Howard Archer, chief UK and European economist at Global Insight, Lloyds TSB chief UK economist Trevor Williams and a spokesperson for the Centre for Economics and Business Research all said rates would be cut three times to bring them down to five per cent.
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However, Susan Hannums, Chase de Vere’s savings manager, did not offer a precise prediction although she did anticipate cuts, while others gave different estimates for the number of times the monetary policy committee (MPC) would trim the base rate.
A spokesman for HSBC said there would be four cuts to bring the rate down to 4.75 per cent, while Bank of Scotland economist Ross Walker predicted just two cuts for a 5.25 per cent rate.
The MPC meets on Thursday to decide whether to cut rates this month, having raised the base rate five times between August 2006 and July this year.
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