''The economy remains fragile and any rise in interest rates will threaten this'', comments Mark Harris, Managing Director. '' I believe there are hundreds of thousands of homeowners on low standard variable or base rate tracker mortgages for whom any change in monthly payments will act as a catalyst and tip them over the edge. Inflation remains the biggest threat to a continued static base rate but we must continue to believe it will fall in line with Government policy of 2% later in the year and the majority of data continues to support this theory. I remain convinced we will see base rate at the current level for the next few months provided inflationary pressure is controlled.''