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How Do Low and Negative Interest Rates Affect Banks?

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  • Olivia Lofton
  • Mauricio Ulate

Abstract

Developed countries have recently turned to very low—even negative—interest rates to try to stimulate their economies. Low or negative rates can affect banks in novel ways because they often base their retail rates on the policy rate. In particular, the rate banks pay households for deposits usually remains at zero during times of low or negative policy rates, rather than falling together with the policy rate, as it would during normal times. This can decrease banks’ net interest margins, negatively impacting their profitability, equity, and ability to lend.

Suggested Citation

  • Olivia Lofton & Mauricio Ulate, 2021. "How Do Low and Negative Interest Rates Affect Banks?," FRBSF Economic Letter, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, vol. 2021(23), pages 01-05, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:fip:fedfel:92990
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mauricio Ulate, 2021. "Going Negative at the Zero Lower Bound: The Effects of Negative Nominal Interest Rates," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 111(1), pages 1-40, January.
    2. Christoph Basten & Mike Mariathasan, 2018. "How Banks Respond to Negative Interest Rates: Evidence from the Swiss Exemption Threshold," CESifo Working Paper Series 6901, CESifo.
    3. Basten, Christoph & Mariathasan, Mike, 2023. "Interest rate pass-through and bank risk-taking under negative-rate policies with tiered remuneration of central bank reserves," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
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