RBA announcement: Cash rate dropped to record low 2%

By Mozo · · 3 min read
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It’s good news for homeowners this May with the Reserve Bank of Australia cutting the official cash rate from 2.25% to a record low 2% at today’s board meeting.

In the lead up to the May announcement economists were torn on whether the RBA would drop rates or leave the cash rate steady as several factors needed to be considered, such as rising inflation, the booming property market, strengthening employment and the Australian dollar increase.

Governor Glenn Stevens explained in a statement that in Australia, "the available information suggests improved trends in household demand over the past six months and stronger growth in employment. Looking ahead, the key drag on private demand is likely to be weakness in business capital expenditure in both the mining and non-mining sectors over the coming year."

"Growth in lending to the housing market has been steady over recent months. Dwelling prices continue to rise strongly in Sydney, though trends have been more varied in a number of other cities."

Home loans - to fix or not to fix?

With the cash rate sitting at record lows you may be wondering if now is a good time to lock in a competitive fixed rate. Well, we can report that over recent weeks there has been some great movement in the fixed rate arena.

For instance, HSBC recently slashed its fixed rates, bringing its 1 and 2 year rates down to just 4.29%, its 3 year to 4.39% and reserved its biggest fixed rate drop for its 3 year term that was slashed by 53 basis points to just 3.95% (now the best fixed rate for a 3 year term).

Another lender who has also reduced its fixed rates is CUA, bringing the standard 1 year term rate down to 4.29% and the 2 year fixed rate to a low 4.39%.

Mozo’s database showed the leader in the fixed rate world for a 1 year term was Homestar at 3.85%, Newcastle Permanent at 3.89% for 2 years, HSBC at 3.95% for 3 years (mentioned above), Homestar once again at 4.25% for 4 years and Newcastle Permanent at 4.29% for 5 years.

Homestar also took out the top spot, alongside loans.com.au for the lowest variable rate available, offering an enticing 4.23% (conditions apply) and if you have an LVR of less than 50%, Mortgage House will offer you a market low 4.19%.

Want to discover more great rate mortgage offerings? Head on over to our bustling home loan hub here.

And see if your lender has passed on the full rate cut in the table below:

Savings accounts worthy of your cash stash

As the official cash rate remains at record lows so do savings account rates, making it tough for Aussie savers to reap returns on their coin. We’ve recently seen a number of providers reduce their savings rates, including the big four NAB, Westpac, CommBank and ANZ, as well as the market leading savings account providers RAMS and UBank.

While RAMS dropped the ongoing bonus rate on its Saver account from 3.91% to 3.80%, it is still the best ongoing deal available in the savings account market right now.

ME Bank offers the best intro at 3.85% for the first 4 months when you have a linked ME Bank Everyday Transaction Account but keep in mind after the introductory period it reverts to the much lower 2.50% standard rate. And if you’re a no strings attached kind of saver, check out Rural Bank ONE’s Saver, which is the most competitive at 3.00%.

Looking for a savings account worthy of your cash stash? Start your search in Mozo’s savings account hub here.

Read last month's Reserve Bank interest rates update.

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 24 November 2024 Important disclosures and comparison rate warning*

Home loan comparisons on Mozo

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  • 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.

  • Fixed Home Loan

    • Owner Occupier
    • Principal & Interest
    • LVR <95%
    Interest rate
    5.69 % p.a.
    Fixed 3 years
    Comparison rate
    6.28 % p.a.
    Initial monthly repayment
    $2,899
    Go to site

    Get the security of a competitive fixed rate home loan for 2 years with IMB. Get up to $4,000 cashback (T&Cs apply). Up to 12 months repayments in advance without penalties. Free Internet and Mobile Banking redraws (T&Cs apply). Up to a 30 year loan term. Split loan available. No offset account.

  • Fixed Rate

    • Owner Occupier
    • Principal & Interest
    • <80% LVR
    Interest rate
    5.74 % p.a.
    Fixed 3 years
    Comparison rate
    6.81 % p.a.
    Initial monthly repayment
    $2,915

    Enjoy up to $3000 cashback for eligible first home buyers and $2000 cashback for refinancers on eligible home loans with the ANZ Fixed Rate Home Loan. Get the security of repayment certainty with a competitive locked in rate. No ongoing fees to pay. Offset account on 1-year fixed loans ($10/month fee applies). Interest-only payments allowed.

  • 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.

  • Mortgage Simplifier

    • LVR<80%
    • Owner Occupier
    • Principal & Interest
    Interest rate
    6.14 % p.a.
    Variable
    Comparison rate
    6.17 % p.a.
    Initial monthly repayment
    $3,043

    Get a competitive variable rate with ING’s Mortgage Simplifier. Free extra repayments, no monthly or annual fees. Freedom to make free extra repayments or redraws.

  • Elevate

    • Owner Occupier
    • Principal & Interest
    • <80% LVR
    Interest rate
    6.18 % p.a.
    Variable
    Comparison rate
    6.18 % p.a.
    Initial monthly repayment
    $3,056

    Get competitive rates on loan terms of 5 to 30 years with the Aussie Elevate Home Loan. Structure your loan with up to five splits. Make additional repayments (T&Cs apply). Offset accounts available. Unlimited redraw using your online banking account. Choose from weekly, fortnightly or monthly payments For loan amounts from $10,000 to $5 million.

Showing 6 of 430 home loans. Use the filters to see more
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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.