The Bank of England chose not to heap more pressure on mortgage holders on Thursday as it kept its interest rate unchanged for the first time in almost two years.In a close decision, policymakers said they opted to keep the base rate, which influences how much families need to pay to borrow money, at 5.25%. They also downgraded the outlook for the economy.

The Bank of England chose not to heap more pressure on mortgage holders on Thursday as it kept its interest rate unchanged for the first time in almost two years.In a close decision, policymakers said they opted to keep the base rate, which influences how much families need to pay to borrow money, at 5.25%. They also downgraded the outlook for the economy.