What are compensating balances and why do banks require them from some customers? Under what circumstances would banks be most likely to impose compensating balances?
Compensating balances are funds that a bank needs a customer to maintain in a non-interest bearing account until the loan is retired.Banks occasionally impose compensating balance requirements so as to increase the bank's return on a loan. Compensating balances are the majorly likely to be used when the stated interest rate on a loan is below the bank's required rate of return.