Bank of England officials split for a third month on whether to increase the key interest rate as a majority saw increased risks from a slump in the euro-area economy. Minutes of the Monetary Policy Committee’s Oct. 7-8 meeting published today showed Martin Weale and Ian McCafferty wanted to increase the key interest rate by 25 basis points, with the remaining seven members voting to keep it at a record-low 0.5 percent, where it’s been since March 2009. Officials said pessimism about the global economy had increased and there was “mounting evidence of a loss of momentum in the euro area.” For the MPC majority, ... (full story)