The Bank of Canada has cut its benchmark lending rate by 50 basis points, to 3.0%.  The move was widely expected by analysts, although some of them had forecast only a .25% cut. Last week, economic data confirmed a mild rate of inflation in Canada, giving the BOC a green light to ease monetary policy without having to worry about the effect on prices.  Despite commodity prices that remain at stratospheric levels, Canada’s economy is sagging, due to the subprime crisis unfolding across the border. Some analysts have analogized Canada’s situation to the dilemma facing the European Central Bank, which is reluctant to cut interest rates for fear of stoking the fires of inflation. As a result, the Euro has surged 8.5% against the Dollar in the year-to-date, while the Canadian Dollar has fallen. If the BOC opts to cut rates further, the Dollar could retake some of the ground it lost last year. Marketwatch reports:

Against the Canadian dollar, the U.S. dollar is likely to hold support around par, gradually firming back toward C$1.03 ahead of the U.S. Federal Open Market Committee meeting on April 30.

Read More: Canada poised to cut after benign inflation data