This week in banking - The RBA drops the cash rate to 1.00%

By Niko Iliakis · · 4 min read
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In this week’s banking recap, we revisit Tuesday’s RBA rate cut, and take a look at all the moves that have been made in the home loan market since.

The RBA cuts the cash rate to 1.00%, a historic low

At its meeting in Darwin this Tuesday, the Reserve Bank decided to cut official interest rates for the second month in a row, the first time it’s done so since 2012. 

While back to back cuts might signal weakening confidence in the economy, RBA Governor, Philip Lowe maintained an optimistic tone in his official statement.

“Today's decision to lower the cash rate will help make further inroads into the spare capacity in the economy. It will assist with faster progress in reducing unemployment and achieve more assured progress towards the inflation target,” he said.

Big 4 outperformed by smaller lenders

In the few days since, we’ve seen plenty of lenders making reduction to variable home loan rates, but only a handful have opted to pass on the full cut. 

ANZ impressed us by announcing it will be lowering rates by 0.25% - welcome news after last month’s 0.18% cut - while the other three major banks made reductions of between 0.19% and 0.20%.

At the moment, online lenders are still the ones to watch, especially considering some are offering rates below 3% mark. Homestar and Athena, for example, pounced on the chance to pass on the full rate, while loans.com.au followed suit only a few days later.

Who is Australia’s favourite online grocery service?

This week we also crowned Woolworths our Mozo Experts Choice Online Grocery Service of the Year. Our panel of judges considered price, range, ordering experience and delivery, and in all four categories Woolworths came out on top. 

Woolies also performed spectacularly in last month’s Mozo People’s Choice Awards, going to show that it’s not just a hit with the experts, it’s pretty beloved by everyday Australians too.

Big changes in store for the energy market

This month will herald a number of key changes in the energy market. Most notably, AGL has announced it will be taking steps to make its pricing much more transparent, starting by scrapping pay on time discounts, which many have found to be more predatory than useful. 

This month’s rate cut will see home loan rates dropping further, so if you’re looking at your home loan and despairing, now might be a good time to look at what other options are available. Check out some of the options below, or visit our variable rate home loan comparison page for a more in-depth look.

Mozo may receive payment if you click products on our site. We don’t compare the entire market, but you can compare more home loans here.
Last updated 25 December 2024 Important disclosures and comparison rate warning*
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Your loan-to-value ratio (LVR): 50%

Loan amount and LVR will affect interest rates.

  • Promoted

    Unloan Variable

    • Owner Occupier
    • LVR <80%
    Interest rate
    5.99 % p.a.
    Variable
    Comparison rate
    5.90 % p.a.
    Initial monthly repayment
    $2,995
    Go to site

    Built by CommBank, the Unloan is the first home loan with an increasing discount (conditions apply) for borrowers. No application or banking fees. No monthly account keeping or early exit fees. Apply online in minutes.

  • Unloan Variable

    • Owner Occupier
    • LVR <80%
    Interest rate
    5.99 % p.a.
    Variable
    Comparison rate
    5.90 % p.a.
    Initial monthly repayment
    $2,995
    Go to site

    Built by CommBank, the Unloan is the first home loan with an increasing discount (conditions apply) for borrowers. No application or banking fees. No monthly account keeping or early exit fees. Apply online in minutes.

  • Budget Home Loan

    • LVR <80%
    • Owner Occupier
    • Principal & Interest
    Interest rate
    6.04 % p.a.
    Variable
    Comparison rate
    6.07 % p.a.
    Initial monthly repayment
    $3,011
    Go to site

    Enjoy a discounted variable home loan from IMB. Get up to $4,000 cashback (T&Cs apply). Life-of-loan discount off IMB’s standard variable interest rate. Unrestricted additional repayments. Free Internet and Mobile Banking redraws (T&Cs apply). No monthly fees to pay. Up to a 30 year loan term. Split loan available. No offset account.

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* WARNING: This comparison rate applies only to the example or examples given. Different amounts and terms will result in different comparison rates. Costs such as redraw fees or early repayment fees, and cost savings such as fee waivers, are not included in the comparison rate but may influence the cost of the loan. The comparison rate displayed is for a secured loan with monthly principal and interest repayments for $150,000 over 25 years.

** Initial monthly repayment figures are estimates only, based on the advertised rate. You can change the loan amount and term in the input boxes at the top of this table. Rates, fees and charges and therefore the total cost of the loan may vary depending on your loan amount, loan term, and credit history. Actual repayments will depend on your individual circumstances and interest rate changes.

Mozo provides general product information. We don't consider your personal objectives, financial situation or needs and we aren't recommending any specific product to you. You should make your own decision after reading the PDS or offer documentation, or seeking independent advice.

While we pride ourselves on covering a wide range of products, we don't cover every product in the market. If you decide to apply for a product through our website, you will be dealing directly with the provider of that product and not with Mozo.