Why are high interest rates bad?
Higher interest rates typically slow down the economy since it costs more for consumers and businesses to borrow money. But while higher interest rates can make it more expensive to borrow and could hamper overall economic growth, there are also some benefits.
Loan losses may also increase as both consumers and businesses now face higher borrowing costs—especially if they lose jobs or business revenues. Besides loans, banks also invest in bonds and other debt securities, which lose value when interest rates rise.
When interest rates are high, it's more expensive to borrow money; when interest rates are low, it's less expensive to borrow money. Before you agree to a loan, it's important to make sure you completely understand how the interest rate will affect the total amount you owe.
When interest rates are rising, both businesses and consumers will cut back on spending. This will cause earnings to fall and stock prices to drop. On the other hand, when interest rates have fallen significantly, consumers and businesses will increase spending, causing stock prices to rise.
If you're wondering what happens when interest rates rise, the answer depends on the portion of your finances. Rising interest rates typically make all debt more expensive, while also creating higher income for savers. Stocks, bonds and real estate may also decrease in value with higher rates.
If the Federal Reserve raises the short-term federal funds target rate it controls (as it did in 2022 and 2023), it can have a detrimental effect on stocks. A higher interest rate environment can present challenges for the economy, which may slow business activity.
When the central bank increases interest rates, borrowing becomes more expensive. In this environment, both consumers and businesses might think twice about taking out loans for major purchases or investments. This slows down spending, typically lowering overall demand and hopefully reducing inflation.
Higher interest rates have gotten a bad rap, but over the long term, they may provide more income for savers and help investors allocate capital more efficiently. In a higher-rate environment, equity investors can seek opportunities in value-oriented and defensive sectors as well as international stocks.
When interest rates increase too quickly, it can cause a chain reaction that affects the domestic economy as well as the global economy. It can create a recession in some cases. If this happens, the government can backtrack the increase, but it can take some time for the economy to recover from the dip.
Higher interest rates may help curb soaring prices, but they also increase the cost of borrowing for mortgages, personal loans and credit cards.
What are the disadvantages of interest rates?
Higher interest rates typically slow down the economy since it costs more for consumers and businesses to borrow money. But while higher interest rates can make it more expensive to borrow and could hamper overall economic growth, there are also some benefits.
Inflation allows borrowers to pay lenders back with money worth less than when it was originally borrowed, which benefits borrowers. When inflation causes higher prices, the demand for credit increases, raising interest rates, which benefits lenders.
In short: The Federal Reserve raises interest rates to slow the economy. By making it more costly to borrow and spend, rate hikes discourage borrowing and spending. This lowered demand theoretically slows inflation.
When rates increase, meaning it becomes more expensive to borrow money, consumers react by refraining from making large purchases and pulling back their spending. The idea is that in today's high inflationary environment, this decrease in consumer demand can help bring prices back down to “normal.”
The years 2022 and 2023 bucked the usual trend a bit. High interest rates typically cause the economy to crash, after which interest rates are lowered to stimulate activity again. However, things have played out slightly differently during the COVID-19-induced economic downturn and the following recovery.
Global credit markets follow the movements of Treasury Bonds. And, as interest rates increase, the cost of credit does, too. From bank loans to mortgages, it becomes more expensive to borrow. Hence, an increase in the cost of capital can hinder consumption, manufacturing, and production.
Low interest rates mean more spending money in consumers' pockets. That also means they may be willing to make larger purchases and will borrow more, which spurs demand for household goods. This is an added benefit to financial institutions because banks are able to lend more.
Most economists now believe that low, stable, and—most important—predictable inflation is good for an economy. If inflation is low and predictable, it is easier to capture it in price-adjustment contracts and interest rates, reducing its distortionary impact.
Generally speaking, as the Federal Reserve raises its benchmark interest rate, everything else in the economy that involves interest rates of some kind is affected – and that's most things: credit cards, student loans, home and car loans, banking, savings accounts, the everyday operations of businesses, you name it.
With that said, some investment classes do tend to perform better when interest rates are rising. There is more risk of locking into long-term rates, so shorter-term bonds are often preferable. If rising rates are in response to inflation, you may consider inflation-specific government bonds.
Who makes the most money when interest rates rise?
With profit margins that actually expand as rates climb, entities like banks, insurance companies, brokerage firms, and money managers generally benefit from higher interest rates. Central bank monetary policies and the Fed's reserver ratio requirements also impact banking sector performance.
Inflation is measured by the consumer price index (CPI), and at low rates, it keeps the economy healthy. But when the rate of inflation rises rapidly, it can result in lower purchasing power, higher interest rates, slower economic growth and other negative economic effects.
The benchmark rate of negative 0.1% is meant to encourage banks to lend more and businesses and consumers to borrow more to spur the economy, the world's third-largest.
It's also an optimal confluence of events for banks, as they borrow on a short-term basis and lend on a long-term basis. Note that if interest rates rise too high, it can start to hurt bank profits as demand from borrowers for new loans suffers and refinancings decline.
Your investments can also benefit from lower interest rates. Since lower rates incentivize borrowing, businesses can make investments in equipment, real estate, and other expansions that can help increase stock prices. On the other hand, lower interest rates tend to reduce returns on bonds.
