Bank of England officials will confront growing concerns about the potency of their main policy tool today as they consider halting bond purchases for an economy that may still need support. While 35 of 45 economists in a Bloomberg News survey forecast a halt to the asset-buying program at 375 billion pounds ($599 billion) in a decision to be announced at noon in London, Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc and Berenberg Bank say the decision will be “close.” The remainder see quantitative easing being increased by as much as 50 billion pounds. The bind for Governor Mervyn King and the Monetary Policy Committee is ... (full story)