Subrata Panda, Abhijit Lele &Amp; Samie Modak

Stories by Subrata Panda, Abhijit Lele &Amp; Samie Modak

7 key challenges Madhabi Puri Buch faces as new Sebi chief

7 key challenges Madhabi Puri Buch faces as new Sebi chief

Rediff.com   19 Mar 2022

Samie Modak

HDFC Bank: Recouping lost credit card share to be 'gradual'

HDFC Bank: Recouping lost credit card share to be 'gradual'

Rediff.com   15 Mar 2022

While HDFC Bank has vowed to recoup its lost market share in the credit card segment in three to four quarters by aggressively sourcing new cards, brokerages believe it is a little hard to come by, given how competitive the landscape has become, with other players in the market becoming equally aggressive to gain market share. Kotak Institutional Equities in its report on Monday said, "We would like to believe that the recovery in market share is likely to be gradual, if any. "All the key players, including Axis Bank, are now willing to expand their credit card portfolios as they have tested quite well against Covid-19."

Ahead of IPO, LIC's Q3 net profit zooms on surplus model change

Ahead of IPO, LIC's Q3 net profit zooms on surplus model change

Rediff.com   12 Mar 2022

Under the new model, the surplus distribution in the participating policyholders' fund has been modified to 90:10 in a phased manner, wherein 90 per cent will go to policyholders and 10 per cent to shareholders. Further, 100 per cent of the surplus generated out of the non-participating business will be available for distribution to all shareholders.

SBI plans to position YONO as complete digital bank

SBI plans to position YONO as complete digital bank

Rediff.com   11 Mar 2022

The country's largest lender State Bank of India (SBI) will revamp its banking application (app) YONO and position it as a complete digital bank (DB) under a new rubric 'Only YONO' for enhancing customer experience and ease of use. The bank plans to bring in a consultant to help draw up the project plan, keeping in mind business goals for the next five years. With 54 million monthly active users (MAUs), SBI YONO has seen growth of over 35 per cent in MAUs in 2021.

LIC IPO gets Sebi nod but no clarity on launch day

LIC IPO gets Sebi nod but no clarity on launch day

Rediff.com   10 Mar 2022

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has cleared the draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) of the state-owned Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC). According to investment banking sources, the so-called final observations were issued by the market regulator on Tuesday evening. Following the market regulator's nod to the IPO papers, the insurer can launch its share sale. However, LIC may not launch its IPO immediately given the current volatile market conditions.

Indian firms put dollar bond plans on hold

Indian firms put dollar bond plans on hold

Rediff.com   8 Mar 2022

With the international markets facing uncertainty after Russia invaded Ukraine and Western nations retaliated with sanctions, Indian companies are putting their international fundraising plans on hold as they wait for the markets to recover. Bankers said apart from the geopolitical crisis, international rates are hardening in anticipation of interest rate hikes by the US Federal Reserve to control rising prices in the US. The Ukraine situation has implications for the market. In such a situation, international investors try to shift to safe haven assets by exiting from emerging markets.

We have effected transformational changes, says NSE

We have effected transformational changes, says NSE

Rediff.com   8 Mar 2022

The National Stock Exchange (NSE), which is once again in the eye of a storm due to the co-location scandal, has said it has taken several transformational steps in the past few years on the regulatory, technological, and surveillance fronts to help improve stakeholder experience and to protect investors. Senior officials of the exchange briefed the media over the steps the exchange has taken on various fronts following changes at the helm with former managing director and chief executive officer Chitra Ramkrishna's ouster in December 2016. "Over the last few years, we have been looking to modernise and transform the entire value chain of technology.

Sebi asks Indiabulls to take a few corrective measures

Sebi asks Indiabulls to take a few corrective measures

Rediff.com   5 Mar 2022

Market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) in its investigation against Indiabulls Housing Finance has found the mortgage financier non-compliant with regards to unavailability of certain information on its website as well as its internal policy. Thereby, it has directed the company to take corrective measures and inform the stock exchanges in a months' time. Several public interest litigations (PILs) and FIRs were filed against Indiabulls Housing Finance back in 2019, alleging irregularities, siphoning of funds, and other violations committed by the promoters of the company.

Former NSE chairman Chawla had revealed yogi's identity to Sebi in 2018

Former NSE chairman Chawla had revealed yogi's identity to Sebi in 2018

Rediff.com   3 Mar 2022

The mysterious Himalayan 'yogi' who allegedly advised Chitra Ramkrishna, former managing director and chief executive officer of the National Stock Exchange (NSE), on important matters of the bourse could be none other than Anand Subramanian, according to a letter written by former NSE chairman Ashok Chawla to the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi). Subramanian was group operating officer of the NSE and advisor to Ramkrishna during 2015-16. He joined as chief strategic advisor in April 2013.

NSE in firefighting mode to minimise reputational harm after Sebi's order

NSE in firefighting mode to minimise reputational harm after Sebi's order

Rediff.com   28 Feb 2022

The National Stock Exchange (NSE) has got into firefighting mode to control the reputational damage caused by the Securities and Exchange Board of India's (Sebi's) order against its former managing director and chief executive officer Chitra Ramkrishna and others. According to sources, the exchange's management over the past one week has met several key stakeholders, including officials in the finance ministry and Sebi, major shareholders, and trading members, trying to distance itself from the controversy. The exchange plans to hold more meetings in the coming week to ensure that trading volumes and confidence in the bourse don't get impacted, they added.

Explained: Why RBI kept key rates unchanged

Explained: Why RBI kept key rates unchanged

Rediff.com   25 Feb 2022

Members of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) felt that though the Indian economy was resilient in the third wave, it, however, lost some momentum and with inflation likely to soften, there is room to continue with the accommodative stance and support revival, the minutes of the MPC meeting released on Thursday revealed. The six-member MPC voted to keep the policy rate unchanged and continued with the accommodative stance at its meeting on February 10. However, external member Jayanth Verma voted against the stance because he felt a switch to neutral was long overdue and the current stance has become counterproductive and deflects focus away from addressing recessionary trends that date back to at least 2019.

LIC may end up becoming India's most valuable company

LIC may end up becoming India's most valuable company

Rediff.com   22 Feb 2022

Life Insurance Corp of India (LIC), which is aiming to launch its initial public offering (IPO) next month, is set to alter the pecking order of top listed companies in the country. Depending upon where the government prices the IPO, the stock could end up becoming India's most valuable company on the first day and even get fast-tracked into global benchmark indices given its sheer size. According to market sources, LIC's IPO is targeting to mop up Rs 63,000 crore and Rs 75,000 crore.

Former NSE MD-CEO Chitra Ramkrishna, her advisor ran a 'money-making scheme': Sebi

Former NSE MD-CEO Chitra Ramkrishna, her advisor ran a 'money-making scheme': Sebi

Rediff.com   18 Feb 2022

Former NSE managing director (MD) and chief executive officer (CEO) Chitra Ramkrishna and group operating officer and her advisor Anand Subramanian ran a 'money-making scheme' during their stint at the National Stock Exchange (NSE), markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has alleged. The order passed by Sebi dated February 11 highlights frequent increase in the compensation package of without proper appraisal, documentation or file notings, and the involvement of the human resource (HR) head or the nomination and remuneration committee. Furthermore, the order talks about Subramanian being directed to "withdraw and surrender" to the unknown person a gross amount per month as "gratitude".

Zombie firms spoiling India's economic recovery: RBI study

Zombie firms spoiling India's economic recovery: RBI study

Rediff.com   17 Feb 2022

Zombies a.k.a perpetually loss-making firms in India seem to have dampened the effectiveness of monetary policy at the margin as they use borrowed resources more for their survival than for undertaking new investment, according to a RBI study. The monetary policy does not hinder the creative destruction process by misallocating credit flows to zombies during periods of economic slowdown, showed a study by officers of Reserve Bank of India. It has been published in RBI's bulletin for February 2022. In India, zombie firms are estimated to account for about 10 per cent of total debt of the non-financial corporate sector.

Banks' bottom line improves as bad loans continue to fall

Banks' bottom line improves as bad loans continue to fall

Rediff.com   16 Feb 2022

Commercial banks in the country continued with their improving asset quality trend in the October-December 2021 quarter with slippages remaining under control coupled with healthy recoveries and upgradation of asset classification. The 28-listed banks reported improvement in bottom line with net profits rising 64.1 per cent year-on-year (YoY) and 21.5 per cent sequentially. This is mostly on account of a fall in provisions and contingencies.

LIC gets until Jan 2023 to dispose of 'other investments'

LIC gets until Jan 2023 to dispose of 'other investments'

Rediff.com   15 Feb 2022

Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) has received the insurance regulator's nod for time till January-end 2023 to dispose of investments in pension, group and life annuity funds, which do not fall in the "approved investment" category. Had the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (Irdai) denied more time to transfer the investments to shareholders' fund at amortised cost, the loss that would have accrued in the profit and loss account (shareholders account) would have been Rs 5,365.83 crore as of September 2021, LIC said in its draft red herring prospectus (DRHP).

PSBs up loan growth target as corporate demand revives

PSBs up loan growth target as corporate demand revives

Rediff.com   14 Feb 2022

This is following revival of demand from the corporate sector and small and medium enterprises (SMEs), even as a nascent economic recovery is taking shape. Credit growth of scheduled commercial banks had accelerated to 9.2 per cent year-on-year (YoY) by the end of December 2021 after breaching the 7 per cent-mark in November, for the first time since April 2020.

'I am bullish on India'

'I am bullish on India'

Rediff.com   11 Feb 2022

'India has many attractive features for the long-term investor; it combines: A low per capita income, a young population, and a heavier presence of high margin, asset-light firms in the technology sector.'

LIC AUM rose Rs 1 trn from March-Sep '21

LIC AUM rose Rs 1 trn from March-Sep '21

Rediff.com   10 Feb 2022

Initial public offering (IPO)-bound Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India's assets under management (AUM) increased to Rs 38 trillion as of September 2021, compared with Rs 37 trillion as of March 2021, said sources in the know. Its AUM is almost 3x the AUM of all the private life insurers in the country and over 15x more than the AUM of the second largest life insurer, SBI Life, as of September 2021. SBI Life's AUM was approximately Rs 2.4 trillion as of September 2021, said sources.