Our expert panel says lock in rates

Each week, Bankrate.com surveys bankers to gauge the direction of certificate of deposit (CD) interest rates over the short (one-year or less) and long (more than one year) term. Will rates rise, fall or remain relatively unchanged?

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This week (Nov. 29-Dec. 5) the experts say:
Buy that CD now because rates aren't going any higher.

PANEL: (short term)	Up: 5%	Down: 21%	Unchanged: 74%
PANEL: (long term)	Up: 0%	Down: 28%	Unchanged: 72%

Some of our experts seem a bit more optimistic this week. Five percent say short-term CD rates should go up -- no one ventured that opinion last week. But for both the long and the short of it three-quarters of our panelists expect no change while the second highest vote tally is for rates to drop. No recount needed here. For the latest CD rates from around the country, check Bankrate.com. Graph the trend

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COMMENTS:

"We believe that rates will remain unchanged for the next week -- and until election resolution."
-- Mary Kalinski, Michigan National Corp., Farmington Hills, Mich.
RATE VOTE --
Short-term: Unchanged
Long-term: Unchanged

RELATED LINKS:
• Find the best savings rates

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About the Bankrate.com Rate Trend Index:
Bankrate.com surveys more than 100 experts in the banking and mortgage fields to see if they believe certificate of deposit and mortgage rates will rise, fall or remain relatively unchanged. For the deposit index, the panel is comprised of banks, thrifts and credit unions that directly offer FDIC-insured certificates of deposit to the end consumer. For the mortgage index, the panel is comprised of mortgage bankers, mortgage brokers and other industry experts who are actively engaged in providing residential first mortgages to the end consumer. Results from Bankrate.com's CD Rate Trend Index will be released each Wednesday. Results from Bankrate.com's Mortgage Rate Trend Index will be released each Thursday.

BANKRATE'S ANALYSTS:

"I think short-term rates will stay pretty even. As for the long term, expect rates to decline -- the much larger-than-expected drop in durable goods is further proof the economy is slowing, but there's still no indication of a rate cut before the first quarter of 2001."
-- Laura A. Bruce, savings writer, Bankrate.com
RATE VOTE --
Short-term: Unchanged
Long-term: Down

"This is the best time to take advantage of favorable yields before further declines. Investors who are rebalancing portfolios and doing some tax-loss selling should allocate funds to cash investments such as CDs."
-- Greg McBride, financial analyst, Bankrate.com
RATE VOTE --
Short-term: Down
Long-term: Down
More interest rate analyses from Greg McBride