Xin Hua Wang·2025-11-30 23:41Core Viewpoint - Major commercial banks in China, including Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Agricultural Bank of China, and China Construction Bank, have collectively withdrawn five-year large-denomination certificates of deposit (CDs) in response to the ongoing pressure of narrowing net interest margins [1][2] Group 1: Bank Adjustments - Several large state-owned banks have shifted their focus from long-term to short-term deposit products, offering only three-year, two-year, one-year, and six-month large-denomination CDs [1] - The withdrawal of five-year CDs is seen as a rational choice to address the historical low levels of net interest margins, allowing banks to shorten the average maturity of liabilities and enhance repricing flexibility [1][2] Group 2: Impact on Small and Medium Banks - Small and medium-sized banks are also adjusting their deposit product structures due to increasing net interest margin pressures, moving away from high-interest long-term deposits [2] - The prevalence of interest rate inversion, where short-term deposit rates exceed long-term rates, has diminished the attractiveness of medium to long-term deposits, prompting these banks to focus on short- to medium-term products [2] Group 3: Investor Behavior - As deposit rates decline, there is a resurgence of "savings migration," with bank wealth management products gaining popularity due to their lower volatility [2] - A survey indicates that 62.3% of urban residents prefer to save more, a decrease of 1.5 percentage points from the previous quarter, while the number of investors holding wealth management products has increased by 12.70% year-on-year [2] Group 4: Recommendations for Banks - Banks are advised to enhance asset yields by optimizing credit structures and improving risk pricing capabilities, while also focusing on non-credit asset management [3] - On the liability side, banks should strengthen their core deposit absorption capabilities and optimize customer segmentation strategies to enhance the retention of low-cost funds [3]