Skip to content

CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 69% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work, and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 69% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work, and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

Bank of England rate preview: will the MPC talk negative rates?

The Bank of England look unlikely to shift policy ahead of a crucial fortnight of Brexit negotiations. However, with the potential for economic turbulence ahead, how will the bank prepare for the worst?

GBP Source: Bloomberg

When and where?

The Bank of England (BoE) will conclude their latest monetary policy meeting at midday, on Thursday 17 December 2020.

Tune in to IGTV’s live BoE announcement and analysis at 11:55 AM BST on Thursday in the IG platform.

What now for the MPC given vaccine and Brexit factors?

The Bank of England meeting looks likely to be a somewhat quiet one in terms of policy, with precious few people expecting any major shift of the current policy mix. That view is highlighted by the market probabilities of any rate shift, with the default outcome being that the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) keeps rates steady for the entire 2021.

BOE rate

However, that market view is perhaps less reflective of the truth, and more about the view that we will gain greater clarity in the months to come. There is plenty of uncertainty ahead that committee members will find it tough to model around.

The most pressing issue is that of Brexit, with the coming weeks set to provide the basis for trade as we move forward. There is little reason to base monetary policy on a guess of what could be around the corner. Thus the MPC will likely want to hold off until we see greater clarity on the UK-EU relationship and how that is impacting the economy. The economic fallout of Brexit remains uncertain whether we achieve a deal or not.

On the flip-side, the economic picture does look more positive from a pandemic perspective, with the UK expected to be at the forefront of the push to vaccinate their population. The UK is forecast to vaccinate 50% of the country by the end of March 2021, which does point towards a return to relative normality in the coming months. However, quite whether that is achieved or whether the economy can rebound as quickly as hoped remains to be seen.

From a policy stance, there is little left for the Bank of England to do. The key move of note would be a decision to cut rates to below zero for the first time in history. There are some doubts as to whether this would be a sensible idea, given the technical difficulties and questionable experiences from the likes of Japan, Europe, and Switzerland.

Nevertheless, traders will be keen to understand exactly what could be on the cards should the UK economy take a turn for the worst once Brexit hits. Thus keep an eye out for any talk around negative rates as a potential driver of sterling weakness.

Where now for the pound?

GBP/USD has somewhat predictably seen a pick-up in volatility over the course of the past week, with the pair turning lower on fears of an impending no deal Brexit. Weekend discussions failed to rule out a deal, and we have seen the pair move higher from a confluence of trendline and Fibonacci (61.8%) support.

​That does highlight the overall uptrend we still see on the daily timeframe, with a break back below the $1.2855 level required to negate that view. With traders wondering exactly what the BoE plan to do in the event of a disorderly exit from the block, a failure to clarify their willingness to use negative rates could ultimately provide a more higher for the pound. As such, while we are expecting plenty of news-driven volatility in the weeks ahead, it seems as though the wider uptrend is coming back into play here for GBP/USD.

GBP/USD daily chart Source: ProRealTime
GBP/USD daily chart Source: ProRealTime

This information has been prepared by IG, a trading name of IG Markets Ltd and IG Markets South Africa Limited. In addition to the disclaimer below, the material on this page does not contain a record of our trading prices, or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instrument. IG accepts no responsibility for any use that may be made of these comments and for any consequences that result. No representation or warranty is given as to the accuracy or completeness of this information. Consequently any person acting on it does so entirely at their own risk. Any research provided does not have regard to the specific investment objectives, financial situation and needs of any specific person who may receive it. It has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such is considered to be a marketing communication. Although we are not specifically constrained from dealing ahead of our recommendations we do not seek to take advantage of them before they are provided to our clients. See full non-independent research disclaimer and quarterly summary.

Start trading forex today

Trade the largest and most volatile financial market in the world.

  • Spreads start at just 0.6 points on EUR/USD
  • Analyse market movements with our essential selection of charts
  • Speculate from a range of platforms, including on mobile

Find out more

Live prices on most popular markets

  • Forex
  • Shares
  • Indices

Prices above are subject to our website terms and agreements. Prices are indicative only

Plan your trading week

Get the week’s market-moving news sent directly to your inbox every Monday. The Week Ahead gives you a full calendar of upcoming economic events, as well as commentary from our expert analysts on the key markets to watch.

You might be interested in…

<h3>How much does trading cost?</h3>
<h3>Find out about IG</h3>
<h3>Plan your trading</h3>

Find out what charges your trades could incur with our transparent fee structure.

Discover why so many clients choose us, and what makes us a world-leading provider of CFDs.

Stay on top of upcoming market-moving events with our customisable economic calendar.