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What Is A Prime Interest Rate |
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![]() What is a Prime Interest Rate?
All of us would have come across the term interest rate but this term sounds somewhat unfamiliar. Prime interest rate or prime rate or prime lending rate is nothing but a term which is used in many countries to indicate the rate of interest that is charged by banks. This means that this rate is no different from the term interest rate which is used normally. The origin of this word had many sources and it had a lot of meanings. Back then, it meant the rate of interest that the bank charged for its privileged or favored customers, customers who had high credibility. Nowadays however, the term is no longer used in that sense at least in most cases. It simple means the rate of interest the bank charges for the money it has lent. In some cases where the use of variable interest comes into the picture, the rate of interest then is expressed in terms of a percentage of this rate. That is, the interest rate could be either above or below the existing rate. This particular financial parameter differed from one country to another. For example, in the United States of America, the current status of the parameter is 3.25%, whereas in Canada, the value of the current rate is 2.25%. This rate can keep changing and it also changes from bank to bank. As already mentioned, prime rate is the rate of interest that the bank charges its most favored or credible customers. Customers who have a very good financial background or those customers have a very good history of paying back their money on time are charged this particular rate of interest on their loans. However, this financial parameter does not remain the same and keeps changing according to the federal fund rates which have been issued by the Federal Reserve Bank. The most principal financial parameter for interest rates is set in such a manner that it is always 3% above the fed fund rate. It is this margin between the two rates of interest which helps the bank make profit and at the same time give the best deals to its valued customers. As already mentioned, the prime interest rate is used to calculate the rate of interest for loans with variable interest. It can be used to determine the adjustable rate mortgage or ARM as it is otherwise called. It can also be used as a base to set the interest rates for house loans, auto loans, business loans, etc. and the rate of interest for such loans is always greater than that of the prime interest rate as the exclusive rate of interest is only for the bank’s most valued customers and not for anyone else. So if you happen to have a sound financial backing and a very good and clean history at paying back your loan, then you might be able to enjoy this financial benefit your bank has to offer its prestigious customers! |
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