Has UK inflation peaked at 3%? Market reacts to unexpected October hold

Sterling fell on the news

Mike Sheen
clock • 4 min read

UK inflation as measured by the Consumer Prices Index (CPI)undershot forecasts to stay at 3% in October, the Office for National Statistics reported on Tuesday.

Sterling was hit - down 0.6% against the euro - as inflation came in lower than analysts' forecasts of a year-on-year rise of 3.1%, with traders re-evaluating what this could mean in terms of the Bank of England's already dovish outlook for further interest rate rises. The Bank of England (BoE) had previously warned the inflation rate could hit 3.2% this autumn, before falling back. But as inflation did not rise above a five-year high of 3%, BoE governor Mark Carney narrowly avoided being forced to write a letter to Chancellor Philip Hammond explaining why it was so far above the Bank's ...

To continue reading this article...

Join Investment Week for free

  • Unlimited access to real-time news, analysis and opinion from the investment industry, including the Sustainable Hub covering fund news from the ESG space
  • Get ahead of regulatory and technological changes affecting fund management
  • Important and breaking news stories selected by the editors delivered straight to your inbox each day
  • Weekly members-only newsletter with exclusive opinion pieces from leading industry experts
  • Be the first to hear about our extensive events schedule and awards programmes

Join now

 

Already an Investment Week
member?

Login

More on UK

Shawbrook Bank owners consider London IPO - reports
UK

Shawbrook Bank owners consider London IPO - reports

BC Partners and Pollen Street Capital

Eve Maddock-Jones
clock 12 February 2024 • 1 min read
BoE policymaker pushes for rate cuts in warning of 'downside risks' for UK economy - reports
UK

BoE policymaker pushes for rate cuts in warning of 'downside risks' for UK economy - reports

External MPC member Swati Dhingra

Valeria Martinez
clock 06 February 2024 • 1 min read
BoE's Huw Pill: Interest rate cuts possible as 'reward' for lower inflation
UK

BoE's Huw Pill: Interest rate cuts possible as 'reward' for lower inflation

'When rather than if'

Valeria Martinez
clock 06 February 2024 • 2 min read
Trustpilot