Anupreksha Jain
Anupreksha Jain
Reporter
Reporter
Page 13 - Anupreksha Jain
Banks step up focus on fee-based income; treasury gains come under pressure
Further, bankers said that there is still room to reduce rates on term deposits, and bulk deposit rates have already declined
 "Banks step up focus on fee-based income; treasury gains come under pressure")
Indian banks' dividend payouts may fall by 4.2% in FY26, says S&P
S&P Market Intelligence expects Indian banks' dividend pay-outs to decline 4.2% in FY26 as margins and profits weaken, with HDFC Bank and Bank of Baroda set to cut dividends
 "Indian banks' dividend payouts may fall by 4.2% in FY26, says S&P")
NBFCs see minimal relief in borrowing costs despite aggressive rate cuts
Muted transmission of repo rate reductions keeps borrowing costs high, with analysts expecting full benefits to flow in gradually over 18 months
 "NBFCs see minimal relief in borrowing costs despite aggressive rate cuts")
Slim credit demand sees large PSBs turn focus to mid-sized corporates
With muted demand from large corporates, state-owned banks are shifting focus to mid-sized firms, which offer higher yields and stronger margins despite competition from bond markets
 "Slim credit demand sees large PSBs turn focus to mid-sized corporates")
BoB to PNB: Banks act to ensure uninterrupted services in flood-hit Punjab
Banks have issued advisories to branches in flood-hit Punjab to maintain customer services by stocking ATMs, keeping digital channels live and relocating operations if required
 "BoB to PNB: Banks act to ensure uninterrupted services in flood-hit Punjab")
New co-lending norms may reduce bank and NBFC volumes in near term
RBI's new co-lending norms may shrink volumes in the short term as NBFCs face tech, cost and compliance hurdles - but lenders expect long-term growth once systems adapt
 "New co-lending norms may reduce bank and NBFC volumes in near term")
Rupee ends at 88.16, pares early gains on importer dollar demand
The rupee gained in early trade on strong equities and trimmed offshore positions but settled at 88.16 a dollar as importer demand offset support from economic data
 "Rupee ends at 88.16, pares early gains on importer dollar demand")
Banks nearing limit to buy bonds; RBI meeting bankers ahead of H2 calendar
Banks are nearing their internal limits on state bond purchases amid rising supply and widening spreads, prompting RBI consultations ahead of the H2 borrowing calendar
 "Banks nearing limit to buy bonds; RBI meeting bankers ahead of H2 calendar")
India's consumption loans rise 14.5% in Q1FY26, led by gold loans
India's consumption loans grew 14.5% YoY in Q1FY26 to Rs 105.6 trillion, driven by gold loans, while personal loan growth slowed and credit card originations dropped sharply
 "India's consumption loans rise 14.5% in Q1FY26, led by gold loans")
Rupee hits fresh intraday low of 88.33 on tariff fears, ends flat at 88.20
The local currency regained all losses by the end of the trade on likely Reserve Bank of India (RBI) intervention by dollar sales, to settle at 88.20 per dollar, flat against Friday
 "Rupee hits fresh intraday low of 88.33 on tariff fears, ends flat at 88.20")
Rupee tumbles past 88 against dollar to fresh low on US tariff hit
The rupee slumped to an all-time closing low against the dollar, pressured by US tariffs, equity outflows, and weak Asian peers
 "Rupee tumbles past 88 against dollar to fresh low on US tariff hit")
New co-lending guidelines may dampen bank, NBFCs' volumes in near term
The new rules could increase operational costs for lenders, who will need to maintain mandatory escrow accounts, comply with stricter KYC norms, and invest in upgraded tech integration
 "New co-lending guidelines may dampen bank, NBFCs' volumes in near term")
RBI net sells $3.6 bn in Jun, net short dollar position dips to $60.39 bn
The RBI reversed its forex stance in June with $3.6 bn net sales, while rupee's REER stayed flat and forward dollar short positions dropped further to $60.39 bn
Headline inflation should continue to be the target, says BS poll
Economists back headline CPI as India's inflation target, stressing food's heavy weight in consumption and urging RBI to retain the 4% benchmark with the current tolerance band
 "Headline inflation should continue to be the target, says BS poll")
AI rise likely to alter how we assess risk, says JFS chairman KV Kamath
Chairman KV Kamath highlights scaling of businesses, new ventures, regulatory approvals and partnerships with BlackRock and Allianz as Jio Financial marks a crucial FY25
 "AI rise likely to alter how we assess risk, says JFS chairman KV Kamath")
Indian banks' net interest margins likely to improve in H2 FY26: S&P
S&P Global expects Indian banks' margins to recover in H2 FY26 after RBI's 100 bps rate cut hit Q1 earnings, with SBI, ICICI posting profit growth and asset quality seen healthy
 "Indian banks' net interest margins likely to improve in H2 FY26: S&P")
Muted response from large lenders hinders ULI scale up, say bankers
Bankers say Unified Lending Interface growth remains muted as large lenders stick to legacy rails and land record digitisation lags
 "Muted response from large lenders hinders ULI scale up, say bankers")
Proper data integration required to boost MSME lending, say bankers
Bankers highlighted the need for consent-based APIs and structured data to improve MSME lending, addressing working capital, technology, and credit guarantee challenges
 "Proper data integration required to boost MSME lending, say bankers")
Banks draw up plans to help exporters navigate 50% Trump tariff threat
The 50 per cent tariffs, which come into effect from August 27, have prompted officials to take proactive measures to mitigate the impact, said senior bankers
 "Banks draw up plans to help exporters navigate 50% Trump tariff threat")
SMBC gets approval from RBI to acquire up to 25% stakes in Yes Bank
Will not be categorised as promoter, RBI clarified
 "SMBC gets approval from RBI to acquire up to 25% stakes in Yes Bank")