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BOE hikes rates for the first time in a decade

It votes 7-2 to raise benchmark Bank Rate to 0.5% from 0.25%; sterling falls sharply as UK central bank says it expects only "very gradual" further increases over next three years

Published Thu, Nov 2, 2017 · 09:50 PM

    London

    THE Bank of England (BOE) raised interest rates for the first time in more than 10 years on Thursday but sterling fell sharply as the central bank said it expected only "very gradual" further increases over the next three years.

    The BOE said its nine rate-setters voted 7-2 to increase its benchmark Bank Rate to 0.50 per cent from 0.25 per cent, reversing an emergency cut made in August 2016, shortly after Britons unexpectedly voted to leave the European Union (EU).

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