The Glorious Simplicity of Making Money on Money
Let’s be honest, banking should be a simple business. You take money in from savers, you lend it out to borrowers at a higher rate, and you pocket the difference. This difference, the net interest margin, is the lifeblood of any bank. For the last decade or so, with interest rates near zero, that margin was squeezed thinner than a budget airline sandwich. It was a tough time to be a traditional lender.
Today, the picture is quite different. With rates at a more historically normal level, banks can finally breathe again. They can offer savers a respectable return while charging borrowers a rate that actually generates a healthy profit. It’s not rocket science, it’s just sound economics. The Fed’s refusal to bow to pressure and cut rates prematurely means this profitable environment could stick around for a while longer. This allows well run financial institutions to do what they do best, which is, quite simply, make money on money.