Is 2024 the year to fix your savings? What sorts of rates are available

After seeing a meteoric climb in interest rates, the RBA ended last year with a Christmas rate hold. Now many economists predict that the official rate is likely to come down in the second half of 2024.

One way savvy savers can make the best of this situation is by fixing their rates with a term deposit. These accounts allow customers to get the advertised interest rate for a set period (anywhere from 3 months up to five years).

But first, let’s check some other economic factors

• Global trends: The global economy has a significant impact on interest rates. Goldman Sachs predicts that the US Federal Reserve will cut interest rates starting in March, which would affect the Reserve Bank of Australia’s (RBA) own decision regarding rates.
• Inflation: Inflation erodes the real value of saved money. Generally, the consumer price index (CPI) is used as an indicator of inflation. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reported that CPI for the 12 months to 30 November 2023 was 4.3%. This is close to half the reported 8.4% for the 12 months to 31 December 2022. 
• Central Bank Policies: The RBA sets the cash rate, influencing the rates banks offer to savers. Any changes in these policies directly impact savings and term deposit rates.

Altogether, central bank policies and a resilient global economy mean that the likelihood of rate cuts later in the year is more likely than before. 

Term deposit rates by category

So term deposits could be a good option for savers looking to maintain higher rates. However, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. For instance, term deposits will usually come with a minimum deposit requirement (e.g. $1000 or $5000) as well as a maximum. 

Some restrictions can also affect the rate that you get. An example of this would be a choice of interest paid monthly, annually, or at maturity. Providers tend to lower the interest rate for anything lower than maturity to offset compound interest.

So with these factors in mind, these are some of the highest rates on the Mozo database for each term:

*correct as of 18 January 2024

Also bear in mind that, even though these rates are fixed when you make your deposit, they can change before then. 

Want to check out more providers? Then check out our term deposit comparison page or have a look at some of the providers in the list below…