Deposit Times Are Changing

04/22/2024 07:27 pm

By Ray Birch

LAKE FOREST, Ill.— While the U.S. money supply in recent years has appeared to be stable, one economist says that’s not the case, adding that money supply components have been moving as wildly as a theme park ride and affecting deposits at FIs across the country.

“What’s the story?” asked Michael Moebs, economist and chair of Moebs $ervices, whose new study takes a detailed look at money supply components. “Insured transactions have fallen but are at an all-time high since 1914. Insured savings are making a big comeback. And uninsured deposits are soaring with insured deposits. Total money supply is far from stable. It is like a Disney amusement park ride with people looking suspiciously calm after a wild ride where each screamed and yelled as limbs and bodies were thrown around.”

Moebs said Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s “new definition of money,” announced in the second quarter of 2020, has finally been implemented by financial institutions of all sizes.

“FIs all over are marketing and selling as dollars and accounts are moving to the best deals and highest rates,” he said.

What Happened in 2023

Moebs detailed what happened with money supply in 2023:

• Regular DDA (no interest) accounts fell slightly, by (1.7%) or about $90 billion, yet are still at their highest levels since 1914 when the Fed starting tracking money
• Interest paying DDA levels fell (11.5%), the lowest since COVID started in U.S in. January 2020
• Savings levels dropped dramaticaly (13.9% or $1.5 trillion), and are at their lowest level since COVID started. “In March 2020, when Powell eliminated reserve requirements and monthly transaction restrictions moving savings to M1, the bell started tolling for savings,” Moebs said. “The saver is moving money to DDA since saving rates are less than an average of 25 BPS. Plus, DDA is where stimulus funds came into play and have left about $1 trillion”
• M2 was left with term-money CDs and retirement accounts (IRAs and Keoghs)

Michael Moebs

Additional Changes—And a First

Moebs highlighted the major money supply changes that ocurred last year:

• Retail CDs had a huge resurgence “after almost dying” during COVID. Retail CDs increased 282% in 2023 and now are over $1 trillion
• Jumbo CDs surged 46.7% to more than $800 billion

“For the first time since starting in 1962, retirement accounts at depositories dropped (19.3%),” Moebs said. “Why the dramatic shift in money? The answer is rates. Wall Street rates are being offered for all CDs and staying low for IRAs and Keoghs. M3 is money market mutual funds. Rates for MMMFs soared and funds poured in. Dollars mainly came from depositories. The most sensitive was depository retirement deposits.”

Effect on Money Stock

Moebs reiterated that pricing is influencing money stock.

“Gathering funds has gone beyond deposit insurance caps of $250,000. Risk is fundamental to price. Depositories need to adhere to analytical systems such as debit scoring and forego judgemental approaches,” Moebs said. “CDs are returning. Savings are falling. DDA is high. MMMFs on Wall Street are soaring. The signals call for new and different methods for managing deposit portfolios. Info is vital.  Measuring and pricing is essential. Deposit times are changing.”