Britain's main inflation rate was unchanged in May at an annual rate of 4.5 percent, but the Bank of England is not expected to start raising interest rates for a while yet given a tepid economic recovery, AP reported. The Office for National Statistics said Tuesday that rising food, drink and fuel prices kept the consumer price index at more than double the official target of 2 percent. The unchanged reading was in line with market expectations. Inflation has been above target for 18 months, but the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee has kept its base rate at an all-time low of 0.5 percent because of concern about the nation's weak recovery. Over the past two quarters, Britain recorded no economic growth.
