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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Business
Phillip Inman

Interest rate dilemma for central banks as inflation rises but growth slows

Up and down fuel prices from the on-off Iran war are making it even more difficult for central banks to predict inflation rates.
Up and down fuel prices from the on-off Iran war are making it even more difficult for central banks to predict inflation rates. Photograph: Angela Weiss/AFP/Getty Images

As the Middle East crisis drags on into its sixth month, central banks sit in a tricky position. Oil prices remain at elevated levels, stoking inflationary pressures while also threatening to weigh on growth.

The US Federal Reserve, the Bank of England and the European Central Bank are still smarting from the criticism of their inaction in 2022, when inflation soared above 10% in the UK and eurozone and over 9% in the US.

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