With the recent pause in interest rate hikes by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), there is speculation about whether interest rates have peaked or will rise again. While inflationary pressures have negatively impacted household finances, signs of relief are on the horizon. In April, cost price inflation eased to its lowest level since October 2021, and experts predict a return to the RBI's tolerance band of four to six per cent in 2023, according to a recent research report on 'Assured Returns' by BankBazaar, an online financial services marketplace. These developments raise the question of what lies ahead for interest rates and fixed-income instrument returns.