• Cliff Equity
  • Posts
  • 📈 Inflation’s Stubborn, Interest Rates To Stay At 4.5%!

📈 Inflation’s Stubborn, Interest Rates To Stay At 4.5%!

Stroke Care Gets Smarter with Brainomix AI

March 20, 2025

This is Cliff Equity, the UK’s business newsletter that keeps you informed on what’s important in tech, business and finance in less than 5 minutes

In today’s stories:

  • Inflation’s Stubborn, Interest Rates To Stay At 4.5%!

  • Stroke Care Gets Smarter with Brainomix AI

  • Quantum Thieves Are Eyeing Your Encryption!

The summary: With interest rates holding steady, inflation refusing to behave, and the economy plodding along, homeowners, savers, and businesses are all watching the Bank of England and the Chancellor for any glimmers of good news—though they might not want to hold their breath!

The details:

  • No Surprises Here – The Bank of England is set to keep interest rates steady at 4.5% on Thursday, much to the dismay of mortgage holders hoping for relief. Analysts, however, reckon two cuts might be on the cards before year-end.

  • Inflation’s the Boss – With inflation creeping up to 3% in January, the Bank is playing it cautious. Too many cuts too soon could fuel spending and send prices soaring again—something Governor Andrew Bailey and his MPC crew are keen to avoid.

  • Good News, Bad News – Lower rates could mean cheaper loans and credit, but also meagre returns for savers. Mortgage rates have been drifting down, but the Bank warns any further reductions will be “gradual and careful” rather than a freefall.

  • Economy Stuck in First Gear – The UK’s growth forecast for 2025 has been slashed in half to 0.75%, with inflation not expected to hit the 2% target until 2027. Meanwhile, Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ Spring Statement next week is unlikely to offer much in the way of economic fireworks.

Why it matters: Interest rates staying put means homeowners hoping for cheaper mortgages will have to keep clutching their wallets a little tighter, while savers won’t be popping champagne over their returns anytime soon. Inflation stubbornly hovering above target keeps the Bank of England on edge, wary of stoking another spending spree that could send prices skyward. And with the UK economy crawling rather than sprinting, all eyes will be on the Chancellor next week—though anyone expecting economic wizardry might be in for a quiet chuckle.

The summary: Brainomix’s AI is revolutionising stroke and lung fibrosis diagnosis by making life-saving decisions faster, closing critical expertise gaps, and attracting major investment to fuel its global expansion—because when it comes to healthcare, speed and accuracy aren’t just nice to have, they’re everything.

The details:

  • Big Bucks for Brainomix – The Oxford-born AI medtech secured a cool ÂŁ14M in Series C funding, pushing its total to ÂŁ44M. Investors, including Parkwalk Advisors and Boehringer Ingelheim, are betting big on AI-powered stroke and lung fibrosis diagnostics.

  • Smarter, Faster Stroke Care – Brainomix 360 Stroke uses AI to speed up brain scan analysis, boosting the number of stroke patients getting life-saving thrombectomies by 50%. No more waiting around—AI is calling the shots.

  • Bridging the Expertise Gap – With 80% of eligible stroke patients missing out on treatment due to scan misinterpretation, Brainomix’s AI is stepping in to make expert-level diagnoses the norm, not a luxury.

  • Going Global – Armed with 10 FDA clearances, Brainomix is setting its sights on the US market while also expanding its AI tech into lung fibrosis. With a growing team and big plans, it’s AI vs. disease, and Brainomix is ready to win.

Why it matters: When stroke treatment is a race against time, Brainomix’s AI is like having a Formula 1 pit crew for brain scans—faster decisions, better outcomes, and fewer patients slipping through the cracks. Investors aren’t just throwing money at a flashy tech trend; they’re backing a proven solution that’s already saving lives and now setting its sights on cracking the US market. With AI stepping in where human expertise is scarce, hospitals can stop playing a dangerous guessing game and start delivering expert-level care on demand.

The summary: Quantum computers are coming for your encryption, so it's time to upgrade before the digital burglars show up—better safe than sorry!

The details:

  • Quantum Menace Incoming – The NCSC warns that quantum computers could soon crack today's encryption like a toddler unwrapping a birthday present. Organisations must act now to avoid future cyber chaos.

  • Encryption Upgrade Required – Energy, transport, and other critical sectors are urged to introduce post-quantum cryptography before hackers with quantum power render their defences obsolete.

  • Deadlines, Not Suggestions – Identify weak spots by 2028, fix the big ones by 2031, and complete the quantum-proof overhaul by 2035 – or risk leaving the digital door wide open.

  • Better Safe Than Sorry – Quantum computers are still fragile science experiments, but waiting until they’re fully functional to act would be like locking your doors after the burglars have moved in.

Why it matters: Well, if your encryption’s still stuck in the past, quantum computers are coming for it like a toddler with a pair of scissors. Critical industries need to swap out their digital locks before a quantum-powered thief waltzes in, completely undetected. And while quantum tech isn’t quite ready to break in just yet, it’s better to upgrade the system now than get caught with your digital knickers down when it does.