BoE Policy Maker Warns Interest Rate Hike Would Hurt Recovery

A leading Bank of England policymaker warned on Thursday that a rise in interest rates risked undermining th erecovery and the cost of credit should remain low until living standards begin to rise.

Paul Fisher, a member of the central bank’s monetary policy committee (MPC), joined Threadneedle Street’s verbal offensive to protect low rates after official figures revealed a dramatic fall in the unemployment rate to 7.1% in November.

Fisher said the central bank was likely to keep rates low despite unemployment nearing a threshold of 7% because unemployment was still “elevated”.

The BoE introduced a policy of forward guidance last year that tied a review of its interest rate policy to a fall in unemployment to 7%. At the time unemployment was 7.8% of the workforce and officials expected the target to be reached in 2016.

via theguardian.com

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