BoE substantially increases the flow of credit in a stuck financial system. QE is a last resort policy when lowering interest rates will not achieve the necessary result. The process of QE involves the BoE printing money to buy assets – usually government or AAA-rated corporate bonds – from banks and other financial institutions. QE usually results in a weaker Pound Sterling.
Quantitative tightening (QT) is the reverse of QE, enacted when the economy is strengthening and inflation starts rising. Whilst in QE the Bank of England (BoE) purchases government and corporate bonds from financial institutions to encourage them to lend; in QT, the BoE stops buying more bonds, and stops reinvesting the principal maturing on the bonds it already holds. It is usually positive for the Pound Sterling.
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