The savings accounts of Canadians have sprung a leak.
As inflation tops eight per cent, anyone with money in the bank is seeing their savings drip away at the fastest rate on record because interest rates for savings accounts, still largely languishing at around one per cent, haven91裸聊视频檛 kept up.
91裸聊视频淭hey will lose money. The value of their savings is decreasing,91裸聊视频� said Claire Celerier, an associate professor of finance at the University of Toronto91裸聊视频檚 Rotman School of Management.
It91裸聊视频檚 a sharp contrast to the last time inflation ran this hot. In 1981, inflation peaked at over 12 per cent, but Statistics Canada data says bank accounts were paying out 19 per cent interest, and even in 1990 when inflation was running a little under five per cent, accounts were paying out over nine per cent.
There are several reasons for the lag, but part of the problem is the concentration of Canada91裸聊视频檚 banking sector, said Celerier.
91裸聊视频淲hen there is lower competition between banks, then it takes more time for them to adjust rates on deposit accounts.91裸聊视频�
Banks simply don91裸聊视频檛 have much incentive to change rates unless they have to, she said.
91裸聊视频淲hen banks don91裸聊视频檛 increase rates on deposits they91裸聊视频檙e making more profits 91裸聊视频� It91裸聊视频檚 a very easy way to make profits, to have a low rate on deposit accounts.91裸聊视频�
Part of what boosted rates in the early 1980s was the introduction of money market mutual funds, providing a competitive alternative to bank accounts for average savers.
There are an increasing number of online banks and credit unions with competitive rates. After the Bank of Canada raised its key interest rate by one percentage point in July, Oaken Financial boosted its rate from 1.65 per cent to 2.25 per cent, while Duca credit union increased its rate from 3.1 per cent to 3.25 per cent, said Natasha Macmillan, Ratehub.ca91裸聊视频檚 director of everyday banking.
Canadians however don91裸聊视频檛 tend to switch banks very often. An Accenture survey from 2020 found that fewer than four per cent of consumers said they had switched their primary bank account in the last year.
Some banks have also started to increase rates, though often via short-term promotions and other restrictions, and it91裸聊视频檚 not across the board.
91裸聊视频淏anks are very quick to pass on the higher interest rates on the borrowing side but are much slower to do so for those that are seeking to save,91裸聊视频� said Macmillan.
Scotiabank is offering a temporary rate of up to 4.05 per cent interest thanks to several time-limited bonuses (some tied to new deposits) on top of their regular 1.35 per cent rate. CIBC is offering up to 3.55 per cent interest that then drops to 0.8 per cent after 120 days, up from a February 1.5 per cent promotional rate that dropped to 0.3 per cent.
TD Bank, meanwhile, offers 0.05 per cent interest on balances above $5,000 for its high interest savings account (it does offer a separate account that pays one per cent for balances above $10,000), RBC offers 0.8 per cent for its high interest account, and BMO has a one per cent savings option.
Macmillan said that more people moving to alternative lenders could put more pressure on the big players.
91裸聊视频淎s more Canadians are getting more comfortable shopping around or moving to a bank that they might not recognize as much, kind of the big five, big six banks will start to feel that competitive pressure, and increasingly start to change their rates accordingly.91裸聊视频�
Part of the challenge though is that banks are not so desperate for deposits after Canadians have seen savings swell during the pandemic.
91裸聊视频淭he banks right now are flush with cash and liquidity, and their deposit levels are still elevated,91裸聊视频� said Carl De Souza, senior vice-president of North American financial institutions at DBRS Morningstar.
91裸聊视频淪o there91裸聊视频檚 less pressure to increase the deposit rate, unless deposits start reducing dramatically or a competitor raises rates.91裸聊视频�
De Souza noted that credit unions offer higher rates in part because they91裸聊视频檙e designed to serve members, and not just make a profit for shareholders like banks, but that there is still some hesitation among consumers.
91裸聊视频淐ertain individuals may not want to put money with credit unions because they perceive them to be riskier than large banks, despite the higher rates that those credit unions pay.91裸聊视频�
Many credit unions, however, also haven91裸聊视频檛 raised rates much. Vancity is still offering 0.75 per cent interest on its main accounts since it also doesn91裸聊视频檛 have a strong need for more deposits, said chief financial officer Clayton Buckingham.
91裸聊视频淩eally how we91裸聊视频檙e setting rates is looking at overall funding needs for the organization.91裸聊视频�
Higher customer deposits have helped meet the higher loan demand and buffered the credit union91裸聊视频檚 need for more funds, but that could change if the market shifts more, said Buckingham.
91裸聊视频淚t comes down to the competitive market. That91裸聊视频檚 driving the majority of movement, so if rates are going upat the rest of the banks and credit unions out there, then we need to follow suit.91裸聊视频�
He said customers are instead gravitating to Vancity91裸聊视频檚 term deposits, which is similar to a guaranteed investment certificate. The products, which are linked more closely to bond rates, have climbed much faster than deposit rates, with some institutions offering rates above five per cent for longer term commitments.
Buckingham noted that it91裸聊视频檚 also still early days for inflation in general with tremendous uncertainty ahead, so financial institutions are proceeding cautiously. If deposits keep tracking down as people dip into their savings to cover increasing costs then financial institutions may have to raise rates to attract deposits, but if loan demand drops over economic worries then lenders might not need as much capital on hand.
91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e seeing just a starting impact of what may happen in the high inflationary environment 91裸聊视频� for now it91裸聊视频檚 still everybody figuring this out.91裸聊视频�
Ian Bickis, The Canadian Press
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