BoE labelled 'unreliable boyfriend' as Carney cools rate rise talk

clock

Sterling has fallen back below $1.70 after Bank of England Governor Mark Carney sounded a more dovish tone on base rate rises.

Speaking to the Treasury Select Committee this morning, 12 days after saying the base rate could rise "sooner than markets currently expect", Carney said stronger growth may well be offset by the fact there remains spare capacity in the UK economy. That sent sterling down from $1.702 to $1.697, the pound having risen above $1.70 earlier this month as markets began pricing in a 2014 rate hike following Carney's Mansion House speech. Carney said this morning that recent wage data suggests spare capacity remains a difficult hurdle for the economy to overcome. "Taken in isolation the c...

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

UK inflation falls to 3% to give BoE 'green light' for rate cut

UK inflation falls to 3% to give BoE 'green light' for rate cut

In line with expectations

Michael Nelson
clock 18 February 2026 • 2 min read
Interest rate cuts expected after UK GDP edges up 0.1%

Interest rate cuts expected after UK GDP edges up 0.1%

Construction output lowest since 2021

Patrick Brusnahan
clock 12 February 2026 • 2 min read
Leaked Budget document viewed almost 25,000 times ahead of speech

Leaked Budget document viewed almost 25,000 times ahead of speech

Office for Budget Responsibility chair Richard Hughes quit as a result

Jenna Brown
clock 11 February 2026 • 2 min read