Japan’s Inflation Edges Higher in October as BOJ Faces Growing Pressure to Hike Rates 
Japan’s Finance Minister Signals Alignment With BOJ as Rate Hike Speculation Grows 
Oil Prices Rise as Geopolitical Tensions and Supply Risks Intensify 
IMF Deputy Dan Katz Visits China as Key Economic Review Nears 
Oil Prices Hold Steady as Ukraine Tensions and Fed Cut Expectations Support Market 
BOJ Governor Ueda Meets Key Ministers as Markets Eye Policy Shifts Under New Leadership 
Bank of Korea Holds Interest Rates Steady as Weak Won Limits Policy Flexibility 
Kazakhstan Central Bank Holds Interest Rate at 18% as Inflation Pressures Persist 
The Bank of England (BoE) is expected to maintain its neutral policy stance at the monetary policy meeting, scheduled to be held on March 16. Further, the central bank is also expected to hold its Bank Rate at 0.25 percent while leaving the targets for the stock of government bond purchases (APF) and the stock of corporate bond purchases (CBPS) unchanged at GBP435bn and GBP10bn, respectively.
While it is also likely that the CB will tighten monetary policy in a time of elevated political uncertainty, there is need to see substantially slower growth and/or higher unemployment before easing becomes likely again, Danske Bank reported.
Governor Mark Carney has said that one of the reasons the UK has been resilient to Brexit uncertainties so far is due to the significant monetary easing from the BoE.
"In our view, the BoE seems to be more worried about slower growth than too-high inflation if this is only temporary. EUR/GBP has reached our 1-3M target of 0.87 and we are currently reviewing our forecast. We still see risks skewed to the upside for EUR/GBP in the coming months ahead of and after the triggering of Article 50," the report commented.
