THE Reserve Bank is expected to hold interest rates steady at this week’s monetary policy committee (MPC) meeting on Wednesday, analysts said on Tuesday. But they added the beneficial impact of the country’s investment upgrade from Standard & Poor’s last week might give it some scope to ease rates further in the near term. The MPC, which meets roughly every six weeks under the chairmanship of Governor Tito Mboweni, gathers for a two-day conference on Wednesday.