Confidence	NN
in	IN
the	DT
pound	NN
is	VBZ
widely	RB
expected	VBN
to	TO
take	VB
another	DT
sharp	JJ
dive	NN
if	IN
trade	NN
figures	NNS
for	IN
September	NNP
,	,
due	JJ
for	IN
release	NN
tomorrow	NN
,	,
fail	VB
to	TO
show	VB
a	DT
substantial	JJ
improvement	NN
from	IN
July	NNP
and	CC
August	NNP
's	POS
near-record	JJ
deficits	NNS
.	.

Chancellor	NNP
of	IN
the	DT
Exchequer	NNP
Nigel	NNP
Lawson	NNP
's	POS
restated	VBN
commitment	NN
to	TO
a	DT
firm	NN
monetary	JJ
policy	NN
has	VBZ
helped	VBN
to	TO
prevent	VB
a	DT
freefall	NN
in	IN
sterling	NN
over	IN
the	DT
past	JJ
week	NN
.	.