David Milliken

British businesses' expectations for inflation over the next 12 months have risen to their highest in more than five years, according to a Bank of England survey that is likely to boost official concerns that soaring inflation may be slow to fall.

Price rises in Britain's services sector last month were the most widespread in more than 25 years as businesses recovered from the Omicron wave of coronavirus cases, a survey showed on Thursday.

Bank of England policymaker Catherine Mann said she voted for a half percentage point rise in interest rates this month because she saw little sign that public's price expectations were easing, which risked causing inflation to stay too high.

British government bonds were on course for their biggest daily gains since late November on Thursday, joining a broader rally in safe-haven assets after Russia invaded Ukraine.

Bank of England policymaker Silvana Tenreyro said on Wednesday that she - like other BoE policymakers - saw a case for higher interest rates to tackle inflation near a 30-year high, but the extent of tightening needed was uncertain.

The Bank of England will need to raise interest rates slightly more over the coming months, but their longer-term path is hard to predict due to uncertainties including the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Deputy Governor Dave Ramsden said on Tuesday.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson intends to set out plans next week to remove self-isolation requirements for people infected with COVID-19, his office said on Saturday.

Around 155,000 British homes were still without power late on Saturday after Storm Eunice knocked more than 1.3 million households off the grid the day before, energy companies said.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Saturday that if Western nations failed to fulfil their promises to support Ukraine's independence, it would have damaging consequences worldwide, including for Taiwan.

British retail sales grew faster than expected in January, recovering about half the losses suffered the month before when a wave of Omicron cases of coronavirus caused many shoppers to stay at home.

British retail sales grew faster than expected in January, recovering about half the losses suffered when a wave of coronavirus cases caused many shoppers to stay at home during December.

British shoppers began to return to stores last month after many stayed away during a wave of COVID-19 cases that peaked at the turn of the year, although fast-rising inflation is curbing their spending power.

British consumer prices rose at the fastest annual pace in nearly 30 years last month, intensifying the squeeze on households and reinforcing the chances that the Bank of England will raise interest rates for a third meeting in a row.

British consumer prices rose at the fastest annual pace in nearly 30 years last month, intensifying the squeeze on households and reinforcing the chances that the Bank of England will raise interest rates for a third meeting in a row.

British inflation is on track to peak at a 30-year high of over 7% in April but differences in forecasts for energy prices and wages mean private-sector economists and the Bank of England are split over what happens next.

The European Union should not have set a time limit on how long clearing houses in Britain can continue serving customers in the bloc, Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey said on Thursday.

British travel company Thomas Cook is considering splitting off its airline and selling a stake to an outside investor to reduce debt, the Sunday Times newspaper reported.