BARCLAYS, MIDLAND FOLLOW NATWEST BASE RATE CUT

  Barclays Bank Plc &lt;BCS.L> and Midland
  Bank Plc &lt;MDBL.L> said they are cutting their base lending
  rates to 10.5 pct from 11 pct. The cuts follow a similar move
  by National Westminster Bank Plc &lt;NWBL.L>
      The rate changes take effect tomorrow.
      The base rate reductions came after the Bank of England cut
  its dealing rates this morning in a signal to the money markets
  that it would not resist a half percentage point drop in bank
  base lending rates, market sources said.
      Until the end of last week, the central was holding out
  staunchly against market pressures for lower rates in an
  apparent effort to preserve the expected rate cuts for around
  the time of the government's annual Budget on March 17.
      Sterling remained firm around 1.59 dlrs compared with its
  close here on Friday at 1.5865 dlrs.
  

