Bank of England

The Bank of England's quarterly inflation report has given strong indications of an interest rate cut in the near future, according to market analysts.

In a Treasury Select Committee grilling today, major ratings agencies were accused of failing to make clear their ratings were not an indication investors should buy a security.

Inflation has crept above the Treasury's target, to 2.1%, for the first time since summer, which could affect how the Bank of England sets interest rates in the coming months.

Northern Rock's rate of borrowing has slowed considerably to just £500m this week, according to the latest balance sheet figures from the Bank of England.

Interest rates will drop to 5.25% within six months as the economy has hit a turning point, Scottish Widows Investment Partnership says.

The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has voted to maintain interest rates at their current level of 5.75%.

The Treasury Select Committee is to re-interview Mervyn King, Alistair Darling and Callum McCarthy over the banking crisis which led to the near collapse of Northern Rock.

Mortgage business volumes are expected to be depressed slightly through the first half of 2008, according to the Intermediary Mortgage Lenders Association (IMLA).

The Governor of the Bank of England, Mervyn King, says it was right not to intervene too early in the UK banking crisis, which resulted in Northern Rock borrowing over £20bn of public money.

Northern Rock's emergency funding line has now reached around £23bn, according to the latest balance sheet figures from the Bank of England.