Abhijit Lele, Business Standard

Stories by Abhijit Lele, Business Standard

Better net interest margins likely to help bottom line of banks in Q4

Better net interest margins likely to help bottom line of banks in Q4

Rediff.com   15 Apr 2023

Benefitting from the economic rebound, banks are expected to report a healthy bottom-line and asset quality profile in the quarter ended March 2023 (Q4FY23). The net profit of listed commercial banks is projected to grow by an average 43.6 per cent year-on-year (YoY) in Q4FY23 amid better net interest margins (NIMs) and declining credit costs. This is based on a combined assessment of analyst estimates for 17 banks on Bloomberg database.

Share of low-cost money in bank deposits dips in FY23 amid clamour for FDs

Share of low-cost money in bank deposits dips in FY23 amid clamour for FDs

Rediff.com   12 Apr 2023

The share of low-cost money in total deposits continued to take a knock at the close of FY23 as banks engaged in intense competition by offering higher interest rates on term money to garner funds amid tight liquidity conditions. The share of current accounts and saving accounts (CASA) in total deposits declined by 2-4 per cent by end of March 2023 from March 2022 figure, according to BSE filings by private banks. The ease of movement of funds on digital platforms and the deployment of money by businesses from current accounts also played a role in dwindling the share of CASA money.

Many cases may have to be reopened after SC ruling on borrowers' voice

Many cases may have to be reopened after SC ruling on borrowers' voice

Rediff.com   4 Apr 2023

The Supreme Court's decision to allow borrowers a chance to be heard before their accounts are flagged as fraudulent by lenders is expected to result in several cases being reopened where the borrower is aggrieved because of such classification, bankers said. Still, the reopening of cases would not be automatic. A borrower who is aggrieved by the 'fraud' classification will have to approach the bank and consequently, the bank will take the necessary steps so that the apex court's order is followed in letter and spirit, they said.

RIL shareholders to meet on May 2 on demerger of financial services biz

RIL shareholders to meet on May 2 on demerger of financial services biz

Rediff.com   31 Mar 2023

Lenders and shareholders of Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) will meet on May 2 to demerge the firm's financial services business. This is expected to create a big player in segments including the NBFC (non-banking financial company) space with net worth of Rs 25,851 crore as of March 2022. According to the plan, RIL shareholders will get a share in the demerged entity for each one held in the company.

HDFC's exit to ease fund-raising conditions for high-rated finance firms

HDFC's exit to ease fund-raising conditions for high-rated finance firms

Rediff.com   27 Mar 2023

Highly-rated finance firms and housing finance companies are expected to benefit from the absence of Housing Development Finance Corp (HDFC) from the bond market once it merges with the HDFC Bank in early FY24. Post merger, the bond market is expected to become less crowded, which will ease fund raising conditions for other players in the field. It may perhaps also compress the spread for debt instruments floated by housing finance companies (HFCs) over 10-year government bonds, subject to demand and supply conditions.

PSBs wrote off Rs 29,000 cr in Dec quarter

PSBs wrote off Rs 29,000 cr in Dec quarter

Rediff.com   15 Feb 2023

Public-sector banks (PSBs) in Q3FY23 wrote off bad loans worth Rs 29,000 crore, up from Rs 23,000 crore in the same quarter a year ago, as part of a clean-up exercise. According to estimates by rating agency CARE Ratings, the write-offs by PSBs in April-December 2022, at Rs 81,000 crore, were lower than the Rs 90,000 crore in April-December 2021. Sanjay Agarwal, senior director, CARE Ratings, said a lot of it was driven by regulations, and assets that had 100 per cent provision coverage were written off.

Banks get time till Dec end to renew safe deposit locker agreements

Banks get time till Dec end to renew safe deposit locker agreements

Rediff.com   24 Jan 2023

The Reserve Bank of India on Monday gave banks time till end of December 2023 to complete renewal of agreements for the existing safe deposit lockers of customers. Banks were earlier required to complete the process by January 01, 2023. The central bank has asked them to complete work in phases with intermediate milestones of 50 per cent by June 30, and 75 per cent by September 30.

Budget 2023: Here are the key challenges in technology sector

Budget 2023: Here are the key challenges in technology sector

Rediff.com   23 Jan 2023

"India is the best market right now in the world with the digital initiatives the government has implemented

'India is on a good wicket now'

'India is on a good wicket now'

Rediff.com   10 Jan 2023

'The pitch for India is flat, the ball for India is old, the sun for India is out, and the bowlers are not bowling too well.' 'I think only we can get ourselves out.'

SBI To Raise Another 10,000 cr Through Infrastructure Bonds

SBI To Raise Another 10,000 cr Through Infrastructure Bonds

Rediff.com   4 Jan 2023

UCO Bank mulls AT1 offering to raise Rs 1,000 cr.

'A slip-up can break trust of investors'

'A slip-up can break trust of investors'

Rediff.com   3 Jan 2023

'Strong regulations are crucial for the orderly development of the market.'

IPO Fundraising Dipped To Half in 2022

IPO Fundraising Dipped To Half in 2022

Rediff.com   3 Jan 2023

The turmoil in the markets has been cited as the reason for the dip in the IPO market.

How Covid Spiked Gold Smuggling

How Covid Spiked Gold Smuggling

Rediff.com   3 Jan 2023

Officials were surprised at how quickly smugglers appraised the Covid situation to recruit jobless migrant workers to ship gold.

When Pelemania Gripped India

When Pelemania Gripped India

Rediff.com   2 Jan 2023

The enormous structured global advertising machinery that surrounds every football game on the planet today? Pele was perhaps single-handedly responsible for all of it. By just being brilliant, captivating crowds, and behaving like a being from the future, doing things that STILL provoke oohs and aahs from watchers. Vaibhav Raghunandan salutes the Incomparable Pele.

EV Sales May Cross 100,000 Monthly, But...

EV Sales May Cross 100,000 Monthly, But...

Rediff.com   2 Jan 2023

China's covid crisis could provoke a raw material crunch for India's EV industry later this year.

How Will Gold Perform In 2023?

How Will Gold Perform In 2023?

Rediff.com   2 Jan 2023

Given the prevailing uncertainties, investors must maintain a 10-15 per cent allocation to gold in 2023.

Change Of Guard At Banks, LIC In 2023

Change Of Guard At Banks, LIC In 2023

Rediff.com   31 Dec 2022

The first quarter of calendar 2023 will see new faces heading four large public-sector banks -- Canara Bank, Bank of Baroda, Indian Overseas Bank, and Bank of India.

Why Govt Must Worry About Fiscal Deficit

Why Govt Must Worry About Fiscal Deficit

Rediff.com   31 Dec 2022

In November, the fiscal deficit widened by Rs 2.2 trillion, the highest ever in any month this financial year.

Why Is USFDA Inspecting India Pharma Firms?

Why Is USFDA Inspecting India Pharma Firms?

Rediff.com   30 Dec 2022

Indian drug firms continue to work closely with the FDA, and most have also appointed consultants to help them grasp the regulatory minutiae in the US.

Why We Need Professional Investment Advisors

Why We Need Professional Investment Advisors

Rediff.com   30 Dec 2022

When we are unwell, we consult a doctor, take a prescription, and then buy medicines from a chemist. In finance, too, it is best to keep investment advice and product purchase separate, suggests Bindisha Sarang.