Miscalculation of ONS Affected BoE’s Possible Rate Hike

The Office for National Statistics of UK further put pressure on the Bank of England over the issue of the rate hike next month after it lacks confidence to the pacing of the labor costs. On Monday, the official statistics agency admitted the mistakes made on its initial estimates for the growth of wage costs unit. The calculation is shown an annualized 2.4 percent in three months to June against the earlier published 1.6 percent on Friday.

The upward revision indicates that growth wages in Britain could be a driving force closely examined by Threadneedle Street, while there is a possible rate increase for the first time in the past decade. Moreover, the growing labor costs imply the strengthening of the economy, confirming a raise in interest rates.

The borrowing cost would likely boost from 0.25% to 0.5% and the committee for the monetary policy should decide whether the economy is capable to come up with the increase.

Regardless of the optimistic signs of the economy, there are varying prospects for a weaker scenario. As reports from the construction sector revealed signs for a possible downturn. While the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, on the other hand, predicted that UK economy will slow-up in 2018.

Furthermore, analysts from Swiss bank UBS mentioned that the rate hike could worsen the potential reversal of the British economy due to Brexit procedures.

The wages of British laborers were not able to surge over inflation rate since the 1970s in spite of low levels of unemployment. However, salary growth is improving but fail to keep its pace due to a high cost of living brought by imports value relative to the sluggish pound.