Libor will force insolvencies, says E&Y
Failure of the bank lending rate to mirror the base rate will mean companies feel the pinch even more
The economic forecasting group Item Club has warned that the failure of the
inter-bank borrowing rate to respond to the cut in interest rates could lead to
insolvencies of large UK companies.
Peter Spencer, chief economic adviser to the Ernst & Young sponsored Item
Club said: ‘The market rather than the bank is now dictating monetary policy… If
this problem is not sorted out in the next two to three months we’re looking at
major insolvencies in UK plc.’
The warning comes as economists and bankers’ expectations that the London
inter-bank offered rate (Libor) would mirror the change in base rates, which
were cut by a quarter point last Thursday.
But three-month Libor dropped only 3 basis points yesterday, following the
.25 cut in base rates to 5.5%,
The
Daily Telegraph reported, as banks want to report strong year-ends.
Banks fear that lending to other banks, in the event of credit market
problems, could lead to delayed repayment or a movement of off-balance sheet
funds onto its books.
Further reading:
Firms expect 10% jump in insolvencies