Private lending major HDFC Bank has increased its Marginal Cost of Funds-based Lending Rate (MCLR) for the overnight tenure by 5 bps from 9.15 per cent to 9.20 per cent. This is effective from February 7, 2025, according to the bank’s website.
Rates for all other tenures are unchanged. Overall, HDFC Bank’s MCLR is from 9.20 per cent for overnight and one month tenures, to 9.45 per cent for three year tenures.
RBI MPC Cuts Repo Rate
Notably, HDFC Bank’s MCLR rate hike for the overnight tenure has been hiked despite the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) cutting repo rates by 25 bps to 6.25 per cent from 6.50 per cent. The repo rate cut — the central bank’s first in five years, was announced by new RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra on February 7, 2025.
What is MCLR?
The marginal cost of funds-based lending rate, implemented to make lending rates more dynamic and representative of the state of the economy, is the lowest interest rate at which banks are permitted to charge on loans. The base for MCLR calculations consists of operating costs, the bank’s incremental cost of funds, and a tenor premium, which offsets the risks of long-term loans.
