Haldane Joins BOE Pushback on Negative Interest-Rate Speculation

Bank of England Chief Economist Andy Haldane said an analysis of negative interest rates will probably take months, reinforcing the central bank’s pushback against speculation about interest-rate cuts being imminent.

Haldane said Wednesday the BOE’s decision to examine how to take the benchmark below zero wasn’t a signal about the likelihood of that happening. The comments come a day after Governor Andrew Bailey said the central bank hasn’t reached any judgment on whether to introduce the policy.