inflation rate among the world's richest nations this year. The Paris-based Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has said in its report that the inflation rate in the UK may touch 7.2 per cent.
In the earlier forecast of June, the inflation rate was projected to be 6.9 per cent. It was the highest inflation rate among G7 nations and the third highest rate among G20 economies. The Consumer Price Index in the UK rose from 6.8 per cent in July to 7 per cent in August due to increased fuel prices.
The OECD has estimated that the UK economy would grow by 0.3 per cent this year. It may be the second lowest economic growth among the G-7 countries after Germany, which may slip into recession. It also said that the UK economy may rebound next year and it may register a growth rate of 0.8%, still lagging behind many G20 nations.
The OECD also predicted that a slowdown is looming large over the world in 2024. It said in its interim economic outlook that economic activities have weakened in the eurozone and the UK. This reflects the lagged effect on incomes from the large energy price shock in 2022 and the comparative importance of bank-based finance in many European economies.
In an attempt to arrest inflation, the Bank of England has increased the bank rates several times. The economists expect it to further raise the bank rate by about 0.25 percentage points. But central banks of other economies of Europe have adopted a 'wait and watch' approach.
Some economists said earlier that the rising inflation in the UK is the result of it quitting the European Union. They argue that after