SHANGHAI: China left its benchmark lending rates unchanged at the monthly fixing on Friday, matching market expectations, as falling yields, shrinking net interest margins and a weakening yuan create limits for immediate monetary easing.
The one-year loan prime rate (LPR) was kept at 3.10 per cent, while the five-year LPR was unchanged at 3.60 per cent.
In a Reuters poll of 27 market participants conducted this week, all respondents expected both rates to stay unchanged.
Most new and outstanding loans in China are based on the one-year LPR, while the five-year rate influences the pricing of mortgages.
Chinese lenders last slashed lending benchmarks in October by bigger-than-expected margins to revive economic activity.