BoE Minutes Show 9-0 Vote To Leave Rates/QE On Hold

The minutes of the MPC's February 3-4 meeting showed a unanimous 9-0 vote in favour of leaving interest rates and QE on hold this month.

Some analysts had been expecting one or two committee members to vote in favour of increasing the bank's GBP200 billion asset purchase programme.

A 9-0 vote saw the pound rise further against the dollar, as it would appear to allay fears that more government debt might have to be incurred to attempt to drag us out of recession.

As ever it's not all good news for the pound though, jobless claims rose by 23,500 last month, confounding pundits' predictions of a 10,000 fall. The total number of UK claimants now stands at its highest levels since 1997.