7 Nov 2021
Q3 was again quite calm in the equity markets. The FTSE rose by 0.7%, quarter-on-quarter, and the domestic orientated FTSE 250 by 2.9%.
It is the bond markets that are relatively volatile. After a rather surprising rally in Q2 (when yields fell) the official message that inflation will be transient began to met with scepticism again in Q3.Government bond yields began to rise again – US treasuries from 1.3% to 1.6% and gilts from 0.6% to 1.1%.
At present there is much speculation about whether the Bank of England will raise the Bank Rate from 0.10% to 0.25%. So what? Is a reasonable question. The Bank Rate is the interest that the Bank of England pays to commercial banks when they deposit money with it. The long years of near zero rates are part of a policy to encourage banks to lend. In addition, QE has swamped the private market with cash.
The Bank Rate is classically raised in order to discourage excessive lending which leads to overheating and inflation. As a Fed chairman once said, you take away the punchbowl just as the party is getting going.
I find it hard to imagine that interest rates play any significant role in commercial bank decisions at the moment. If the Bank Rate is effectively an opportunity cost of lending it is going to have to be much higher than 0.25% to make any difference. Perceived counterparty risk must be the dominant consideration.
The most important factor for the Treasury and the Bank of England is their own borrowing costs. At some point, surely, the government will have to stop borrowing from itself and will need to raise money from savers and investors who will need inducements. Keeping the Bank Rate low will be an irrelevance and won’t stop long dated yields from rising.
Roll on the day.