21世纪经济报道·2025-05-20 12:53Core Viewpoint - The recent reduction in deposit rates by major Chinese banks marks a significant shift in the savings landscape, with large-denomination certificates of deposit (CDs) losing their appeal as rates enter the "1 era" [1][4][5]. Summary by Sections Deposit Rate Changes - On May 20, major banks including Bank of China, China Construction Bank, and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China announced reductions in RMB deposit rates, following expectations of a decrease in the Loan Prime Rate (LPR) [1]. - The rates for large-denomination CDs have been lowered, with 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year products seeing reductions of 25 basis points and 35 basis points compared to last year [1][4]. Current Rates for Large-Denomination CDs - As of the latest offerings, the 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year large-denomination CD rates are as follows: - Bank of China: 1.2%, 1.2%, 1.55% [4] - Agricultural Bank of China: 1.45%, 1.45%, 1.9% [5] - China Construction Bank: 1.2%, 1.55% [5] - Smaller banks are also adjusting their rates, with Tianjin Bank reducing its 3-year CD rate from 2.10% to 2.05% [5]. Impact on Savings and Investment Behavior - The current round of deposit rate cuts is noted as one of the largest in recent years, potentially leading to a shift of deposits towards non-bank financial institutions [8]. - A report indicates that the reduction in deposit rates and the cleanup of manual interest payments have driven funds towards wealth management products and bond funds, with a notable increase in bank wealth management scale [9]. Wealth Management Market Trends - The yield on fixed-income products has improved, with recent data showing a 0.50% return over the past three months and a 1.26% return over the past six months [9]. - The total scale of bank wealth management has seen a significant increase, reaching 31.3 trillion yuan, surpassing previous quarter-end levels [9]. Market Outlook - Despite the growth in wealth management products, analysts express skepticism about replicating last year's strong performance in the bond market, citing a challenging investment environment [10].