30 Year Home Mortgage Rate Hits 17% Prime Rate at 16%+ Savings account interest reaches 12% Ancient post depression history NO - 1982
The graph above shows the history of the Prime Rate (interest rate charged to a bank's least risky and best customers) - compare those rates to what you pay for credit cards, auto loans, and mortgages, for a real eye-opener
The graph above shows the history of the Prime Rate (interest rate charged to a bank's least risky and best customers) - compare those rates to what you pay for credit cards, auto loans, and mortgages, for a real eye-opener
Here is a little chart of the Fed Funds Rate (the interest rate the Federal Reserve Banks charge member Banks to borrow - single day loans), the 30 Year Mortgage Rate, the Daily Savings Account Rate, and the 1 Year CD Rate (all averaged for the respective year) :
1982: Fed Funds 12.25% Mortgage 17% Savings 12%
1989: Fed Funds 9.17% Mortgage 11% Savings 8.5%
1995: Fed Funds 5.9% Mortgage 7.9% Savings 4.75% 1 Year CD 7%
2000:Fed Funds 6.42% Mortgage 8.1% Savings 5.5% 1 Year CD 6.625%
2005:Fed Funds 3.33% Mortgage 5.9% Savings 2.35% 1 Year CD 3.25
2007:Fed Funds 5.04% Mortgage 6.3% Savings 4.25% 1 Year CD 4.9%
2008:Fed Funds 1.85% Mortgage 6% Savings 2.5% 1 Year CD 2.5%
2009:Fed Funds .25% Mortgage 5.1% Savings 0.5% 1 Year CD 2%
Why are all of the numbers important? They show the level of inflation, the cost to consumers for borrowing, and perhaps most significantly, the profit the banks are making on money. For example, in 1982, while mortgages were 17% plus points, banks were being charged 12.25% by the Fed and paying 12% to depositors. Keep in mind that a deposit in a bank is nothing more than a customers loan to the bank for the rate of interest being paid on the savings account or CD.
At that time, there was a 5% margin between the cost of money and the rate that could be charged to consumers for a mortgage. The MARGIN narrowed to 2%+/- for the next 27 years; then at the height of the crisis, the margin grew to 5% again. So, in inflation and in recession, the Banks made the same margin. Rates were so stable that savings bank bankers were called "3-6-3" bankers: take it in at 3% (savings deposits) lend it out at 6% (mortgage) and go home at 3 (afternoon) (That was the time before securitization of mortgages).
There are two lessons to be gleaned from the figures other than the fact that Banks make money: 1. When the Cost of Funds (to Banks) is low Banks charge what the market will bear. It is a "free market", unlike the regulated days of the 60s and 70s, and Banks can take advantage of this era. 2. The current interest rates are so low, that as to Banks, there is almost free money. This will not stay so cheap for Banks.
With the interest rates so low, and Banks making 5% on mortgages, and more than 3% on Prime Interest Rate loans (the rate charged to the best customers (those with no risk of default - like GM, right?) why are Banks charging 19%-30% for credit card debt? This is the primary debt for consumers beyond a mortgage. The Banks are making an obscene 15% to 25%+ on the average borrower's credit card balance!!
1982: Fed Funds 12.25% Mortgage 17% Savings 12%
1989: Fed Funds 9.17% Mortgage 11% Savings 8.5%
1995: Fed Funds 5.9% Mortgage 7.9% Savings 4.75% 1 Year CD 7%
2000:Fed Funds 6.42% Mortgage 8.1% Savings 5.5% 1 Year CD 6.625%
2005:Fed Funds 3.33% Mortgage 5.9% Savings 2.35% 1 Year CD 3.25
2007:Fed Funds 5.04% Mortgage 6.3% Savings 4.25% 1 Year CD 4.9%
2008:Fed Funds 1.85% Mortgage 6% Savings 2.5% 1 Year CD 2.5%
2009:Fed Funds .25% Mortgage 5.1% Savings 0.5% 1 Year CD 2%
Why are all of the numbers important? They show the level of inflation, the cost to consumers for borrowing, and perhaps most significantly, the profit the banks are making on money. For example, in 1982, while mortgages were 17% plus points, banks were being charged 12.25% by the Fed and paying 12% to depositors. Keep in mind that a deposit in a bank is nothing more than a customers loan to the bank for the rate of interest being paid on the savings account or CD.
At that time, there was a 5% margin between the cost of money and the rate that could be charged to consumers for a mortgage. The MARGIN narrowed to 2%+/- for the next 27 years; then at the height of the crisis, the margin grew to 5% again. So, in inflation and in recession, the Banks made the same margin. Rates were so stable that savings bank bankers were called "3-6-3" bankers: take it in at 3% (savings deposits) lend it out at 6% (mortgage) and go home at 3 (afternoon) (That was the time before securitization of mortgages).
There are two lessons to be gleaned from the figures other than the fact that Banks make money: 1. When the Cost of Funds (to Banks) is low Banks charge what the market will bear. It is a "free market", unlike the regulated days of the 60s and 70s, and Banks can take advantage of this era. 2. The current interest rates are so low, that as to Banks, there is almost free money. This will not stay so cheap for Banks.
With the interest rates so low, and Banks making 5% on mortgages, and more than 3% on Prime Interest Rate loans (the rate charged to the best customers (those with no risk of default - like GM, right?) why are Banks charging 19%-30% for credit card debt? This is the primary debt for consumers beyond a mortgage. The Banks are making an obscene 15% to 25%+ on the average borrower's credit card balance!!
What is worse, in anticipation of the new laws which prohibit card issuers from arbitrarily raising interest rates because of a one time-one day late payment, or because a payment was a day late on A DIFFERENT CARD, Interest Rates on credit cards have jumped 10%-20% and credit limits have been reduced by 50%-75%.
The next post will deal with the profits being made by banks in real dollar terms. Why is any of this important? The so-called recovery is only in the financial markets. Unemployment is soaring, the dollar is weak (to be explained next post) and the average consumer has seen no relief. Oh, and in case anyone has missed the news, foreclosures are still going strong.
Author's Copyright by Richard I. Isacoff, Esq, November 2009
No comments:
Post a Comment