Page 14 - Aathira Varier

Surge in gold loans not a cause for concern, says Reserve Bank of India

Banks are shifting from unsecured loans to gold-backed lending amid rising gold prices, but RBI says low LTVs and limited exposure pose no systemic risk

ULIP traction rises in Q3FY26 as equity markets outperform year-ago period

Private life insurers reported stronger demand for ULIPs in Q3FY26 as equity markets gained sharply. Customers also shifted towards higher sum assured plans with protection-linked riders

LIC's Q3 net profit up 17% in Q3 due to higher premiums, investment income

LIC's Q3 profit rose 17% on strong premium and investment income, while higher VNB margins and lower cost ratios supported overall performance

Commission expense ratio of life insurers rises to 6.86% in FY25

Life insurers saw commission costs rise in FY25, driven by higher payouts by private players, even as LIC cut agent commissions and insurance penetration slipped

Private life insurers see early signs of recovery in credit life business

In a post-earnings analyst call, ICICI Prudential Life Insurance's management said the MFI-linked credit life segment has begun to revive during the quarter

PB Fintech shares tank nearly 7% on fundraise for international foray

Shares of Policybazaar parent PB Fintech fell sharply after it announced plans to raise funds via QIP to pursue inorganic expansion in overseas markets

Budget 2026 move on MACT interest seen cutting litigation, speeding claims

Budget 2026 proposes exempting interest awarded by motor accident tribunals from income tax and TDS, a move experts say will reduce disputes for insurers and help victims receive compensation faster

Budget 2026: TCS cut on LRS education, medical spends to boost remittances

Lowering TCS on overseas education and medical remittances under LRS to 2% is expected to ease cross-border transactions and bring predictability for families managing large foreign expenses

Niva Bupa aims to turn profitable in Q4 FY26: CFO Mahendra Vishwanath

Health insurer expects profitability in the March quarter as impact of accounting norm changes eases, with Indian-GAAP numbers set to converge with IFRS

Economic Survey: Undervalued rupee aids trade, but investor caution lingers

India's inflation rate will likely be higher in FY27 than in FY26

Cost cuts, distribution reforms key to tapping 'missing middle': Eco Survey

High acquisition and distribution costs are hurting insurance affordability, limiting reach to the 'missing middle' and keeping penetration stuck despite rising insurance density

SBI Life Insurance's Q3FY26 results: Net profit rises 5% to ₹577 crore

SBI Life Insurance posted a 5% rise in Q3FY26 net profit to ₹577 crore, supported by strong premium growth but weighed down by higher expenses and labour code provisioning

Promoters of Pramerica Life Insurance look to sell their major stake

Promoters of Pramerica Life Insurance are in talks with multiple insurers to sell their entire stake, amid losses and constraints on fresh capital infusion

India's credit growth to be 10-12% CAGR over next 5 yrs: Brickwork Ratings

India's credit growth is expected to clock 10-12% CAGR over the next five years, led by retail, MSMEs and services, outpacing deposit growth, says Brickwork Ratings

Festival demand, GST 2.0 lifted credit card spend in Apr-Dec FY26

Dec spends rebound to top Rs 2 trillion; 2025 added 7.72 million cards

Outward remittances under LRS fell to its lowest in November in FY26

Outward remittances under RBI's LRS fell to the lowest level of FY26 in November, as overseas travel and education spending by Indians moderated

Canara HSBC Life Insurance Q3 profit slips 5.7% on higher expenses

Canara HSBC Life Insurance reported a modest decline in December-quarter profit as higher operating and commission expenses offset strong growth in premium income, APE and value of new business

Flows in NRI deposits drop 26.6% to $9.2 bn in April-November 2025: RBI

Inflows into NRI deposit schemes declined sharply during April-November 2025, dragged down by a steep fall in FCNR(B) deposits, even as NRE and NRO accounts recorded modest growth, RBI data showed

Budget 2026-27: Insurance industry bats for income tax relief for premiums

Insurers also seek an increase in threshold for taxing maturity proceeds of high-value policies

NIM to face downward pressure in Q4, says South Indian Bank MD & CEO

South Indian Bank expects loan growth above 12% by shifting focus from corporate lending to retail, MSME and agriculture, while margins face short-term pressure amid rate cuts