Commercial banks in Nepal have announced their interest rates for the month of Poush, with notable changes from some institutions. Out of the total, 14 banks have kept their rates unchanged from the previous month of Mangsir, while three banks have raised their rates and another three have lowered them.
NMB Bank, Prime Commercial Bank, and Agricultural Development Bank have increased their interest rates. NMB Bank made the most significant adjustment, raising its rate by 1.03 percentage points to 6.6 percent. Prime Commercial Bank increased its rate by 0.5 percentage points to 6.25 percent, and Agricultural Development Bank raised its rate slightly by 0.033 percentage points to 5.53 percent.
In contrast, Nepal Bank, Sanima Bank, and NIC Asia Bank have reduced their rates. Nepal Bank lowered its rate by 0.35 percentage points to 5.56 percent, NIC Asia Bank cut its rate by 0.19 percentage points to 6.6 percent, and Sanima Bank reduced its rate by 0.1 percentage points to 6.05 percent.
The remaining banks, including Laxmi Sunrise Bank, Citizens Bank, Global IME Bank, and Nabil Bank, have maintained their interest rates from the previous month. This reflects a mix of strategies across the banking sector, with some banks focusing on attracting more deposits through increased rates, while others appear to be prioritizing cost control by reducing rates.