Reuters: Bank set to leave rates on hold The Bank of England looks set to hold interest rates for the eighth month running this week and perhaps for the rest of the year. All 42 analysts polled by Reuters predicted the central bank's Monetary Policy Committee would keep borrowing costs at 4.5 percent at the end of its two-day meeting on Thursday. Economists said policymakers would have to balance concerns that consumer spending is slowing again against fears that another rate cut could boost the housing market too much and that wages might pick up in response to soaring energy prices.