George Buckley Recent Quotations

The strengthening of both the retail sector over Christmas and the housing market over recent months should limit the opposition to keeping rates on hold next week.

Strengthening of the both the retail sector over Christmas and the housing market over recent months, and the positive impact of recent moves in gilt yields, equities and sterling on the Bank's forecasts, should limit the opposition to keeping rates on hold.

Increased foreign competition in domestic and overseas markets, alongside the strength of sterling over recent years has seemingly had a significant impact on UK manufacturers, with Asia in particular becoming a more important source of imports.

The January numbers looked overly weak, in light of recent developments in the housing market so some recovery in these figures was to be expected.