Are banks competing on deposit rates?

Abstract

The average interest rate on the deposit stock rose in 2006. Statistics do not, however, clearly indicate that banks have started to compete in terms of deposit rates. Deposit rates are developing much as in the last period of rising market interest rates. In 2006, an increase in market interest rates led, in particular, to rises in the interest rates on non-financial corporations' deposits and on households' fixed-term deposits. In contrast, interest rates on households' most common transactions accounts have not risen.