Indian corporate are increasingly shifting away from bank funding towards alternative sources, such as equity and bond markets, as their deleveraged balance sheets have improved their ability to raise equity at better valuations. Moreover, the 100 basis points (bps) rate cut by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has enabled them to access long-term funds from the debt capital market at cheaper rates.
Kotak Mahindra Bank on Tuesday announced that its joint managing director K V S Manian, a veteran at the private sector lender, has stepped down with immediate effect. Manian, who had been with the lender for nearly three decades, was elevated in a management rejig in January.
Fintech companies believe that the impact of Reserve Bank of India's order last week on unsecured loans will be visible in six to 12 months and prompt them to diversify and strengthen their secured portfolio. Fintechs which source funds through banks or non-banking finance companies (NBFCs) are looking at quickly building their secured portfolio options to at least 40 per cent of their total portfolio. "Over the medium to long term, as part of our product strategy, we are evaluating secured products which can be enabled over a digital platform" said Yogi Sadana, the founder of Zype, a lending-focussed fintech.
Two whole-time directors KVS Manian and Shanti Ekambaram of Kotak Mahindra Bank are in the race for the post of managing director and CEO, the position vacated by Uday Kotak last week. Kotak stepped down as MD and CEO of the bank effective September 1, 2023, four months ahead of his term was to end. The RBI will soon decide on Kotak's replacement as the new MD and CEO of Kotak Mahindra Bank, as the new person has to take charge on or before January 1, 2024.
'The last year's growth is a foretaste of things to come in the retail credit market.'
Ahead of the end of his term as the Kotak Mahindra Bank's chief executive and managing director, Uday Kotak has said he will be a "non-executive board governance member and a strategic shareholder" going ahead. In the private sector lender's annual report, the last such message from him as the MD and CEO before he relinquishes the position at the end of 2023, Kotak reminisced about the institution's journey, pointing out that Rs 10,000 invested in 1985 is worth over Rs 300 crore today. "Going forward, I see my role as a non-executive board governance member and a strategic shareholder with a long term perspective of nurturing a world class institution," Kotak said in the annual report.
The RBI's rate-setting panel MPC on Monday began its three-day deliberation amid expectations of another round of hike in benchmark interest rates to contain inflation that continues to remain above the central bank's upper tolerance level. RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das will announce the decision of the Monetary Policy Committee after deliberations on Wednesday. Das has already indicated that there may another hike in the repo rate, though he refrained from quantifying it.
Shanti Ekambaram, president of consumer banking at Kotak Mahindra Bank, talks about her success mantras, career and money management lessons she learnt, work-life balance for working moms and what India's youth should aspire for.
The Reserve Bank's rate-setting panel, Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), began its three-day deliberations on Wednesday amid expectations of a status quo on benchmark rate mainly on account of uncertainty over the impact of the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, the fears of firming inflation may also refrain the MPC from tinkering with the interest rate in its bi-monthly monetary policy outcome to be announced on Friday. The RBI had kept key interest rates unchanged at the last MPC meeting held in April.
Digital lending apps extend small amounts at exorbitant rates. Payment delays invite messages to customer or close family members, often with sensitive information such as Aadhaar and PAN Card scans.
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.
The economic growth is likely to moderate to 6.1 per cent, slowest in over seven quarters, from 6.6 per cent last year same period.
We invited readers to send in their interesting monsoon snapshots. Here is the next set of responses -- and you can share yours too!
Four Tamil movies will release in the harvest festival, Pongal.
Composer Devan Ekambaram has made a conscious effort to produce a different listening experience with this Tamil album.
Cinematographer N K Ekambaram on shooting the most awaited Tamil film Kandasamy.
Omkeshwar Singh, head, Rank MF, a mutual fund investment platform, answers your queries.
Of the six-member rate-setting monetary policy committee, five members voted for a 25 bps cut while one by 40 bps, the RBI said.
Anil Rego, CEO, Right Horizons, answers your personal income tax queries.
A user just needs to download any app floated by such fraudsters and apply for instant loans. These apps are mainly concentrated on Google Play considering the reach and popularity of Android systems.
'The feeling that we were Olympic champions only dawned on us when we reached India.'
The film is an honest and compelling political thriller that debates the arbitrary nature of capital punishment against the backdrop of a communist revolution.
With enough liquidity in the system, lending and deposit rates are likely to fall further