Question 1 Report
A central bank raises its policy interest rate after household borrowing and spending have increased quickly. A small furniture firm has a variable-rate loan and plans to buy new machinery.
(a) State what is likely to happen to the firm's monthly interest payments. [1]
(b) Explain why higher interest rates may reduce inflationary pressure. [2]
(a) The firm's monthly interest payments increase. A variable-rate loan has an interest rate that can rise when the central bank raises its policy rate. [1]
(b) Higher interest rates make borrowing more expensive and make saving more attractive. Households and firms therefore tend to spend less. Lower aggregate demand reduces firms' ability to raise prices, reducing demand-pull inflationary pressure. [2]
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