Blackfinch Spring VCT PLC has released its weekly market update, providing a summary of global events. In the UK, the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee voted to leave interest rates unchanged at 5.25%, following 14 previous increases. Retail footfall declined by 5.7% year-on-year in October, and business optimism fell to a ten-month low, leading to job cuts. However, UK house prices unexpectedly rose by 0.9% in October due to a shortage of homes on the market. In the US, the Federal Reserve also left interest rates unchanged at 5.50%. The US added 150,000 jobs in October, fewer than expected, and the unemployment rate rose to 3.9%. The US Institute for Supply Management's services PMI index fell to a five-month low of 51.8 in October. In Germany, exports fell by 2.4% in September, worse than expected, and the Eurozone's manufacturing sector output continued to decline in October.