Subrata Panda And Samie Modak

Stories by Subrata Panda And Samie Modak

Major PSU banks to go live on account aggregator system by July-end

Major PSU banks to go live on account aggregator system by July-end

Rediff.com   21 Jul 2022

After the finance minister directed public sector banks to join the account aggregator (AA) ecosystem, 5-6 major ones, including State Bank of India (SBI) and Bank of Baroda are expected to go live by July-end. Sahmati, an industry alliance for the AA ecosystem, has been working with PSU banks to get them onboarded for quite some time now. So far, Union Bank of India and Punjab National Bank (PNB) have gone live on the AA ecosystem. While Union Bank has been live for a while, PNB went live earlier this month.

'LIC's investment decisions won't change'

'LIC's investment decisions won't change'

Rediff.com   19 Jul 2022

'We try to pick up stocks early and hold onto them for the long term.' 'We are not someone who buys and sells on a daily basis.'

Start-ups trump traditional companies in value creation

Start-ups trump traditional companies in value creation

Rediff.com   15 Jul 2022

Domestic new-age companies are making their presence felt at India Inc. According to a study done by Credit Suisse, only 15 per cent of the companies in the BSE500 index were formed after the year 2000. By comparison, nearly 90 per cent of unicorns - a start-up with a value of over $1 billion - were set up after 2000.

India Exits $3 Trillion M-Cap Club

India Exits $3 Trillion M-Cap Club

Rediff.com   4 Jul 2022

From the peak of $3.67 trillion in January, India's market cap has eroded by $676 billion amid rising bond yields and a record-breaking sell-off by overseas investors.

FPIs allowed to deal in exchange-traded commodity derivatives

FPIs allowed to deal in exchange-traded commodity derivatives

Rediff.com   30 Jun 2022

The Securities and Exchange Board of India's (Sebi's) board on Wednesday allowed foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) to trade in exchange-traded commodity derivatives. The move, it said, "will enhance liquidity and market depth, as well as promote efficient price discovery." Overseas investors will only be allowed to deal in non-agricultural commodity derivatives and only cash-settled contracts.

Weakening Rupee And Student Loans: What You Need To Know

Weakening Rupee And Student Loans: What You Need To Know

Rediff.com   27 Jun 2022

The depreciation in rupee may pose a problem for students who have taken loans from Indian lenders.

How credit card route to UPI may come at a price for merchants

How credit card route to UPI may come at a price for merchants

Rediff.com   20 Jun 2022

The Reserve Bank of India's (RBI's) recent decision to allow credit cards for payments through the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is likely to attract a merchant discount rate (MDR), said a top payment industry source. For smaller merchants, a subsidy for MDR could be provided. "With credit card-UPI linkage, UPI will not only be a payment instrument but also a lending platform. "How can banks lend without a commercial model? Also, the government has said MDR will be zero for payment products but not for lending products," the source said, indicating the MDR regime for credit card-linked UPI payments.

'A very long time since India experienced such high inflation'

'A very long time since India experienced such high inflation'

Rediff.com   20 Jun 2022

Inflation trajectory, domestically as also globally, is what will shape the economy, and therefore the market, over the next couple of quarters.'

How Madhabi Puri Buch Is Changing Sebi

How Madhabi Puri Buch Is Changing Sebi

Rediff.com   20 Jun 2022

Industry players credit Sebi's first woman chairperson with putting special emphasis on cyber security, use of tech and data, areas where Sebi is trying to 'stay ahead of the curve'.

Loans to get more expensive as banks hike lending rates

Loans to get more expensive as banks hike lending rates

Rediff.com   10 Jun 2022

A day after the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI's) Monetary Policy Committee hiked the policy repo rate by 50 basis points (bps), several commercial banks, including ICICI Bank and Bank of Baroda, raised their external benchmark-linked loan rates by an equal amount on Thursday. HDFC, the country's largest mortgage lender, too, increased its interest rates on housing loans by another 50 bps. In total, it has raised rates by 85 bps since May 4, when the RBI had increased the repo rate by 40 bps in an off-cycle meeting.

Fired fund managers of Axis Mutual Fund could be banned from markets

Fired fund managers of Axis Mutual Fund could be banned from markets

Rediff.com   10 Jun 2022

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) could soon issue interim orders imposing a market ban on the two former fund managers of Axis Mutual Fund (MF) for suspected front-running of trades, said people with knowledge of the development. "The market regulator has gathered prima facie evidence that demonstrates that the duo has violated the integrity of the market. "While a detailed investigation is still pending in the matter, Sebi could take action under Section 11 (4) to prevent further harm to the investors and the securities market," said a source.

FPI concerns remain as shift to T+1 settlement cycle nears: Analysts

FPI concerns remain as shift to T+1 settlement cycle nears: Analysts

Rediff.com   31 May 2022

Overseas investors, as well as other key stakeholders, such as brokers, custodians, and clearing corporations, are yet to iron out critical issues, even as the shift towards a shorter trade settlement cycle approaches new phases. Several industry players said foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) are still facing impediments over the trade confirmation timelines, foreign exchange (forex) bookings, and pre-funding requirements. This could potentially act as a roadblock when it comes to moving entirely to the new T+1 settlement cycle from next year.

Credit card spend jumps 48% to top Rs 1 trillion in March

Credit card spend jumps 48% to top Rs 1 trillion in March

Rediff.com   24 May 2022

Spending through the credit card in March 2022 jumped 48 per cent year-on-year to top Rs 1 trillion -- five months after it had hit the same figure for the first time in October 2021, buoyed by festive season expenditure. The jump has been driven by the pickup in consumption as the pandemic recedes. Expenditure in March, at Rs 1.07 trillion, was up 24.5 per cent over February, the data put out by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) showed.

Apple to stop storing card information on file for Indian customers

Apple to stop storing card information on file for Indian customers

Rediff.com   20 May 2022

Technology giant Apple has informed its customers in India that it will no longer store their card information on file and will not be accepting payments made by debit cards and credit cards for purchases or subscriptions on the App store or other Apple services. The decision has been taken by the US-based company in view of the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI's) card data storage guidelines, which will kick in from July 1. The deadline for implementing these norms was extended twice.

Sebi scanner on more front-running ops by fund managers

Sebi scanner on more front-running ops by fund managers

Rediff.com   17 May 2022

Markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) is examining allegations of front-running and other irregularities against a host of domestic fund managers across the asset management industry, said people in the know. Developments at Axis Mutual Fund have prompted the regulator to speed up probe to ensure that there is no drop in confidence in the Rs 39-trillion mutual fund (MF) industry. "We have received complaints against a few fund managers and are looking into possible violations, including those related to code of conduct," said a regulatory source, refusing to divulge names of fund houses as things are at a preliminary stage.

Sebi mulls launch of confidential IPO filings to address privacy concerns

Sebi mulls launch of confidential IPO filings to address privacy concerns

Rediff.com   13 May 2022

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has mulled introduction of confidential initial public offering (IPO) filings and "pre-filing" of offer documents, a move aimed at giving issuers flexibility and alleviating concerns around privacy. Industry players said the concept, if implemented, would give a fillip to the domestic capital markets, ease the process and encourage more companies to go public. To be sure, the proposals are still at a discussion stage with Sebi just floating a consultation paper seeking public feedback.

'Investors should allocate more towards large-caps and defensives in the current risk-off scenario'

'Investors should allocate more towards large-caps and defensives in the current risk-off scenario'

Rediff.com   13 May 2022

'For the next two years, we expect the bulk of earnings growth contribution from sectors like financials and energy, where the outlook remains positive, while the sectors which are linked to domestic consumption and are currently witnessing strains on margins have low salience for Nifty earnings.'

Delhivery's IPO will be second biggest this year after LIC

Delhivery's IPO will be second biggest this year after LIC

Rediff.com   9 May 2022

Logistics services provider Delhivery is likely to launch its downsized initial public offering (IPO) this week, said people in the know. The Softbank-backed firm may trim its issue size from Rs 7,460 crore to Rs 5,500 crore to align with the volatile market conditions, sources said. Sources added the fresh issue component of the IPO could be reduced to Rs 4,500 crore and the OFS component to Rs 1,000 crore.

Money pulled from China finds way to Asean countries, not India

Money pulled from China finds way to Asean countries, not India

Rediff.com   4 May 2022

The outbreak of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus and unprecedented lockdowns in China have roiled its equity market and also that of Hong Kong. After the crisis-hit Sri Lanka, China and Hong Kong are the worst-performing stock markets in Asia on a year-to-date basis.

LIC's $2.7-billion IPO set to be the fifth-biggest globally in CY22

LIC's $2.7-billion IPO set to be the fifth-biggest globally in CY22

Rediff.com   3 May 2022

LIC's $2.7-billion initial public offering (IPO) shall be the fifth-biggest globally in CY22. South Korean EV battery maker LG Energy Solution holds the record for the year's largest IPO at $10.8 billion, while Chinese mobile communications provider China Mobile IPO, which raised $8.6 billion, comes second. Dubai Electricity and Water Authority's (DEWA's) $6.1-billion IPO in March is currently the third biggest public offering for the year, followed by China National Offshore Oil Corporation's (CNOOC's) IPO; the firm had raised $5.1 billion by issuing shares in Mainland China after delisting from the American bourses.