The Nationwide Housing Prices data showed that month over month, prices increased by 0.2%, right inline with expectations, and above June's rate of -.2%. Year over year, prices increased by 2.6%, slightly higher than surveys of 2.5%, but were still significantly shy of JuneВ's pace of 4.1%. With market attention to shifting to next week's BoE meeting, and volatility declining in GBP/USD, traders will keep the Pound range-bound until the decision of the benchmark interest rate. In equities, earnings reports lifted the U.K.'s major stock index during the London trading session. Aero-engine maker Rolls Royce gained 4.7 percent after its mid-year earnings rose 54 percent. British American Tobacco, the world's second largest cigarette maker also experienced similar gains after a 23 percent rise in first-half earnings lifted stock value by 1.4 percent. The FTSE 100 was up 12.7 points to 5,276.1 at 08:00GMT. The 2-year Gilt rose 1 bp to 4.14 percent after worries of a BoE rate cut subsided following the release of nationwide housing prices. However, at this point, the gilt response was more so a matter of formality than an actual reaction to the economic data; the bond market has already priced in a possible lower rate next week, as reflected by the extensive rally U.K. treasuries have experienced this year.