BNZ joins other major banks in cutting rates

12:49 pm on 3 March 2011

All major banks have now cut their fixed mortgage rates following the Christchurch earthquake.

BNZ cut its rates on Thursday, the last of the major banks to do so.

The bank's one-year fixed rate was reduced by 0.1% and the two-year rate by 0.15%. Three-year and four-year rates were cut by less, while the floating rate remained unchanged.

The ASB, Westpac, ANZ and National, as well as second tier lenders TSB and Kiwibank, had already cut fixed mortgage rates.

The cuts follow a fall in the cost of borrowing for banks on local money markets since the quake.

Money market rates have fallen on expectations the Reserve Bank will cut the cash rate next week in response to the quake.