The Bank of England is set to keep interest rates on hold this week, experts say.
The bank's monetary policy committee is likely to maintain base rates at 3.75 per cent on Thursday, according to economists.
However, increasingly strong economic growth and few signs of a consumer spending slowdown mean rates will probably rise next month, some analysts said.
The committee voted by eight votes to one to keep rates on hold last month after raising them by 0.25 per cent in November in a bid to control consumer debt and soaring house prices.
But its members warned that another rate increase "would be warranted at some point" if the British economy continued to progress in line with expectations.
Mr John Butler, of banking group HSBC, said little sign of any significant slowdown in the housing market or household debt meant the MPC may still raise rates next week.
But Mr Butler said the Treasury's introduction last month of a new, looser inflation target was likely to prompt a rate hold.
A failure of official data to reflect figures last week showing the strongest manufacturing expansion since December 1999 also pointed to a delay, he said.