Wider wholesale funding margins flow into higher TD rates
Widening margins in wholesale funding markets have prompted some deposit-takers to shift their focus to retail deposits and increase their term deposit rates.Comparison site Mozo reports that ING Direct, CUA, Newcastle Permanent, Greater Building Society, Arab Bank Australia and Westpac raised TD rates last month.ING Direct increased its rate on an 11-month deposit by 25 basis points to 3.15 per cent. Mozo said that was the highest rate available for a term of less than 12 months.Newcastle Permanent is offering 3.1 per cent for seven months and Arab Bank is offering the same rate for four months.Westpac moved TD rates up and down last month. It cut its four-month, seven-month and one-year ratesIt increased its three-month rate from two per cent to 2.35 per cent and its six-month rate from two per cent to 2.4 per cent.