Sunday, November 11, 2007

Commonwealth Bank to pass on rate rise to mortgage and credit card holders with mortgage rate rises expected with US subprime concerns

The Commonwealth Bank becomes the second major bank to pass on Tuesday's increase in official interest rates by the Reserve Bank.
The National Australia Bank (NAB) was the first to pass on the increase.
And NAB chief executive officer John Stewart earlier said there could be more rate rises to come.
"Could there be more rate rises? Well that's clearly a matter for the Reserve Bank - they make that decision," he said.
"It would not surprise me. I think our chief economist is predicting another rate rise early next year."
Meanwhile, Prime Minister John Howard has reiterated his comments that the subprime mortgage problems in the US do not justify the banks hiking their lending rates.
"Well we don't think that there is a case for banks putting up their interest rates beyond official increases unless there is demonstrable evidence that the cost of their funds has risen, particularly when the bank is making a very big profit," he said.
Source: ABC