South Korea’s major commercial banks are raising one-year time-deposit rates into the mid-3% range, renewing expectations that funds parked in stocks and maturing investments will return to bank savings. Hana Bank raised the one-year rate on its Hana Time Deposit to 3.3% from 3.2%, following a July increase from 2.9%. Woori Bank lifted the one-year WON Plus Deposit rate to 3.4% from 3.2%, while NH NongHyup Bank raised rates on its NH All One e-Deposit by 0.2 to 0.3 percentage points, taking the one-year rate to 3.45% from 3.25%. Shinhan Bank’s top one-year rate rose to 3.4% from 3.2% after it increased base rates earlier this month. KB Kookmin Bank has not raised rates this month; its one-year KB Star Time Deposit rate remains 3.2%, the lowest among the five major banks, although it is reviewing changes. The five banks’ time-deposit balances stood at 1,004.3163 trillion won as of the 9th, down 915.6 billion won from the end of the previous month but still above 1,000 trillion won. Industry officials expect deposit-rate competition to continue and renewed inflows into time deposits if rate increases persist.