BUSINESS
In the war for deposits, no one is winning yet
Leads and lags in interest rate transmission, and a persistent inflation threat to returns make the pursuit of deposits a challenge for banks
BUSINESS
Budget must snip some spends, though GST trend robust, says Barclays’ Rahul Bajoria
The key challenge in the next budget could be that as nominal GDP growth comes off dramatically, how the government will manage the spending mix without really delivering any pain at the ground level, says Bajoria
BUSINESS
A private sector chief for LIC may not be an easy deal
The key to a change in LIC's fortunes lies not in bringing in outside talent, but in giving its management a completely free hand
BUSINESS
RBI gives legs to bank rally by extending HTM holiday
In the current rising interest rate cycle so far, India’s banks have managed their trading books better than in previous rising interest rate cycles.
BUSINESS
MC Interview: RBI must make stance neutral once 4% inflation is visible, says HSBC’s Bhandari
The divergence between core inflation and food inflation will get amplified in the coming months which is why the RBI is right in keeping with a hawkish tone, according to HSBC's Pranjul Bhandari.
BUSINESS
What is the bond market reading from the RBI policy?
Bond investors view the MPC as a committee high strung by inflation, reflected in the seven basis point jump of the benchmark 10-year government bond yield during Das’s address.
BUSINESS
CBDC pilot: A tale of intense prep, high hopes, and a nagging existential question
The excitement among bankers and the RBI notwithstanding, the relevance of the CBDC to a customer remains a question
BUSINESS
Interview: IRDA, govt steps to change industry structure in 5 years, says Kannan of ICICI PruLife
Last month, the insurance regulator allowed private equity funds to invest directly into insurance companies, non-promoters to hold up to a 25 percent stake, and eased solvency ratios for products.
BUSINESS
Should the MPC give one more rate hike for the road before resting?
The MPC faces a tough choice between staying the course and pausing a bit to take stock and then making the next move
BUSINESS
Fusion Micro Finance expects consistent margin expansion, says MD Sachdev
Fusion Micro Finance has made more than adequate provisioning for stress, says Devesh Sachdev
BUSINESS
Life insurers get wiggle room on spends, but don’t expect commissions to surge
The new EoM rules, and the bunch of relaxations on capital and distribution tie-ups that IRDA has announced, should explain the surge in the shares of listed life insurers.
BUSINESS
India’s small insurers get the wings to grow as IRDA eases rules
IRDA’s relaxations could see competition heating up in the insurance space in the coming years
BUSINESS
UTI AMC stake sale key for PNB’s growth, but bank needs more capital
At November 25 market price, PNB’s 15 percent stake in the AMC will be worth about Rs 1,376 crore. Analysts point out that PNB has fallen short of peers when it comes to improvement in asset quality. For the July-September quarter of FY23, the bank reported a net profit of Rs 410 crore, which was lower than Street estimates.
EARNINGS
Sensex@all-time high: Buffett smell test shows Indian equities fairly valued amid frothy global markets
However, the situation could sour if exports drop or there is a flight of capital due to a narrowing rate gap between the US and India, or global oil prices gallop.
BUSINESS
Budget 2023: Wishlist of markets has a tax-heavy logic
Market participants said there was a need to harmonise tax rules on different financial products.
BUSINESS
LIC: Can the insurance whale put up a dolphin show?
LIC is serious about getting its growth mojo back and the 2.8-percentage-point market share gain during the quarter is a good start. But the big question is whether this is enough for investors who picked up its stock at the IPO to finally get any bang for their buck
BUSINESS
Riding the credit boom won’t be easy for PSU banks
Public sector bank shares are in demand, rising by 28 percent in a month. Investors are betting they will ride the anticipated credit boom
BUSINESS
SBI: Is the elephant dancing on a tin can?
Growth in lending means the bank will need capital, which analysts say is the next stage that is critical for a rerating of the stock.
BUSINESS
Best asset quality of banks hides some risks; the Street should notice
Mere headline numbers do not tell the complete story. What is interesting is how banks have brought down their dud loans. Read on
BUSINESS
Five key trends from Q2 earnings of banks
Most banks saw faster loan growth, a reduction in stressed assets and a rise in profits. Though public sector lenders reported the biggest fall in bad loan stock on a YoY basis, most still have bad loans in excess of 5 percent of their loan book
BUSINESS
RBI-EU standoff will hit markets, regulators must talk to each other
If the stand-off continues, European banks operating in India would be forced to halt transactions in the domestic markets
BUSINESS
LIC Housing Finance must fix margins as earnings cuts loom
Analysts believe that a 10-15 percent erosion in earnings can be seen for the current year. Morgan Stanley noted that most metrics were way below its expectations and has kept an underweight rating on the stock.
BUSINESS
As forex trading volume zooms, these currencies make their presence felt
The US dollar continues to reign supreme but some currencies have defied gravity when it comes to forex trading volume in the past three months. On the flipside, currencies such as Russian rouble, Turkish lira and Argentinian peso have fallen off a cliff.
BUSINESS
Doves, hawks and the Catch 22 in monetary policy
While the RBI members of the Monetary Policy Committee are all for further tightening, two outside members---Ashima Goyal and JR Varma—believe it’s time to ease up on tightening policy
