UK inflation rises for first time in five months to 3.4% in December

Increase in annual rate suggests Bank of England will keep interest rates on hold in FebruaryInflation in the UK has risen for the first time in five months to 3.4% in December, according to official figures, suggesting the Bank of England will hold off from making a change to interest rates next month.The Office for National Statistics said the annual inflation rate, as measured by the consumer prices index (CPI), increased from 3.2% in November, after falling in October and flatlining in the previous three months. The figure overshot City economists’s forecasts of a modest rise to 3.3%. Continue reading...