BoE's Carney says doesn't want to focus too much on rate hike timing

(Recasts, adds detail and market reaction)

LONDON, April 19 (Reuters) - Bank of England Governor Mark Carney said on Thursday he did not want to focus too much on the precise timing of interest rate hikes from the central bank, ahead of a closely watched policy decision next month.

Sterling touched its lowest level against the U.S. dollar since April 9 on the back of the comments, in which Carney highlighted "mixed" economic data.

"I don't want to get too focused on the precise timing, it is more about the general path," Carney told BBC news, but adding that a rate hike this year was "likely".

He said Britain should prepare for "a few interest rate rises over the next few years".

A firm majority of economists in a Reuters poll published earlier this week said they expect the BoE (Shenzhen: 000725.SZ - news) will raise interest rates to a new post-financial crisis high of 0.75 percent in May.

Figures this week showed Britain's unemployment rate fell to a 42-year low, but inflation dropped more sharply in the first quarter than the BoE expected. Retail sales data for March also disappointed on Thursday.

"We have had some mixed data... We'll sit down calmly and look at it all in the round," Carney said.

"I am sure there will be some differences of view but it is a view we will take in early May (at the next meeting of the Bank's Monetary Policy Committee), conscious that there are other meetings over the course of this year."

Carney also said uncertainty around Brexit had prevented what would otherwise have been a "surge in investment".

"Unfortunately that means in the short term that the speed limit (of the British economy) is not increasing. Productivity is not increasing, which will limit the rate at which people's wages can pick up." (Reporting by Andy Bruce; editing by Stephen Addison)