Niladri Bhattacharya And Abhijit Lele In Mumbai

Stories by Niladri Bhattacharya And Abhijit Lele In Mumbai

Bird flu exposes woes in poultry insurance

Bird flu exposes woes in poultry insurance

Rediff.com   31 Jan 2008

Bird flu epidemic in West Bengal has exposed the low levels of poultry insurance found in the state.

ICICI plans healthcare investments

ICICI plans healthcare investments

Rediff.com   16 Jan 2008

ICICI Venture has tied up with a global healthcare investor to put in funds in India's healthcare sector.

Insurance sector seen growing at 30%

Insurance sector seen growing at 30%

Rediff.com   16 Jan 2008

India's insurance sector is predicted to grow at 30% this fiscal compared to 95% of the last year.

'India Inc valuation comforting to investors'

'India Inc valuation comforting to investors'

Rediff.com   16 Jan 2008

DSP Merill Lynch managing director Monish Mahurkar gives his take on the present Indian debt market and its future course in a wide-ranging interview with Business Standard.

Pvt players eye health risk biz

Pvt players eye health risk biz

Rediff.com   14 Jan 2008

Pvt life insurers are planning to foray into health covers, with standalone health insurance policies.

Banks, dealers' portfolio under RBI scanner

Banks, dealers' portfolio under RBI scanner

Rediff.com   12 Jan 2008

RBI has come down heavily on banks and dealers that are holding government securities portfolio.

Subprime crisis to hit 4 big banks' profits

Subprime crisis to hit 4 big banks' profits

Rediff.com   7 Jan 2008

State Bank of India, ICICI Bank, Bank of Baroda and Bank of India are set to book mark-to-market losses on the exposures of their foreign offices to credit derivatives, with the spreads on these widening since international lenders turned risk-averse following the crisis in the US subprime (or high-risk home loan) market. Credit derivatives are instruments for which the underlying asset is a loan or a bond.

SBI top gainer from loan syndication

SBI top gainer from loan syndication

Rediff.com   5 Jan 2008

SBI tops the list of league table banks for fees earned on loan syndication in the Asia Pacific region.

China gains as Rupee strengthens

China gains as Rupee strengthens

Rediff.com   3 Jan 2008

The survey revealed that firms were using a combination of measures like internal cost control and investment in new technology to combat the problem and stay afloat. There was a shift to a more capital intensive and labour saving manufacturing process in the small and medium scale sector. This meant significant downsizing in labour force on account of rupee appreciation.

SBI lures CAs, lawyers with hefty pay package

SBI lures CAs, lawyers with hefty pay package

Rediff.com   2 Jan 2008

During the probation period of six months, CAs will get a lump sum payment of Rs 50,000 a month.

Yunus wants govt out of micro-finance

Yunus wants govt out of micro-finance

Rediff.com   31 Dec 2007

Any initiative backed by a political institution and intention, would not achieve the desired result of serving the common man. The pre-condition of success is its management by a private entity with ownership shared between the promoters and the common people.

Kolkata banks welcome RBI move over ATMs

Kolkata banks welcome RBI move over ATMs

Rediff.com   27 Dec 2007

Large banks across the country might be crying foul on the recent suggestion of the Reserve Bank India (RBI) to do away with the charge on inter-bank ATM usage, but the Kolkata-based banks have largely welcomed the move.

Indian banks gain from sub-prime woes

Indian banks gain from sub-prime woes

Rediff.com   26 Dec 2007

The sub-prime mess has presented the foreign units of domestic banks with lucrative investment opportunities. Global banks, struck by a severe liquidity crunch and risk aversion, are selling a lot of their investments in debt of Indian companies at a discount.

HDFC Bank files police case on 'money mules'

HDFC Bank files police case on 'money mules'

Rediff.com   19 Dec 2007

The money mule scam has reached Indian shores. Banks have noticed instances of fraudsters based overseas, posing as global payment companies, luring gullible people into joining them as "money transfer agents" and using their bank accounts to route ill-gotten money.

Rupee rise pinches govt projects

Rupee rise pinches govt projects

Rediff.com   18 Dec 2007

The adverse impact of the rupee appreciation has gone beyond exports. The currency's climb is now affecting government infrastructure projects funded by multilateral lending agency such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

Investors strike cautious note

Investors strike cautious note

Rediff.com   23 Nov 2007

A foreign visitor to the city agreed, but with a note of caution. "West Bengal as an investment destination remains to be first on the list for the Australian mining companies as this state is rich in minerals," said John McCarthy, Australian High Commissioner to India, in Kolkata to attend a seminar.

Steel city fears return of the dreaded 90's

Steel city fears return of the dreaded 90's

Rediff.com   5 Nov 2007

The reign of terror unleashed by gang lords and lawlessness has led industry to fear the revival of the dreaded decade of the 1990s when 29 murders were reported in a span of 31 days.

Banks cut short-term rates for big cos

Banks cut short-term rates for big cos

Rediff.com   8 Oct 2007

Faced with abundant liquidity and flat credit off-take, banks are reversing interest rate hikes charged to large companies.In the first three months of this fiscal, most blue chips could access loans at a maximum of one to two percentage points below the PLR. Today, short-term loans (that is, for less than one year) for such companies are available between 7.5 and 9 per cent.

Banks set to pare credit targets

Banks set to pare credit targets

Rediff.com   1 Oct 2007

The loan portfolio of banks has grown by Rs 54,908 crore (Rs 549.08 billion) till September 14, representing only 3.6 per cent growth. During the same period last year, banks had lent Rs 147,657 crore (Rs 1,476.57 billion), a rise of 10.5 per cent.

UBI plans biometric ATMs

UBI plans biometric ATMs

Rediff.com   3 Sep 2007

Sources at the bank told Business Standard that talks were on with 2-3 vendors and the final decision is expected in the next 2-3 weeks.