In July, headline CPI inflation in the UK rose at an annual rate of 3.8 per cent, above market expectations of a 3.7 per cent rise, but in line with BoE expectations Services inflation was also stronger than markets expected although it was boosted by erratic items Not all the news in the UK’s July inflation data was bad.

British inflation looks set to hit 4% next month, double the Bank of England's target and a level likely to add to nervousness at the central bank about the risk of price growth getting stuck at a stubbornly high rate.