Fed Nominee Theme, BOE Hikes, RBA Priced for Perfection: Eco Day

(Bloomberg) -- Happy Friday, Asia. Here's the latest news and analysis from Bloomberg Economics to take you through to the weekend:

A common theme that stood out in the prepared Senate confirmation remarks by Fed nominees was their commitment to fight inflation
- Two nominees face a likely tough battle for confirmation after Republicans questioned their commitment to price stability and to keeping the Fed away from climate rules
The Bank of England increased its key interest rate in a bid to contain the fastest inflation in three decades, with some policy makers unexpectedly seeking a more aggressive response
- Governor Andrew Bailey said he favored moving interest rates gradually instead of delivering an unexpected shock
- Bailey called for workers to hold off on pay demands, saying the nation needs to focus on checking inflation
- The BOE is on the cusp of the fastest tightening of monetary policy since it gained independence in 1997
- The true scale of the U.K.'s cost-of-living crisis is beginning to dawn on millions of Britons
- Reserve Bank of Australia Governor Philip Lowe's dovish message failed to shift markets or economists from their view that interest-rate rises will begin in just a few months' time, a survey showed
  - Australian rates traders are pricing for a smooth central-bank exit from easy monetary policy, opening up opportunities for those who think there'll be a few hiccups
  - The ECB renewed its pledge to withdraw stimulus only gradually, even after a record inflation reading fed market bets for a hike
    - Christine Lagarde is no longer ruling out a hike this year
    - ECB officials discussed the possibility to shift their stance toward a tighter monetary policy as soon as March
    - Bloomberg Economics has brought forward its forecast for an interest rate increase by six months to December 2022
    - Global food prices jumped toward a record last month
    - The IMF is focused on getting Argentina to make economic changes that will curb runaway inflation and wants a plan to lift tax revenue
    - Chile's outgoing President Sebastian Pinera tapped Rosanna Costa as the nation's first female central bank chief