The pound fell for a fifth day against the dollar, its longest losing streak since January, before the Bank of England’s latest policy decision as currency traders focus on next month’s referendum on Britain’s EU membership.

CANADIAN brokerage TD Waterhouse is hopeful of benefiting from the strong reputation its country has established during the current recession, by building up a 20% share of the Irish broker market within the next three years.

Wall Street slipped lower but still held on to most of its recent gains today as investors, their confidence in the economy growing, reacted calmly to oil prices that approached US$60 (€49.36) per barrel.