  We use the available data on e+ e- -> hadrons to determine the value of the
QED coupling at the Z pole. The inclusion of recent preliminary BES-II data in
the analysis is found to reduce the ambiguity in the determination of the
coupling, particularly that arising from the use of either exclusive or
inclusive data in the energy region \sqrt{s} < 2 GeV, in favour of a larger
value of \alpha(M_Z^2)^{-1} = 128.978 +/- 0.027. As a consequence the predicted
value of the mass of the (Standard Model) Higgs boson is increased, so that the
preferred value is just above the LEP2 bound.
