For millions of Indians, this number has become one of the most important financial indicators. It can influence not only whether a bank approves a loan but also the interest rate you pay, the credit limit you receive and, in some cases, how quickly your application is processed.
'It's not about individuals operating the mule accounts being more or less skilled. Instead, 'lower-level' refers to the role the individual account plays in the broader mule network.'
Over the past three years, the appointments of 20 candidates selected through the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection were cancelled or offers were withdrawn due to poor credit history.
'Applying AI to change the lives of Indians and at population scale -- just like we did with DPI [digital public infrastructure] -- is really where it's going to go.'
Bajaj Finance reported a strong Q1 FY27 performance with 24 per cent year-on-year AUM growth and a 28 per cent rise in consolidated profit after tax, driven by significant increases in consumer financing, gold loans, and commercial vehicle loans, alongside a strategic focus on digital transformation and AI.
The United States Trade Representative (USTR) has expressed concerns that India's Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, particularly the lack of a deemed consent mechanism for credit information companies, and the Information Technology (IT) Rules of 2021, along with frequent internet shutdowns, could negatively impact the ability of US companies to operate and trade in India.
The much awaited Credit Information Bureau (India) Ltd was launched on Wednesday with a database of 55 consumer credit records which would help creditors to evaluate risks, reduce incidence of defaults and non-performing assets.
Equitas Small Finance Bank (SFB) Managing Director and CEO P N Vasudevan stated, "We may end up applying within a year" for a universal banking licence, while also targeting a nearly threefold increase in advances to Rs 1.2 trillion over the next five years.
...and 3 lakh for harassment.
'Healthy double-digit returns are still possible, though a sharp rally is unlikely.'
IT services major LTM is set to introduce a new pricing framework, 'Blueverse Credit', in the first quarter of FY27, aiming to align monetisation with the growing adoption of agentic artificial intelligence.
'The market is currently neither cheap enough to be exciting about nor expensive enough to worry about.'
The Indian government has clarified that consumers will not be charged for UPI transactions, and most merchant transactions will also remain free. This comes amidst speculation following an amendment to the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007. Any future merchant discount rate (MDR) would be nominal, threshold-based, and aimed at ensuring UPI's long-term sustainability and infrastructure development.
'I don't see fear becoming a dominant factor for retail investors.'
Ford Business Solutions (FBS) India, the global capability centre for Ford Motor Company, has inaugurated a new office in Coimbatore, its third location in India. This expansion is a strategic move to strengthen the resilience of Ford's global operations, with nearly 50 per cent of its future growth in India expected to be in technology, data science, and data analytics.
One 97 Communications Ltd, operating Paytm, is set to issue its first bonus shares, following a landmark year of achieving its maiden full-year profit and gaining significant market share. The board will meet on July 20 to decide on the bonus issue, reflecting confidence in its financial strength and aiming to improve stock accessibility for retail investors.
'1991 was an exceptional period in Indian history.' 'A big 400-volt shock was administered to the system, which was required. Today, we are in a much, much better position.'
Indian companies' overseas expansion plans are holding strong despite geopolitical tensions in West Asia, driven by structural factors like supply-chain diversification, free trade agreements, and market expansion, according to Ajay Sharma, managing director and head of banking at HSBC India.
'We are staying away from making forward-looking statements on when we will reach 1 trillion, etc. But growth will be rapid; it's only a matter of time.'
Fintech platform CRED announced a significant funding round of Rs 8,550 crore led by Meta, coinciding with founder Kunal Shah's departure as CEO to take on the global leadership role for WhatsApp.
Salaried taxpayers should not use these forms blindly to file their income-tax returns.
A simple SIP-first approach can help reduce debt, avoid EMIs and build lasting financial freedom through disciplined spending, advises Ramalingam Kalirajan
'Investors shouldn't let fear dictate their decisions. The most important step is simply to begin investing.'
Investors should do thorough due diligence when selecting a platform.
'AIS helps taxpayers check whether all income streams and reportable transactions -- such as interest from old bank accounts, small dividend receipts or transactions across multiple brokers -- have been properly disclosed.' 'Mismatches between these transactions and declared income may trigger automated notices or scrutiny.'
Amitabh Jhunjhunwala, former Managing Director of the Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group, has been remanded in CBI custody in an alleged bank fraud case involving Reliance Commercial Finance Limited (RCFL) worth Rs 9,280 crore. The CBI alleges misappropriation of loan funds and violations of RBI guidelines, while Jhunjhunwala's lawyers claim he is a scapegoat.
'The next phase of India's IPO cycle will be defined by quality, pricing discipline and investor selectivity.'
'This helps the consumers secure more favourable terms from CIs.'
Too many EMIs draining your salary? Ramalingam Kalirajan explains the safe borrowing limit that protects your income from a dangerous debt trap.
Students and families must stress test repayment capacity based on Indian salary standards.
'When I look at India's relative valuations, these are by far the lowest I have seen in my 35-year career.' 'The relative 12-month trailing performance is among the weakest I have seen, and foreign investor positioning is at a 16-17 year low.'
There is a need for real-time or near real-time credit reporting, instead of the current fortnightly system, to improve underwriting precision, enable timely reflection of borrower actions such as loan closures or repayments, and deliver a superior consumer experience, Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), M Rajeshwar Rao said on Wednesday.
Rapid growth in personal gold loans has raised concerns over borrower leverage, large-ticket exposure and volatility in gold prices, points out Swaminathan J, Deputy Governor, Reserve Bank of India.
A special PMLA court in Gurugram has remanded Punjab Industries Minister Sanjeev Arora in Enforcement Directorate's custody for a week in an alleged Rs 100-crore GST fraud-linked money laundering case.
Mumbai Police have arrested a man for allegedly defrauding a senior executive of over Rs 60 lakh under the guise of cryptocurrency investment.
'In investing, poor sentiment is always a good vintage to build a portfolio.'
The gold loan portfolio across the system has nearly doubled to Rs 15.6 lakh crore in two years to November 2025, as a spike in prices of the precious commodity encouraged lenders to increase their exposures to the safer segment, a report said on Wednesday.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has significantly reduced the number of draft offer documents returned or rejected, dropping from 17 in FY25 to just two in FY26, thanks to a more facilitative and engagement-first regulatory approach.
Risk assessment platforms are increasingly using diverse data sources to help lenders identify groups attempting to access credit from regulated entities and to improve the process of evaluating new-to-credit (NTC) users.
'The March correction was clearly due to the war and with prospects of that coming to a conclusion, there is a natural rally.'
