George Buckley Domestic Quotations

The prospects for a rate cut have certainly increased. You have weaker inflation and in addition there are risks to gross domestic product growth.

This points to interest rates on hold, at least in the near-term. But we continue to expect that the pressure for a further move will build later in the year as the global economy slows and domestic demand fails to inspire.

Increased foreign competition in domestic and overseas markets, alongside the strength of sterling over recent years has seemingly had a significant impact on UK manufacturers, with Asia in particular becoming a more important source of imports.