CD rate forecast: 2024 The Fed kept its rate the same after its first meeting of 2024 on Jan. 30-31. Projections suggest that we may see no rate increases in 2024, and that the Fed might start dropping its rate as soon as March, according to the CME FedWatch Tool on Jan. 31.
The takeaway
If you're looking for a safe place to store your savings—and earn a competitive rate so your money can grow faster—it's hard to beat a CD. Interest rates are the highest in about a decade and will likely stay elevated through 2024.
He predicts that CD yields will trend lower as 2024 unfolds, with the best yields at the beginning of the year. “The Federal Reserve transitioning from hiking rates in 2022 and 2023 to cutting rates at some point in 2024 will be the biggest catalyst for movement in CD yields,” says McBride.
The national average rate for one-year CD rates started out at 1.07 percent in 2023, and it rose to 1.73 percent by the end of the year. At the start of 2023, the national average rate paid by five-year CDs was 1.16 percent, and it climbed to 1.43 percent by year's end.
Why it's probably time to buy a CD. It's unlikely that CD rates will continue to climb any higher. Now, you can lock in high rates on both short-term and long-term CDs. Waiting to open a CD could mean missing out on some stellar rates.
You can get 6% on a CD by becoming a member of a credit union offering a certificate with this rate.
CD rate forecast: 2024
The Fed kept its rate the same after its first meeting of 2024 on Jan. 30-31. Projections suggest that we may see no rate increases in 2024, and that the Fed might start dropping its rate as soon as March, according to the CME FedWatch Tool on Jan. 31.
There aren't any traditional banks offering a 7% interest savings account in the U.S., but you will find some credit unions that offer checking accounts and certificates with rates near or above 7.00% APY. It's important to note that savings account rates are variable and can change at any time.
Projected Interest Rates in the Next Five Years
ING's interest rate predictions indicate 2024 rates starting at 4%, with subsequent cuts to 3.75% in the second quarter, 3.5% in the third, and 3.25% in the final quarter of 2024. In 2025, ING predicts a further decline to 3%.
The Fed's forecast projects a median federal funds rate of 3.6% in September 2025 — a full percentage point lower than the forecast for September 2024.
The Fed's latest economic projections suggest three rate cuts are in store for 2024. However, Fed Chair Jerome Powell stated at a post-meeting press conference that officials will only begin implementing cuts once they're confident that “inflation is on a sustainable path down toward 2%.”
In today's financial climate, where uncertainty looms and market conditions can change rapidly, putting $5,000 in a 6-month CD is a smart move for many investors. The higher interest rates, liquidity, low risk, diversification benefits and predictable returns make it a compelling option.
Mortgage rate predictions 2024
The MBA's forecast suggests that 30-year mortgage rates will fall into the 6.1% to 6.9% range in 2024, and NAR's forecast is very similar, predicting that rates will remain in the 6.1% to 6.8% range.
Jumbo CDs work the same way as regular CDs but with larger minimum deposit amounts. Jumbo CDs are often purchased by institutional investors with large sums of money to manage and need to put money into safe investments like CDs to protect their investors against risks.
However, federally insured banks and credit unions only insure up to $250,000 per depositor per account ownership category. If you put more than this amount in a single CD, some of your money will be at risk. You can still safely invest more than $250,000 in CDs by opening accounts at multiple financial institutions.
According to the Federal Reserve, the highest CD rate was for a three-month CD term in December 1980, which reached an average of 18.65%.
But sometimes breaking this rule pays off. Getting a CD when rates are low and breaking it when rates are high might be an opportunity to benefit from a higher-rate CD and earn you more than you would gain otherwise. A savings account is a place where you can store money securely while earning interest.
Among scheduled private sector banks, DCB Bank and RBL Bank offer the best FD interest rates of up to 8.00% p.a. Among scheduled public sector banks, the highest FD rate is offered by the Punjab & Sind Bank of up to 7.40% p.a. for a tenure of 444 days.
Savers can now earn 9pc in savings interest, after the only savings account to beat inflation launched – but there's a catch. Saffron Building Society has launched an account with a market-leading 9pc interest rate, making it the only rate able to outpace the current 8.7pc rate of inflation.
If you want to lock in generous rates on your cash savings for the next year or so, now may be the time to do it. Yields on federally insured certificates of deposit are the highest they've been in years.
Locking in a longer-term CD now could help you preserve purchasing power if rates were to drop in the future. But depending on your risk tolerance and time horizon, there are other types of investments that might align better with your financial goals.
The prospect of banks lowering CD rates in 2024 means you're probably better off investing in long-term CDs to lock in today's higher rates — especially at banks that offer competitive APYs.