NATIONAL WESTMINSTER BANK CUTS BASE RATE

  National Westminster Bank Plc said it has
  cut its base lending rate  0.5 percentage points to 10.5 pct
  today.
      National Westminster said that it was responding to general
  easing in money market rates.
      Its move followed a signal from the Bank of England earlier
  this afternoon that it would endorse a half point cut in the
  base rate, a surprise move following its strong signals last
  week that such a move would be premature.
      However, since then the pound has continued to gain
  strongly.
  

