Subrata Panda, Aathira Varier

Stories by Subrata Panda, Aathira Varier

Short-term debt flows shifting from CPs to CDs

Short-term debt flows shifting from CPs to CDs

Rediff.com   6 days ago

Investors are moving away from the commercial paper (CP) market towards certificates of deposit (CDs), as primary CD issuances and rates on these short-term instruments rise.

RBI Proposes Strict Curbs On Bank Recovery Agents

RBI Proposes Strict Curbs On Bank Recovery Agents

Rediff.com   13 Feb 2026

Abusive language, threats, harassment, excessive or anonymous calls, public humiliation, and misleading representations are explicitly prohibited.

RBI to roll out risk-based premium model for deposit insurance

RBI to roll out risk-based premium model for deposit insurance

Rediff.com   10 Feb 2026

The RBI will now charge banks different deposit insurance fees based on how risky they are, allowing safer banks to pay less premium.

High cost of capital constraining private investment, growth

High cost of capital constraining private investment, growth

Rediff.com   30 Jan 2026

India's high cost of capital due to relatively shallow corporate bond markets, limited institutional investor depth, sovereign risk premia, and regulatory restrictions on capital flows, is a constraint on private investment and long-run growth, the Economic Survey, authored by Chief Economic Advisor (CEA) V Anantha Nageswaran, said.

New labour Codes raise operating expenses of pvt banks, insurers

New labour Codes raise operating expenses of pvt banks, insurers

Rediff.com   26 Jan 2026

The new labour Codes, notified by the central government in November 2025, have pushed up employee costs for private-sector banks and insurance companies, with these firms reporting higher operating expenses in the October-December quarter (Q3FY26) due to the statutory impact of the new labour Codes.

Value of CDs climbs to Rs 5.75 trn, rates cross 7% for marquee banks

Value of CDs climbs to Rs 5.75 trn, rates cross 7% for marquee banks

Rediff.com   26 Jan 2026

Banks are depending more heavily on the market for certificates of deposit (CDs), whose worth climbed to a record Rs 5.75 trillion in the fortnight to January 15, owing to deposit tightness in the system.

Net FDI stayed negative in November

Net FDI stayed negative in November

Rediff.com   22 Jan 2026

Net foreign direct investment (FDI) remained negative in November 2025 for the third consecutive month, mainly due to high repatriation, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said in its January bulletin.

RBI deputy governor flags cyber risk over volume of personal data with FIs

RBI deputy governor flags cyber risk over volume of personal data with FIs

Rediff.com   21 Jan 2026

The increasing use of models, algorithms, and code across the financial industry is reshaping how outcomes are generated. However, their limitations, such as explainability, embedded bias, and model drift may not be immediately apparent and may emerge only as these technologies gain scale, warns RBI deputy governor Shirish Chandra Murmu.

Positive biz outlook nudges banks to hire for sales growth

Positive biz outlook nudges banks to hire for sales growth

Rediff.com   16 Jan 2026

Banks are witnessing a surge in hiring for sales staff in secured segments such as home, vehicle and gold loans as compared to the recovery category, driven by a boost in business growth, and a host of regulatory measures aimed at improving ease of doing business, according to industry experts.

After Yes stake buy, Japan's SMBC gets RBI nod for wholly owned subsidiary

After Yes stake buy, Japan's SMBC gets RBI nod for wholly owned subsidiary

Rediff.com   15 Jan 2026

Months after picking up 24.21 per cent stake in private sector lender Yes Bank, Japan's Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) has received the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI's) in-principle approval for setting up a wholly owned subsidiary (WOS) in India.

Deposit Rate Cuts Tough For Banks As Govt Retains Small Savings Rates

Deposit Rate Cuts Tough For Banks As Govt Retains Small Savings Rates

Rediff.com   14 Jan 2026

'The government's decision to keep interest rates unchanged on small savings schemes will certainly constrain banks' ability to cut deposit rates further.'

Pricing to remain key in corporate bond mkt this year

Pricing to remain key in corporate bond mkt this year

Rediff.com   13 Jan 2026

A neutral monetary policy stance, heavy government borrowing, and issuers adjusting to a higher-for-longer yield environment have set the stage for a largely stable corporate bond market in 2026.

Can't treat compliance as a quarter-end activity: RBI DG

Can't treat compliance as a quarter-end activity: RBI DG

Rediff.com   13 Jan 2026

Banks cannot treat compliance as a quarter-end activity, and must have stronger operational discipline and data governance throughout the year, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Deputy Governor Swaminathan J said in a speech at the Third Annual Global Conference of the College of Supervisors.

$6-Billion Foreign Bet on India's Private Banks

$6-Billion Foreign Bet on India's Private Banks

Rediff.com   12 Jan 2026

Cleaner balance sheets, regulatory support and strong growth prospects helped Indian private banks attract over $6 billion in foreign capital, with more deals expected in 2026.

GST rejig helps life insurers' NBP surge 40% in December

GST rejig helps life insurers' NBP surge 40% in December

Rediff.com   12 Jan 2026

The life insurance industry recorded nearly 40 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) growth in new business premiums (NBP), aided by the rationalisation of goods and services tax (GST) on individual life insurance premiums, which has made policies more affordable for consumers.

Bajaj Finserv completes Allianz's stake buyout in its insurance arms

Bajaj Finserv completes Allianz's stake buyout in its insurance arms

Rediff.com   9 Jan 2026

Bajaj Finserv on Thursday said it has completed the acquisition of Allianz SE's stake in Bajaj General Insurance and Bajaj Life Insurance, worth Rs 12,190 crore and Rs 9,200 crore, respectively. Bajaj Finserv, along with Bajaj Holdings & Investment and Jamnalal Sons, acquired the foreign insurer's 23 per cent stake in the businesses, marking the largest transaction in the Indian insurance sector.

Commission structure in life insurance sector may change

Commission structure in life insurance sector may change

Rediff.com   8 Jan 2026

The committee formed under the Life Insurance Council to review the commission structure in the life insurance sector has recommended capping distributor commissions or deferring them to ease acquisition costs. The recommendations will be sent to the insurance regulator -- Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Irdai).

GST rate cuts spur credit growth in banking sector in Q3 FY26

GST rate cuts spur credit growth in banking sector in Q3 FY26

Rediff.com   7 Jan 2026

Banking sector has witnessed healthy growth in advances in the third quarter of financial year 2026 (Q3FY26) against the same period last year, as the full impact of goods and service tax (GST) rate cuts drove growth. Most of the lenders saw their credit growth outpace the deposit growth in the quarter.

Banks see double-digit credit growth in Q3 FY26 on strong lending

Banks see double-digit credit growth in Q3 FY26 on strong lending

Rediff.com   3 Jan 2026

Six banks that reported their quarterly business updates for the October-December (Q3FY26) quarter on Friday recorded double-digit growth in their loan books compared with a year ago. Deposits also posted healthy growth during the period.

Up to 4 banks may have to tap buffers in adverse scenarios

Up to 4 banks may have to tap buffers in adverse scenarios

Rediff.com   1 Jan 2026

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), in its Financial Stability Report (FSR), cautioned that stress tests indicate two scheduled commercial banks (SCBs) may have to dip into their capital conservation buffers (CCBs), unless stakeholders infuse capital, under a scenario involving a gradual slowdown in domestic GDP growth and a moderate rise in inflation, with limited policy easing space available to the central bank.