China cuts benchmark lending rate to prop-up virus-hit economy

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China cut the benchmark lending rate on Thursday, as widely expected, as the authorities move to lower financing costs for businesses and support an economy hit by a fast-spreading coronavirus epidemic.

The one-year loan prime rate (LPR) <CNYLPR1Y=CFXS> was lowered by 10 basis points to 4.05% from 4.15% at the previous monthly fixing.

The five-year LPR <CNYLPR5Y=CFXS> was lowered by 5 basis points to 4.75% from 4.80%.

All 51 respondents in a Reuters snap survey had expected a reduction in the LPR, with 38 respondents, or about 75% of participants, tipping a 10 basis points cut to both tenors.

The LPR cut followed a similar move in the central bank's medium-term lending rate on Monday as policymakers sought to ease the drag to businesses from the coronavirus outbreak.

The LPR is a lending reference rate set monthly by 18 banks. The People's Bank of China revamped the mechanism to price LPR in August 2019, loosely pegging it to the medium-term lending facility rate.

(Reporting by Winni Zhou and Se Young Lee; Editing by Shri Navaratnam)