Savers warned to prepare for another cut in interest rates (2024)

FAQs

Will savings rates drop in 2024? ›

A 0.75% drop in rates in 2024

"It is forecasted that this would cause a correlating reduction in savings rates up to 0.25% after each cut," he adds. So if a high-yield savings account currently has a 5% APY, he says, that could mean savings rates would fall to 4.25% after the three expected Fed rate cuts in 2024.

Generally, when interest rates are high, people will spend less and save more, as the cost of borrowing money to buy items such as houses and cars increases, whereas the return on savings deposits is higher.

After its December 2023 meeting, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) predicted making three quarter-point cuts by the end of 2024 to lower the federal funds rate to 4.6%. Inflation has started to recede, but the committee has signaled it wants to see more positive data before pulling the trigger.

The Fed typically cuts only when the economy appears to be weakening and needs help. Lower interest rates would reduce borrowing costs for homes, cars and other major purchases and probably fuel higher stock prices, all of which could help accelerate growth.

You can find 6% CD rates at a few financial institutions, but chances are those rates are only available on CDs with maturities of 12 months or less. Financial institutions offer high rates to compete for business, but they don't want to pay customers ultra-high rates over many years.

As of April 2024, no banks are offering 7% interest rates on savings accounts. Two credit unions have high-interest checking accounts: Landmark Credit Union Premium Checking with 7.50% APY and OnPath Credit Union High Yield Checking with 7.00% APY.

By comparison, interest rates for some high-yield savings accounts exceed 5.00%. Vanessa Potter, assistant vice president and branch manager at Addition Financial Credit Union, pegs the best interest rate for a savings account at 4.00% or more.

How much interest will I earn on £50,000? With £50,000 in Monument Bank's easy access account paying 5.01%, you could earn £2,505.00 over a year, or £208.75 per month.

It's possible that rates will one day go back down to 3%, though if current trends hold that's not likely to happen anytime soon.

How low will interest rates drop in 2024? ›

Mortgage rates are expected to decline later this year as the U.S. economy weakens, inflation slows and the Federal Reserve cuts interest rates. The 30-year fixed mortgage rate is expected to fall to the mid- to low-6% range through the end of 2024, potentially dipping into high-5% territory by early 2025.

Key takeaways. The Federal Reserve is likely to cut interest rates at least once in 2024, with the largest share of officials expecting three cuts.

As interest rates fall, gold becomes more appealing compared with fixed income assets such as bonds, which would yield weaker returns in a low interest rate environment.

Do Interest Rates Rise or Fall in a Recession? Interest rates usually fall during a recession. Historically, the economy typically grows until interest rates are hiked to cool down price inflation and the soaring cost of living. Often, this results in a recession and a return to low interest rates to stimulate growth.

“We forecast mortgage rates to stay above 6.5% through this quarter and next.” Fannie Mae Housing Forecast. The 30-year mortgage rate will end 2024 at 6.4%, up from 5.9% in the previous forecast. The average mortgage rate will remain at 6.7% in Q2.

Inflation and Fed hikes have pushed mortgage rates up to a 20-year high. 30-year mortgage rates are currently expected to fall to somewhere between 6.1% and 6.4% in 2024. Instead of waiting for rates to drop, homebuyers should consider buying now and refinancing later to avoid increased competition next year.

Many experts predict interest rates will remain at their current level for most of 2024. This may mean that mortgage rates stay at or about the same level as now for many months before possibly starting to fall towards the end of 2024.

APYs as of April 24, 2024. Based on the banks we track at CNET. *Weekly percentage increase/decrease from April 15, 2024, to April 22, 2024. The average APY for the top high-yield savings accounts we track at CNET is 4.88% -- with some accounts offering as high as 5.55%.