CBA raises mortgage rates

The Commonwealth Bank has announced an increase in its variable home loan rates by 15 basis points.

The news comes just a week after Westpac announced its home loan variable rates will increase by 0.20 percentage points to 5.68 per cent on November 20, when residential investment property loan rates will go up by the same amount to 5.95 per cent.

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Matt Comyn, group executive for Retail Banking Services said: “The Commonwealth Bank is supportive of an Australian financial system that is strong, stable and competitive.

"We recently raised $5.1 billion to strengthen our capital position in line with new regulatory requirements implemented in response to the Financial System Inquiry.

"We have now reviewed our home loan pricing in light of these changes.

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“As Australia’s largest home lender, we are committed to delivering competitive products and services to our customers, while maintaining an unquestionably strong capital position.

“Any decision to change interest rates is carefully considered.

"The cost of the new capital required to make the Australian banking system more secure needs to balance the interests of our customers, as well as the nearly 800,000 households who are direct shareholders and the millions more who are invested through their superannuation funds," added Comyn.

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For Standard Variable Rate home loan customers (Owner Occupied) interest rates will increase to 5.60% per annum.

For Investment Home Loan Standard Variable Rate customers (Investor) interest rates will rise to 5.87% per annum. The new rates will be effective from 20 November 2015.