Americans save more but earn less as rates fall

NEW YORK — The U.S. is finally becoming a nation of savers. Now if only we could get something for our money.

Interest rates are sinking to near zero for the first time since last year's financial meltdown, dampening spending as Americans earn less on their bank deposits and investment accounts.

It's hardly encouraging news for an economy that sorely needs people to buy things.

Rates are falling near zero this time because of prudence, not panic. Financial firms are polishing up their balance sheets at the end of the year by buying government debt, a much safer investment than most others.

The dive in interest rates comes as Americans sock away more money. Today's personal savings rate of 3 percent is nearly double that of a year ago. Economists say it could rise as high as 8 percent as households try to rebuild savings shredded by the recession.

Yet all that saving isn't exactly paying off. Personal income from interest hit $1.26 trillion in 2007, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. This year, that number is on track to fall by $40 billion — even though people are saving more.

The bureau says interest income fell 7.4 percent each month for the past three months. It means people who rely on interest from savings, such as money in certificates of deposit, are earning less.

"Savers are getting killed by these low rates," banking analyst Bert Ely said. "They're getting next to nothing."

Retirees, among others, depend on interest income. The more it shrinks, the less they have to go shopping, dine out or take vacations.

That contributes to a sluggish economic recovery. Consumer spending accounts for 70 percent of the economy. When shoppers are earning less on their investments, the businesses that depend on their money struggle.

Interest rates have fallen steadily since the Federal Reserve lowered its key federal funds rate to near zero last December and kept it there. The Fed did so to try to unlock credit and get the economy humming again.

Rates eventually crept up before falling again. They haven't fallen this low since last fall, when investors so were so terrified that they were willing to stuff money into super-safe government bonds that got little or no return.

This time around, financial firms looking to impress investors and regulators are shifting more of their money into safer assets like Treasurys, analysts say.

"There may be a little bit of window-dressing going on to make the books look better," said David Wyss, chief economist at Standard & Poor's in New York.

As banks pour money into U.S. Treasurys, it forces down interest rates and yields for people with money in government debt or bank deposits.