SANTIAGO: Chile's central bank is seen cutting the benchmark interest rate to 3.0 percent when it meets next Thursday, and then keeping it at that level through the following 11 months, a majority of analysts said in a bank poll published on Friday.

Nearly 58 percent of the 64 analysts surveyed by the bank forecast the 25 basis points cut for next week.

The bank has been in an easing cycle over the last year, cutting the rate by 175 basis points, as it attempts to stem a sharp slowdown in the economy of the top copper exporter.

Copyright Reuters, 2014