Recently, a number of small and medium-sized banks in Henan, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangdong and other places have issued intensive announcements, announcing that the interest rate of time deposits will be lowered, and the adjustment categories will cover short-term, medium and long-term time deposits.

对于此次中小银行下调存款利率的背景，多位业内人士分析，This is a continuation of last year's cut in commercial bank deposit rates 。从2023年末至今，银行业正在经历新一轮的存款利率下调，这一轮“降息潮”涉及国有大行、股份制银行以及众多中小银行，并表现出“梯次”调降的特征，即国有大行率先出手，中小银行梯次跟进，不过中小银行调降的幅度往往要大于国有大行。从以往情况来看，“梯次”调降存款利率的做法也是国内银行业降息的惯例操作。 This reduction method can avoid sharp fluctuations in the market due to interest rate adjustments in a short period of time, give the market sufficient adaptation and response time, and ensure the smooth operation of the market to the greatest extent possible.

"Small and medium-sized banks lowered deposit interest rates not only to stabilize net interest margins, but also to follow up on the previous reduction of deposit interest rates by large state-owned banks and joint-stock banks." 中国邮政储蓄银行研究员娄飞鹏表示，目前商业银行净息差处于低位，并且仍然有下行压力。存款是商业银行重要的负债来源，存款利息支出是重要的利息支出，银行需要通过降低存款利率，也就是降低付息成本支出来稳定净息差，提高金融服务的可持续性。

Dong Ximiao, chief researcher of China Recruitment Alliance and part-time researcher at the Institute of Finance of Fudan University, combined with the bank's annual report and analyzed from a macro level that as of the end of 2023, the net interest margin of Chinese commercial banks has dropped to 1.69%. Judging from the recent annual reports of listed banks, the net interest margins of listed banks have generally declined, and the net interest margins of six large commercial banks have dropped by 16 basis points to 31 basis points. The main reason for the decline in net interest margin is that banks have increased their efforts to reduce fees and transfer profits to the real economy, and the loan market quoted interest rate (LPR) has dropped many times. Although deposit interest rates have dropped many times, the decline is lower than the decline in loan interest rates, so interest margins have dropped. This year, while promoting a stable and declining comprehensive social financing costs, banks 'net interest margins may fall. In this case, lowering deposit interest rates and reducing debt costs has become a common choice for commercial banks. However, due to factors such as market competition, customer positioning, and debt structure, different banks adjust deposit interest rates at different paces and ranges.

对于存款利率下调会对中小银行运行带来哪些影响？娄飞鹏表示，中小银行在吸收存款方面缺少明显的优势， The direct impact of the cut in deposit interest rates is the weakening of the advantages of small and medium-sized banks in absorbing deposits through high interest rates, but it will help reduce the deposit interest expenses of small and medium-sized banks, stabilize net interest margins, and then stabilize income and profits, and better serve economic development.

对广大储户而言，银行降低存款利率也是备受关注的话题。“降息”会带来哪些影响？“就存款利率下调而言，首先影响的是活期存款利率和新增定期存款利率。因此，储户原有的定期存款利率在到期前不受存款利率下调影响。”娄飞鹏表示。 As deposit rates of small and medium-sized banks decline, investors must also balance the relationship between risks and returns and implement diversified and comprehensive asset allocation strategies. 董希淼建议，在各类资管产品收益率以及存款利率持续下降的情况下，Investors should adjust their investment mentality as soon as possible and lower their expectations for investment returns. 如果希望获得较高收益，那么应承担更高的风险；如果不希望承担较高的风险，那么应该接受较低的收益。投资者如果追求稳健收益，可以在存款之外，适当配置现金管理类理财产品、货币基金以及储蓄国债等产品。

Industry insiders believe that banks should continue to increase their support for the real economy, especially small and micro enterprises, especially to optimize the allocation of financial resources, tap new growth points, and increase net interest income by supplementing prices with quantity. Financial management departments should also increase their support for banks, further reduce the cost of banks 'funds by adjusting policy interest rates and increasing liquidity support, and enhance the initiative of banks to serve the real economy and the sustainability of steady development.