09/09/2010

UK Interest Rates Remain On Hold At 0.5%

The Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has kept interest rates on hold at 0.5% for the 18th month in a row.

The decision had been expected, although there have been calls for a rise in order to curb inflation.

The MPC also continued with the Bank's £200 billion quantitative easing programme.

The UK economy grew by 1.2% in the second quarter of this year, but there have been indications that growth has since slowed.

Meanwhile, CPI inflation was 3.1% in July, above the 2% target rate.

The MPC has not changed the interest rate since March 2009 - the longest period since the Bank of England was given responsibility of setting monetary policy in 1997.

(KMcA/GK)

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