The Bank of England left its key interest rate at a record low 0.50 percent and maintained radical credit-easing plans on Thursday as Britain awaits data set to signal the end of a deep recession. Following a two-day meeting the central bank's nine-member Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) agreed to freeze borrowing costs at 0.50 percent, where they have stood since March, 2009.
The BoE also announced it would continue to pump out up to 200 billion pounds (222 billion euros, 320 billion dollars) of new money under its Quantitative Easing project that seeks to boost lending by commercial banks.