Slower inflation in December has gone some way in alleviating jitters around stagflation, prompting raised bets for rate cuts and restoring a sense of calm in the bond market.
Office for National Statistics figures on Wednesday showed the consumer price index rose by 2.5% in December, against 2.6% a month earlier and below market expectations.
Nutmeg investment strategist Scott Gardner noted slowing price rises would allow policymakers and Treasury officials a “sigh of relief”.
“In the lead up to this release, it was clear that markets could not afford any surprises after a troubling period which saw UK assets hit by fears of low economic growth and persistent inflation,” he said.
Indeed, the pound regained some ground on the dollar early on, while bond yields receded after heavy sell-offs in recent days.
Rates on 30-year gilts, having challenged highs last seen in 1998 over the past week, dropped by six basis points to 5.38%, while 10-year yields fell seven basis points to 4.81%
Markets upped bets on a February Bank of England interest rate cut in tandem, pricing in a 74% chance of reduction, against 62% prior to the inflation figures.
Equities welcomed the figures, with London's FTSE 100 racking up a 0.7% gain to reach 8,258 on Wednesday morning.
Lale Akoner, eToro analyst, noted core inflation and services inflation had “most importantly cooled”.
ONS figures showed the core rate, which excludes volatile energy and food costs, slowed from 3.5% to 3.2% and was below expectations for 3.4%.
Services inflation came in at 4.4%, from 5.0% in November, in the meantime, to reach its lowest level since March 2022.
“Bottom line, the Bank of England will likely feel emboldened to continue its easing cycle in February,” Deutsche Bank’s Sanjay Raja added.
“The slowdown [...] was broad-based. Softer rents inflation, transport and travel services inflation, and hospitality and leisure inflation all contributed to the downside miss.”