Global interest rate spread 2004-2019

The interest rate spread describes the difference between the amount of interest a bank receives on the money it lends out and the amount it gives to depositors for leaving their funds with the bank. This spread is at the core of how banks are able to make profits, as they tend to lend at a higher rate than at which they pay for deposits. As global interest rates declined in the early 2000s, so too did the interest rate spread, reflecting the inability of banks to go below the zero lower bound on deposit rates and increased competition among banks to attract customers.