How banks react to rising interest rates
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Since the Fed started raising rates earlier this month, banks wasted little time pushing up the rates they charge credit card holders on their balances. But when it comes to the interest that folks earn on their savings accounts — those rates aren't budging much.
Why it matters: Time to play another round of "banks win, people lose." Financial institutions can earn more on credit card debt and regular folks can watch inflation erode their savings.
The big picture: "There typically is a lag between when banks raise interest rates on loans and other assets and when they raise rates on liabilities, particularly on retail checking and savings accounts," says Gary Schlossberg, global strategist at Wells Fargo Investment Institute.
- Plus, right now the bigger banks don't really need your money, so they don't have much incentive to raise interest rates to attract more deposits, says Ted Rossman, an analyst at Bankrate.
- "They kind of have all the deposits they need."
At the same time, the number of people actually carrying a balance on their credit cards has declined, something executives keep mentioning on their earnings calls. So banks need to get more money from those who do have debt.
What's next: Online-only banks are the ones most likely to raise rates on bank accounts, Rossman says. "It's a form of advertising for them."
- Online-only Comenity Direct is offering 0.75% APR on a savings account — the highest tracked by Bankrate, he adds.
