Little interest over Bank's next meeting

BANK of England policy-makers are set to sit on their hands at the first rate-setting meeting of the new year, but February's pow-wow should provide more action, analysts yesterday predicted.

Interest rates are almost certain to be held at 0.5 per cent and the Bank's quantitative easing programme left at 200 billion when members of the monetary policy committee meet next week.

However, IHS Global Insight economist Howard Archer said February would be a "major meeting" amid a barrage of data.