Page 14 - Interest Rates

Share of loans bearing over 9% interest rate hits 56.1% in March: RBI

The share of loans bearing over 9 per cent interest rate rose to 56.1 per cent in March 2023, in tandem with the monetary tightening measures starting May 2022, said a Reserve Bank report on Friday. The Reserve Bank started raising interest in May 2022 to rein in inflation in the wake of global supply disruptions, following the Russia-Ukraine war. Since then the benchmark short-term lending rate has increased by 250 basis points. However, the RBI did not raise the rate in its last two bi-monthly monetary policy reviews. "Consistent with the monetary tightening measures during 2022-23, the share of loans bearing over 9 per cent interest rate rose to 56.1 per cent in March 2023 from 31.4 per cent a year ago," said the Basic Statistical Return on Credit by Scheduled Commercial Banks in India - March 2023. The RBI further said all population groups recorded substantially higher credit year-on-year growth in 2022-23. The annual growth in lending by metropolitan branches of banks ...

Promising signals of further decline in UK inflation: BoE's Dhingra

Dhingra is one of two members of the BoE's nine-member Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) who have consistently voted against the central bank's interest rate rises since December

Markets have been over-optimistic in foreseeing rate cuts: Rahul Bhuskute

The biggest possible risk for Indian equities and for all asset classes globally is the possibility of delayed interest rate cuts by central banks globally, says Rahul Bhuskute, CIO, Bharti AXA Life

Pakistan hikes policy rate to 22% to secure IMF deal in a last-ditch effort

"The MPC views this action as necessary to keep real interest rate firmly in positive territory on a forward-looking basis," the central bank said in a statement

BIS warns the world economy at critical juncture in inflation fight

Despite relentless rate hikes over last 18 months, inflation in many top economies remains high, while jump in borrowing costs triggered serious banking collapses since financial crisis 15 years ago

Swap rates increase amid global central banks' hawkish sentiment

While Turkiye raises interest rate 650 bps to 15%, Bank of England raises it by 50 bps to 5%

MPC minutes: RBI members diverge on further rate hikes amid growth risks

The RBI in its policy also brought back the focus on 4% as the medium term target of the MPC and not just the 2-6% band

Bank of England hikes rates to 5% to tackle inflation, highest since 2008

MPC members Silvana Tenreyro and Swati Dhingra opposed the rate rise - as they have all others this year - saying that much of the impact of past tightening had yet to be felt

Brent crude falls 0.6% to $76.65 with interest rates, inventories in focus

LONDON (Reuters) -Oil futures dipped slightly on Thursday, with trader expectations of further interest rate hikes countered by potentially bullish U.S. oil inventory data after preliminary figures showed a fall in stocks.

Crude oil slumps on demand concerns amid rising rates offset supply cuts

Brent crude fell 49 cents, or 0.7%, to $75.18 a barrel by 1005 GMT while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude slipped 63 cents, or 0.9%, to $69.99

Bank of Japan keeps low rates and dovish guidance, markets not so sure

Central bank reiterated its view that inflation will slow later this year and pledge to "patiently" sustain stimulus

Still-hawkish Fed Reserve pauses rate tightening after 10 straight hikes

"The Fed is calling for a more resilient economy this year and a smaller rise in unemployment"

Federal Reserve to pause, keep option to raise interest rates in July

The rate decision and committee forecasts will be released at 2 pm in Washington. Chair Jerome Powell will hold a press conference 30 minutes later

'Decade of emerging markets' may be about to regain traction as rates peak

Developing-nation assets stand to finally take off in the second half, they say, as long as global interest rates peak, Chinese authorities prop up growth

Industry wants reversal of rate hike cycle as RBI pasuses for second time

The status quo adopted by the Reserve Bank in its second bi-monthly monetary policy of the current fiscal will pave way for reversal of rate hike cycle in due course, expects India Inc. The RBI, in its bi-monthly monetary policy review, opted for a pause second time in a row, maintaining key benchmark policy rate at 6.5 per cent as inflation moderates. The rate increase cycle was paused in April after six consecutive rate hikes aggregating to 250 basis points since May 2022. This pause will help growth to become strong with the support of enhanced consumption demand in the economy, said Saket Dalmia, President, PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry. President of industry body Ficci Subhrakant Panda said a status quo in policy rates was largely expected and, by keeping the repo rate unchanged and maintaining the stance of withdrawal of accommodation, RBI is keeping a watchful eye on inflation while supporting growth. "Ficci expects the impact of monetary policy interventions till da

A cautious pause, rate cut not anytime soon

In the aftermath of the pandemic, the RBI was tolerating inflation at the higher end of the band. Now, the focus is on bringing it down to the 4% target

Sensex sinks 294 pts as RBI keeps repo rate unchanged, Nifty nears 18,600

Stock market live updates: Ahead of the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) monetary policy outcome, the SGX Nifty, on Thursday indicated a flat start to the bourses, quoting 18,823 levels

World Bank offers dim outlook for global economy on higher interest rates

That's the latest outlook of the World Bank, a 189-country anti-poverty agency, which estimates that the international economy will expand just 2.1% in 2023 after growing 3.1% in 2022

RBI monetary policy committee begins deliberations on finalising key rates

The Reserve Bank of India's rate-setting monetary policy committee (MPC) on Tuesday began its three-day long deliberations on deciding the key repo rates

RBI not to remove its finger from repo rate pause button: Experts

The Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) may not remove its finger from the repo rate pause button it had hit in April 2023, said experts