Bank stocks decline after RBI sets new rules to fix lending rate

Twelve bank stocks fell 0.06% to 0.69% at 10:35 IST on BSE after the Reserve Bank of India yesterday, 17 December 2015 released the final guidelines on computing interest rates on advances of commercial banks based on the marginal cost of funds.

Among PSU banks, Bank of Baroda (down 0.69%), Indian Overseas Bank (down 0.32%), Punjab National Bank (down 0.49%), Canara Bank (down 0.06%), Bank of India (down 0.21%), Oriental Bank of Commerce (down 0.18%), State Bank of India (down 0.09%) and IDBI Bank (down 0.63%) declined. Syndicate Bank (up 0.23%), Union Bank of India (up 0.17%) rose.

Among private sector banks, ICICI Bank (down 0.24%), IndusInd Bank (down 0.84%), Kotak Mahindra Bank (down 0.65%) and HDFC Bank (down 0.48%) fell. Axis Bank (up 0.47%) and Yes Bank (up 0.64%) rose.

The BSE Bankex was off 0.35% at 19,033.85. It outperformed the S&P BSE Sensex, which was off 0.5% at 25,675.87

The BSE Bankex had underperformed the market over the past one month till 17 December 2015, falling 2.56% compared with Sensex's 0.23% fall. The index had also underperformed the market in past one quarter, dropping, 1.72% as against Sensex's 0.62% fall.

According to the new rules, all rupee loans sanctioned and credit limits renewed from 1 April 2016 will be priced with reference to the Marginal Cost of Funds based Lending Rate (MCLR) which will be the internal benchmark of a bank for such purposes. The MCLR will be a tenor linked internal benchmark. The actual lending rates will be determined by adding the components of spread to the MCLR. Banks will review and publish their MCLR of different maturities every month on a pre-announced date.

Further, banks may specify interest reset dates on their floating rate loans. They will have the option to offer loans with reset dates linked either to the date of sanction of the loan/credit limits or to the date of review of MCLR. The periodicity of reset shall be one year or lower. The MCLR prevailing on the day the loan is sanctioned will be applicable till the next reset date, irrespective of the changes in the benchmark during the interim period.

Existing loans and credit limits linked to the base rate may continue till repayment or renewal, as the case may be. Existing borrowers will also have the option to move to the Marginal Cost of Funds based Lending Rate (MCLR) linked loan at mutually acceptable terms. Banks will continue to review and publish the base rate as hitherto, RBI said.

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