To determine how much Mahala Bank can loan out if the required reserve ratio is lowered to 5%, we need to follow these steps:
- Calculate the total reserves of the bank.
- Determine the new required reserves at the new required reserve ratio.
- Identify any excess reserves that can be loaned out.
Given data:
- Demand deposits = R10,000,000
- Current required reserves = R1,000,000
Step 1: Calculate total reserves
The total reserves of the bank = Required reserves + Excess reserves.
Since the excess reserves are currently 0, the total reserves are:
Total reserves = R1,000,000 (required reserves) + R0 (excess reserves) = R1,000,000.
Step 2: Determine the new required reserves
With a required reserve ratio (RRR) lowered to 5%, the required reserves can be calculated as follows:
New Required Reserves = Demand Deposits * Required Reserve Ratio
New Required Reserves = R10,000,000 * 0.05 = R500,000.
Step 3: Identify excess reserves available for loans
To find the available excess reserves for loans, subtract the new required reserves from the total reserves:
Excess Reserves = Total Reserves - New Required Reserves
Excess Reserves = R1,000,000 - R500,000 = R500,000.
Final Result
Thus, with the required reserve ratio lowered to 5%, Mahala Bank will be able to make additional loans worth R500,000.
So the answer is: R500,000.