FTSE prices in rates freeze

With most investors expecting the key base rate to remain at 4.75%, the FTSE 100 has added about 12 points to 4,716. AstraZeneca, the pharmaceutical company is up 32p to 2,126p. Cairn Energy is trading well adding 20p to 1,393p. Royal Bank of Scotland has picked up 21p to 1,664p after announcing pretax earnings may increase by 10% this year, rising further in 2005 as a result of acquisitions and increased lending to consumers and companies. Communications group WPP meanwhile, has shed 4.5p to 562.50p. In Japan, the Nikkei 225 Stock Average index slipped 1.5% to 10,776.63, its lowes...