Sources: the IMF and the Riksbank  Oil price, Brent crude USD per barrel 160  M PR 2008:2  160  140  140  120  120  100  100  80  80  60  60  40  40  20  20 0  0 00  01  02  03  04  05  06  07  08  Sources: Intercontinental Exchange and the Riksbank  10  BIS Review 100/2008  The Economist’s commodity price index for food Index 2000 = 100, USD 300  M PR 2008:2  300  250  250  200  200  150  150  100  100  50  50  0  0 00  01  02  03  04  05  06  07  08  Source: The Economist  Inflation in the USA, the euro area and the world Annual percentage change 6  6  5  5  4  4  3  3  2  2 USA Euro area World  1  1  0  0 00  01  02  03  04  05  06  07  08  Note. Broken lines represent the IM F’s forecast.
We expect to be able to demonstrate encouraging progress in a number of areas (particularly the provision of seed, start-up and early stage new capital). Closing remarks Much of the focus of today’s conference has been on high-growth, entrepreneurial firms - the gazelles. It is important also to remember the great majority of small firms that are not intent on breaking speed limits and are quite content driving in the middle lane, do not have .com in their names, but are steadily contributing to output and employment. These firms are important. Nonetheless, it is the high growth firms that will continue to remain at the leading edge of the creation of an entrepreneurial economy. Continued public and private sector support for these firms is vital. The Bank of England will seek to continue to play its part, both in maintaining macroeconomic stability and in encouraging the better financing of growing businesses. BIS Review 39/2000  4