Di Yi Cai Jing·2025-04-14 13:05Core Viewpoint - Private banks and rural banks, once known for high deposit rates, are now actively abandoning high-interest deposit strategies as major banks lower deposit rates below 2% [1][2][3] Group 1: Deposit Rate Adjustments - Many banks have reduced their deposit rates to below 2%, with significant cuts observed in three-year and five-year deposit products [2][3] - For instance, Ping An Bank's three-year fixed deposit rate was lowered from 2.05% to 1.65%, a decrease of 40 basis points [2] - Rural banks like Xingning Zhujiang Village Bank have drastically cut their rates, with two-year, three-year, and five-year fixed deposit rates dropping to 1.50%, 1.60%, and 1.55% respectively [3] Group 2: Trends in Interest Rates - The current round of interest rate adjustments reveals two significant trends: rising consumer loan rates and the emergence of inverted deposit rate structures [4] - Consumer loan rates, which had previously been low, are now increasing, eliminating the arbitrage opportunities that existed between deposit and loan rates [4] - In some cases, banks are offering lower rates for longer-term deposits compared to shorter-term ones, indicating a shift in deposit strategies [4][5] Group 3: Underlying Reasons for Rate Cuts - The primary reason for banks lowering deposit rates is to reduce liability costs amid ongoing pressure on net interest margins [8][9] - As of Q4 2024, the average net interest margin for commercial banks was reported at 1.52%, a historical low, with listed banks averaging 1.65%, down 19 basis points from 2023 [8] - The People's Bank of China has indicated a potential for interest rate cuts and reserve requirement ratio reductions, aligning with the banks' strategies to lower deposit rates [9]