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Banking/Finance-Industry-Economic Times
Microfinance interest rates are rising, defying the general trend of declining rates, as lenders grapple with increased credit costs and persistent asset quality issues. Major NBFC-MFIs have hiked their lending rates, widening the range to 18-28% due to higher delinquency and funding costs.
Published on: October 6, 2025
IndusInd International Holdings Ltd has finalized its acquisition of Sterling Bank in the Bahamas. This follows their initial 51% stake purchase in September 2022. The Mauritius-based company now holds full ownership of the Bahamian bank. IndusInd International Holdings is a significant investor in the BFSI sector and is also the promoter of IndusInd Bank in India.
Published on: October 6, 2025
India's government is in early talks with local insurers to design a nationwide climate-linked insurance program. This parametric model would provide quick, pre-determined payouts for extreme weather events like heatwaves and floods, helping the government manage disaster costs. India, highly vulnerable to climate change, aims to be a pioneer in this approach, building on successful state-level pilots.
Published on: October 6, 2025
The Reserve Bank of India's October policy measures offer major relief to non-banking financial companies. A Morgan Stanley report confirms this supportive stance. The RBI removed business overlap restrictions for bank-promoted NBFCs. It also reduced risk weights on infrastructure project lending. These steps benefit infrastructure-focused NBFCs such as Power Finance Corporation and REC Limited. The repo rate remains unchanged.
Published on: October 6, 2025
Bank of Maharashtra reported strong financial performance. Credit growth reached 16.8 percent in the second quarter. Total advances stood at Rs 2.17 lakh crore. Deposits increased by 12.1 percent to Rs 3.09 lakh crore. The bank's total business rose 14.2 percent. CASA ratio improved to 50.35 percent. These figures reflect robust growth.
Published on: October 6, 2025
According to Reserve Bank of India (RBI) data, system credit growth edged up to 10.3% year-on-year as of September 5, compared with 10% as of August 22, while deposit growth moderated to 9.8% from 10.2% over the same period. The system credit-deposit ratio remained elevated at 79% as of September 2025.
Published on: October 5, 2025
ECL is a forward-looking accounting standard that requires banks to make provisions on expected losses based on past asset quality, instead of incurred loss-based provisioning. The already created buffer would come into play from the first quarter of FY28. "Banks with higher floating and contingent provisions would be less impacted by the ECL provisioning norm. Typically, a few large private banks have built material floating provisions as compared to their public sector peers," Icra senior vice president and co-group head Anil Gupta told ET.
Published on: October 5, 2025
Truhome Finance is receiving an additional Rs 500 crore from Warburg Pincus, bringing total investment to over Rs 2,000 crore. The affordable housing lender plans aggressive growth, targeting Rs 23,000 crore AUM by fiscal end, while maintaining strong asset quality and expanding its tech and branch network, primarily serving the self-employed segment.
Published on: October 5, 2025
Punjab & Sind Bank has shown strong financial growth. Loans have increased by 16.1 percent to Rs 1.05 lakh crore in the second quarter of FY26. Gross advances stand at Rs 91,032 crore by September 2024. Total deposits have risen to Rs 1.35 lakh crore. The bank's total business has grown by 12.2 percent. Credit deposit ratio stands at 77.
Published on: October 5, 2025
UCO Bank reported strong financial growth for the second quarter of FY26. Credit expanded by 16.6 percent, reaching Rs 2.31 lakh crore. Total deposits increased by 10.8 percent to Rs 3.06 lakh crore. The bank's overall business grew 13.2 percent, touching Rs 5.37 lakh crore. Its credit deposit ratio also rose to 75.56 percent.
Published on: October 5, 2025
HDFC Bank reported a 9% rise in loans to Rs 27.9 lakh crore and a 15.1% growth in deposits to Rs 27.1 lakh crore for the second quarter ended September 30. Meanwhile, Kotak Mahindra Bank also saw robust growth, with credit increasing by 15.8% to Rs 4.62 lakh crore and deposits rising 14.6%.
Published on: October 4, 2025
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman launched a campaign in Gandhinagar. The initiative aims to return 1.84 lakh crore rupees in unclaimed financial assets. These funds are with banks and regulators. The three-month Apki Poonji, Apka Adhikar campaign will focus on awareness, access, and action. Officials will ensure rightful owners claim their money. The RBI's UDGAM portal will assist claimants.
Published on: October 4, 2025
Life insurers face a similar squeeze. The industry paid about ?24,000 crore in GST in FY24, offset by ? 14,000 crore of ITC. With credits no longer available, the new two-rate system leaves them facing a ?15,000 crore sector-wide hit, part of which will show up in company profit and loss accounts and embedded values. Despite the exemption, customers may not see a meaningful drop in premiums as insurers adjust pricing to recoup lost credits, analysts said.
Published on: October 3, 2025
The Reserve Bank of India imposed penalties on two financial entities. American Express Banking Corp received a fine for credit card direction non-compliance. HDB Financial Services faced a penalty for Know Your Customer norm violations. The central bank conducted inspections and issued show cause notices. These actions followed supervisory findings of regulatory compliance issues. The penalties address specific operational deficiencies.
Published on: October 3, 2025
The Reserve Bank of India granted self-regulatory organisation status to the FIDC on Friday. This action aims to enhance compliance in the non-banking lending sector. SROs develop industry standards and ensure member adherence. They also collaborate with the RBI for regulatory oversight. FIDC represents major non-banking financial companies. This strengthens financial market regulation.
Published on: October 3, 2025
Bank credit growth is increasingly outpacing deposit mobilisation, with the gap widening as deposit rates fall sharply. Despite this, bankers anticipate higher loan demand in the festive season and Q3, driven by lower GST rates and the Reserve Bank of India's regulatory push to boost credit flow and bank resilience.
Published on: October 3, 2025
The Reserve Bank of India's latest Bank Lending Survey reveals continued optimism among bankers regarding rising loan demand across all key sectors for Q2 FY26 and beyond. Significant improvements were noted in agriculture, manufacturing, and services. Lenders also anticipate favourable and easing lending terms through Q1 FY27, supporting sustained credit growth.
Published on: October 3, 2025
New cheque clearing rules explained: India's cheque clearing will transform from October 4, 2025, moving to continuous processing. This significant upgrade means funds could reach accounts in just hours, a major improvement over the current 1-2 business days. The RBI's new system, featuring hourly settlements and auto-approvals, promises nationwide uniformity and quicker access to money, greatly enhancing convenience for all customers.
Published on: October 3, 2025
Larger banks with established capital markets divisions, such as ICICI Securities and SBI Capital Markets, will be better placed than mid-sized lenders. For financing deals, banks will need to develop a more nuanced assessment than steady-state projections of financial statements.
Published on: October 2, 2025
Indian Bank's advances rose 13% on a year-on-year basis, the highest quarterly growth since the first quarter of FY24. Its deposits also rose 12%, the highest since the second quarter of FY23. Its provisional advances stood at Rs 6.22 lakh crore, while deposits were Rs 7.76 lakh crore for the quarter ending September 2025.
Published on: October 2, 2025
For years, banks were barred from financing mergers and acquisitions through equity purchases, curbs that were put in place to prevent leverage buyouts. While banks could lend against hard assets such as plants, brands, and factories, they were not permitted to fund share purchases that gave acquirers control of firms.
Published on: October 2, 2025
International Holding Company acquired a 42 percent stake in Sammaan Capital. This investment will provide stability and operational advantages. Sammaan Capital will expand its NBFC products and offerings. The company will use technology and access a global network. Sammaan Capital plans to achieve an AUM of one lakh crore by 2027. It will prioritize middle and lower-income customers.
Published on: October 2, 2025
Abu Dhabi-based Avenir Investment RSC, an affiliate of International Holding Company, has agreed to acquire a 43.46 per cent stake in Sammaan Capital for USD 1 billion through preferential share issuance. This significant primary capital infusion marks IHC's entry into India's financial services, aiming to fuel Sammaan Capital's growth and improve its financial standing.
Published on: October 2, 2025
The Reserve Bank of India will permit banks to finance corporate acquisitions. It will also remove the cap on large corporate exposures. These regulatory changes are set to unlock significant lending opportunities. Over Rs 5 lakh crore in new credit demand is expected. Banks will fund corporate mergers and expansion plans. This move will reshape India's corporate funding landscape.
Published on: October 2, 2025
Abu Dhabi-based International Holding Co. (IHC) is set to acquire a 40–45% controlling stake in Sammaan Capital Ltd, formerly Indiabulls Housing Finance, for about $1 billion, according to people aware of the deal. The UAE conglomerate, backed by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, is expected to make an open offer for an additional 26%, which could raise its ownership beyond 65%.
Published on: October 2, 2025
The RBI proposed expanding services for basic savings bank deposit (BSBD) accounts, including digital banking, cheque books, and unlimited free digital transactions like UPI. This aims to promote cashless inclusion for low-income customers by March 2026. Additionally, the ombudsman scheme will be strengthened to cover rural cooperative banks for improved grievance redressal.
Published on: October 1, 2025
The Reserve Bank of India unveils major reforms. Banks will now fund corporate acquisitions. Risk weights ease for NBFCs, MSMEs, and home loans. This boosts credit flow across key sectors. RBI also scraps old guidelines on large borrower exposure. These changes aim for a more mature financial ecosystem. The new measures will enhance credit availability.
Published on: October 1, 2025
The Reserve Bank of India unveiled measures to expand credit flow, strengthen bank balance sheets, and enhance ease of doing business, receiving widespread approval from bankers. While key interest rates remained unchanged to assess previous policy impacts, these steps are seen as growth-accretive and supportive of India's resilient economic fundamentals amidst global uncertainties.
Published on: October 1, 2025
The RBI is developing a Digital Payments Intelligence Platform (DPIP) using AI to detect risky transactions and prevent fraud. The system will analyze data from multiple sources to issue pre-transaction alerts, helping banks and customers decide whether to proceed. DPIP aims to enhance real-time fraud risk management, addressing digital frauds, which totaled Rs 520 crore across 13,516 cases in FY25.
Published on: October 1, 2025
State-owned IREDA sanctioned Rs 33,148 crore in loans during April-September FY26. This marks an 86 percent increase from the previous year. Loan disbursements also grew by 54 percent to Rs 15,043 crore. The outstanding loan book reached Rs 84,445 crore by September 30, 2025. CMD Pradip Kumar Das stated IREDA will continue supporting clean energy projects.
Published on: October 1, 2025
The Reserve Bank of India is examining a phone security platform allowing lenders to remotely lock mobile phones of defaulting borrowers. This initiative aims to curb bad assets, though it involves balancing customer data privacy with lenders' interests.
Published on: October 1, 2025
RBI announced a major change for no-frills account holders. Basic Savings Bank Deposit accounts will now get free digital banking. This includes mobile and internet banking services. The move aims to boost financial inclusion across the nation. Grievance redressal mechanisms are also being strengthened. Rural cooperative banks will join the Ombudsman scheme. This expands essential banking access for many citizens.
Published on: October 1, 2025
The Reserve Bank of India proposed a comprehensive framework enabling banks to finance corporate acquisitions, a long-standing demand. It also plans to increase lending limits against shares and ease risk weights on loans to NBFCs for infrastructure projects. These measures aim to broaden capital market lending, reflecting India's maturing financial system.
Published on: October 1, 2025
RBI Deputy Governor Swaminathan J urged public sector banks to build stronger capital buffers and manage asset quality proactively, warning against complacency amid global uncertainty. He emphasized their crucial role in India's 2047 vision. Concurrently, the RBI established a new Payments Regulatory Board and revised its liquidity framework to enhance the financial system's resilience.
Published on: October 1, 2025
The RBI has directed large banks to adopt the Expected Credit Loss framework and revised Basel III capital norms from April 1, 2027, with a glide path until 2031. These measures aim to strengthen bank resilience and competitiveness, alongside reducing risk weights on MSME and residential real estate lending. The central bank also plans risk-based deposit insurance premiums.
Published on: October 1, 2025
The RBI proposed significant reforms to bolster India's banking sector, introducing risk-based deposit insurance premiums and an Expected Credit Loss provisioning framework from April 2027. Revised Basel III capital norms will also be implemented, reducing capital requirements for MSMEs and home loans, aligning regulations with global standards.
Published on: October 1, 2025
The Reserve Bank of India announced measures to boost credit flow. The key repo rate remained unchanged. Banks will gain frameworks for corporate acquisition financing. Capital market lending limits will increase significantly. A 2016 framework for large borrowers was scrapped. Risk weights for infrastructure lending will reduce. Licensing for urban cooperative banks may resume soon.
Published on: October 1, 2025
Mumbai Police are investigating alleged accounting irregularities at IndusInd Bank, scrutinizing the hurried exit of senior dealer Pushkar Gondane. Gondane, central to controversial derivative trades, quit in December 2024 just before the probe intensified and subsequently moved abroad. His departure is being examined for links to malpractices that caused a record quarterly loss for the private lender.
Published on: October 1, 2025
Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) is in advanced talks to acquire a 20% stake in Shriram Finance for ₹23,200 crore ($2.6 billion), potentially the largest FDI in an Indian NBFC. The investment would be via a primary issuance, with MUFG open to a larger stake over time. Shriram Finance, India’s second-largest NBFC, has ₹2.72 lakh crore AUM and a strong retail lending presence.
Published on: October 1, 2025
Industry executives attributed the slowdown to relative reluctance among banks, especially those privately owned, to chase housing loans because of the pressure on margins due to reduction in interest rate, while borrowers are delaying purchases in anticipation of further easing of rates. The slowdown also partly reflects the base effect given last year's numbers had the lingering impact of the HDFC-HDFC Bank merger.
Published on: September 30, 2025
New India Assurance (NIA), the country’s largest state-run general insurer, has been directed to pay ₹23.79 billion by the local tax authority over alleged past dues, the company said in a regulatory filing on Tuesday.
Published on: September 30, 2025
Bank credit to industry slowed to 6.5% in August 2025 from 9.7% a year ago, RBI data showed. Non-food credit rose 9.9% YoY, down from 13.6% earlier. Credit to micro, small, and medium enterprises, engineering, vehicles, and rubber-plastic sectors grew steadily.
Published on: September 30, 2025
ICICI Bank has received a GST demand notice of Rs 216.27 crore from tax authorities for alleged short payment on services provided to customers maintaining specified minimum balances. The bank, which is already in litigation over similar issues, will file a reply to the Show Cause Notice. This matter is being reported as the amount crosses its materiality threshold.
Published on: September 30, 2025
The RBI has fined Indian Overseas Bank Rs 31.8 lakh for non-compliance with Priority Sector Lending (PSL) norms. The penalty follows supervisory findings that the bank collected loan-related charges on certain PSL accounts.
Published on: September 30, 2025
RBL Bank has partnered with LIC to offer its customers a full range of life insurance products through the bank’s branches and digital channels. The collaboration leverages LIC’s 3,600+ branches and RBL’s 2,000+ touchpoints to expand insurance access nationwide, supporting the goal of 'Insurance for All by 2047'.
Published on: September 30, 2025
Vis Raghavan, an Indian-born banker, has dramatically revitalised Citigroup's investment banking division since joining in 2023. His intense leadership has driven significant fee increases and a surge in Citi's shares, positioning him as a key player and potential future CEO contender, despite some internal friction.
Published on: September 30, 2025
The government has appointed Asheesh Pandey as MD and CEO of Union Bank of India and Kalyan Kumar as head of Central Bank of India for a period of three years. These appointments, approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, follow recommendations from the FSIB.
Published on: September 30, 2025
PTC India Financial Services (PFS) expressed surprise over the sudden resignation of three independent directors—Seema Bahuguna, Naveen Bhushan Gupta, and PV Bharathi—before the end of their three-year term. The company said the reasons cited in the resignation letters were not previously discussed with the board or management.
Published on: September 29, 2025
Sidbi achieved an all-time high net profit of Rs 4,811 crore in FY25, marking a 19.5% increase, with its balance sheet surpassing Rs 5.6 lakh crore. The bank maintained excellent asset quality and approved a 20% dividend. Sidbi remains dedicated to bolstering the MSME sector through digital initiatives, green energy promotion, and expanding its branch network for wider credit access.
Published on: September 29, 2025
Indel Money, a gold-loan NBFC, appointed Lincoln International to raise $30-40 million from PE funds. This funding supports growth initiatives and prepares the company for a public offering by FY29. The NBFC plans two equity infusions before its IPO. Indel Money aims to evolve as a financial service provider. Its asset under management grew to ₹2,700 crore in FY25.
Published on: September 29, 2025
