Further BoE rate cut 'odds on' - papers 4 Apr

The majority of economists polled by Reuters said they anticipated the Monetary Policy Committee will trim borrowing costs by a quarter percentage point to 5% next Thursday, as fresh evidence suggests the economy is facing a major slowdown. But with the Bank's own survey showing that mortgage lenders plan a fresh squeeze on their loans in the coming months, raising rates and withdrawing products, experts warned that lower official rates would not necessarily translate to a drop in the actual cost of borrowing. UBS, THE BELEAGUERED Swiss bank, has come under renewed pressure for a break-...