UK interest rates left unchanged at 5% by Bank of England

19 September 2024, 12:04 | Updated: 19 September 2024, 12:17

The Bank of England has held interest rates at 5%
The Bank of England has held interest rates at 5%. Picture: Getty

By Flaminia Luck

UK interest rates have been left unchanged at 5% by the Bank of England.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

Economists had been expecting the base rate to be left unchanged after inflation remained at 2.2% in August.

This is just above the central bank's target level.

The pound strengthened after the Bank's decision to hold rates while the FTSE 100 Index pared back gains after surging ahead of the vote.

Sterling lifted 0.7% to 1.33 US dollars and was 0.3% higher at 1.19 euros.

The FTSE 100 stood 0.9% higher, up nearly 74 points at 8326.9, just after the decision, having at one stage risen 1.3% higher in late morning trading.

Eight of the nine Bank of England policymakers voted to keep interest rates unchanged on Thursday.

The Bank's governor Andrew Bailey, Sarah Breeden, Megan Greene, Clare Lombardelli, Catherine Mann, Huw Pill, Dave Ramsden and Alan Taylor voted in favour of maintaining rates.

Swati Dhingra voted to reduce the base rate by 0.25 percentage points, to 4.75%.

The pound strengthened after the Bank's decision to hold rates
The pound strengthened after the Bank's decision to hold rates. Picture: Alamy

Read more: Nigel Farage insists Trump will be 'proven right' about migrants eating pet cats and dogs

Read more: Ex-Harrods boss Mohamed Al Fayed accused of raping five female staff members and string of sex assaults

CEO of Octane Capital, Jonathan Samuels, commented: “The mortgage sector has been responding well to the market certainty that followed the Bank of England’s initial decision to hold rates at 5.25% and this market sentiment has only improved further following the base rate reduction seen at the start of last month.

"As a result, we’re not only seeing the rates offered on many products reducing, but the range of products available is also growing, with this greater level of choice helping more buyers to enter the market.

"Today’s decision to hold interest rates at 5.00% is unlikely to dent this growing market positivity and we expect more buyers to be tempted back into the fold, while the overall health of the UK property market will continue to strengthen.”

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

The blurry thieves stole £3,000 worth of cigarettes and vapes.

Police release CCTV after thieves steal £3,000 of vapes - but images leave the public calling for 'the ghostbusters'

Julie Goodyear

Julie Goodyear's husband shares rare photo of Coronation Street star two years on from dementia diagnosis

: An aerial view shows the scorched graveyard around a church following a large blaze the previous day, on July 20, 2022 in Wennington, Greater London

Londoners urged not to have barbecues this weekend amid soaring temperatures 'because of wildfire risk'

Lord Sugar labels Trump tariffs 'a disaster' as Apprentice star teases potential US Presidential meeting

Lord Sugar labels Trump tariffs 'a disaster' - as Apprentice star teases potential US Presidential meeting

Mother and two children struck and killed by a vehicle in Brooklyn, New York: driver operating suspended license

Husband left 'utterly bereft' after Brit mum and two daughters killed in New York car crash

The Nintendo Switch 2 will release on June 5, 2025

Nintendo Switch 2: Exciting reveal, but why is it more expensive here?

BRITAIN-FUNERAL-POLICE

Funeral director charged with 64 offences including fraud, theft and preventing 30 lawful burials

swallow-tail

Brits urged to 'stop mowing lawns' amid 'national butterfly crisis' with more than half of species in decline

Kyle Kitchen, 38, murdered eight-week-old Primose Kane

Dad who murdered daughter by violently shaking her as baby is jailed for life

Buildings that were destroyed during the Israeli ground and air operations in Gaza

Israel expands ground attack on Gaza to seize 'large areas' - despite pleas from hostage families

Douglas Clifton Brown, 56, tried to kill his estranged wife

Old Etonian who tried to murder his estranged partner by throwing her down a 240ft well is jailed for 24 years

Kaliyah Coa, 11, was reportedly down at the water when she was 'swept away'

Pictured: Missing 11-year-old 'swept away' while paddling in the River Thames

Hot cross buns could be scarce this Easter as farmers continue to protest against Rachel Reeves' 'tractor tax'.

Hot cross bun shortage looms as farmers escalate 'tractor tax' protests

Tanesha Melbourne-Blake was shot

Teenage girl shot dead during gang 'ride-out' following social media humiliation

Mother and two children struck and killed by a vehicle in Brooklyn, New York: driver operating suspended license

Brit mum and daughters, eight and five, killed in crash by driver who said 'I have the devil in me'

Deborah Gosling, donor Julie Wild’s twin sister, greets Corinne Hutton in an emotional first meeting

Hand transplant recipient hugs donor's sister in emotional first meeting