Some of the services like cash deposit and withdrawal at the counter and cheque clearances have been impacted due to the strike by banking staff.
'The lack of a majority isn't the issue. He has enough in 240, especially as none of his allies can pull down his coalition.' 'That's why he's started as if this were just another, normal term. That pretence is vital for him.' 'The change for Modi 3.0 comes not from numbers, but from the new environment of contestation,' points out Shekhar Gupta.
SBI, the country's largest lender, first announced a rate cut of 0.25 per cent in its home loan rates on Thursday, forcing HDFC, the second biggest home loan financier, to respond.
The finance ministry on Wednesday allowed all private sector banks to participate in government-related business, like collection of taxes. pension payments and small savings schemes. At the moment, only few large private sector are allowed to conduct government-related business.
Telenor Financial Services, IDFC Bank and Sun Pharma's Dilip Shanghvi have decided to withdraw their licence to set up a payments bank.
Banking services across the country were hit on Wednesday by the day-long strike by 10 central trade unions and 14 bank unions, but workers of largest lender SBI and a few other banks stayed off the agitation.
Petitioner and advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay submitted that a large amount of currency has reached either an individual's locker or has "been hoarded by separatists, terrorists, Maoists, drug smugglers, mining mafias and corrupt people".
State Bank of India has selected Finacle Universal Banking, the core banking solution of Infosys Technologies, to power its international operations
The outstanding credit card base dropped to 77.99 million in August from over 80 million in July, mainly on account of the new norms of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) that warrant the deactivation of cards that are inactive for a year. While there was a 2.8 per cent decline in net card additions on a month-on-month (MoM) basis in August, a first in many months, credit card spends slipped 3 per cent on a high base. Still, spends topped the Rs 1-trillion mark for the sixth consecutive month.
ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, Infosys, M&M, Tech Mahindra, Tata Steel, SBI and Maruti were also among the gainers. On the other hand, IndusInd, TCS, Titan and Asian Paints declined.
SIBs are perceived as ones that are 'Too Big To Fail'
As per the mega consolidation plan, Oriental Bank of Commerce and United Bank of India will merge into Punjab National Bank (PNB); Syndicate Bank into Canara Bank; Andhra Bank and Corporation Bank into Union Bank of India; and Allahabad Bank into Indian Bank. Following this merger, PNB will become second largest after the SBI, Canara Bank fourth, Union Bank of India fifth and Indian Bank seventh biggest public sector lender.
The new rates will be effective from May 9.
Country's largest lender SBI on Tuesday said it is likely to raise Rs 50,000 crore (Rs 500 billion) capital for its expansion plans in domestic and overseas markets in the next three years and proposed a holding company for its non-bank subsidiaries.
SBI rose 2.43 per cent, Maruti gained 2.38 per cent, Sun Pharma 1.87 per cent and HUL was up by 1.78 per cent.
Infosys has withdrawn all its deposits with State Bank of India, the largest commercial bank in the country, in the just concluded October-December quarter.
A week after it announced a nationwide strike on June 6, the State Bank of India Officers' Association on Tuesday threatened to go in for a two-day strike subsequently if their demands were not met.
State Bank of India on Monday invited bids from strategic as well as financial bidders for stake sale in ailing Jet Airways, and the bids have to be submitted by April 10, said a public notice.
Wall Street-correlated stock markets are facing the risk of correction, as Christopher Wood, the global head of equity strategy at Jefferies, conveys to investors in his latest edition of GREED & fear. Rising crude oil prices, which are nearing $100 a barrel (Brent), pose a threat to the global central bank's battle against inflation and have led to a re-evaluation of its exposure to Indian stocks. "The potential for more US Federal Reserve (Fed) rate hikes, combined with the risk that monetary tightening finally bites as regards the economy, remains a risk for Wall Street-correlated world stock markets. "There is also the oil factor. This is why GREED & fear continues to believe the pain trade is down. "Areas in Asia, such as Indian midcaps, which have already done very well, are at obvious risk of some profit-taking," writes Wood.
The bank's gross non-performing assets rose to 5.56 per cent of total advances at the end of June, against 4.99 per cent a year ago, reflecting the impact of slowing economy.
Many other companies have expressed intent of diluting stakes.
SBI has reduced deposit rates by 40 to 50 basis points across maturities. On deposits for a period of one year up to two years, the bank has reduced interest rates by 40 basis points to 8.10 per cent. And, deposits for any length of time between two years and 1,000 days would now earn an interest of 8.5 per cent against 9 per cent earlier. Other lenders are expected to follow suit.
The SBI (Subsidiary Banks Laws) Amendment Bill 2009, introduced by minister of state for finance P K Bansal, was necessitated as these powers were vested with the Reserve Bank of India from whom the ownership of these banks were transferred to the Centre few years ago. Once passed, the bill would empower the Centre to increase or reduce the authorised capital of a subsidiary bank.
Credit card spends in June, although down marginally month-on-month (MoM), remained above the Rs 1-trillion mark for the fourth consecutive month. In June, credit card spends topped Rs 1.09 trillion, down 4.34 per cent MoM, revealed the data released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). However, on a year-on-year basis, spends were up 73 per cent. In May, credit card spends hit an all-time high, reaching Rs 1.14 trillion.
Country's largest lender State Bank of India on Wednesday said it will extend its 8 per cent concessional home loan scheme, popularly called teaser rates, by another 3 months till December.
The State Bank of India has registered a significant victory as a court of appeal in the Belgian port city of Antwerp has dismissed a money laundering case against it.
The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday said it has attached in London, Dubai and India assets worth Rs 538 crore of Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal, his family members and companies as part of a money laundering investigation linked to an alleged bank loan fraud. The attached properties include 17 residential flats, bungalows and commercial premises. Located in London, Dubai and various cities in India, these properties are in the name of various companies like Jetair Private Limited and Jet Enterprises Private Limited, Goyal, his wife Anita, and son Nivaan, the central agency said in a statement.
The key assets put on the block include its entire stake in Reliance General Insurance Company, the third-largest private sector insurer, and a 49 per cent stake in Reliance Nippon Life Insurance, a joint venture with Nippon Life, which is among the top five private-sector insurance companies.