UK credit binge may spur BOE's Carney to rein in exuberance

London

WHAT a difference a year makes.

Twelve months ago, Mark Carney reassured a nation going into political paralysis following the Brexit vote that the Bank of England (BOE) stood ready to flood the financial system with cash.

This week, the governor will re-examine whether it's time to start taking back some of that bank support following rapid growth in consumer credit, a first step towards normalising policy in the UK.

As Mr Carney prepares to deliver his bi-annual assessment of UK financial stability, he could force Britain's biggest banks to raise the levels of capital they employ. Any increase would reverse actions taken in the immediate aftermath of Britons' decision to leave the European Union, after which the BOE pumped liquidity into the bank…