Abhijit Lele, Aathira Varier, Anjali Kumari, Business Standard

Stories by Abhijit Lele, Aathira Varier, Anjali Kumari, Business Standard

Bank asset quality: Slippages rise 26% in Q1 on stress in unsecured loans

Bank asset quality: Slippages rise 26% in Q1 on stress in unsecured loans

Rediff.com   21 Aug 2025

Commercial banks in India reported 26 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) growth in slippages at Rs 63,000 crore during the first quarter ended June 2025 (Q1FY26). This was predominantly due to stress in microfinance and unsecured retail portfolios of select lenders.

Record Rs 474 Cr Insurance Cover For Ganesh Mandal

Record Rs 474 Cr Insurance Cover For Ganesh Mandal

Rediff.com   19 Aug 2025

Of the Rs 474.4 crore insurance cover, the largest component -- Rs 375 crore -- has been allocated towards personal accident cover for volunteers.

Insurers hopeful of reduction in GST on health, life premiums

Insurers hopeful of reduction in GST on health, life premiums

Rediff.com   16 Aug 2025

The life and non-life insurance industries are hopeful of a reduction in the goods and services tax (GST) on health and life insurance premiums, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his speech on Friday, announced GST relaxations aimed at providing relief to ordinary citizens, farmers, the middle class, and the small and medium enterprises (MSME) sector.

When Workplace Stress Turns Deadly

When Workplace Stress Turns Deadly

Rediff.com   13 Aug 2025

At times, this stress reaches a tipping point, resulting in tragedy. 'Organisations need to empower their people managers to foster psychological safety, where employees feel seen, heard, and supported -- not just as professionals, but as people navigating the pressures of work and life.'

Renewal of life insurers' policies, after 1 year, declines in June quarter

Renewal of life insurers' policies, after 1 year, declines in June quarter

Rediff.com   11 Aug 2025

The 13th-month persistency rate of life insurers - an important metric indicating the retention of new policies - declined in the first quarter of 2025-26 (Q1FY26). This fall was primarily driven by a lower share of high-value policies, following taxation changes implemented in April 2023.

India May Wait Out Trump Tariffs

India May Wait Out Trump Tariffs

Rediff.com   8 Aug 2025

'Just as we cannot surrender the interests of our farmers and dairy industry, Trump is also looking for markets for the produce of the farmers in the Midwest, which are his support base.'

No infra bond issuances in FY26

No infra bond issuances in FY26

Rediff.com   26 Jul 2025

Infrastructure bonds, which were relied upon the most in 2024-25 (FY25) by commercial banks to raise funds through the domestic debt capital market amid lagging deposit growth, seem to have lost their sheen in FY26. So far in FY26, no bank has tapped the domestic debt capital market to raise funds via infra bonds, and the expectation is that the amount raised through this route will be significantly lower than that last year, unless credit demand picks up.

Feb, Apr rate cuts fully transmitted, to help improve growth: Malhotra

Feb, Apr rate cuts fully transmitted, to help improve growth: Malhotra

Rediff.com   26 Jul 2025

The transmission of the February and April rate cuts is now complete, validating the central bank's monetary stance and contributing to a revival in credit growth, said Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Sanjay Malhotra on Friday. "We now have preliminary figures for June credit rates, and we find that for new loans, the rates are lower by at least 50 basis points (bps)... within two months of our 50-bp cut, we are in June, and the whole of the monetary policy transmission has happened.

SBI eyes spot among world's top 10 banks by market value in 5 years

SBI eyes spot among world's top 10 banks by market value in 5 years

Rediff.com   24 Jul 2025

Country's largest lender State Bank of India (SBI) is looking to be among 10 top global banks in market capitalisation terms in the next five years, chairman CS Setty said on Wednesday. "The scope for value creation for the stakeholders is potentially very high. So the larger ambition is if the market supports whether we can be part of the top 10 global banks in terms of the market capitalisation (five years)," he said after listing of shares issued under Qualified Institutional Placement (QIP) at NSE.

Irdai proposes internal ombudsman to address claims up to Rs 50 lakh

Irdai proposes internal ombudsman to address claims up to Rs 50 lakh

Rediff.com   24 Jul 2025

The Insurance Regulatory & Development Authority of India (Irdai) on Wednesday proposed setting up an internal insurance ombudsman for insurance companies -- except reinsurers-- with over three years of operation, to address unresolved complaints. The ombudsman will have power to hear complaints for claims up to Rs 50 lakhs.

Why The Bankruptcy Code Needs A Makeover

Why The Bankruptcy Code Needs A Makeover

Rediff.com   23 Jul 2025

The famous 'tareekh pe tareekh' dialogue from the Hindi movie Damini captures where we are now.

SBI eyes Rs 25,000 crore via record QIP, sets floor at 2.5% discount

SBI eyes Rs 25,000 crore via record QIP, sets floor at 2.5% discount

Rediff.com   17 Jul 2025

State Bank of India (SBI), the largest lender in the country, has launched a share sale to institutional investors to raise upto Rs 25,000 crore, the biggest qualified institutional placement (QIP) so far by an Indian firm, and has set a floor price of Rs 811.05, which is at a 2.5 per cent discount on Wednesday's closing price.

Compensation Assured for Crash Victims

Compensation Assured for Crash Victims

Rediff.com   14 Jul 2025

The only case where there could be a change in insurance payout is if Air India's management were found to be aware of the accident and the accident was deliberate.

'Future Generali always wanted to outgrow the industry'

'Future Generali always wanted to outgrow the industry'

Rediff.com   12 Jul 2025

'This will be our first large-size bank partner, and hence, the partnership will be a game-changer for us.'

Trump Effect: Study Loan Surge to Ease in FY26

Trump Effect: Study Loan Surge to Ease in FY26

Rediff.com   11 Jul 2025

Education loan growth is set to halve this fiscal (FY26) because disbursements for the US decelerate following a raft of policy changes there.

Govt urges banks to close inoperative Jan Dhan accounts

Govt urges banks to close inoperative Jan Dhan accounts

Rediff.com   7 Jul 2025

State-owned banks have received guidance from the government to close Jan Dhan accounts whose beneficiaries are unwilling to keep them active, amid rising instances of such accounts being misused by fraudsters as mule accounts to defraud people, people aware of the development said.

'The RBI has started to support growth'

'The RBI has started to support growth'

Rediff.com   2 Jul 2025

'Deposit and lending rates have started to fall considerably. It is likely to spur investment and consumption of durables.'

AI 171 Crash: Insurance Cost: $475 Million

AI 171 Crash: Insurance Cost: $475 Million

Rediff.com   1 Jul 2025

'$125 million for the hull and the remaining of over $350 million for liability.'

Mishaps push up helicopter insurance premiums

Mishaps push up helicopter insurance premiums

Rediff.com   27 Jun 2025

Additionally, rates in the aviation sector are also expected to increase due to huge claim outgo in the Air India crash.

$150 Million Insurance Claims Loom After AI 171 Crash

$150 Million Insurance Claims Loom After AI 171 Crash

Rediff.com   23 Jun 2025

The claims will include three kinds of liabilities: Damage to the aircraft; loss of lives who were aboard the aircraft; including the crew members; and third-party liability because of loss of lives where the aircraft crashed; and cargo liability.