Abhijit Lele, Vishal Chhabria And Anup Roy

Stories by Abhijit Lele, Vishal Chhabria And Anup Roy

Q4 earnings likely to be weakest in many quarters

Q4 earnings likely to be weakest in many quarters

Rediff.com   10 Apr 2015

In the December quarter, Sensex earnings had contracted 5 per cent.

Rate cut will reduce the stress on customers: SBI

Rate cut will reduce the stress on customers: SBI

Rediff.com   8 Apr 2015

'The rate cut will reduce the stress on customers and help the bank reduce its provisioning bill.'

RBI likely to hold rates tomorrow

RBI likely to hold rates tomorrow

Rediff.com   6 Apr 2015

Most say a rate cut could come in RBI's June policy.

Insurers see a change agent in new FDI rules

Insurers see a change agent in new FDI rules

Rediff.com   20 Mar 2015

Inflow of more funds is likely to widen the reach of insurance and drive M&A activities in the sector where growth has stalled.

'Investors positive on India despite expensive valuations'

'Investors positive on India despite expensive valuations'

Rediff.com   13 Mar 2015

'There is no change in the overall story of economic recovery.'

Insurers set the ball rolling on foreign stake hike

Insurers set the ball rolling on foreign stake hike

Rediff.com   13 Mar 2015

Bharti will move FIPB soon for increasing Axa's stake to 49%

Interest rate cuts only after March

Interest rate cuts only after March

Rediff.com   10 Mar 2015

Banks have not cut rates yet as March is typically a busy season.

What went wrong with India Inc in Q3

What went wrong with India Inc in Q3

Rediff.com   16 Feb 2015

India Inc did not perform well during December quarter.

Ambani brothers seek faster approval for stalled projects

Ambani brothers seek faster approval for stalled projects

Rediff.com   7 Feb 2015

The Ambani brothers, Mukesh and Anil, came together on Thursday to raise the issue of stalled projects plaguing India Inc and implored the Maharashtra government and the Centre to make Mumbai, India's financial capital, an easier place for business and investments. "Several projects are stuck for many years in Mumbai and we would like to know how the government intends to improve the financing and execution of projects, including those relating to infrastructure and education which have been in limbo for long and are affecting the growth of the city," Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) Chairman Mukesh Ambani told Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. Seated on the same table was his brother, apart from Tata Group Chairman Cyrus Mistry and State Bank of India (SBI) Chairman Arundhati Bhattacharya. Jaitley was addressing the Mumbai Next MMR Transformation conclave, organised by the Maharashtra government and Mumbai First here, through video conference. In his reply, Jaitley said the government was exploring several options of infrastructure financing in India and that a number of international bodies were ready to fund infrastructure development projects. He added the government was keenly considering these funding sources. While praising Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for honesty, Jaitley also had a word of advice. Apart from being honest, the government had to be decisive, he said. On his part, Reliance Group Chairman Anil Ambani told the chief minister about his experience of decisions being delayed due to an indecisive bureaucracy and the need to protect officials who wanted to take quick decisions. "Through the past many years, we have faced a number of obstacles in decision-making," he said, adding he was speaking as someone who had lived and invested in Mumbai. Fadnavis responded by saying he would bring about a transparent process to ring-fence officials. Both the Ambani brothers have announced a number of infrastructure projects in and around Mumbai, including a world-class convention centre in Bandra Kurla Complex by RIL, but very few have actually fructified. RIL's special economic zone project failed to take off due to land acquisition problems in Raigarh, while a second SEZ near Mumbai is stuck due to lack of clarity in SEZ norms. The first phase of the Mumbai Metro, set up by Anil Ambani's Reliance Infrastructure, was marred by cost overruns and run-ins with the government over fares. Subsequently, the company withdrew from the second and larger phase, citing inordinate delay. Anil Ambani also withdrew from Mumbai's sea link project on the same grounds. The brothers had also bid for a trans-harbour sea link between Navi Mumbai and Mumbai under the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party government, but their bid was rejected. Reliance Infrastructure is also the power supplier to more than half of this city. Participating in the conclave, some of India Inc's leading bankers said making Mumbai a financial hub would take at least a decade. SBI's Bhattacharya said the Indian currency should be made fully convertible and facilities should be created for it. "However, for this, the economy needs to look up and that will happen only in the next 7-10 years, not immediately," she added. Sunil Kaushal, Chief Executive Officer of Standard Chartered, India, pitched for strong infrastructure to support development. "We will take a long time to develop into a global financial centre. We need to solve transport bottlenecks in Mumbai and have lifestyle facilities for people working in and around these areas," he said.

Mega share sales: Will the markets correct?

Mega share sales: Will the markets correct?

Rediff.com   30 Jan 2015

When big offers hit the market, broader indices corrected 2-4%

ZEE's Subhash Chandra bets on white-label ATMs

ZEE's Subhash Chandra bets on white-label ATMs

Rediff.com   21 Jan 2015

It is likely he will rope in an international ATM manufacturer as a strategic partner with equity stake.

Banks set for lending rate action this week

Banks set for lending rate action this week

Rediff.com   19 Jan 2015

A host of lenders, including State Bank of India, IDBI Bank, Indian Bank and Andhra Bank, have lined up meetings of their asset-liability committees this week, to review their lending and deposit rates.

10 stocks that can bring you a fortune in 2015

10 stocks that can bring you a fortune in 2015

Rediff.com   2 Jan 2015

Half of the sharp rise in stocks in 2014 was driven by re-ratings - rise in price-to-earning ratios on hopes the new government would turn around the economy which will reflect in corporate earnings.

Banks link fresh funds to Mallya's ouster from boards

Banks link fresh funds to Mallya's ouster from boards

Rediff.com   3 Dec 2014

Kolkata-based United Bank of India, which had earlier declared Kingfisher Airlines and its four directors, including Mallya as wilful defaulters, on Tuesday identified UBHL, the guarantor of the grounded Kingfisher Airlines, also a wilful defaulter.

Banks cut lending on gold as prices fall

Banks cut lending on gold as prices fall

Rediff.com   17 Nov 2014

Banks have swung into action as gold prices continue to slide. Reduced loan-to-value ratio (LTV), cautious lending, and a close monitoring of the gold loan portfolio have prompted them to hedge their loan books against the reduction in prices.

Have Indian markets run ahead of fundamentals?

Have Indian markets run ahead of fundamentals?

Rediff.com   10 Nov 2014

Higher growth, reform bets have boosted returns but leave limited room for error.

Public sector banks yet to join the e-commerce boom

Public sector banks yet to join the e-commerce boom

Rediff.com   7 Nov 2014

Customers using e-commerce websites are young and techno-savvy.

79 sick PSUs await FM's privatisation move

79 sick PSUs await FM's privatisation move

Rediff.com   7 Nov 2014

These companies had an accumulated loss of Rs 55,656 crore (Rs 556.56 billion) in 2012-13.

SBI limits free ATM transactions to 5, will others follow?

SBI limits free ATM transactions to 5, will others follow?

Rediff.com   4 Nov 2014

Even as State Bank of India, the country's largest lender, has decided to charge its customers for more than five transactions through automated teller machines (ATMs), private sectors banks continue to be on a wait-and-watch mode.

India to witness investment revival in 2-3 years: Credit Suisse

India to witness investment revival in 2-3 years: Credit Suisse

Rediff.com   29 Oct 2014

The first was wholesale funded banks and non-bank finance companies.