Interest rate spread (lending rate minus deposit rate, %) in Australia
Australia: Interest rate spread (lending rate minus deposit rate, %) was 3.5% in 2019. ◆ Volatile
Interest rate spread in Australia, 1981–2019
Source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in lending rate minus deposit rate, %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for interest rate spread in Australia is 3.5%, measured in 2019.
That represents a change of up 8.0% on the previous year and up 20.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, interest rate spread in Australia peaked at 4.2% in 2008 and was at its lowest, -1.9%, in 1989.
That places Australia 93rd out of 141 countries with data for 2019, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Interest rate spread (lending rate minus deposit rate, %) in Australia, year by year
| Year | lending rate minus deposit rate, % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | -1.8% | — |
| 1982 | -1.7% | -3.9% |
| 1983 | -0.4% | -74.8% |
| 1984 | -1.0% | +122.8% |
| 1985 | -1.6% | +65.1% |
| 1986 | -1.2% | -23.6% |
| 1987 | 0.2% | -116.6% |
| 1988 | 0.7% | +258.2% |
| 1989 | -1.9% | -361.5% |
| 1990 | 0.5% | -127.9% |
| 1991 | 2.4% | +348.7% |
| 1992 | 3.5% | +46.3% |
| 1993 | 3.7% | +5.6% |
| 1994 | 3.3% | -8.6% |
| 1995 | 3.4% | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 3.0% | -9.0% |
| 1997 | 2.1% | -30.5% |
| 1998 | 2.3% | +10.8% |
| 1999 | 2.5% | +6.9% |
| 2000 | 2.8% | +12.0% |
| 2001 | 3.1% | +10.5% |
| 2002 | 2.7% | -14.2% |
| 2003 | 3.1% | +16.6% |
| 2004 | 3.2% | +3.1% |
| 2005 | 3.4% | +5.2% |
| 2006 | 3.5% | +5.4% |
| 2007 | 3.7% | +3.3% |
| 2008 | 4.2% | +14.1% |
| 2009 | 2.9% | -29.7% |
| 2010 | 3.1% | +4.2% |
| 2011 | 3.4% | +10.9% |
| 2012 | 3.1% | -10.0% |
| 2013 | 2.9% | -4.2% |
| 2014 | 3.0% | +4.0% |
| 2015 | 3.3% | +7.4% |
| 2016 | 3.3% | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 3.2% | -1.3% |
| 2018 | 3.3% | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 3.5% | +8.0% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 3.5% is above the median for high income countries, which is 3.1%, 1.2× the median. (38 countries reporting)
- Australia's 3.5% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 5.0%, 71% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Interest rate spread (lending rate minus deposit rate, %) in Australia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | -361.5% | 0.7% | -1.9% |
| 1991 | +348.7% | 0.5% | 2.4% |
| 1988 | +258.2% | 0.2% | 0.7% |
| 1984 | -122.8% | -0.4% | -1.0% |
| 1990 | +127.9% | -1.9% | 0.5% |
| 1987 | +116.6% | -1.2% | 0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | -1.0% | -1.9% | 0.7% | 9 |
| 1990s | 2.7% | 0.5% | 3.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.3% | 2.7% | 4.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.2% | 2.9% | 3.5% | 10 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More financial sector data for Australia
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, annual growth rate 11.9 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0013 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per capita 83.74 units per person (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, annual growth rate 6.56 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0009 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per capita 61.14 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, annual growth rate 11.9 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0013 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per capita 83.74 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, SDR, annual growth rate 6.56 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is interest rate spread in Australia?
- Interest rate spread in Australia was 3.5% in 2019, according to International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest interest rate spread recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 4.2% in 2008.
- What is the lowest interest rate spread recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.9% in 1989.
- How does Australia rank for interest rate spread?
- Australia ranks 93rd out of 141 countries with data for 2019.
- Is interest rate spread rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 20.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Interest rate spread (lending rate minus deposit rate, %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Interest rate spread is the interest rate charged by banks on loans to private sector customers minus the interest rate paid by commercial or similar banks for demand, time, or savings deposits. The terms and conditions attached to these rates differ by country, however, limiting their comparability.