BoE MPC member Catherine Mann, known for her hawkish stance, highlighted yesterday the difficulties in tackling inflation as core goods and services prices continue to trend upward. Despite falling gas prices, which Mann believes will be crucial in driving headline inflation down, she acknowledged the challenges that persist in managing inflation.
Mann said, “Gas prices in particular are on the down slope, and that type of dynamic is going to be very important in driving headline inflation down.” However, she also admitted that “core goods and services are trending up… It is going to make it very difficult to do our job.”
Although Mann has previously advocated for more aggressive tightening, she adjusted her vote to a 25 basis point increase during last week’s meeting, reflecting the complexities in navigating the current inflationary environment.