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Bank of England does not need to hike interest rates, says IMF — it may even need to cut

CNBC · May 18, 2026, 1:22 PM · Also reported by 4 other sources

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  • Renewed inflationary pressures in the U.K. since the outbreak of the Iran war have upended monetary policy expectations, with the Bank of England forecast to hold, if not hike, interest rates this year.
  • But the International Monetary Fund — which on Monday upgraded the U.K.'s growth forecast for 2026 — suggested that the central bank should be ready to cut interest rates, if necessary.

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Renewed inflationary pressures in the U.K. since the outbreak of the Iran war have upended monetary policy expectations, with the Bank of England forecast to hold, if not hike, interest rates this year.

But the International Monetary Fund — which on Monday upgraded the U.K.'s growth forecast for 2026 — suggested that the central bank should be ready to cut interest rates, if necessary.

Article preview — originally published by CNBC. Full story at the source.
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