LONDON (Reuters) -British annual shopper worth inflation (CPI) unexpectedly fell to six.7% in August, official information confirmed on Wednesday, elevating questions on how a lot greater the Financial institution of England will take rates of interest a day earlier than its subsequent coverage announcement.

Economists polled by Reuters had forecast CPI would rise to 7.0% from July’s 6.8% as a result of a bounce in gasoline costs and a rise in a tax on alcoholic drinks.

The shock drop within the inflation charge pushed down sterling sharply towards the U.S. greenback and the euro as traders scaled again their bets on future rate of interest will increase by the BoE.

The Workplace for Nationwide Statistics mentioned the autumn was pushed by a drop in resort costs and air fares, which are sometimes unstable, and by meals costs rising by lower than on the identical time final 12 months.

The BoE mentioned final month that it anticipated inflation in August would rise to 7.1% earlier than falling sharply to round 5% in October which might nonetheless be greater than double its 2% goal.

Traders have anticipated the BoE to lift rates of interest for the fifteenth time in a row on Thursday, taking Financial institution Fee to five.5% from 5.25%. Many economists suppose that could possibly be the final hike within the BoE’s tightening cycle as Britain’s economic system slows.

Core inflation – which strips out unstable meals and power costs – fell by greater than the headline charge to six.2% from 6.9% in July. The Reuters ballot had pointed to a studying of 6.8% in August.