LONDON (AFX) - The Bank of England's decision to hold UK base lending rates at 5.25 pct was the best option for business, according to the British Chambers of Commerce. "Amid a murky economic outlook, the best option was to hold rates steady this month," BCC deputy director general David Sears said. But he said that British business "and in particular an increasingly sickly manufacturing sector", will expect a further rate cut from the BoE's Monetary Policy Committee in the coming months. "While recent data shows robust service sector growth and consumer confidence, the position for manufacturing and exporting companies remains close to critical," he said. Referring to tomorrow's General Election, Sears added: "The next government and the Bank must continue to monitor carefully the need for further interest rate cuts and other measures to keep the economy on track." The BoE has made three one-quarter point rate cuts so far this year. But economists had expected no change this month.