BUSINESS
As inflation tests RBI, managing expectations may get painful
The RBI governor has taken a soft tone on inflation because he believes it is due to supply-side factors. But they could lead to higher inflationary expectations
BUSINESS
Axis Bank-Citibank deal: India’s credit card market is at crossroads. Which way will it go?
Credit card spends have survived the rapid expansion of the Unified Payments Interface, which continues to eat into the payments pie. But with BNPL posing a fresh challenge, issuers face a challenge in widening credit card usage.
BUSINESS
UPI may begin to bite at payments revenue pie for banks, NBFCs, fintechs
A waiver of the merchant discount rate means payment processing entities are losing out on revenue as the share of UPI grows
MARKETS
India hasn’t caught up with bleeding bonds globally
Bond yields in most markets have risen in the past month, wiping out capital gains, and while India has not been spared, the damage has been rather mild. Moneycontrol explains why.
BUSINESS
SBI is ready for investor love with a scrubbed-up book
Analysts believe the lender’s return on equity ratio is set for consistent improvement, as it earns more out of its loan portfolio by clearing away the debris of toxic loans and getting better borrowers incrementally
BUSINESS
What is wrong with Paytm?
India’s biggest digital wallet company is struggling to convince investors about the value of its business. The chasm of value perception between Paytm and its investors has only widened since its listing in November
BUSINESS
IndusInd Bank has a few bumps ahead before a smooth ride
The lender has several holes to plug, starting with its microfinance vertical
BUSINESS
Rupee’s resilience is all about RBI
While the rupee’s recovery against the dollar can be attributed to the fall in oil prices, India’s central bank actually gets much of the credit.
BUSINESS
With digital woes behind it, HDFC Bank now needs a friendlier world
Analysts have kept the faith and most still highlight HDFC Bank's comparatively pristine asset quality as a key strong point
MARKETS
From Russia with love—raging inflation
While India's trade with Russia and Ukraine is minuscule, its dependency is sizeable when it comes to sunflower oil, certain fertilisers and materials used in infrastructure projects
MARKETS
Between crude and the US Fed, the rupee has no escape
A wider current account deficit would mean India has to find more dollars to finance it. Foreign investors need to bring in dollars through direct investment or invest in Indian equities and bonds. Further, India’s services exports need to increase. All these are unlikely, economists at Barclays say.
BUSINESS
A hawkish Fed is a bigger threat to the rupee than Russia’s war
Economists reckon that the RBI would choose greater market intervention to support the rupee than tweak interest rates
MARKETS
As US limits Russia’s forex reserves use, central banks may aim for diversification
The limitations imposed by the US on Russian central bank for using its forex reserves may trigger central banks across the globe to rethink on diversifying their forex assets.
MARKETS
Beneath rouble’s rubble, rupee gets a collateral damage
The Russia-Ukraine conflict has triggered a rush to the safety of the dollar and most emerging market currencies have depreciated. Additionally, the rupee faces pressure due to India’s high oil imports.
BUSINESS
COVID-weary economy faces expensive energy bar amid Ukraine crisis
While the third quarter GDP data may show a rebound, it has already been overtaken by the adverse economic effects of the Russian invasion of Ukraine
MARKETS
In crude's Russian roulette, India among top 3 losers in Asian economies
India, Thailand and Philippines would be big losers as the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict drives up prices of oil and other commodities.
MARKETS
RBI’s bird in hand is forex swaps but watch out for premium
The sell-buy foreign exchange swaps announced by RBI sit well in the current context of surplus rupee liquidity and the exchange rate needing support amid global volatility.
BUSINESS
Without ECLGS crutch, small borrowers cannot walk straight
A more stable environment for MSMEs depends on their large clients paying on time and demand conditions improving, meanwhile leaving them dependent on subsidised credit
BUSINESS
HDFC stock: What lies behind the underperformance?
HDFC’s shares have dropped 11 percent in the past six months as against the 4.4 percent gain in the broader Nifty 50 index. In fact, consumer goods lender Bajaj Finance's valuation briefly crossed that of HDFC earlier this week
BUSINESS
Beyond size, LIC’s profitability is a mixed picture
LIC’s size gives it an outsized advantage against private sector insurers in sustaining a steady earnings trajectory. That said, it also prevents the insurer to orchestrate changes in business.
IPO
LIC IPO: Why LIC’s embedded value surged in just six months
LIC had a single consolidated Life Fund wherein it held its surplus. The small step of bifurcating this fund into participatory and non-participatory funds has boosted its EV.
BUSINESS
RBI’s love for bonds is a Wordle the market can’t crack
While the dovish policy has dragged yields down, it is would be hard to keep them suppressed, considering that most other factors are hostile currently
ECONOMY
What is behind RBI’s sense of comfort on inflation?
The RBI estimates headline retail inflation to average 4.5 percent in financial year 2023, compared to forecasts of 5 percent or above by private economists. Moneycontrol dissects the likely reasons for the central bank’s sanguinity.
BUSINESS
What will a digital rupee replace?
There’s been enough excitement around a central bank digital currency (CBDC) for India since the finance minister announced in the Union Budget that a digital avatar of the rupee is in the offing in FY23. But before rushing into a digital rupee, it is imperative to answer this question—what will a CBDC replace?
