helped to slow down the rate of price increases for non food products, which eased injanuary down from over 3% in december. i m joined now by shanti kelemen, chief investment officer at m&g wealth. good morning. this isjust what we want to hear before the bank of england has its first meeting of 2024, which happens on thursday. meeting of 2024, which happens on thursday- on thursday. yes, we will have a decision on thursday. yes, we will have a decision from on thursday. yes, we will have a decision from them - on thursday. yes, we will have a decision from them on - a decision from them on interest rates, wiley expected to keep rates unchanged and thatis to keep rates unchanged and that is positive news for inflation and a prices, on the other side we do have the economy still not in a recession and wage growth has been pretty strong. there are some factors balancing inflation, thinking it might not be a sharp drop in the next few months. to not be a sharp drop in the
for a new age a kind that has never been agreed before that s how uk prime minister rishi sunak is billing the atlantic declaration he signed with president biden at the white house on thursday. it promises cooperation on advanced tech, clean energy and critical minerals. but it falls far short of the comprehensive free trade agreement with the us that the british government has been hoping for, and had promised as a benefit of leaving the european union. our north america business correspondent michelle fleury has been looking at the details. gone was the mention of an all encompassing trade deal promised in the wake of brexit. in its place, a commitment to co operate on defence, trade, a deal on data protection and ways to regulate new ai deal on data protection and ways to regulate new al to ology. the uk prime minister failed this approach is a better response to the challenges the two countries face. . ., ., . challenges the two countries face. ., . ., ., , , face.
some of the proposals that are set out in this deal. so it is not a full fat trade deal, but it is something that the prime minister and the president can try to argue is best suited for the relationship between the countries right now. interesting. and we will pick up interesting. and we will pick up some of those thoughts in a minute. dr rebecca harding is an independent trade economist. these are ideas, nothing signed as such. but is it possible to put a number on the likely upside for britain? for this declaration? i think the most for this declaration? i think the most important - for this declaration? i think the most important thing i for this declaration? i thinkj the most important thing to for this declaration? i think - the most important thing to say is that this isn t a trade deal, it isn t a special relationship, it is strategic. uk trade is with the united states is with over £275 billion, so it is worth a lot of money. and if something can be done to ease some of the