再现官宣停售5年定期存款，中小银行正集体“告别”长期高息存款

Core Viewpoint - The trend of small and medium-sized banks discontinuing long-term deposit products and lowering interest rates is closing the door on the "interest-earning era" for depositors [1][2]. Group 1: Discontinuation of Long-Term Deposit Products - Meizhou Commercial Bank announced the discontinuation of its five-year fixed deposit product and the termination of automatic renewal services due to policy adjustments [2]. - Several small and medium-sized banks have been phasing out five-year fixed deposit products, with notable examples including the announcement from Tuyuqi Mengyin Village Bank, which explicitly canceled its five-year fixed deposit product [5]. - A total of seven banks have removed five-year fixed deposits from their offerings, including Meizhou Commercial Bank and Zhongguancun Bank, with some also discontinuing three-year fixed deposits [6]. Group 2: Interest Rate Reductions - Many small and medium-sized banks have entered a new round of interest rate cuts to address the pressure on net interest margins, with significant reductions observed in recent months [8]. - For instance, Pingyang Pudong Village Bank reduced its three-year and five-year fixed deposit rates from 2.1% and 2.15% to 1.3% and 1.35%, respectively, marking a drop of 80 basis points [8]. - The overall trend shows that banks are aligning their deposit rates with larger institutions, leading to a flattening of previously higher rates [11]. Group 3: Impact on Banking Sector - The net interest margin for banks has been under pressure, with state-owned, joint-stock, private, and foreign banks all experiencing a narrowing of their margins compared to the previous year [12]. - Analysts suggest that the current low levels of net interest margins may deter banks from further reducing loan rates, as it could threaten their profitability [13]. - There is speculation that monetary policy may initiate a new round of interest rate cuts, which could lead to a further decline in deposit rates [14].