sterling

CURRENCIES

April UK retail sales have come in well below forecast as Bank of England minutes have revealed many MPC members are considering voting for further quantitative easing.

Our most read stories of the week featured a look at how sterling's rise is affecting the UK, the FSA's latest action over Arch cru, and Hugh Hendry and Albert Edwards warning on two imminent crises.

RBS has revised its Bank of England forecasts, scrapping its prediction of further QE and forecasting an initial hike in UK interest rates in the second quarter of next year.

HSBC's global research team has suggested US economic data is in ‘Death Valley': not weak enough to guarantee more quantitative easing but not strong enough to be self-sustaining.

Wall Street fell on the opening bell, building on losses seen in European markets today as macro fears dampened sentiment.

Walker Crips managers Jan Luthman and Steve Bailey have increased their exposure to companies operating in emerging markets in anticipation of further falls in sterling.

The pound has fallen to a three-month low against the dollar ahead of a Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee meeting today, the first of 2012.

Sterling and gilt yields have dived following the surprise announcement by the Bank of England it is increasing its quantitative easing programme by £75bn.

Inflation climbed marginally in August as expected, driven up by higher utility bills.