Britain's mortgage lender Halifax said today it was increasing some of its mortgage rates in the wake of a global credit crunch.
The lender - which accounts for a fifth of the UK mortgage market - said it would raise rates on around 20 of its tracker mortgages by 10 to 20 basis points from Friday.
The move by Britain's largest lender, which applies to new borrowers only, follows similar announcements by rival lenders.
Abbey, Britain's second-biggest lender, increased the rate it charges some new tracker mortgage customers by the same amount today.
Standard Life Bank expects to unveil increases in its tracker, discounted and fixed rate home loans today. Movements in borrowing and savings rates are usually tied into changes in official interest rates.
The Bank of England left its key interest rate on hold at 5.75 per cent this month, saying it was too early to tell how lasting an impact rocky financial markets would have.
But banks are being forced to hike their rates in response to an increase in the rate at which banks will lend to each other.