Interest rates

The government will fail to deliver planned spending cuts within the next Parliament and interest rate rises are off the table until summer at least, according to a survey of economists.

L&G's asset allocation team predicts the most likely date for an interest rate rise will be May 2015, despite a clash with next year's general election.

House prices rose for the fourth month in a row during August as demand for properties continued to outweigh supply, according to the latest Nationwide House Price Index.

Building societies are likely to suffer falling profits as interest rates remain low and credit losses mount, says accounting group KPMG.

The Bank of England has held interest rates for a fifth consecutive month today, while expanding its quantitative easing measures.

The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) noted improving market conditions before unanimously voting to hold interest rates at 0.5%, the minutes of the July meeting have revealed.

The Bank of England has shocked the City by freezing its quantitative easing programme and keeping interest rates on hold.

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