बैंकिङ प्रणालीमा लगानीयोग्य रकम (तरलता) थुप्रिए पनि बजारमा कर्जाको माग बढ्न नसक्दा निरन्तर ओरालो लागिरहेको निक्षेपको ब्याजदर अब भने तल्लो सीमामा पुगेको छ। ब्याजदरमा थप कटौती गर्दा निक्षेपकर्ताहरू नै निरुत्साहित भई पैसा अन्यत्रै जाने जोखिम देखेपछि वाणिज्य बैंकहरूले असोज महिनाका लागि अधिकांश ब्याजदरलाई भदौकै अवस्थामा स्थिर राखेका छन्।
सञ्चालनमा रहेका २० वाणिज्य बैंकहरूले सार्वजनिक गरेको असोजको नयाँ ब्याजदर तालिकाअनुसार व्यक्तिगत मुद्दती निक्षेपको अधिकतम औसत ब्याजदर ४.०८९५ प्रतिशत कायम भएको छ। यो भदौको तुलनामा अत्यन्तै झिनो (०.०४६५ प्रतिशत बिन्दु) ले मात्र कम हो। यसैगरी, संस्थागततर्फको औसत ब्याजदर पनि घटेर ३.०६६५ प्रतिशतमा सीमित भएको छ। यस महिना एभरेष्ट बैंकले ब्याजदरमा सर्वाधिक कटौती गरेको छ भने सानिमा बैंकले संस्थागत निक्षेपको दर सामान्य बढाएको छ। व्यक्तिगत मुद्दतीमा सबैभन्दा धेरै ब्याज दिनेमा भने प्रभु बैंक (४.५५ प्रतिशत) अगाडि देखिएको छ।
लामो समयदेखि ब्याजदर घट्दो क्रममा रहेकाले अब बैंकहरूसँग दर घटाउने ठाउँ निकै साँघुरिएको छ। हाल नेपाल राष्ट्र बैंकको नीतिगत दर ४.५० प्रतिशत र स्थायी निक्षेप सुविधा दर २.७५ प्रतिशत रहेको सन्दर्भमा छोटो र लामो अवधिको ब्याजदर करिडोरको तल्लो सीमा नजिक पुगिसकेको छ। अर्थतन्त्र पूर्ण रूपमा चलायमान भई कर्जाको माग ह्वात्तै नबढेसम्म निक्षेप तान्न प्रतिस्पर्धा नहुने र ब्याजदरमा तत्काल ठूलो उतारचढाव नआउने देखिन्छ।
Despite a massive pile-up of investable funds in the banking system, deposit interest rates—which had been on a continuous decline due to sluggish credit demand—have now hit their lower bound. Recognizing the risk that further rate cuts might discourage depositors and drive money elsewhere, commercial banks have opted to keep most deposit rates stable for the month of Ashwin, maintaining them at the previous month's levels.
According to the newly published interest rate schedules by the 20 operational commercial banks, the maximum average interest rate for individual fixed deposits has been set at 4.0895% for Ashwin. This is only a marginal drop of 0.0465 percentage points compared to the month of Bhadra. Similarly, the average rate for institutional deposits has slightly decreased to 3.0665%. While Everest Bank made the most significant cut this month, Sanima Bank slightly increased its institutional deposit rate. Prabhu Bank leads the market, offering the highest interest rate on individual fixed deposits at 4.55%.
Excess Liquidity in the Banking System: Most Banks Keep Deposit Rates Stable for Ashwin
Despite a massive pile-up of investable funds in the banking system, deposit interest rates—which had been on a continuous decline due to sluggish credit demand—have now hit their lower bound. Recognizing the risk that further rate cuts might discourage depositors and drive money elsewhere, commercial banks have opted to keep most deposit rates stable for the month of Ashwin, maintaining them at the previous month's levels.
According to the newly published interest rate schedules by the 20 operational commercial banks, the maximum average interest rate for individual fixed deposits has been set at 4.0895% for Ashwin. This is only a marginal drop of 0.0465 percentage points compared to the month of Bhadra. Similarly, the average rate for institutional deposits has slightly decreased to 3.0665%. While Everest Bank made the most significant cut this month, Sanima Bank slightly increased its institutional deposit rate. Prabhu Bank leads the market, offering the highest interest rate on individual fixed deposits at 4.55%.
Having slashed rates over an extended period, banks now have very little room for further reductions. With the Nepal Rastra Bank's policy rate currently at 4.50% and the standing deposit facility rate at 2.75%, both short- and long-term deposit rates are already hovering near the bottom of the interest rate corridor. Unless the economy gains full momentum and credit demand surges, competition to attract deposits will remain low, and major fluctuations in interest rates are highly unlikely in the near future.
