SBI Cuts Fixed Deposit Rates by 0.25 Percent


New Delhi: Ahead of RBI's mid-quarter review of the monetary policy later this month, country's largest lender State Bank of India (SBI) on Thursday slashed fixed deposit rates by 0.25 percent across select maturities. The bank has decided to revise its retail term deposit interest rates with a reduction by 0.25 percent in tenors up to 240 days, SBI said in a statement. The new rates would be effective from Friday. RBI is scheduled to announce mid-quarter review of monetary policy on June 18. It is expected that the central bank may cut policy rate by by 0.25 percent to spur growth. Even RBI deputy Governor Subir Gokarn had said that there is a room to ease policy stance in the light of moderating growth and falling crude oil prices. With the revision, the interest rate on 7-179 days fixed deposit would come down to 7 percent from the existing 7.25 percent. Even for 180 days term deposit, the interest rate would be 7 percent, down 0.25 percent. The base rate or minimum lending rate of SBI stands at 10 percent. Base rate is the benchmark rate below which a bank cannot lend. The bank last revised its fixed deposit rates in April. It slashed interest rates on fixed deposits by up to 1 percent across various maturities. The decision had come following the RBI's decision to cut key interest rate by 0.5 percent to 8 percent in its annual credit policy during April.
Source: PTI