Woolnough: £700bn QE could keep gilt yields low for years

clock

M&G's Richard Woolnough said the possibility of another £375bn in asset purchases by the Bank of England means gilt yields could remain at record lows for years to come.

The Bank last week announced a £50bn expansion of its quantitative easing programme, bringing the total to £375bn and leading to fresh questions of how far the Bank will go with its asset purchases. Woolnough said comments made last month by governor Mervyn King, indicating the UK is not yet halfway through its economic crisis, suggest another £325bn of QE may yet materialise. "The BoE base rate has been set at 0.5% since March 2009, and over £325bn has been pumped into the financial system through QE," said the manager of the £8.1bn Optimal Income, £6.2bn Corporate Bond and £5bn Stra...

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

Partner Insight: A new VCT landscape - what advisers need to know after the Budget

Partner Insight: A new VCT landscape - what advisers need to know after the Budget

For professional advisers and paraplanners only. Not to be relied upon by retail clients.

Toyin Oyeneyin, Tax Product Specialist, Octopus Investments
clock 19 January 2026 • 5 min read
Advisers predict returns uptick in face of increased market volatility until 2030

Advisers predict returns uptick in face of increased market volatility until 2030

Investor Confidence Barometer from Scottish Widows

Jenna Brown
clock 07 January 2026 • 2 min read
Advisers see more market volatility coming in 2026

Advisers see more market volatility coming in 2026

Uncertainty over the global economy and UK inflation rate

Isabel Baxter
clock 06 January 2026 • 2 min read