The Bank of England has said financial stability in the UK has grown more vulnerable in the past six months, mainly as a result of increased corporate credit risk globally.

The central bank said in its most recent six-monthly Financial Stability Review, published today: "Corporate credit risks have increased as re-leveraging has continued in some parts of the sector, at the same time as the price of corporate credit has remained low. The impact of stress on large complex financial institutions' balance sheets has increased slightly."