Banks Expand Home Loan Spreads to Protect Margins
MUMBAI: Banks are raising their spreads above home loan rates to safeguard their margins. SBI and Union Bank of India have increased their mortgage spreads as reference rates decrease. With the repo rate already reduced by 100 basis points this year, further cuts could be on the horizon. Unlike previously, when lower rates primarily benefited new borrowers while existing ones paid higher, the current environment sees new borrowers facing increased costs, despite banks being required by RBI regulations to pass on rate cuts to existing customers. This discrepancy arises from persistent funding costs. Reducing deposit rates remains challenging, particularly for…