Orderly rate rise this month

Mutterings by big bank CEOs over recent weeks on the likelihood of further widening margins on home loans came to nothing yesterday, as the sector's leading lenders lined up behind NAB (which once again pre-announced its pricing plans) and CBA (which announced promptly) and added 25 basis points to their standard home loan rates, in line with the increase in the cash rate planned by the Reserve Bank of Australia.

Westpac's CEO, Gail Kelly, and board chair, Ted Evans, two weeks ago appeared to be attempting to set the scene for a wider increase. ANZ's CEO, Mike Smith, followed up in comments reported in The Australian on Saturday on the need "to react to the market in a commercially sensible way."

Instead, all four opted for a rise of 25 basis points and all announced on the afternoon of the RBA's own announcement, which is a little faster than recent practice.

The rate cuts on home loans by AMP and Credit Union Australia, also announced a couple of weeks ago, may have some influence on the pricing options of the sector leaders.

So, too, may be the argument advanced by Reserve Bank officials on the evidence on the actual widening in interest margins achieved by banks (though banks continue to argue that funding costs will increase).

ANZ, CBA and Westpac said they would increase some deposit interest rates by up to 25 bps, and this is the segment where most of the focus on interest rate pricing may be.

NAB recently refreshed its "rate guarantee" for its UBank brand last month, under which the bank undertakes to match the promotional and introductory interest rates of four rival banks across seven deposit products.