+

Cookies on the Business Insider India website

Business Insider India has updated its Privacy and Cookie policy. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the better experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we\'ll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on the Business Insider India website. However, you can change your cookie setting at any time by clicking on our Cookie Policy at any time. You can also see our Privacy Policy.

Close
HomeQuizzoneWhatsappShare Flash Reads
 

Here's what worries the Bank of England most about Brexit - and it's not the pound

Feb 23, 2016, 16:52 IST

REUTERS/Yuri Gripas

Panic over the UK's EU referendum pushed the pound to a seven-year low on Monday.

Advertisement

Members of the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee are taking questions on it in Parliament on Tuesday and revealing some interesting points.

Firstly, sudden moves in the currency will continue for some time up to the referendum in June.

MPC member Gertjan Vlieghe told lawmakers: "We think the exchange rate is falling because of increased uncertainty about what's going to happen in the period leading up to, or the period following, the referendum."

Secondly, how the pound fairs against the dollar is less of a worry for the BOE than what all the uncertainty does to household spending and corporate investment.

Advertisement

It's a good point - for example, why would you invest in London now if you might lose access to the single European market later down the line?

Here's Vlieghe again: "It is possible at some point that increased uncertainty from foreign exchange investors also ends up manifesting itself in increased uncertainty by households and businesses which may, or may not, delay or reduce their spending. So far we haven't seen very clear evidence of that, but we are watching very carefully."

While big market moves in currencies get the headlines, spending and economic demand are the two things that get the MPC going.

Here's the MPC's Martin Weale: "The spending of households and businesses is what actually matters for the MPC and what that means for inflation."

NOW WATCH: How Donald Trump used bankruptcy to stay rich

Please enable Javascript to watch this video
You are subscribed to notifications!
Looks like you've blocked notifications!
Next Article