英国10年来首次加息将缓慢产生影响

The first interest rate rise in over a decade will be a novelty for households and businesses, but it is likely to take some time before many borrowers notice the difference.

英国逾10年来首次加息对家庭和企业来说都是件新鲜事，但在众多借款人注意到区别前，可能还需要一段时间。

Changes in borrowing patterns mean that many consumers and companies will be less immediately exposed to higher rates than they were in the past.

借款模式的变化意味着，比起以往，许多消费者和公司将不会那么立刻暴露于更高的利率。

By increasing its benchmark rate on Thursday by a quarter of a percentage point to 0.5 per cent, the Bank of England’s objective is to suppress inflation, which is running above its 2 per cent target.

周四将基准利率上调四分之一点至0.5%意味着，英国央行(Bank of England)想要抑制已超出其2%目标的通胀率。

The central bank’s Monetary Policy Committee signalled that at least two further quarter of a percentage point rate rises would be needed over the next two years.

英国央行货币政策委员会(Monetary Policy Committee)发出信号表明，未来两年至少还需要两次加息，每次上调四分之一点。

Raising rates affects the economy, and therefore inflation, through many different channels: for example, it can cause sterling to appreciate. But the most direct impact on households and businesses comes through the effect on loans and savings.

加息会对经济造成影响，进而通过许多不同渠道影响通胀：例如，它会导致英镑升值。但对家庭和企业来说，最直接的冲击力是贷款和储蓄受到的影响。

Frances O’Grady, TUC general secretary, responded to the MPC announcement by warning: “This is the last thing hard-pressed families need.”

针对货币政策委员会的声明，英国工会联合会(TUC)秘书长弗朗西丝•欧格蕾迪(Frances O’Grady)警告称：“这是重重压力下的家庭最不需要的事情。”

But the BoE analysis in its new inflation report suggests that there are several reasons to think that the rate rise will be felt less quickly than was the case in the past. “This is a modest adjustment in interest rates,” said Mark Carney, BoE governor.

但英国央行在其新的通胀报告中指出，有几个理由认为，利率上升产生影响的速度会比过去更慢。“这是一次适度的利率调整，”英国央行行长马克•卡尼(Mark Carney)表示。