Banking Sector

RBI steps up scrutiny of banks' cyber defences amid rising AI-led attacks

In a series of recent meetings, the RBI asked banks to probe weaknesses in application programming interfaces (APIs), the software links banks use to connect with non-bank lenders and fintechs

How Indian banks are planning to offset Irdai's insurance commission cuts

Irdai has proposed product- and channel-specific caps on insurance commissions, lower expense limits for insurers; banks are exploring mutual funds and forex to offset potential income losses

AI agents could transform banking, but risks remain, say industry experts

Business Standard BFSI Summit: Banking leaders said banks must strengthen security controls and authenticate AI agents as autonomous banking develops

This credit-growth cycle is very different, says Axis Bank MD & CEO

Axis Bank MD and CEO Amitabh Chaudhry says the current credit-growth cycle is more broad-based, with stronger bank capital, improved underwriting and better risk management

Tamilnad Mercantile Bank Q2 net profit rises 42% to record ₹451 crore

Tamilnad Mercantile Bank reported a record net profit of ₹451.14 crore in Q2 FY27, supported by higher interest income, improved asset quality and strong growth in advances and deposits.

PNB aims to bring cost-to-income ratio below 50% in FY26: MD Chandra

Punjab National Bank (PNB) aims to bring its cost-to-income ratio below 50 per cent in the current financial year and further reduce it to around 45 per cent by 2028-29, said Ashok Chandra, MD and CEO of the country's second-biggest lender. The bank's cost-to-income ratio stood at 50.38 per cent in the first half of the current fiscal year, down from 53.3 per cent in September 2025, as it focuses on rationalising expenses and maximising profitability, he told PTI in an interview. "We are aiming to go below 50 per cent this financial year. That is the first target we have set for ourselves. In the next two years, by 2028-29, we should be somewhere around 45 per cent," he said. Chandra said the bank was working on two key areas -- rationalisation of expenses and maximisation of profits-- while sensitising its various units about the importance of improving operational efficiency. Every review meeting of the bank now focuses on the cost of deposits, yield on advances, fee-based income

Bank of India Q2 profit rises 25% to ₹3,202 cr on strong NII, recoveries

Bank of India's net profit rose 25.3% to ₹3,202 crore in Q2 FY27, supported by higher net interest income and recoveries from written-off accounts despite rising provisions

HDFC Bank probes alleged leak of confidential information, two under lens

HDFC Bank is conducting an internal review into an alleged leak of confidential information, with two executives potentially identified; action will follow the findings

HDFC to ramp up beyond home shores under incoming MD & CEO Anup Bagchi

Limited overseas reach constrained FCNR(B) deposit mobilisation; incoming chief Anup Bagchi may explore expansion as the lender reviews its strategy

Punjab & Sind Bank Q2 net profit surges 40% to ₹412 cr on improved income

Punjab & Sind Bank on Saturday reported a 40 per cent jump in net profit to Rs 412 crore for the second quarter ended September 30, helped by improved core income and reduction in bad assets. The public sector lender posted a net profit of Rs 295 crore in the same period of the previous fiscal. The bank's total income increased to Rs 3,747 crore in the second quarter from Rs 3,373 crore a year ago, Punjab & Sind Bank said in a regulatory filing. Interest income rose to Rs 3,394 crore in the September quarter of FY27 from Rs 2,999 crore in the year-ago period. During the quarter, net interest income rose 22 per cent to Rs 1,162 crore against Rs 950 crore in the second quarter of the last financial year. Net Interest Income of the bank improved to 2.65 per cent from 2.56 per cent at the end of September 2025. Cost-to-income ratio reduced to 29.19 per cent compared to 61.87 per cent in the year-ago period. The bank's operating profit also increased to Rs 617 crore from Rs 505 ...

Banks weigh income impact of Irdai's proposed insurance commission caps

Banks are exploring higher policy sales and changes in product mix to offset potential fee income losses, while RBL Bank estimates a 50-60% decline in bancassurance income

Festival demand already picking up: Canara Bank CEO Brajesh Kumar Singh

Brajesh Kumar Singh says treasury and forex income should improve, while the bank aims to raise ₹8,500 crore in capital this fiscal

Indian Bank Q2 profit grows 14% to ₹3,540 cr as asset quality improves

Indian Bank's consolidated net profit rose 14% to ₹3,540 crore in Q2FY27, while gross NPAs declined to 1.61% and deposits grew 12.5% year-on-year to ₹8.74 trillion

Act as trustees of public money: HDFC Bank CEO-designate Anup Bagchi

HDFC Bank's incoming MD and CEO Anup Bagchi urged finance professionals to prioritise society over personal ambitions, uphold public trust and build careers on integrity

Bank deposits surge on FCNR inflows, but margin pressure looms for lenders

HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank and Axis Bank raised over $127 bn through the FCNR(B) deposit scheme, with analysts expecting margins to improve from October to December

UCO Bank net profit rises 27% to ₹786 crore in July-September quarter

Public sector UCO Bank on Thursday reported a 27 per cent rise in net profit to Rs 786 crore for the second quarter ended September 30. The Kolkata-based lender earned a net profit of Rs 620 crore in the same period last fiscal year. Total income increased to Rs 8,170 crore in the second quarter from Rs 7,421 crore a year ago, UCO Bank said in a regulatory filing. Interest income improved to Rs 7,286 crore in the September quarter of FY27 from Rs 6,537 crore in the year-ago period. Operating profit also increased to Rs 1,872 crore against Rs 1,613 crore in the same quarter a year ago. On the asset quality front, the bank's gross non-performing assets (NPAs) moderated to 1.96 per cent of gross advances at the end of September 2026 compared to 2.56 per cent a year ago. Net NPAs or bad loans came down to 0.18 per cent at the end of September 2026 compared to 0.43 per cent at the end of September 2025. However, provisioning against bad loans rose marginally to Rs 444 crore during th

South Indian Bank Q2 profit rises 21% to ₹426 cr on higher interest income

South Indian Bank's net profit rose 21.3% to ₹426 crore in Q2FY27 as net interest income grew 38% to a record ₹1,116 crore, while gross NPAs declined to 1.24%

Indian Bank, South Indian Bank gain up to 5% from day's low post Q2 results

Indian Bank reported a near 15% YoY growth in net profit, while Uco Bank and South Indian Bank posted 26.8% and 21.3% profit growth in Q2FY27.

IDBI Bank deal to bolster Fairfax's India financial services play further

Separately, Fairfax, through FAL Corporation, held a 65 per cent stake in Valueattics Re, India's first privately owned domestic reinsurer, as of March 2026

The fall and rise of IDBI Bank: From bad-loan crisis to the Fairfax deal

Improving India-Canada ties brought Fairfax back into play as IDBI Bank's recovery from a bad-loan crisis paved the way for a Rs 52,878 crore sale of a majority stake