LONDON (AP) — The Bank of England has voiced some cautious optimism about the U.K.’s economic outlook in the wake of the sharp fall in coronavirus infections and the rapid rollout of COVID-19 vaccines. In a statement Thursday, the policymaking Monetary Policy Committee noted some “positive” recent economic developments as it kept the bank’s main interest rate unchanged at the record low of 0.1%. The combination of falling coronavirus infections — daily cases are running at around 5,000 against a peak of nearly 70,000 in early January — and the rapid rollout of vaccines has spurred hopes about a pick-up in economic activity in the spring as lockdown restrictions are lifted.
