MPC

The Traded Policies Fund invests in Traded Life Policies (TLPs)

Bank of England deputy governor Charlie Bean has defended MPC policy in the face of persistently high inflation, warning the economy could be on the verge of a "durable slowing".

The UK could be entering a "profoundly different" era of slow growth and high debt reminiscent of the economic ills engulfing Japan, says the BBC's economics editor Stephanie Flanders.

Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) hawk Andrew Sentance has upped to 0.5% the amount he believes interest rates should immediately rise.

Martin Weale has called for an immediate 0.25% increase in the Bank of England (BoE) base interest rate, echoing the view of Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) hawk Andrew Sentance.

The BoE risks making the UK's debt problem bigger if it raises rates above 0.5% in the near-term to tackle "one-off" inflationary pressures, says the head of portfolio management at Prudential.

The Bank of England has maintained interest rates at 0.5% and kept its quantitative easing programme at £200bn.

Dr Ros Altmann has called on the government to reintroduce inflation-linked certificates as pensioners battle the rising cost of living.

An MPC member has predicted interest rates could hit 5% and urged IFAs to help homeowners prepare for the increases.

China has offered support to the eurozone to help it through the debt crisis that has gripped the region.