Core Points - The People's Bank of China (PBOC) has lowered the Loan Prime Rate (LPR) for the first time in 2023, with the one-year LPR set at 3.0% and the five-year LPR at 3.5%, both down by 10 basis points [1][2][3] - Major banks have also reduced their deposit rates, with rates for terms of three years and below decreased by 15 basis points, and rates for three years and above reduced by 25 basis points [1][5][6] - The adjustments in LPR and deposit rates are aimed at reducing the cost of liabilities for banks and providing more room for lending to the real economy [1][6][7] Group 1: LPR Adjustment - The LPR was adjusted downwards by 10 basis points, marking the first reduction of the year and the first since October of the previous year [2][3] - The reduction follows a decrease in the seven-day reverse repurchase rate, which serves as a new pricing anchor for the LPR [2][3][7] Group 2: Deposit Rate Changes - Six major banks, including the "Big Six" and China Merchants Bank, collectively announced a reduction in deposit rates, with the largest cuts seen in longer-term deposits [5][6][7] - The new rates for one-year deposits have fallen below 1%, while rates for three-year and above deposits are now below 1.5% [8][9] Group 3: Impact on Banking Sector - The reduction in deposit rates is expected to help stabilize net interest margins for banks, which have already been under pressure due to declining loan yields [6][7][9] - The banking sector is likely to focus more on reducing non-interest costs in the future, as credit costs have already decreased significantly [8][9]

Group 1 - The People's Bank of China has lowered the one-year and five-year LPR by 10 basis points to 3.00% and 3.50% respectively, following previous monetary policy adjustments [1][2] - The reduction in LPR is part of a broader monetary policy strategy that includes a 0.5 percentage point cut in the reserve requirement ratio, which is expected to release approximately 1 trillion yuan in long-term liquidity [2] - The five-year LPR has decreased by a total of 115 basis points from its peak in 2020, marking a new low since the marketization of housing loan pricing [2][4] Group 2 - Major banks have responded to the LPR reduction by lowering various deposit rates, which is expected to decrease the cost of home loans for consumers [4] - The adjustment in LPR will lead to a reduction in both new and existing mortgage rates, alleviating the repayment pressure on homeowners [4][5] - The recent cut in public housing fund loan rates by 0.25 percentage points may create more room for further adjustments in commercial housing loan rates [5]

Core Viewpoint - The phenomenon of inverted deposit interest rates is spreading across various banks in China, including state-owned banks, joint-stock banks, and rural commercial banks, indicating a significant shift in the banking sector's approach to deposit management and interest rate strategies [2][6]. Group 1: Inverted Interest Rates - The inverted interest rate situation has expanded to rural commercial banks, with notable examples from major banks like Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) and China Merchants Bank, where long-term deposit rates are lower than short-term rates [3][4]. - For instance, ICBC offers a three-year deposit rate of 1.90% and a five-year rate of 1.55%, resulting in a 35 basis point difference [4]. - Other banks, such as Ping An Bank and Guangzhou Rural Commercial Bank, also exhibit minimal differences between their short-term and long-term deposit rates, reflecting a broader trend in the banking sector [5][6]. Group 2: Reasons Behind the Inversion - The increase in inverted deposit rates is attributed to banks' internal decisions to optimize asset-liability management and reduce funding costs amid a slowing economy and weak corporate credit demand [6][7]. - Analysts suggest that banks are lowering long-term deposit rates to avoid the burden of high-interest liabilities in the future, aligning their asset and liability structures more effectively [6][8]. - The expectation of continued monetary easing by the central bank is influencing banks to adjust their deposit rates, as they anticipate a potential reduction in loan rates to support the real economy [7][9]. Group 3: Future Monetary Policy Outlook - The People's Bank of China has maintained the Loan Prime Rate (LPR) steady for five consecutive months, reflecting a cautious approach to monetary policy amid high funding costs and pressure on bank profitability [7][8]. - Analysts predict that while the timing of any LPR adjustments may be delayed, the overall direction remains towards monetary easing, with expectations for potential reserve requirement ratio (RRR) cuts and interest rate reductions in the near future [8][10]. - The average reserve requirement ratio for domestic financial institutions stands at 6.6%, indicating room for further reductions to support liquidity and lower financing costs [9][10].