Ashley Coutinho &Amp;Amp; Subrata Panda

Stories by Ashley Coutinho &Amp;Amp; Subrata Panda

COVID-19 puts brakes on IPOs of SMEs

COVID-19 puts brakes on IPOs of SMEs

Rediff.com   22 Apr 2021

The SME segment has been grappling with lack of liquidity and lacklustre institutional participation.

'CY21 will be defining year for start-up listings'

'CY21 will be defining year for start-up listings'

Rediff.com   21 Apr 2021

'Start-ups that generate a majority of their income in India are likely to opt for an Indian listing.'

HDFC Bank readies plan to tackle frequent outages

HDFC Bank readies plan to tackle frequent outages

Rediff.com   20 Apr 2021

The bank has decided to embark on a 'Technology Transformation agenda' to provide its customers smoother, faster, and better banking experience.

The 2nd wave: Insurers brace for rise in Covid-19 policy claims

The 2nd wave: Insurers brace for rise in Covid-19 policy claims

Rediff.com   19 Apr 2021

The unprecedented rise in Covid-19 infections in the country, which many are terming as the second wave, has also resulted in a rise in Covid-related claims for general and health insurance companies as hospitalisations have gone up. The insurers have received more than a million Covid-related claims as of April, 2021. According to the data compiled by General Insurance Council, the reported claims total 1.014 million, amounting to more than Rs 14,800 crore.

You will soon be able to withdraw cash from digital wallets

You will soon be able to withdraw cash from digital wallets

Rediff.com   8 Apr 2021

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Wednesday proposed to make interoperability mandatory for digital payments firms. It also allowed users to withdraw cash from e-wallets and fintech companies to process RTGS and NEFT transactions. The RBI expressed dissatisfaction over prepaid payment instruments' (PPIs') failure to migrate towards full-KYC (know your customer) PPIs, and therefore interoperability, even two years after guidelines were issued.

Dividend rule: MFs vs SEBI

Dividend rule: MFs vs SEBI

Rediff.com   1 Apr 2021

Experts believe the new norms may be an indirect way for Sebi to apply the brakes on dividend option plans in MFs.

RuPay takes on Visa and Mastercard with a little govt help

RuPay takes on Visa and Mastercard with a little govt help

Rediff.com   30 Mar 2021

RuPay is working on how to increase offers to customers. It is also focused on technology innovation in the card payment system.

Life insurers shell out crores as Covid-19 death claims

Life insurers shell out crores as Covid-19 death claims

Rediff.com   29 Mar 2021

As of March 25, life insurers have paid Rs 1,986 crore towards 25,500 Covid death claims

MFs net sellers of Indian equities first time in 7 years

MFs net sellers of Indian equities first time in 7 years

Rediff.com   24 Mar 2021

Mutual funds (MFs) are set to be net sellers of Indian equities for the first time in the past seven financial years, having sold stocks worth about Rs 1.27 trillion so far in 2020-21 (FY21), making it the highest net sales on record in a financial year. MFs had been net buyers in the previous six financial years, including purchases of over Rs 1.41 trillion in FY18, Rs 88,152 crore in FY19, and Rs 91,814 crore in FY20. The last time they offloaded Indian equities was in FY14, when they net sold stocks worth Rs 21,159 crore. In contrast, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) have ramped up buying in FY21, purchasing more than Rs 2.6 trillion worth of shares.

Loan moratorium: SC ruling clears overhang for banks

Loan moratorium: SC ruling clears overhang for banks

Rediff.com   24 Mar 2021

Lenders can now initiate recovery proceedings since the SC has lifted the standstill on asset classification, which protected stressed accounts from slipping into NPAs.

'You never exit a portfolio'

'You never exit a portfolio'

Rediff.com   23 Mar 2021

'We will be looking to prune our portfolio to make GIC Re a healthier entity.'

Flurry of IPOs: Sebi warns against threat of technical glitches

Flurry of IPOs: Sebi warns against threat of technical glitches

Rediff.com   16 Mar 2021

Sebi has asked intermediaries to stagger the offerings as much as possible, said people in the know and ensure adequate capacity building.

Equities outperform bonds in the ultra-long run, says study

Equities outperform bonds in the ultra-long run, says study

Rediff.com   16 Mar 2021

Ultra-long term equity investments have been a lot more rewarding than debt, a study published by Credit Suisse Research Institute in collaboration with London Business School shows. "Over the last 121 years, global equities have provided an annualised real return (in dollar terms) of 5.3 per cent versus 2.1 per cent for bonds," shows the study, which has looked at returns for 23 countries since 1900. In the Indian context, equity returns are even more favourable. Since 1953, equities have generated annualised returns of 6.5 per cent and government bonds only 0.4 per cent.

Covid impact: Sebi may give overseas roadshow a miss, again

Covid impact: Sebi may give overseas roadshow a miss, again

Rediff.com   11 Mar 2021

The regulator typically meets overseas investors in the US and UK in the first half of a financial year, and had opted for a virtual meet last year too.

NUE: 6 in fray for digital payments licence

NUE: 6 in fray for digital payments licence

Rediff.com   10 Mar 2021

The race to get a New Umbrella Entity (NUE) licence for digital payments may get crowded. As many as six consortiums are said to be in the fray to apply for an NUE licence, which would create a for-profit National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI)-like body for retail payments. A consortium led by Financial Software and Systems (FSS), a leading provider of payment products and payment processor, is in talks and may file an application to the RBI for an NUE license, said sources aware of the development. The other constituents of this group include Indian Bank, Central Bank of India, India Post Payments Bank, National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard), and a few small finance banks.

Irdai launches standard personal accident cover

Irdai launches standard personal accident cover

Rediff.com   26 Feb 2021

The product, named Saral Suraksha Bima, will have a maximum sum assured of Rs 1 crore and minimum Rs 2.5 lakh.

Unwinding high indirect taxes on fuel is critical for economy: RBI's Das

Unwinding high indirect taxes on fuel is critical for economy: RBI's Das

Rediff.com   23 Feb 2021

With inflation under control, the Monetary Policy Committee's (MPC's) job is to support growth because the economy had recovered well from the lows in the initial months of the pandemic, according to the panel's members, who met in the first week of this month. The minutes of the meeting show the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor in his statement said: "Given the sharp moderation in inflation along with a stable near-term outlook, monetary policy needs to continue with the accommodative stance to ensure that the recovery gains greater traction and becomes broad-based." Ashima Goyal, external member of the MPC, said: "The current macroeconomic configuration and its expected future evolution imply there is space for the MPC to continue to support the revival of the economy with inflation remaining in the target band."

Budget sops may lure Mauritius funds to Gift City

Budget sops may lure Mauritius funds to Gift City

Rediff.com   17 Feb 2021

As per the Budget proposals, migration of a fund to a fund in IFSC will not be regarded as transfer if done on or before March 31, 2023. Transfer of units will be tax neutral. Grandfathered investments of the fund to continue to enjoy capital gains exemption on future sale by the IFSC fund. There is no impact on carry forward of losses for the investee company.

FPIs may have to wait for dividend tax relief

FPIs may have to wait for dividend tax relief

Rediff.com   10 Feb 2021

Companies wanting to consider treaty benefits and deducting tax at a lower rate will have to examine the qualitative factors. They will have to consider whether FPIs are liable to tax and whether they are the beneficial owner of dividend income.

Majority of equity schemes pare cash positions even as markets soar

Majority of equity schemes pare cash positions even as markets soar

Rediff.com   4 Feb 2021

While the market may remain volatile this year, analysts expect equities to deliver positive returns by outperforming inflation and government bonds, supported by the fiscal stimulus in the US.