Charlotte Foster
Money & Banking

Big banks finally cut fixed-interest mortgage rates

NAB has become the first big bank to announce it has cut its fixed rate mortgages across all loan terms.

The bank is the first of the big four banks to cut its fixed rates in 2025, two weeks out from the Reserve Bank of Australia’s first meeting when it is tipped to cut the cash rate.

NAB announced on Monday that their lowest fixed rate is now 5.84 per cent, with a deposit of at least 20 per cent on a three-year term.

“NAB is the first of the big four banks to cut fixed rates in 2025, with other banks likely to follow,” Canstar data insights director Sally Tindall said.

“The cost of wholesale fixed rate funding has started to ease slightly. This, combined with a prospective cash rate cut, should push other banks into moving on fixed rates.”

The cuts from NAB come almost two weeks after Macquarie Bank lowered its fixed rates, however, ANZ still has the lowest fixed rate out of the big four banks at 5.74 per cent for a two-year or three-year term.

“While a few banks are now starting to sharpen their offerings, fixed rates still have a way to fall before they become fashionable again with borrowers,” Tindall said.

“We expect the big four banks in particular to pass on cash rate cuts in full, at least for the first couple of cash rate cuts,” she said.

“But we might even see some banks choose to pass on even more to new customers in order to take advantage of that re-engagement for borrowers in what a competitive rate looks like.”

“Many homeowners have been waiting for well over a year for a cash rate cut. It’s hard to see them throwing in the towel and switching to a fixed rate now when the RBA is poised to move."

“That said, there’s no guarantee we’ll see a barrage of cash rate cuts and borrowers should factor this into their thinking.”

Image credits: Shutterstock 

 

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money & banking, mortgage, rates, banks