BoE's Mann: The unemployment rate has gone up and that's very much of a concern

We are getting close to some sense of where monetary policy is balanced between the inflation objective and full employmentThe unemployment rate has gone up and that’s very much of a concernOn January inflation data: these are good numbers from headline perspective and also from coreWith respect to core inflation, not quite as good as we had hoped to seeHard to tell whether 2% inflation that we are likely to see in the next few months is in fact a sustainable 2%BoE’s Mann is usually labelled as a hawk but she’s been switching between hawkish and dovish views pretty quickly based on the evolution of the data.Mann notes that the Bank is approaching a neutral point where interest rates are effectively balancing the dual goals of curbing inflation and supporting full employment. She expressed concern over the rising unemployment rate (recently hitting a five-year high of 5.2%). She specifically pointed to sharp minimum wage increases as a potential factor in rising youth unemployment, though she cautioned against viewing this as a definitive “canary in the coal mine” for a total economic collapse.She acknowledged that January’s inflation data (falling to 3.1%) looked positive on the surface. However, she was less satisfied with core inflation, which has not cooled as quickly as she had hoped. While the UK is expected to hit the 2% inflation target in the coming months, Mann remains skeptical about whether it will stay there. She is looking for more evidence that wage-setting and service-sector pricing have truly adjusted before she is fully convinced that the 2% level is sustainableMann’s tone has softened due to the weakening jobs market, but her “activist” policymaker roots remain. She is currently prioritizing certainty over speed, wanting to ensure that once inflation hits 2%.
This article was written by Giuseppe Dellamotta at investinglive.com.

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