Finance & economics | The joy of competition

American banks now offer customers a better deal

How much higher will interest payments go?

 Traffic lights on Wall Street, New York, USA
Image: Alamy

When the Federal Reserve began to raise interest rates more than a year ago, American banks enjoyed a nice little boost. They increased the interest they charged on loans, while keeping the rates they offered on deposits steady. In other countries this move attracted public opprobrium and politicians floated measures to ensure that customers were not swindled. Americans were happy to rely on a more American solution: competition.

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This article appeared in the Finance & economics section of the print edition under the headline “The joy of competition”

From the November 4th 2023 edition

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