51.   To reflect the lack of collateral, investors will of course demand an additional risk premium on top of the base rate.

52.   To reflect the lack of collateral, investors may demand an additional risk premium on top of the base rate.

53.   U.K. mortgage lenders have already cut home loan rates twice since September without the incentive of a fall in base rates.

54.   Yields on Treasury securities, which are the base rate for mortgages, dropped since reaching a three-year peak last November.

55.   A cut in the base rate makes loans cheaper and therefore stimulates borrowing and overall economic activity.

56.   A cut in the base rate makes loans cheaper and is therefore expected to stimulate borrowing and overall economic activity.

57.   Banks are allowed to quote their deposit rates not higher than three percentage points from the base rate.

58.   Both factors helped to ease fears seen earlier in the week that the government would be forced into further base rate hikes to prop up the pound.

59.   By cutting the base rate, the bank makes loans cheaper and therefore hopes to stimulate borrowing and overall economic activity.

60.   It cut the base rate in November by half a percentage point, catching many observers by surprise.