China and the UK are to develop an offshore trading hub for the Yuan based in London. UK Chancellor George Osborne confirmed the agreement after meeting with Chinese vice-premier Wang Qishan in London.
UK interest rates have been held at a record low of 0.5% by the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC). Concerns about the strength of the UK economic recovery meant economists had expected rates to remain unchanged as they have been since March 2009.
The International Monetary Fund backed the British government's plans to reduce the budget deficit, but said tax cuts or more quantitative easing may be needed if growth proves persistently weak.
David Cameron and George Osborne have insisted they will stick to their spending cuts programme despite deepening economic gloom and renewed threats of co-ordinated strike action.
United Kingdom Chancellor George Osborne stands by his financial policies, in spite of figures which show the UK economy has shrunk by 0.5 percent and concerns Britain is facing a recession.
Less than a fortnight after the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition took power in Britain, Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne outlined plans to cut £ 6.2 billion pounds (8.92 billion USD) from government spending to help reduce the budget deficit.
United Kingdom consumer price inflation unexpectedly jumped to a 17-month high in April, 3.7%, driven by big rises in tax on alcohol and tobacco as well as higher prices for women's clothing and food, data showed.