Ward: UK GDP fall could trigger £50bn more QE in June

clock

The worse-than-expected decline in UK GDP is likely to spur the Bank of England into injecting another £50bn into the economy next month, said Henderson's Simon Ward.

The group's chief economist said the revised contraction in GDP announced by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) - which showed the economy had shrunk by 0.3% rather than the initial estimate of 0.2% - means another round of quantitiative easing looks likely next month. "I would expect another £50bn next month, rather than July," he said. Ward added he is surprised the Bank of England has not increased the size of the asset purchase scheme already following a string of weak economic data. "I expected them to announce something in May, but there is enough in the latest MPC minu...

To continue reading this article...

Join Professional Adviser for free

  • Unlimited access to real-time news, industry insights and market intelligence
  • Stay ahead of the curve with spotlights on emerging trends and technologies
  • Receive breaking news stories straight to your inbox in the daily newsletters
  • Make smart business decisions with the latest developments in regulation, investing retirement and protection
  • Members-only access to the editor’s weekly Friday commentary
  • Be the first to hear about our events and awards programmes

Join

 

Already a Professional Adviser member?

Login

More on Economics / Markets

Why the lead-up to the Budget may have been worse than the Budget itself

Why the lead-up to the Budget may have been worse than the Budget itself

What Rachel Reeves and Dr Evil have in common

Laith Khalaf
clock 13 November 2024 • 4 min read
Bank of England meets expectations with 25 basis point rate cut to 4.75%

Bank of England meets expectations with 25 basis point rate cut to 4.75%

'Continued progress' on disinflation

Valeria Martinez
clock 07 November 2024 • 2 min read
'Budget will be a reset for our economy' Reeves tells IMF colleagues

'Budget will be a reset for our economy' Reeves tells IMF colleagues

Autumn Budget on 30 October

Linus Uhlig
clock 24 October 2024 • 2 min read