Are interest rates going up or down?
Short-term or long-term?
What? You don’t know for sure? Well, that’s actually a good sign.
It means you’re thinking because honestly, nobody knows for certain. Yet, we see banks creating these big strategic plans, making assumptions about where rates are headed. But we all know there are so many unknowns: when the next war breaks out, if inflation picks up again, or if some massive spending bill gets passed. Any of these things could completely change the landscape.
So, what’s a bank to do when your board is asking, “What’s your strategic plan for interest rates?” Here’s the thing—take the interest rate risk off the table.
What does that mean? It means you want to do whatever you can to stay flexible. Don’t lock yourself into long-term commitments. Hedge your bets. And whatever you do, don’t fall into the same traps some banks have in the past—banks that are no longer around because they thought they could outsmart the economy. They didn’t understand how unpredictable it can be.
The reality is, we don’t know. We can make educated guesses, and sometimes those gut feelings are right, but no one has the crystal ball.
So what can you do? Start by hedging your bets. If you’re getting premium pricing on loans without locking in long-term, and you’re consistently bringing in low-cost or even no-cost deposits, you’ll be in a much stronger position to weather whatever comes your way.
Stop stressing about where interest rates are going. Nobody knows. Instead, focus on managing your bank in a way that keeps you stable, no matter what happens with rates.
Everything’s going to be alright.
To your continued success,
Roxanne Emmerich
Please watch the video above and share it with your exec team and board.
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