The Bank of England kept interest rates steady at 5.25 per cent today, as widely expected following last month's surprise rise.
Only 5 out of 62 analysts polled last week had expected rates to rise again this month but 46 predicted an increase by the end of June. However, financial markets had priced in around a 1 in 4 chance that rates would rise at today's monthly meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee.
Most economists believe the central bank would want to wait a few months to see if the last three hikes in borrowing costs help to bring down inflation.
A spike in inflation to 3 per cent in December - well above the BoE's 2 per cent target - was the likely trigger for last month's unexpected move, as policymakers fretted that the high cost of living would fuel inflationary pay demands in January.
But while there has been some evidence of a pick-up in wage deals, it probably wasn't enough to ring alarm bells.
BoE Governor Mervyn King has said he expects inflation to drop quite sharply later this year, and plans by utility firm British Gas to cut energy bills by nearly a fifth should further reassure policymakers that price pressures are abating.
On the other hand, higher borrowing costs do not seem to have dampened consumer spending and the housing market also appears to have weathered the rate increases, prompting some economists to forecast one more rise in the near future.