FTSE 100 Up Slightly; BoE Leaves Rate Unchanged

(RTTNews) - U.K. stocks are moving in a tight range on Thursday, with investors digesting the Federal Reserve's 25-basis points interest rate cut on Wednesday, and the Bank of England's decision a little while ago to hold its interest rate unchanged.

The Fed, which lowered interest rates by a quarter percentage point, signaled two more reductions this year.

The BoE, which announced its policy a little while ago, left its key interest rate unchanged, but scaled back a program designed to shrink its holdings of government bonds that has attracted increased scrutiny as yields have risen.

The U.K.'s central bank left its key rate at 4%, having cut in August for the fifth time since a year earlier.

The benchmark FTSE 100 was up 18.78 points or 0.2% at 9,227.15 about a quarter past noon.

Among top movers, Relx is gaining more than 3%, and Halma is up 2.6%. Polar Capital Technology Trust, Experian, Glencore, Anglo American Plc, The Sage Group and Barratt Redrow are up 1.4 to 2%.

Next is down 3.7%. Centrica is declining 2.2%, while Fresnillo, Admiral Group, WPP, Vodafone Group, Tesco, Sainsbury (J), Endeavour Mining, Unite Group, Mondi and Howden Joinery are down 1 to 1.7%.