But, looking at what's happened to lending and other economic data since the Bank re-started quantitative easing last autumn, many in the City are wondering how much difference this extra liquidity is likely to make.

BBC: Bank of England sets sail with QE3

Hackers have been after passwords, bank account data and other personal information used for identity theft or years, but now cyber criminals appear to have a new target: airline miles.

BBC: In brief: Nepal to re-measure world's highest mountain

Data showing rising bank loans and other credit, another key indicator, also might be inflated, according to Thornton.

NPR: China's Struggle To Measure Economy Clouds Outlook

The inflation data triggered heavy buying in bank shares and most blue chips in other sectors, said Harish Vasudevan, an equity strategist at local brokerage SVS Securities.

WSJ: Indian Shares End Higher

It also collects data about operational failures in other banks and industries, and screens them for relevance to the bank's own operations.

ECONOMIST: Risk management

Investors are also weighing the prospects for an interest-rate cut or other action by European Central Bank officials scheduled to meet Thursday, following another wave of disappointing economic data from the euro zone in recent days.

WSJ: Stocks Close Narrowly Mixed

France, however, kept copies of the data on the HSBC account holders and returned other copies to HSBC on Mar. 3, according to the bank.

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