Major bank lifts fixed interest rates

Commonwealth Bank has announced that, effective immediately, fixed rates on interest-only loans for owner-occupiers will rise by 25 basis points.

Fixed rates for owner-occupier customers making principal and interest repayments have not changed.

For investors, interest-only loans will rise by between 25 and 50 basis points (depending on term) while investor principal and interest mortgages will rise by 25 basis points.

The bank said: "Commonwealth Bank is increasing home loan fixed interest rates for investment home loans and interest-only customers to ensure we continue to meet our regulatory requirements.

"Home loan customers who already have a fixed rate loan are unaffected by these changes. We continue to offer competitive rates across our products, including the equal lowest owner-occupier standard variable rate among the major banks. 

"We encourage home buyers to speak with one of our home loan specialists so we can provide them with a solution that is best for their circumstances." 

The moves come following new speed limits from APRA and industry surveillance by ASIC into whether lenders and mortgage brokers are “inappropriately recommending more expensive interest-only loans”.

New rates can be found below: 

Fixed Rate Interest-Only Owner-Occupier Home Loans
Product	Change (p.a)	New rate (p.a)
1 year fixed rate	0.25%	4.64%
2 year fixed rate	0.25%	4.24%
3 year fixed rate	0.25%	4.34%
4 year fixed rate	0.25%	4.64%
5 year fixed rate	0.25%	4.84%
Fixed Rate Principal and Interest Investment Home Loans
Product	Change (p.a)	New rate (p.a)
2 year fixed rate	0.25%	4.44%
3 year fixed rate	0.25%	4.54%
4 year fixed rate	0.25%	4.84%
5 year fixed rate	0.25%	5.04%
Fixed Rate Interest-Only Investment Home Loans
Product	Change (p.a)	New rate (p.a)
1 year fixed rate	0.25%	4.84%
2 year fixed rate	0.50%	4.69%
3 year fixed rate	0.50%	4.79%
4 year fixed rate	0.50%	5.09%
5 year fixed rate	0.50%	5.29%

[Related: Interest-only mortgage glut sparks default risk]