Sterling climbs for first time in five sessions after BoE

Sterling rose against the dollar in American trade after earlier data from Britain and the US, including Bank of England's policy meeting, in addition to a letter sent by BoE Governor Mark Carney to UK treasury secretary Phillip Hammond on inflation. 

As of 05:18 GMT, GBP/USD rose 0.23% to 1.3913 from the opening of 1.3881, with an intraday high at 1.4067, and a low at 1.3846. 

Bank of England voted unanimously today to hold interest rates unchanged at 0.50% in line with expectations, after raising them by 25 basis points in November, the first such increase in ten years to combat inflation, while also holding the assets purchase program unchanged at 435 billion pounds.

Otherwise, earlier US data showed unemployment claims fell to 221 thousand in the week ending February 3 from 230 thousand, beating expectations of 232 thousand, while continuing claims fell by 23 thousand in the week ending January 27 to 1.923 million from 1.956 million, while analysts expected 1.940 million.