The Life Insurance Corporation of India is believed to be talking with GE Capital Services, the largest issuer of private label credit cards in the world, for a foray into credit cards.
Industrial Development Bank of India and Life Insurance Corporation of India have forged an alliance to fund about Rs 35,000 crore (Rs 350 billion) worth of long gestation projects, including infrastructure.
The government on Wednesday extended the deadline to submit preliminary bids for the IDBI Bank privatisation till January 7. The government and LIC together are looking to sell 60.72 per cent of IDBI Bank and had invited bids from potential buyers in October. The last date for submitting an Expression of Interest (EoI) or preliminary bids was December 16.
LIC, the biggest institutional investor in the stock market, held 3.71 per cent stake in Infosys during the October-December quarter, which has fallen to 3.25 percent as of March 31, 2014.
'We are working with a few housing finance companies to drive affordable lending because that's where we believe our sweet spot is.'
The initial numbers for the last installment of advance tax payment on Thursday by top corporates based in the financial capital present a tepid growth in the levy mop-up, with banking and financial institutions leading the pack.
The combined market valuation of six of the 10 most valued companies surged by Rs 1,56,247.35 crore last week, with Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) emerging as the biggest gainer. While RIL, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, HDFC and Bajaj Finance saw gains in their market capitalisation (m-cap) in the holiday-shortened week, Infosys, HUL and LIC suffered losses. Stock markets were closed on Tuesday on account of Muharram.
The Life Insurance Corporation of India will comply with the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority's norm on solvency by providing Rs 1,871 crore (Rs 18.71 billion) additional capital by this fiscal.
Billionaire Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries has maintained its highest ranking among Indian corporates in the latest Fortune Global 500 list, jumping 16 places to rank at number 88. Reliance was ranked at number 104 in the 2022 ranking and in the 2023 ranking it is placed at number 88, according to the publication. The company has gained a whopping 67 places in the last two years from number 155 in 2021.
A plea has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking investigation under the supervision of a sitting apex court judge against the Adani group of companies in light of the allegations made by the US-based Hindenburg Research.
One of the reasons why the TMC decided not to demand a JPC is that the chairperson and most of its members would be from the BJP, he said, adding JPC means putting the issue under the carpet.
Life Insurance Corporation of India has over Rs 7,000 crore in tax demand pending against it, the biggest across various categories.
rediffGURU and financial planning expert Colonel Sanjeev Govila (retd) answers your personal finance-related questions.
Life insurers' new business premium (NBP) reported stellar performance in November after a poor showing in October, on the back of strong growth in group single premiums for both private insurers and Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India. In November, 24 life insurers, including LIC, reported NBP to the tune of Rs 27,177 crore, up 42 per cent year-on-year (YoY) from the year-ago period. Private insurers' NBP rose 58.63 per cent YoY to Rs 11,209.75 crore as group single premiums more than doubled during this period.
The overall physical presence of life insurance companies in Tier-II and Tier-III cities increased in FY23 compared to a year ago period on account of the higher impetus given to financial inclusion by the government and insurance regulator, as well as recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the latest data released by the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Irdai). It is the first time that there has been growth in the number of offices since the financial year 2019-20.
Four of the 10 most valued domestic firms together added a whopping Rs 231,320.37 crore in market valuation last week, with market heavyweight Reliance Industries contributing the most to the overall gains. Last week, the Sensex jumped 884.57 points or 1.61 per cent. While TCS, Infosys and ICICI Bank were the other gainers from the top-10 pack, HDFC Bank, HUL, LIC, SBI, HDFC and Bharti Airtel faced erosion from their market valuation.
The combined market valuation of three of the 10 most valued domestic firms eroded by Rs 73,630.56 crore last week, with Reliance Industries Limited taking the biggest hit. While HUL and ICICI Bank were the other laggards from the top-10 pack, TCS, HDFC Bank, Infosys, LIC, SBI, HDFC and Bharti Airtel were the gainers. However, the combined gain of the seven firms at Rs 49,441.05 crore was less than the total loss suffered by the three companies.
Life Insurance Corp of India, also one of the biggest investors in the Indian stock market, saw its holding in the IT major rise from 4.9 per cent to 6.3 per cent during the quarter ended June 30, 2012.
The issue has a AAA rating from India Ratings, the domestic services of Fitch, reflecting the unconditional guarantee extended by the government.
During 2008-09, LIC invested Rs 40,300 crore (Rs 403 billion) in the equity market.
Adani group stocks have taken a beating on the bourses after Hindenburg Research made a litany of allegations, including fraudulent transactions and share price manipulation at the Gautam Adani-led group. The group has maintained it complies with all laws and disclosure requirements.
The government and Life Insurance Corporation's (LIC's) strategic stake sale in IDBI Bank is expected to move to the second stage by the first quarter of FY24, said two people in the know. They added that considering the progress of the ongoing deal, financial bids are expected to come in by June this year. The proposed IDBI Bank stake sale is divided into two sequential stages.
rediffGURU Ramalingam Kalirajan answers your personal finance queries.
Following are comments from economists at leading financial institutions, banks and rating agencies on the interim Budget:
Uday Saharan's India won hearts and held out promise of a bright future for the Fab 15.
It was touted as a game changer but big-ticket privatisation has been a mixed bag as the government faces unanticipated challenges of lukewarm investor response, employee union agitation and legal hurdles. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's often-repeated statement 'the government has no business to be in business' guided the drawing up of an ambitious privatisation pipeline. While Air India sale succeeded, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) divestment failed.
The headline for corporate profit growth has been very encouraging in the July-September quarter (Q2) of 2023-24 (FY24), with the combined net profit of listed companies up by 38 per cent year-on-year. However, the earnings distribution has been very lopsided, with most of the growth coming from public-sector oil-marketing companies (OMCs), banks, non-bank lenders, automobile (auto) companies, and cement producers. By comparison, companies from information technology services, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), retail, and consumer durables were disappointed, experiencing a sharp slowdown in net sales growth and a relatively muted increase in reported net profit.
'If they are not, then the Modi government should order a JPC immediately.'
Just 14 companies raised Rs 35,456 crore through main-board primary share sales in the first half of the fiscal, down 32 per cent from the year-ago period when 25 issues had mopped up Rs 51,979 crore. But according to Prime Database, the IPO pipeline is strong with 71 issues worth Rs 1,05,000 crore having Sebi approvals and another 43 worth about Rs 70,000 crore are awaiting approval. Of these 114 planned issues, 10 are new-age tech companies, which are looking to raise roughly Rs 35,000 crore.
Ministry of Finance, Joint Secretary -- insurance, Anoop Wadhwa, had reviewed the progress of development of micro-insurance products at a meeting in the national Capital on Tuesday.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to hear on February 17 a fresh plea of a Congress leader seeking investigation under the supervision of a sitting apex court judge against the Adani group of companies in light of the allegations made by the US-based Hindenburg Research.
LIC Housing Finance Ltd has posted a net profit of Rs 413.40 million for the quarter ended December 31 as compared to net profit of Rs 321.20 million in the quarter ended December 31, 2001.
The US Fed interest rate decision, domestic macroeconomic data announcements and ongoing quarterly earnings are some of the major factors that will drive the stock markets in a holiday-shortened week, analysts said. Besides, monthly auto sales numbers and the LIC IPO will also remain in focus, they added. Equity markets will remain closed on Tuesday for Id-Ul-Fitr (Ramzan Id). "The market is likely to kick off this week on a sombre note after a sharp fall in the US market then the focus will shift to the outcome of the US FOMC meeting, which is crucial amid record inflation and growth worries.
The Centre could further moderate its divestment target for 2024-25 (FY25), as it does not expect large receipts from asset sales - except some ongoing strategic ones, including IDBI Bank, which could spill over into next financial year. Also, it may drastically reduce its FY24 divestment target of Rs 51,000 crore. "We are still evaluating the Budget estimates for FY25. "New big-ticket asset sales are unlikely.
Hindenburg Research has alleged that Adani Group was "engaged in a brazen stock manipulation and accounting fraud", a charge the conglomerate described as malicious, unsubstantiated, one-sided, and having done with malafide intention to ruin its share-sale.
