The Bank of England is widely expected to hold interest rates when it meets on Thursday, as the U.K. faces economic headwinds both at home and abroad.

The central bank is highly likely to keep its benchmark interest rate at 4.5% at its March meeting, given the unpredictability of President Donald Trump’s trade tariffs and a fledgling global trade war, and how those factors could affect inflation in the U.K.

The BOE is also convening as the U.K economy shows signs of stalling, with monthly growth data showing anemic output. Thursday’s meeting comes just days before U.K. government taxation changes come into force that have proven unpopular with businesses, which say their rising tax burden could dent growth, investment and jobs.

For its part, the Bank of England already warned at its last meeting in February that it would tread carefully, as it downgraded the U.K.’s growth forecast for 2025 and predicted a temporary rise in the rate of inflation to 3.7% — above the bank’s target of 2% — which BOE policymakers said would be caused by higher energy prices.

As for Trump’s tariffs, Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey warned earlier in March that potential trade duties were another threat to the country’s economy, and growth, telling British lawmakers that “the risks to the U.K. economy, and indeed the world economy, are substantial” and that U.K. citizens would have less money “in their pockets” as a result of tariffs.

Reeves’ ‘Spring Statement’ will be announced alongside economic forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility, the U.K.’s independent economic and fiscal forecaster, which gives its assessment on the likely impact of the government’s taxation and spending plans that were announced last fall.

That budget included £40 billion ($51.9 billion) worth of tax rises — with the burden falling mainly on businesses — to plug a black hole in the public finances and allow for investment in public services.

The OBR is widely expected to downgrade its U.K. economic forecasts, putting further pressure on Reeves to amend her policy plans.

“It was not supposed to be like this. U.K. chancellor Rachel Reeves planned to present the government’s official biannual forecast on 26 March without making any changes to policy. However, a rise in market interest rates, high borrowing in fiscal year 2024-25, and a possible downgrade to the Office for Budget Responsibility’s productivity growth assumption have conspired against her,” Andrew Wishart, senior U.K. economist at Berenberg Bank, said in analysis Monday.

“Without spending cuts or tax rises, the OBR would forecast the government missing its fiscal rule of funding day-to-day spending entirely with tax revenue by 2029-30. To avoid six months of speculation about how Reeves will make up the shortfall in the next fully-fledged budget in the autumn, the chancellor must act now,” he added.