Namrata Acharya And Abhijit Lele

Stories by Namrata Acharya And Abhijit Lele

Paying on savings a/cs to put pressure on banks

Paying on savings a/cs to put pressure on banks

Rediff.com   1 Apr 2010

Savings bank account holders are a happier lot. The reason: They will earn more on their deposits from April. However, this isn't good news for banks, as their margins will come under pressure

Rise of rupee to dictate RBI policy

Rise of rupee to dictate RBI policy

Rediff.com   21 Jan 2010

The buoyant foreign capital flows in debt instruments since the beginning of 2010 could weigh on the Reserve Bank of India's decision on whether to raise policy rates.

200,000 recruits to bring bank to your doorstep

200,000 recruits to bring bank to your doorstep

Rediff.com   19 Jan 2010

With the Reserve Bank of India allowing retired teachers, kirana shop owners and public call office (PCO) operators to be hired as business correspondents, banks are set to hire over 200,000 people over the next few years to push financial inclusion initiatives.

SBI banks on wind power

SBI banks on wind power

Rediff.com   28 Dec 2009

The country's largest lender will set up wind power projects in Maharashtra (9 Mw), Tamil Nadu (5 Mw) and Gujarat (1.5 Mw) - with a combined capacity of 15.5 Mw - for its captive consumption at various SBI offices and branches in these three states.

Banks ready war chest to fund global acquisitions

Banks ready war chest to fund global acquisitions

Rediff.com   17 Dec 2009

The intensification of global financial crisis in the second half of 2008 had forced Indian companies to put on hold their global plans. When going was good till early 2008, Indian banks -- both public and private sector -- played their part, albeit as junior partners to large international banks, in funding deals.

Power is the new dot-com!

Power is the new dot-com!

Rediff.com   16 Dec 2009

Power seems to have become the new dotcom," a market observer said, referring to the surge in the number of companies of all shapes and sizes wanting to get into the power business.

Auto loan: Private lenders step on the gas

Auto loan: Private lenders step on the gas

Rediff.com   8 Dec 2009

In the past one year, the share of state-run banks in auto finance has increased significantly, and in some cases nearly doubled, on the back of competitive rates offered by banks such as State Bank of India.

Nano: Long wait leads to cancellations

Nano: Long wait leads to cancellations

Rediff.com   3 Dec 2009

Small price difference with Maruti causes customer attrition and back-outs.

Dubai crisis may push up cost of overseas credit

Dubai crisis may push up cost of overseas credit

Rediff.com   2 Dec 2009

The premium that borrowers would have to pay over the London Inter Bank Offered Rate (Libor) have not, however, shot up the way they did a year ago when spreads had jumped 750 basis points for some Indian companies in the aftermath of the collapse of Lehman Brothers.

Indian banks hit the rule wall in Singapore, HK

Indian banks hit the rule wall in Singapore, HK

Rediff.com   20 Oct 2009

Put plans on hold after HK caps expansion, Singapore orders stricter asset norms.

SBI begins selective repricing of loans

SBI begins selective repricing of loans

Rediff.com   7 Oct 2009

The move is aimed at improving margins.

A year on, Singur picks up the pieces

A year on, Singur picks up the pieces

Rediff.com   5 Oct 2009

A year later, land prices are less than half the peak levels of Rs 20 lakh an acre.

Cash discount catches fancy of home buyers

Cash discount catches fancy of home buyers

Rediff.com   4 Sep 2009

Since September-October last year, when the real estate market was in deep recession, several developers had started offering gifts like a car or a parking space with flats. For example, Kolkata-based real estate developer RDB Group had decided to give a Nano car with flats at its residential project in Sonarpur, South 24-Parganas.

Trouble brewing for UPA's borrowing programme

Trouble brewing for UPA's borrowing programme

Rediff.com   17 Aug 2009

One indication of this was the fact that many large bond buyers stayed away from the Rs 12,000 crore auction conducted on August 7.

Banks' fee income may come down

Banks' fee income may come down

Rediff.com   13 Aug 2009

Income from distribution of third-party products such as insurance policies and mutual fund schemes is already under pressure because of the unfavourable economic climate.

It's raining PSU funds

It's raining PSU funds

Rediff.com   5 Aug 2009

Govt's divestment plans encourage funds to bet big on state-owned firms.

Other income saves the day for banks

Other income saves the day for banks

Rediff.com   31 Jul 2009

Banks' net interest margins under pressure due to moderate income from advances.

Banks eye bigger slice of education loan pie

Banks eye bigger slice of education loan pie

Rediff.com   24 Jul 2009

Banks have come to realise that recession or no recession, education loans are a low-risk business.

Pranab rules out divestment in govt banks

Pranab rules out divestment in govt banks

Rediff.com   20 Jul 2009

The minister said at a time when banks in the US and Europe needed government support for survival, banks in India were strong enough to sustain on their own.

Public sector banks on recruitment overdrive

Public sector banks on recruitment overdrive

Rediff.com   15 Jul 2009

Balachandran M, Director of the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection, has little time to catch his breath. He and his team have been supervising recruitment of nearly 100 public sector bank employees every day.