understanding interest rates june 2010
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What drives domestic interest rates?TRANSCRIPT
- 1. Understanding Interest rates
Andrew Hayes
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3. A rate which is charged or paid for the use of money.
An interest rate is often expressed as an annual percentage of the
principal.
It is calculated by dividing the amount of interest by the amount
of principal.
What are interest rates?
4. Reserve Bank of Australia
The Reserve Bank of Australia is Australias central bank.
It conducts monetary policy, works to maintain a strong financial
system and issues the nations currency.
As well as being a policy-making body, the Reserve Bank provides
selected banking and registry services to a range of Australian
government agencies and to a number of overseas central banks and
official institutions.
It also manages Australia's gold and foreign exchange
reserves.
Who sets interest rates?
5. Monetary policy involves setting the interest rate on overnight
loans in the money market.
Other interest rates in the economy are influenced by this interest
rate to varying degrees, so that the behaviour of borrowers and
lenders in the financial markets is affected by monetary policy
(though not only by monetary policy).
What is monetary policy?
6. The Reserve Bank Board sets interest rates so as to achieve the
objectives set out in the Reserve Bank Act 1959
the stability of the currency of Australia;
the maintenance of full employment in Australia; and
the economic prosperity and welfare of the people of
Australia.
Why use monetary policy?
7. Since 1993, these objectives have found practical expression in
a target for consumer price inflation, of 23 per cent per
annum.
Monetary policy aims to achieve this over the medium term so as to
encourage strong and sustainable growth in the economy.
Controlling inflation preserves the value of money.
How does the RBA achieve it?
8. Inflation and expected inflation.
The risk premium reflecting the ability of the borrower to repay
the debt
The supply of funds from savers, primarily households.
The demand from borrowers to be used to finance capital
expenditure.
The global economic cycle.
Other factors that influence rates
9. The percentage increase in the price of goods and services,
usually annually.
In Australia it is measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI)
The simplest way of thinking about the CPI is to imagine a basket
of goods and services comprising items typically acquired by
Australian households.
What is inflation?
10. Inflation?
11. Inflation?
12. Inflation and the term structure of interest rates.
Economist Irving Fisher argued that the nominal rate of interest
should move one for one with expected inflation.
R = r + E(i)
This is represented graphically by the yield curve, which also
shows the relationship between short and long term interest
rates.
13. The yield curve for Government Bonds 25th May 2010
Source Bloomberg.com
14. How Banks price their loans
15. The cost of the banks funds at a wholesale (bond issuance) and
retail level (deposit base).
The security you offer, such as a registered first mortgage over
real estate.
Your cash flow and interest serviceability ratio.
Your credit history and risk to the institution.
Your loan terms and conditions, ie fixed interest versus variable,
principal and interest versus interest only and duration of the
loan.
The market segment the banks are pursuing at any particular
time.
Factors influencing the rates the bank is willing to lend to you
include.
16. Standard Variable Home Loan Interest Rates 1959 - 2010
Australia
Source RBA
17. Where do you think rates are going?
What do you think the long term average standard variable home loan
interest rate has been?
Would you fix or stay variable?
What factors do you think will impact the banks and non bank
lenders going forward?
Discussion