The channels report that MMI in February ended its 8 consecutive declines at 3.54%. It is anticipated that new mortgage interest rates will remain unchanged at 3.5% in the first half of the year.

According to the latest data from the research department of the CML mortgage brokerage, the CML mortgage interest rate index (MMI), which reflects the actual mortgage interest rate that new customers can generally achieve, rose 2 basis points month-on-month to 3.54% in February, ending the eight consecutive decline. The chief executive of CML mortgage brokerage, Mr. Cao Deming, said that the current mortgage interest rates of new H and P loans of general banks remain unchanged at 3.5%, making MMI continue to hover at the 3.5% level. Mr. Cao Deming added that the US Federal Reserve's interest rate meeting this week is likely to continue to hold steady, but the latest US consumer price index (CPI) in February was 2.8%, and the core CPI was 3.1%, both down 0.2% month-on-month and lower than market expectations. If inflation continues to fall, the US Federal Reserve may cut interest rates again as early as the middle of the year or later. In Hong Kong, the one-month HIBOR today was 3.78%. Mr. Cao Deming expects the one-month HIBOR to continue to hover between 3.5% and 4%. If the US Federal Reserve's interest rate meeting this week holds steady, Hong Kong banks are expected to follow suit and maintain the most preferred interest rate (P) unchanged, and the mortgage interest rates of new H and P loans in the first half of the year will remain at 3.5%.