Bank keeps interest rates at 0.5 percent

Bank keeps interest rates at 0.5 percent

LONDON (Reuters) - The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee kept interest rates at a record low 0.5 percent on Thursday, in an almost universally expected decision that likely reflects policymakers' concerns about the growth outlook. All 61 economists polled by Reuters last week expected the central bank to keep rates on hold, and the majority see no rate rise this year despite last month's surprise decision by one policymaker to vote for rates to rise to 0.75 percent.

source: iii.co.uk