SHANGHAI, Feb 20 (Reuters) - China left benchmark

lending rates unchanged at the monthly fixing on Thursday,

showing authorities are going slow with monetary stimulus as

they prioritise financial and currency stability.

The one-year loan prime rate (LPR) was kept

at 3.10%, while the five-year LPR was unchanged

at 3.60%.

In a Reuters poll of 30 market participants conducted this

week, all of them expected no changes to either of the two

rates.

Most new and outstanding loans in China are based on the

one-year LPR, while the five-year rate influences the pricing of

mortgages.

In October 2024, Chinese lenders slashed lending benchmarks

by bigger-than-expected margins to revive economic activity.