<sod >By early afternoon, theÂ UKâs benchmark stock index was down by around 0.7 per centÂ having already suffered a more than 1 per cent fall on Thursday after the Bank of England held interest rates steady at its regular policy meeting but indicated that they may rise again soon.< eod>< sod > TheÂ UKâs benchmark stock index ended the session down around 1.3 per cent having already suffered a more than 1 per cent fall on Thursday after the Bank of England held interest rates steady at its regular policy meeting but indicated that they may rise again soon.< eod>