Describe compensating balances and why do banks needs them from some customers? Under what situation 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 till the loan is retired. Sometimes banks impose compensating balance requirements therefore as to increase the bank's return on a loan. Compensating balances are most likely to be utilized when the stated interest rate at a loan is below the bank's required rate of return.