Overview

• The Bank of England’s Decision Maker Panel reports the weakest hiring intentions since 2020, with businesses expecting headcounts to stay flat over the next year.
• Firms expect consumer price inflation of about 3.5% over the next 12 months, with the three‑month average at roughly 3.4%, both the highest since early 2024.
• Single‑month expectations swung to a 0.5% rise after a 0.5% drop in August, highlighting volatile short‑term sentiment.
• Companies plan to raise their own prices by 3.7% over the coming year, up from 3.5% in August, according to the survey cited by CityAM.
• Economists say the readings reinforce a cautious stance at the MPC, with some forecasters projecting no further rate cuts this year.