Markets were dealt a surprise yesterday as the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose in the UK to 3.5% up from 3.4% in February according to the Office for National Statistics. The ONS blamed higher food prices specifically soft drinks, bread, cereal, meat, fruit and vegetables coupled with rises in clothing & footwear. However there was some good news as utility bills were lower than one year ago following energy companies reducing tariffs in February last year. All eyes will know be on the Bank of England as this latest rise could reduce the likelihood of additional Quantitative Easing in next months MPC meeting but with stuttering growth the Bank of England may have no choice.

So far today in the UK we have seen the UK Jobless Claims figures fall for this first time since last spring. Unemployment fell by 35,000 to 2.65m according the ONS leaving the overall rate at 8.3%. Furthermore we saw voting in the Bank of England for interest rates and QE voting come in at 9-0 and 8-1 to keep rates on hold and maintain the contribution at £3.25bln. Sterling has rallied as a result of these figures and currently sits at 1.2212 against the Euro the highest reading since September 2010. Cable has also risen and is fast approaching the key psychological level of 1.60 currently trading at 1.5979.

In other financial news Warren Buffet has announced he has stage one prostate Cancer which will create further hype around the successor to his Berkshire Hathaway business. As for the rest of this week we are pretty light on data with inflation data in New Zealand, Canada and the Germany of any real significance. Finally on Friday watch out for any press releases from the G20 Finance Ministers Central bankers meeting in Washington.