ICAEW.com works better with JavaScript enabled.
ICAEW Insights In Focus

How will quantitative tightening affect the UK economy?

The words 'ICAEW INSIGHTS In Focus' and the ICAEW logo on a two-tone blue background

In this Insights In Focus episode, we explore the Bank of England’s recent policy switch from quantitative easing to quantitative tightening.

The Bank of England has been supporting the UK economy by buying government bonds since 2009. The policy has been a stabilising force through successive economic shocks: the global financial crisis, the euro crisis, the Brexit vote and, most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic.

Now, the Bank of England is on a mission to reduce inflation, raising interest rates and beginning to sell the £895bn of government bonds that sit on its balance sheet. But how much should be sold and how soon?

Host Philippa Lamb discusses the role that QE has played within the economy, and the process of quantitative tightening, with Reuben Wales, ICAEW Head of Financial Services; Martin Wheatcroft, external adviser on public finances to ICAEW; and Michael Saunders, economist and member of the Monetary Policy Committee from 2016 until very recently.

Allow SoundCloud audio

This audio player is provided by Soundcloud. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded as they place a few cookies on our site. For more information on how we handle cookies, please see our privacy policy and cookies policy. To listen to this content on the website, please accept and continue. Alternatively, you can access ICAEW podcasts on Spotify, Apple podcasts or YouTube.

Links

Host

Philippa Lamb

Guests

  • Michael Saunders, Monetary Policy Committee member, 2016-2022
  • Reuben Wales, ICAEW Head of Financial Services
  • Martin Wheatcroft, external adviser on public finances to ICAEW

Producer

Natalie Chisholm

Episode first published: 30 November 2022

Podcast recorded: 23 November 2022

All views expressed on this podcast are those of the contributors and don’t necessarily reflect those of ICAEW or its members.

Open AddCPD icon

Add Verified CPD Activity

Introducing AddCPD, a new way to record your CPD activities!

Log in to start using the AddCPD tool. Available only to ICAEW members.

Add this page to your CPD activity

Step 1 of 3
Download recorded
Download not recorded

Please download the related document if you wish to add this activity to your record

What time are you claiming for this activity?
Mandatory fields

Add this page to your CPD activity

Step 2 of 3
Mandatory field

Add activity to my record

Step 3 of 3
Mandatory field

Activity added

An error has occurred
Please try again

If the problem persists please contact our helpline on +44 (0)1908 248 250