2015.09.1020:23:21UTC+00British pound climbs as BOE close to rate hike

The British pound soared Thursday as Bank of England implied the timing for increasing interest rates since 2007 is getting closer.

In minutes of their policy meeting, policymakers voted to retain the benchmark interest rate at 0.5%.

Sterling stood at 72.81 pence per euro from Wednesday's 72.40 pence. Against the US dollar, the pound finished at $1.5464.

Markets have been forced to change an overly dovish stance interpretation leading to the event. But it does not mean we think “that's going to change the central scenario at this point,” said Jeremy Stretch, Head of Foreign-exchange Strategy at Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce.