Raghavendra Kamath &Amp; Abhijit Lele

Stories by Raghavendra Kamath &Amp; Abhijit Lele

How Lakshmi Vilas Bank eroded its wealth amid controversy and losses

How Lakshmi Vilas Bank eroded its wealth amid controversy and losses

Rediff.com   8 Oct 2020

It has been a year since the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) initiated prompt corrective action (PCA), an exercise that puts weak banks under central bank scrutiny, against the 94-year-old Lakshmi Vilas Bank (LVB). But recently, this low-profile Chennai-headquartered bank found itself attracting some unwonted publicity when 60 per cent of its shareholders voted against a proposal to re-appoint seven directors, including one of the promoters, K R Pradeep (who holds around 2 per cent), and the company's managing director & chief executive officer S Sundar.

Fuelled by demand in southern markets, office leasing rises

Fuelled by demand in southern markets, office leasing rises

Rediff.com   6 Oct 2020

The Q3 office rebound growth was led by Bengaluru and Hyderabad, which together accounted for nearly 80 per cent of the net absorption in Q3.

Home, auto loan inquiry back to 2019 level

Home, auto loan inquiry back to 2019 level

Rediff.com   23 Sep 2020

The public sector lenders saw the biggest rebound in inquiries in July and August 2020, most likely because they were early in recommencing operations than their private and finance counterparts.

SBI, 25 other major Indian banks figure in suspicious transactions list

SBI, 25 other major Indian banks figure in suspicious transactions list

Rediff.com   22 Sep 2020

Banks say they themselves red-flagged the transactions to RBI. It must be noted that these transactions are not outright evidence of fraud or proof of nefarious activities.

'2 years is fair time for companies to come out of pain'

'2 years is fair time for companies to come out of pain'

Rediff.com   17 Sep 2020

'The economy is expected to bounce back and things are expected to recover faster than what we previously thought.'

RBI's priority lending norms may not mean quick relief for start-ups

RBI's priority lending norms may not mean quick relief for start-ups

Rediff.com   14 Sep 2020

Seed and early-stage start-ups are high-risk businesses, rarely have collateral and only 1 in 10 of them makes it to becoming a viable company.

Challenges that Dinesh Khara, the new SBI chief faces

Challenges that Dinesh Khara, the new SBI chief faces

Rediff.com   8 Sep 2020

Relations with the government, the bank's majority owner, are a tricky issue for all SBI chiefs, and, like all his predecessors, Khara will be closely watched for his equations with the finance ministry representative on the SBI board.

Bonanza for overseas Indian investors; ODI norms to be eased

Bonanza for overseas Indian investors; ODI norms to be eased

Rediff.com   27 Aug 2020

The net outward foreign direct investment went up from $9.1 billion in 2017-18 to $12.6 billion in 2018-19 and moved further north to $13 billion in 2019-20.

Loan restructuring: 'Whoever needs relief should get it'

Loan restructuring: 'Whoever needs relief should get it'

Rediff.com   25 Aug 2020

'Mostly, the relief, if needed, would be for housing loans where a person has lost a job and is unable to pay his EMI or there has been a temporary salary cut.'

Despite Covid woes, residential launches back on track

Despite Covid woes, residential launches back on track

Rediff.com   18 Aug 2020

Despite a 56 per cent fall in residential launches in the first half of the year compared to the second half of 2019, Anarock Property Consultants believes that consolidation in residential real estate is expected to gain ground, and that branded players may garner a market share of 75-80 per cent.

Malls, retailers begin talks again over rentals

Malls, retailers begin talks again over rentals

Rediff.com   17 Aug 2020

Retailers want rental waivers should be extended for a few more months, since business is not expected to pick up before the Dussehra-Diwali period, which falls in October-November.

Collections, cash flows of top-3 realtors hit in Q1

Collections, cash flows of top-3 realtors hit in Q1

Rediff.com   7 Aug 2020

However, both developers as well as analysts are hopeful that these business metrics will pick up once activity resumes.

Yes Bank to take more 'Anil Ambani like steps' to recover dues

Yes Bank to take more 'Anil Ambani like steps' to recover dues

Rediff.com   2 Aug 2020

Yes Bank CEO said the private lender is disposing some of the properties in many other cases as well. He, however, declined to elaborate on borrowers against whom such action was underway.

Number of wilful defaulters was on rise even before lockdown

Number of wilful defaulters was on rise even before lockdown

Rediff.com   15 Jul 2020

Lenders had filed 1,251 cases to recover Rs 24,765.5 crore. Wilful defaulters are the entities that do not pay back money despite the ability to do so. Defaulters above Rs 1 crore were considered for this exercise.

Realty prices crash in Mumbai as buyers go missing

Realty prices crash in Mumbai as buyers go missing

Rediff.com   14 Jul 2020

Mumbai's property markets, where prices earlier crossed Rs 1 lakh per sq. ft in South Mumbai, are seeing a 20-25 per cent markdown from last year's levels.

CBI case may be GVK chief's biggest test yet

CBI case may be GVK chief's biggest test yet

Rediff.com   10 Jul 2020

Real estate development on Mumbai airport land and the work on Navi Mumbai airport have been inordinately delayed, which have prompted rating downgrades and raised questions on its financial capabilities. It is also trying to stave off Adani group's entry as a shareholder in the Mumbai airport project.

HDFC to set up fund to finance stressed realty projects

HDFC to set up fund to finance stressed realty projects

Rediff.com   7 Jul 2020

The real estate sector had been going through a rough phase even before the COVID-19 crisis, marked by falling sales and piling up of inventories.

Jet Airways' Mumbai office sold for Rs 490 cr

Jet Airways' Mumbai office sold for Rs 490 cr

Rediff.com   27 Jun 2020

Brookfield Asset Management will pay around Rs 29,000 per square foot for the 170,000 square feet of space in Jet Airways' two-floor office in Bandra Kurla Complex.

Battered banks staring at uncertain future

Battered banks staring at uncertain future

Rediff.com   22 Jun 2020

Like everything else, the structure of banks may change, and banks may depend more on digital technologies and artificial intelligence for dealing with both their customers and employees.

Mall developers rework rent for retailers

Mall developers rework rent for retailers

Rediff.com   22 Jun 2020

Among the options being weighed are discounts on existing rentals, short-term deferrals, and 50 per cent waivers.