Page 4 - Aathira Varier

Public sector banks' staff count rises for first time in five years

RBI data show public sector banks added staff in FY25 for the first time in five years, while private banks' headcount fell, led by a sharp drop at ICICI Bank

Corporate lending to rebound as loan-bond rate gap narrows, RBI eases norms

Analysts expect banks' corporate credit to pick up as the bond-loan rate gap narrows and RBI reforms, including acquisition financing and eased exposure norms, begin to bite

Bank fraud amount rises 30% to ₹21,515 crore in April-September H1FY26

Banking system fraud amount rose to ₹21,515 crore in April-September FY26, up 30 per cent year-on-year, even as the number of cases fell sharply to 5,092

Number of UCBs declines to 1,457 in FY25 as RBI consolidation continues

India's urban co-operative banks fell to 1,457 at end-March 2025 from 1,926 in 2004, as RBI consolidation continued via mergers, closures and licence cancellations

SFB asset quality worsens in FY25; GNPA rises to 3.6%: RBI report

RBI's Trends and Progress report said small finance banks saw weaker asset quality and lower profits in FY25, even as balance sheets expanded at a faster pace than other banks

Reforms, robust demand may drive insurance growth back to double digits

After a muted FY26 so far, India's insurance industry is expected to return to double-digit growth in FY27, aided by regulatory changes, GST rationalisation and improving demand across segments

Small business credit exposure rises 16% to ₹46 trillion: CRIF-Sidbi report

Small business credit exposure rose 16.2 per cent to ₹46 trillion as of September 2025, though growth moderated from the previous quarter amid cautious underwriting and seasonality

Life insurance industry to grow 8-11% in FY26, FY27, says CareEdge Ratings

CareEdge expects life insurers to sustain 8-11 per cent growth over the next two years, but warns investors not to overread past trends as margins may face near-term pressure from reforms

Policy changes create room for foreign insurers to explore: Sompo MD

India's non-life insurance sector is set for faster growth as the Insurance Amendment Bill allows 100% FDI, boosts investor confidence and strengthens regulation, says Mathur, Universal Sompo CEO

Phase-II of cheque-clearing system postponed until further notice: RBI

RBI has deferred Phase 2 of continuous cheque clearing to give banks more time, and modified presentation hours to 9 am-3 pm and confirmation hours to 9 am-7 pm

Gold most stable asset during geopolitical tensions, says RBI staff study

An RBI staff study says gold remains the most stable asset during geopolitical stress, while crude oil is the most sensitive to shocks; silver and US Treasuries show intermediate reactions

Credit card spending moderates to ₹1.89 trillion in November 2025

After crossing Rs 2 trillion in September and October, credit card spending eased to Rs 1.89 trillion in November 2025, with major issuers reporting month-on-month declines

Outward remittances under LRS slip 2% in Oct on travel, education dip

Outward remittances under RBI's LRS slipped to $2.36 billion in October 2025 as overseas travel and education outflows fell, while remittances for equity and debt investments rose sharply

Net FDI into India nearly doubles to $6.2 bn in April-October: RBI data

Net FDI into India rose to $6.2 billion in April-October FY26 as repatriation fell to $31.65 billion, even as outward FDI increased to $20.5 billion, RBI data showed

Insurance intermediaries with high commissions may see payouts drop

Currently, 50 per cent of life insurance investment is allocated to government securities and the balance 50 per cent to other alternative investments

Irdai proposes allowing insurers to invest 20% in debt of public infra SPVs

Irdai noted that once infrastructure projects begin commercial operations, their cash flows become more predictable and regulated, significantly reducing funding risks

Insurance Amendment Bill: High-commission intermediaries may see payout cut

The Insurance Amendment Bill empowers IRDAI to limit high commissions, reclaim unlawful gains, and strengthen oversight of intermediaries while opening new investment avenues for insurers

Insurance industry flags concerns over proposed Insurance Amendment Bill

Under the proposed Bill, the revised definition of insurance business seeks to allow insurers to enter into non-insurance contracts as well

Early signs of stress in micro LAP, housing loans, CV portfolio: CIBIL

Festive spending and Goods and Services Tax (GST) changes drove credit growth in the economy across vehicle finance and consumer durables in the last few months

100% FDI in Insurance: Legacy distribution remains hurdle for foreign firms

The FDI limit in the insurance sector was raised from 49 per cent to 74 per cent in 2021