Loans against gold jewellery in India surged by an impressive 128 per cent year-on-year to nearly 4.28 trillion in February 2026, according to the latest Reserve Bank of India (RBI) data, significantly outpacing overall retail loan growth.
Analysts say long-term investors may still benefit, but recommend limiting bullion exposure to around 10 per cent.
Remittances from West Asia in March rose sharply amid the conflict in the region, with industry insiders estimating inflows to be 20-30 per cent higher than what is usual in a month.
New business premium of life insurance companies grew 18 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) to Rs 35,417 crore in February, driven by robust growth at the state-owned Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) due to a favourable base.
'LIC will reduce but not fully exit its stake in IDBI Bank, which remains an important bancassurance partner,' says LIC of India' MD and CEO R Doraiswamy.
Abusive language, threats, harassment, excessive or anonymous calls, public humiliation, and misleading representations are explicitly prohibited.
The highlight in January, with no surprise, has been flows into gold and silver ETFs.
The RBI will now charge banks different deposit insurance fees based on how risky they are, allowing safer banks to pay less premium.
The new labour Codes, notified by the central government in November 2025, have pushed up employee costs for private-sector banks and insurance companies, with these firms reporting higher operating expenses in the October-December quarter (Q3FY26) due to the statutory impact of the new labour Codes.
Domestic gold exchange-traded funds (ETFs) saw their holdings jump 65 per cent to 95 tonnes in 2025, elevating Indian ETFs to sixth place globally, going by holdings of the yellow metal. At the end of 2024, they ranked eighth with 57.5 tonnes of holding, according to an analysis of data from the World Gold Council (WGC).
'Multi-asset funds have cornered 30 per cent of hybrid fund inflows in 2025, reflecting a growing preference for diversified portfolios that combine equity, debt and commodities.'
Banks are witnessing a surge in hiring for sales staff in secured segments such as home, vehicle and gold loans as compared to the recovery category, driven by a boost in business growth, and a host of regulatory measures aimed at improving ease of doing business, according to industry experts.
Months after picking up 24.21 per cent stake in private sector lender Yes Bank, Japan's Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) has received the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI's) in-principle approval for setting up a wholly owned subsidiary (WOS) in India.
'The bigger unknown remains global geopolitics, which is inherently unpredictable, including developments in our neighbourhood.' 'Another concern is the increasing tilt of government finances towards welfare subsidies, especially at the state level.' 'This could constrain capital expenditure, which is critical for long-term growth.'
Banks cannot treat compliance as a quarter-end activity, and must have stronger operational discipline and data governance throughout the year, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Deputy Governor Swaminathan J said in a speech at the Third Annual Global Conference of the College of Supervisors.
The life insurance industry recorded nearly 40 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) growth in new business premiums (NBP), aided by the rationalisation of goods and services tax (GST) on individual life insurance premiums, which has made policies more affordable for consumers.
Global risks include a potential delay in the US-India trade agreement, the possibility of a sharp correction in US equity markets, and renewed geopolitical tensions.
2025 marked a shift in investor preference when it comes to MF schemes.
Bajaj Finserv on Thursday said it has completed the acquisition of Allianz SE's stake in Bajaj General Insurance and Bajaj Life Insurance, worth Rs 12,190 crore and Rs 9,200 crore, respectively. Bajaj Finserv, along with Bajaj Holdings & Investment and Jamnalal Sons, acquired the foreign insurer's 23 per cent stake in the businesses, marking the largest transaction in the Indian insurance sector.
The committee formed under the Life Insurance Council to review the commission structure in the life insurance sector has recommended capping distributor commissions or deferring them to ease acquisition costs. The recommendations will be sent to the insurance regulator -- Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Irdai).
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