The Reserve Bank is expected to go for another rate hike of 0.40 per cent at the scheduled review of the monetary policy next week, a foreign brokerage said on Friday. The central bank's rate setting panel will follow it up with a 0.35 per cent hike in rates at the next review in August, or make it into a 0.50 per cent hike next week and a 0.25 per cent increase in August, to make the total quantum of rate hikes at 0.75 per cent, the report by Bofa Securities said. On May 4, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) hiked rates by 0.40 per cent, and Governor Shaktikanta Das has already called a rate hike at the forthcoming review as a "no brainer" given the pressure to maintain its core mandate of inflation in the targeted band of under 6 per cent.
"You may probably see some more liquidity controls like the CRR being altered again...if oil prices go beyond tolerable levels..," J&K Bank's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Haseeb A Drabu, told reporters on the sidelines of a seminar in Mumbai.
RBI is also considering a proposal to re-introduce inflation-indexed bonds.
After the Reserve Bank unveiled the third quarterly review of the monetary policy, several bankers said that they may not go in for rate cut immediately.
Public-sector banks, including Canara Bank and Bank of India, are tapping the infrastructure bond market. Canara Bank on Tuesday raised Rs 10,000 crore at a coupon rate of 7.40 per cent through 10-year infrastructure bonds. This comes after SBI on July 10 raised Rs 10,000 crore also through infrastructure bonds with a 15-year tenor at a coupon rate of 7.36 per cent.
Weighed down by a weak rupee, the Reserve Bank on Tuesday chose to keep all key interest rates unchanged and asked the government to take urgent steps to reign in the high current account deficit.
The flow of money into Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) deposits witnessed a substantial increase, touching $2.14 billion in the first quarter of this financial year (Q1FY24), compared with $349 million in the same period in FY23. The outstanding NRI deposits rose by $2.5 billion, standing at $141.28 billion at the end of June 2023, up from $138.77 billion in May 2023, according to Reserve Bank of India (RBI) data. RBI released the updated data in the bulletin after almost three months.
The Reserve Bank has decided to keep the cash reserve ratio (CRR) of scheduled banks unchanged at 4.0 per cent of their net demand and time liabilities and keep the policy repo rate under the liquidity adjustment facility (LAF) unchanged at 7.25 per cent.
Moreover, the RBI's use of reserve ratios, statutory liquidity ratio and cash reserve ratio as monetary policy tools affected banks' profitability: No interest is paid on CRR balances, and the interest yield on SLR securities is far lower than the yields on advances.
The Reserve Bank of India is likely to take a call on the relaxations sought by HDFC Bank in relation to the merger, as the date of merger draws closer, sources said. The HDFC twins, which announced their decision to merge in April last year, received National Company Law Tribunal's (NCLT's) approval recently - a key milestone to close the deal in due time. The management of both the entities had said that it will take 15-18 months for the merger.
When banks deposit their money with RBI, the central bank offers government securities of equal value. But now, it could be running out of enough securities to offer banks against the overnight deposits.
The Reserve Bank of India on Thursday decided to keep policy rate unchanged for third time in a row as it maintains heightened vigil on inflation. The rate increase cycle was paused in April after six consecutive rate hikes aggregating to 250 basis points since May 2022.
Reserve Bank is scheduled to announce its bi-monthly monetary policy on August 3.
The Reserve Bank might hike the Cash Reserve Ratio (statutory cash balances banks maintain with the apex bank) by 0.50% in its credit policy if inflation remains high, feel Indian bankers. The RBI is scheduled to announce annual credit policy for fiscal 2008-09 on April 29. RBI is likely to tighten money supply in its forthcoming annual credit policy to suck out excess liquidity from the system. Growth has moderated in recent months.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Monday directed banks and non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) offering gold loans to thoroughly review their policies, processes, and practices to identify any gaps. The central bank also told them to closely monitoring their gold loan portfolios amid significant growth observed in this segment vis--vis some lenders. Additionally, the RBI, through a circular, instructed these lenders to ensure adequate controls over outsourced activities and third-party service providers.
The Monetary policy committe comprising 6 members voted 6-0 in the favour of the rate cut.
RBI has cut policy rate thrice during 2015.
At a time when headline inflation has been moderating, most were expecting the central bank to take a firmer stance on growth.
The Reserve Bank on Monday said asset quality of banks improved further and their gross non-performing assets (GNPA) or bad loans ratio declined to a 12-year low of 2.6 per cent in September 2024 on the back of falling slippages and steady credit demand. The RBI also flagged concern over a sharp rise in write-offs, especially among private sector banks (PVBs), which could be partly masking worsening asset quality in unsecured lending segment and dilution in underwriting standards.
The possibility of key policy rate cut is not bright as industrial output grew by 6.8 per cent in January against just 2.5 per cent in the previous month.
Of the 52 economists polled, 50 expect the policy repo rate to remain at 7.25 per cent, and 47 of 48 respondents see the cash reserve ratio, or the portion of deposits banks have to maintain with the central bank, unchanged at 4 per cent.
The Reserve bank of India has kept the repo rate and reverse repo rates unchanged in its mid-quarter review of monetary policy announced on Thursday.
The cut in the policy rate by RBI will help lower interest rates
Reserve Bank on Tuesday kept the bank rate and CRR unchanged, but hiked repo and reverse repo rate by 0.25 per cent to 5.5 per cent and 6.5 per cent respectively as part of measures to rein in inflation.
When investing in fixed-income products, balancing considerations like safety, liquidity, and income is essential.
Similarly, 51 per cent of 105 market participants polled by RBS said they do not expect a CRR cut in the quarterly policy announcement next Tuesday.
They feel reducing policy rates will help to boost production and revive the economy.
The central bank has also left the Bank Rate and the Cash Reserve Ratio unchanged at 6 per cent and 5 per cent, respectively, in the annual policy announcement 2007 released on Tuesday.
The additional measures to check exchange rate volatility comes within 10 days of RBI taking stern steps to suck out liquidity from the system.
As deposit growth lags credit expansion, Indian banks face shrinking low-cost Casa inflows, rising funding costs, and structural shifts driven by UPI, e-Kuber, and digital savings trends, points out Tamal Bandyopadhyay.
The Reserve Bank Officers Cooperative Credit Society, which caters to the credit needs of RBI officers posted all over India, has a fixed deposit of Rs 105 crore in the bank on which the RBI has placed various curbs for six months following revelations of irregularities.
Bank lending has seen a significant fall. RBI needs to bring liquidity into the system immediately.
A day after RBI deputy governor's comment, Chaudhuri says his idea on cash reserve ratio was meant to ignite public debate
CRR to remain unchanged at 4.00 pc this fiscal
With credit demand picking up and liquidity crunch yet to ease, bankers are expecting a cut in key policy ratio - Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) - by one per cent in the mid-term monetary policy review by RBI, a top bank official said.
The Reserve Bank of India has kept all key interest rates unchanged in its mid-term credit policy review announced on Monday.
Experts say the central bank will refrain from using the CRR as a liquidity tool, as a reduction in the rate will go against its current anti-inflationary stance.
ICICI Bank Chairman K V Kamath on Thursday disagreed with the suggestion of SBI chief Pratip Chaudhuri that RBI should scrap CRR, saying it is part of the monetary policy and no issue can be made of it.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) clarification on the final norms for new bank licences has much to mull on for the many entities interested. It has clearly ruled out any benefit to the new entrants in terms of more time to meet the cash reserve ratio/statutory liquidity ratio (CRR/SLR) requirements.
A spiralling inflation is likely to force the Reserve Bank of India to up the Cash Reserve Ratio by 0.75 per cent in FY 09, along with a 1 per cent hike in repo and reverse repo rates, global financial services major, StanChart said.
