ondon’s FTSE 100 fell for the third day running, continuing the weak start to the month as the Bank of England signalled that interest rates are likely to stay high for some time.
The central bank decided to push interest rates higher on Thursday, saying they would be “sufficiently restrictive for sufficiently long” to return inflation to its 2% target.
But some economists and traders believe that the end may be in sight for the hiking cycle with a predicted sharp fall in UK inflation likely to take the pressure off policymakers.
The more UK-focused FTSE 250 edged up on Thursday, but the internationally-focused FTSE 100 slipped.
Gains for UK banks – which have so far benefited from higher interest rates – were offset by falls for pharma stocks, helping pull the FTSE 100 lower.
It closed 32.47 points lower, or 0.43%, at 7,529.16.
But with the long and variable lags that monetary policy operates in, the Bank needs to be careful about pushing its luck when it comes to further rate hikes, given the fragile nature of the UK economy as well as the housing market
Michael Hewson, chief market analyst for CMC Markets UK, said: “Today’s decision by the central bank has prompted a modest rebound in housing and banking stocks off the lows of the day, as traders take the view that the Bank of England is close to calling a pause on further rate hikes.
“There are some important caveats to a possible pause, with the governor warning that services price inflation has been much more persistent.
“But with the long and variable lags that monetary policy operates in, the Bank needs to be careful about pushing its luck when it comes to further rate hikes, given the fragile nature of the UK economy as well as the housing market.”
It was a poor trading session for other European stock markets, with Germany’s Dax falling 0.79% and France’s Cac declining 0.72%.
America’s S&P 500 dipped by 0.1% and the Dow Jones was relatively flat by the time European markets closed.
The pound sunk after the interest rate decision was announced, but managed to claw back losses and by the end of the day was more or less flat against the US dollar at 1.2707. It was down by about 0.1% against the euro to 1.1609.
The price of Brent crude oil rebounded by 1.94% to 84.81 US dollars per barrel.
In company news, shares in engine maker Rolls-Royce leapt to the top of the FTSE 100 after it revealed soaring half-year profits.
The manufacturing giant said its underlying operating profits were more than five times the amount reported a year earlier.
It has been benefiting from an overhaul, which saw it cut thousands of jobs and slash costs in a bid to improve profits. With the efforts clearly paying off, investors were pleased and its share price jumped by 4.5%.
Shares in Next edged up after the retail giant upgraded its profit target after revealing it was buoyed by improved full-price trading and a strong end-of-season sale in the latest quarter.
The fashion chain said it expects its pre-tax profit for the current financial year to be £10 million higher, at £845 million.
Shareholders, who had already been told in June that sales were better than expected, had little reaction to the news and its share price edged up 0.7%.
The biggest risers on the FTSE 100 were Rolls-Royce, up 8.3p to 192.2p, Admiral Group, up 76p to 2,134p, Entain, up 31p to 1,381p, Barclays, up 2.7p to 149.16p, and Natwest Group, up 3.7p to 236.8p.
The biggest fallers on the FTSE 100 were Mondi, down 90p to 1,245.5p, BT, down 5p to 113.95p, Fresnillo, down 23.8p to 558.2p, St James’s Place, down 30.4p to 869.6p, and Ocado, down 23.2p to 861.8p.