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Bank of England Cuts Interest Rates

Fri, 06 Feb 2009

The Bank of England has cut interest rates once again in another attempt to kick start the struggling economy. In a fifth interest rate cut since October, interest rates have been cut from 1.5 per cent to another all time low of 1 per cent, as the banks look to encourage lending . The decision follows the publishing of official data showing that the UK entered a recession in December, following two successive quarters of economic contraction. In a statement, the Bank of England said it hoped the cuts ‘would provide a considerable stimulus to activity as the year progressed’.

The cut has been passed on to consumers by many lenders, with Barclays, Halifax, Lloyds TSB, Nationwide and Skipton Building Society promising to pass on the rate cut to customers with standard variable mortgages .

The interest rate cut hasn’t been met with enthusiasm, however, with savers punished and small businesses unsure of the benefits of the cut. The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) said that what was needed was improved access to capital. Chairman of the FSB, John Wright, said, ‘These figures suggest that the recent interest rate cuts are not having the desired effect and other means of economic stimulus are required.’
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