<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/anz" rel="" target="_blank" title="ANZ"><span>ANZ</span></a><span> is the latest lender to raise its fixed mortgage rates in anticipation of the Reserve Bank's </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/finance/interest-rate-hhike-forecasts-reserve-bank-middle-east-big-four-banks/44a09939-1636-4509-9fdc-20f67f3eaa97" rel="" target="_blank" title="interest rate decision next week."><span>interest rate decision next week.</span></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The big four bank moved to raise fixed rates by 0.25 percentage points in an early blow to borrowers ahead of what is expected to be a </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/finance/interest-rates-reserve-bank-anz-cash-rate-prediction/f9dc2991-73c4-4483-982f-a29e70df4d8d" rel="" target="_blank" title="double RBA rate hike in March and April."><span>double RBA rate hike in March and April.</span></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>This makes ANZ's most affordable fixed-rate 5.99 per cent for one-year terms, 6.04 per cent for two years and 6.14 per cent for three-year terms.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/iran-war-australian-expats-in-dubai-why-they-are-staying-in-middle-east/dc1c1f5c-643e-451d-b5fa-bbf1d5383e30?utm_source=nine_lunch_wrap&amp;utm_medium=newsroom_newsletter&amp;utm_term=newsroom" rel="" target="_blank" title="Expats have been told fly home now. But Jess is staying in Dubai"><strong><span>Expats have been told fly home now. But Jess is staying in Dubai</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>ANZ is not alone in jumping the gun with a tactical fixed-rate hike before the RBA makes its move on March 17.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>According to Canstar, 26 lenders have hiked at least one fixed rate in the last two weeks.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Among them are Bankwest, Ubank, Heritage Bank and RACQ.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/interest-rates-anz-raises-fixes-rates-in-anticipation-of-rba-cash-rate-hike/1437e009-acfd-4d1d-b830-ca4d75f4e87d" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The average two-year fixed rate is now 0.21 percentage points higher than the average variable rate, Canstar research found.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>LIVE UPDATES:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/us-israel-attack-iran-live-updates-march-13-donald-trump-latest-news-headlines/2c48fadd-6ec9-4b19-9392-9ec9255db683" target="_blank"><strong><span>Iran reveals underground 'missile tunnels</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/qantas-settles-covid-class-action-for-105-million-dollars/5328147d-ccf8-4e0b-8af7-a5ff6622fd89" target="_blank"><strong><span>Qantas agrees to $105 million settlement over COVID-19 flight credits</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"ANZ has jumped the gun on the RBA, lifting fixed rates just four days out from the central bank's next decision," Canstar.com.au data insights director Sally Tindall said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Fixed rates are typically the early warning signal for where rates are headed. When they start creeping up before an RBA meeting it's a sign lenders are pricing in a hike before it materialises.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The fact that the majority of ANZ's fixed rates now sit above 6 per cent will feel like a psychological shift for borrowers."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>ANZ this week also followed the other big four </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/banks" target="" title="banks"><span>banks</span></a><span> in predicting triple rate hike pain for </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national" target="" title="Aussie"><span>Aussie</span></a><span> borrowers.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>CBA, Westpac and NAB yesterday shifted their cash rate predictions due to inflation running too hot, a stretched labour market, and the war in the Middle East – which is likely to add to inflation.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/kmart-named-australias-number-1-retailer-in-power-retail-all-star-bash-awards/5440934e-1d21-4ddd-806e-d8393bb5175c" target="_blank"><strong><span>Australia's No.1 retailer named as last year's winner plunges</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>All four big banks now anticipate the Reserve Bank will increase the cash rate 25 basis points when it meets next Tuesday, and by the same margin at the following meeting in May.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The RBA increased the interest rate by 0.25 per cent at its most recent meeting on February 3, to 3.85 per cent.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A triple hike would bring the cash rate to 4.35 per cent.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>ticking this box here</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Sign up to</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></em></strong></a></li></ul></div></div>