Bank of England maintains benchmark rate at 4.75 pct

LONDON, Dec. 19 (Xinhua) -- The Bank of England (BoE) has held its benchmark interest rate at 4.75 percent, the United Kingdom's (UK) central bank said in a statement on Thursday.

At its meeting ending on Wednesday, the BoE's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted by a majority of six to three to maintain the rate. Three members preferred to reduce it by 0.25 percentage points, to 4.5 percent.

The BoE poin