- Interest Rate Decision


The Housing Financing Fund (HFF) has decided, as a result of the last auction
of HFF bonds, to make the following change on the Fund's lending rates:  The
interest rates on housing loans with a prepayment clause will be 4.9%, while
the rate will be 5.4% for loans without such a clause.  The new interest rate
decision takes effect today, August 8th, 2008. 

HFF's interest rate decision is based on yield at the HFF bond auction August
8th, in addition to the weighted financing cost of the prepayments of HFF
bonds.  The weighted interest rate for the auction and prepaid HFF bonds is
4.43%. 

The interest rate premium for operations is 0.25%, 0.20% for credit risk and
0.50% for prepayment risk. 
According to paragraph 3, Article 21 of the Housing Act No. 44/1998, including
later amendments, and Article 14 of Regulation No. 522/2004, on HFF mortgages
and bonds, the Board of HFF decides the interest rate on HFF bonds based on
financing cost from regular auctions of HFF bonds on the one hand and on the
weighted average financing cost of prepaid loans on the other, in addition to
an interest premium.