Bank Of England News

Weeks of attacks by Iranian-backed Houthi militants on vessels in the Red Sea have disrupted shipping in the Suez Canal, the fastest sea route between Asia and Europe, carrying around 15% of global sea trade.For the European economy, already skirting a mild recession as it tries to shake off high inflation, prolonged trade disruption could derail plans by central banks to start cutting interest rates this year.Here are some factors policymakers are considering as they assess the implications of the disruptions.WHAT HAS BEEN THE IMPACT ON THE EUROPEAN ECONOMY SO FAR?In macroeconomic terms…

Over 500 dockworkers at the Port of Liverpool, one of Britain's largest container ports, have launched a two-week strike over pay, the Unite trade union said on Tuesday, adding to a wave of industrial unrest caused by soaring inflation.The Liverpool strike from Sept. 19 to Oct. 3, which was announced earlier this month, will overlap a second walkout by workers at Felixstowe, Britain's top container port, which starts on Sept. 27.More than 560 port operatives and maintenance engineers…

Supply constraints thwarting global economic growth could still get worse, keeping inflation elevated longer, even if the current spike in prices is still likely to remain temporary, the world’s top central bankers warned on Wednesday.The disruptions to the global economy during the pandemic have upset supply chains across continents, leaving the world short of a plethora of goods and services from car parts and microchips to container vessels that transport goods across the seas.“It’s ...

North P&I Club has elected James Alexander Tyrrell as its new chair of the board, succeeding Pratap Shirke, in a change at the helm of the global marine insurer that also sees Ioanna Procopiou become the Club’s first female vice-chair.Tyrrell, a director of North member Arklow Shipping, takes up the role from February 4, having previously served as vice-chair of the North board. The formal announcement follows full approval by the Prudential Regulation Authority, which supervises around 1…

In spite of the ongoing Brexit discussion, DFDS continued to increase its volumes on the North Sea freight routes to and from the UK. Continued growth in the UK and EU economies is good news for all, said a press release from Northern Europe's largest shipping and logistics company. DFDS' recently published Q2 results were the best ever recorded in the company and this was among other things due to a very positive development in trade across the North Sea. DFDS' routes carried 6% more trailers between ports in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands and Belgium and ports in the UK. "The UK is our largest freight market, and we are encouraged by the positive development which we have seen year-on-year in spite of the discussion about possible Brexit effects," says Niels Smedegaard.

Ferry and logistics operator DFDS has many activities and 2,200 employees in the U.K., placing it at the heart of the ongoing “Brexit” process following the U.K.’s vote to leave the EU and making the firm an early indicator of changes in trade and passenger movements. In a post on its website, the Danish based firm addressed Brexit’s immediate and long-term impact, stating that it has seen little to no effect on trade so far. “We also discuss our experiences and expectations from the Brexit situation with customers.

Royal Bank of Scotland is close to selling at least $600 million worth of shipping loans from its portfolio, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. RBS, which is more than 70 percent state-owned, is still in the throes of a restructuring, which includes asset sales, job cuts and tackling multi-billion dollar charges to settle litigation and pay regulatory fines for past misconduct. The sources said buyers of the various shipping loan tranches included Japanese financial services firm Orix Corp , Germany's Berenberg Bank, Bank of America Merrill Lynch and asset manager Davidson Kempner. Bank of America and Berenberg declined to comment. Orix could not be reached for comment. Davidson Kempner and RBS declined to comment.

Global capital markets reeled on Friday after Britain voted to leave the European Union, with $2 trillion in value wiped from equity bourses worldwide, while money poured into safe-haven gold and government bonds. Sterling suffered a record plunge. The blow to investor confidence and the uncertainty the vote has sparked could keep the Federal Reserve from raising interest rates as planned this year, and even spark a new round of emergency policy easing from major central banks. The traditional safe-harbor assets of top-rated government debt, the Japanese yen and gold all jumped. Spot gold rose more than 5 percent and the yield on the benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury note fell to lows last seen in 2012 at 1.5445 percent. Stocks tumbled in Europe.

The Directors of BP p.l.c. announced that the interim dividend for the third quarter 2014 would be US$0.10 per ordinary share (US$0.60 per ADS). This interim dividend is to be paid on 19 December 2014 to shareholders on the share register on 7 November 2014. The dividend is payable in cash in sterling to holders of ordinary shares and in US dollars to holders of ADSs. A scrip dividend alternative will be made available for this dividend allowing shareholders to elect to receive their dividend in the form of new ordinary shares and ADS holders in the form of new ADSs. US$6.946 for each new ordinary share. date of 6 November 2014. The…

BP today announced the appointment of Spencer Dale as its new Group Chief Economist with effect from the end of October. Mr Dale joins BP from the Bank of England where he is currently Executive Director for Financial Stability Strategy and Risk. He is also a member of the Bank’s Financial Policy Committee. In his previous capacity as the Bank’s Chief Economist, Mr Dale served for six years on the Monetary Policy Committee. Since joining the Bank in 1989, Mr Dale’s roles included working as private secretary to former Governor Mervyn King and a secondment as a visiting Senior Adviser in the Division of Monetary Affairs at the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System in the United States.

The Directors of BP p.l.c. announced that the interim dividend for the first quarter 2014 would be US$0.0975 per ordinary share (US$0.585 per ADS). This interim dividend is to be paid on 20 June 2014 to shareholders on the share register on 9 May 2014. The dividend is payable in cash in sterling to holders of ordinary shares and in US dollars to holders of ADSs. A scrip dividend alternative will be made available for this dividend allowing shareholders to elect to receive their dividend in the form of new ordinary shares and ADS holders in the form of new ADSs. The ‘Reference Share Price’ for the issue of new ordinary shares under the scrip dividend alternative is:US$ 8.475 for each new ordinary share.

North of England P&I Association (North) and Sunderland Marine Mutual Insurance Company Limited (SMMI) merged to form the North Group on Friday 28 February 2014 following approval by the Bank of England’s Prudential Regulatory Authority and other U.K. and overseas regulators. The merger between two of the longest-established and most successful international marine insurance businesses - both of which are based in north-east England - has created one of the largest global marine insurance operations, with a premium income of over $500 million, free reserves of $350 million and total assets of $1,500 million. North Group has been over two years in the making, starting with a strategic alliance between North and SMMI in January 2012.

Sir Roger Carr will join the Board as a non-executive director & Chairman designate on 1 October 2013 and will succeed Dick Olver as Chairman in the first quarter 2014, following a transition period. Sir Roger, 66, is currently Chairman of Centrica plc and was until recently President of the CBI, the UK’s main business lobbying group. He is also Deputy Chairman and Senior Independent Director of the Court of the Bank of England and a member of the UK Prime Minister’s Business Advisory Group. He will step down as Chairman of Centrica on or before the Centrica AGM in 2014.

Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK) announced an increase in its regular quarterly dividend to $0.25 per share from $0.10 per share. "Considering the current economic climate, our ability to more than double our dividend just a year after its reinstatement is a remarkable testament to the resilience of our global cruise brands and our confidence in the future of our business," said Micky Arison, Carnival Corporation & plc chairman and CEO. "Given our projected increase in cash from operations, expected to exceed $4 billion in 2011, combined with lower capital investment commitments due to the slower pace of our newbuild program, the company will begin generating significant free cash flow in 2011 and beyond," he added.

Carnival Corporation & plc announced that it has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.25 cents per share -- an increase of 25 percent. The dividend is payable on December 9, 2005, to shareholders of record on November 18, 2005. With today’s announcement – combined with previously announced dividend increases in April 2005 and October 2004 – Carnival’s quarterly dividend has doubled in just over 12 months. In April 2005, Carnival’s quarterly dividend increased 33 percent from $0.15 cents per share to $0.20 cents per share; in October 2004 the company increased its dividend 20 percent to $0.15 per share from $0.125 per share. Holders of Carnival Corporation common stock or Carnival plc ADSs will receive the dividend payable in U.S. dollars.