Bank deposit rate falls by 43bps in March

April 20, 2026 (MLN): The return on bank deposits has decreased by 43 basis points to 4.61% in March 2026 compared to the deposit rate of 5.04% last month, according to the latest official data.

On a yearly basis, the weighted average rate paid for deposits by the banking sector has decreased by 889bps compared to the return of 13.50% last year.

Meanwhile, the lending rate for all scheduled banks stood at 11.45%, up 43bps compared to February. While it fell 94bps compared to the same month of last year.

The real deposit rate, which stood at -2.23% in March 2025, has recovered to -0.21% in March 2026, narrowing the gap significantly over the year.

While deposits still carry a slight negative real return, the sharp compression in losses signals a meaningful step toward restoring purchasing power for savers, who are now seeing far less erosion on their holdings than a year ago.

Similarly, the real lending rate has risen from 5.20% in March 2025 to 6.63% in March 2026, reflecting tighter real borrowing costs across the economy. 

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