Is banks’ deposits race the first sign of Hong Kong’s property bubble bursting?
Analysts suggest zero rates for smaller depositors could soon become a thing of the past and overall lending amounts could rise in June for the first time in 12 years
Many of Hong Kong’s largest banks have been in a race to promote fixed-time deposit schemes, themed around Mother’s Day with offers of higher interest rates to attract more savings – a clear sign that lenders are scrapping over new customers as more capital continues to flow out of the city.
While most small depositors still earn zero interest on savings accounts, banks are now offering larger depositors higher rates.
HSBC, Bank of China Hong Kong (BOC HK), Citi and many others have started offering rates as high as 2.7 per cent to lure deposits.
Some analysts now believe zero rates for smaller depositors could soon become a thing of the past, at least for the foreseeable future, and overall lending amounts could rise in June for the first time in 12 years.
The banks’ rates are intricately linked to Hong Kong’s property industry, where average home prices have continued rising non-stop every month for two years, making the city the world’s most expensive urban city to live in. Any rise in interest rates could spillover into mortgage payments, taking the wind out of the property market, analysts said.