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☆ As global rates turn, banks in India and Indonesia set to win
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Ankur Banerjee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Loan growth at Asian banks is estimated to rise from 4.5% this year to 10% next year, LSEG data shows, with banks in India and Indonesia leading with 15% and 11% growth, respectively. Ng likes banks in India and Indonesia, given the better economic growth in those economies and ability of banks to sustain margins. LSEG data shows profits at banks in India and Indonesia will grow 13% and 11% respectively next year, nearly double the 6% average rise across Asia-Pacific banks. That compares to price-to-book ratio for MSCI's index for all-country Asian banks (.dMIAS0CB00PUS) of 0.9. Banks in Australia are estimated to see a drop of 5% in profit in 2024 while profits at Singapore banks will be flat.

Persons: Frederic Neumann, Neumann, Morgan, Yao Ng, abrdn, Ng, Vinay Agarwal, Agarwal, Morgan Stanley, Ankur Banerjee, Gaurav Dogra, Patturaja, Vidya Ranganathan, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: U.S . Federal, Fed, HSBC, ICICI, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Axis Bank, FSSA Investment Management, Indonesia's Bank Central Asia, BCA, Reuters, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Asia, Japan, J.P, Pacific, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, Banks, Australia, China, Bengaluru

☆ India’s gamified equities are a wake-up call
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Pranav Kiran | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The result is an acceleration of Indian savings away from gold and real estate into financial products. However, it is also leading to what Ashish Gupta, chief investment officer at Axis Bank’s mutual fund, dubs “the gamification of Indian equities”. A frenzy for index options has driven up volume in the derivatives market to the tune of $4.3 trillion a day. Retail traders made up a higher share of equity derivatives turnover than their institutional counterparts on the National Stock Exchange between 2017 and 2021. Whatever the fix, it’s a reminder that India’s digital leapfrog which other developing countries are urgently trying to replicate has a dark side too.

Persons: Francis Mascarenhas, Ashish Gupta, Gupta, weren’t, Ananth Narayan, SEBI, Nithin Kamath, Zerodha, Lalit Keshre, Una Galani, Thomas Shum Organizations: Bombay Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, National Stock Exchange, Tiger, Securities, Exchange Board of India, Thomson Locations: Mumbai, India, U.S

☆ India's Axis Bank Q2 profit beats view on robust loan growth
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BENGALURU, Oct 25 (Reuters) - India's Axis Bank (AXBK.NS) reported a bigger-than-expected rise in second-quarter profit on Wednesday, helped by strong growth in loans. Loan demand stayed strong as an uptick in consumer spending helped drive retail credit. The bank is seeing strong demand for loans from corporate clients, including for capital spending, it said. Net interest income - the difference between interest earned and interest expended - rose 19% year-over-year to 123.15 billion rupees. The country's top lender HDFC Bank (HDBK.NS) reported a drop in margins earlier this month, while IndusInd Bank (INBK.NS), ICICI Bank (ICBK.NS), and Kotak Mahindra Bank (KTKM.NS) reported second-quarter profit gains.

Persons: Amitabh Chaudhry, Chaudhry, Varun, Mrigank Organizations: Bank, HDFC Bank, IndusInd Bank, ICICI Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Sethuraman, Varun Vyas, Thomson Locations: BENGALURU, Mumbai, Bengaluru

☆ Indian shares set for cautious start; all eyes on Fed meeting
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Bengaluru, Sept 18 (Reuters) - Indian shares are set to begin a holiday-truncated week on a cautious note as investors digested economic data from China and looked ahead to the U.S. Federal Reserve's policy meeting this week. India's GIFT Nifty (.GIFc1) on the NSE International Exchange was up 0.1% to 20,186.5 by 0755 IST. Separately, foreign investors bought 1.64 billion rupees ($19.74 million) worth of shares on a net basis on Friday, while their domestic peers bought 19.39 billion rupees worth of equity, according to stock exchange data. STOCKS TO WATCH** Bharat Electronics (BAJE.NS): Bharat Electronics receives orders worth 30 billion rupees** Axis Bank (AXBK.NS): Investment banking unit co-CEO Chirag Negandhi resigns** HFCL Ltd (HFCL.NS): HFCL received order worth 10.15 billion rupees. ** Tata Steel (TISC.NS): Reaches deal with UK government for investment in the UK steel industry.

Persons: Chirag Negandhi, HFCL, Sridhar Kalyanasundaram, Archishma Iyer, Sonia Cheema Organizations: U.S, NSE, Exchange, Bharat Electronics, Axis, Investment, Tata Steel, Dhanlaxmi, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru, China, U.S . Federal

Brochures are seen at a branch of Axis Bank in Mumbai, India, January 22, 2018. REUTERS/Danish Siddiqui/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsNEW DELHI, Sept 15 (Reuters) - The co-CEO of Axis Bank's (AXBK.NS) investment banking unit Axis Capital, Chirag Negandhi, has resigned, according to an internal memo seen by Reuters on Friday. The investment bank will likely tap an outside candidate for Negandhi's role, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters. Axis Capital named another co-Chief Executive Salil Pitale as the interim managing director and CEO, as per the memo. Negandhi spent more than 13 years at the Axis' investment banking unit and would continue for three more months, the source added.

Persons: Danish Siddiqui, Salil Pitale, Negandhi, Sriram Mani, Tanvi Mehta, Sethuraman, Shweta Agarwal Organizations: Axis Bank, REUTERS, Danish, Capital, Chirag Negandhi, Reuters, Axis Capital, Cyient DLM, Mankind Pharma, Bikaji, Thomson Locations: Mumbai, India, DELHI, Axis

SummaryCompanies Top private banks report attrition rates of 35-50%Highest turnover seen in sales staffBrisk growth in retail lending leading to attritionMUMBAI, July 27 (Reuters) - India's private lenders are contending with soaring attrition amid strong demand for loans and the rush to capture a larger share of the crowded market. HDFC Bank, India's largest private lender, saw its employee turnover rate over the last year rise to 34%, while Axis Bank was at nearly 35%. Kotak Mahindra Bank's attrition surged to about 50%, with smaller peer Yes Bank in toe at 43%. The bank is working towards controlling it and would "not like to see an overall attrition of more than 25-30%," he said. Kotak Mahindra Bank, which has seen the sharpest jump in attrition, saw the worst churn at junior levels, it said.

Persons: Kotak, Amitabh Chaudhry, Chaudhry, Rituparna Chakraborty, Prashant Kumar, Teamlease's Chakraborty, Shanti Ekambaram, Ekambaram, Jain, Ira Dugal, Siddhi Nayak, Dhanya Ann Thoppil Organizations: HDFC Bank, Axis, Kotak Mahindra, Teamlease Services, Reuters, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Thomson Locations: MUMBAI, India's, Siddhi

☆ India’s push to democratise credit tests limits
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( Shritama Bose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Yet barely half of them have active loans and only up to 10% have a credit card. That’s why the regulator is allowing the use of RuPay credit cards, the country’s low-cost answer to Mastercard (MA.N) and Visa (V.N), for UPI payments. Earlier, in June 2022, the central bank had allowed lenders to link RuPay credit cards to UPI accounts. HDFC Bank became the first private bank to go live on UPI with RuPay credit cards in February. Paytm tied up with SBI Cards and Payment Services in May to issue RuPay credit cards to its consumers via UPI, offering cashbacks on small-value payments.

Persons: It’s, Paytm, –, Bernstein, Una Galani, Pranav Kiran, Thomas Shum Organizations: Reuters, UPI, Google, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Mastercard, Visa, Merchants, HDFC Bank, Axis Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Punjab National Bank, One97 Communications, Reserve Bank, Tiger, Uni, “, Reserve Bank of India, SBI Cards, Services, Thomson Locations: MUMBAI, India, Punjab

☆ Indian shares set for muted start to week after Russia turmoil
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BENGALURU, June 26 (Reuters) - Indian shares were set for a muted open on Monday, on the heels of their first weekly loss in over a month, as crude prices rose on supply concerns after a short-lived mutiny by mercenaries in Russia. Foreign institutional investors sold a net 3.45 billion rupees ($42.1 million) worth of Indian equities on Friday, while domestic investors sold 6.84 billion rupees of shares, as per provisional NSE data. STOCKS TO WATCH:** ICICI Bank (ICBK.NS), ICICI Securities (ICCI.NS): Boards of the companies to consider delisting of ICICI Securities shares on June 29. ** HDFC Life Insurance Company: India's insurance regulator granted approval for transfer of its shares from HDFC Ltd (HDFC.NS) to HDFC Bank (HDBK.NS). ** Shree Cement (SHCM.NS): NDTV reported that tax evasion to the tune of 230 billion rupees ($2.80 billion) has been found in tax searches at multiple locations of Shree Cement in Rajasthan.

Persons: Wagner, Brent, Chris Thomas, Biplob Kumar Das, Eileen Soreng Organizations: Singapore Exchange, BSE, ICICI Bank, ICICI Securities, Life Insurance, HDFC Ltd, HDFC Bank, Ipca, U.S, FDA, of Maharashtra, Axis Bank, Kashmir Bank, NDTV, Shree, Thomson Locations: BENGALURU, Russia, Russian, Moscow, Asia, India, Pithampur, Jammu, Kashmir, Shree Cement, Rajasthan, Bengaluru

☆ Indian ports will test tycoons' safe harbour
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( Pranav Kiran | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

For the public market wannabe, it tees up a tricky benchmark in a global industry with few listed giants. JSW Infrastructure is closely aligned to India’s growth story. More than half of cargo handled at Indian ports last year was coal, petroleum oil and lubricants. JSW Infrastructure grew revenue 92% in the three years to March 2022, three times as fast as its rival. JSW Infrastructure, India’s second largest commercial ports operator by cargo handling capacity, in May filed for an initial public offering in Mumbai to raise up to 28 billion rupees ($340 million).

Persons: Gautam Adani, Sajjan Jindal, Adani, JSW, ”, Una Galani, Katrina Hamlin Organizations: Reuters, Hindenburg Research, Deloitte, JSW, Infrastructure, Deloitte Haskins, Securities and Exchange Board of India, JM Financial, Axis Bank, State Bank of India, HSBC, Credit Suisse, Thomson Locations: BENGALURU, Mumbai, Goa, Tamil Nadu, West, JSW

☆ Go First bankruptcy isn’t the end of the Indian airline, says owner
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

His comments came a day after the cash-strapped Indian airline filed for bankruptcy, blaming “faulty” Pratt & Whitney (P&W) engines for the grounding of about half its fleet. The airline owed financial creditors 65.21 billion Indian rupees ($797 million), its bankruptcy filing showed. Boon for rivalsGo First’s bankruptcy may boost airfares in India and give other domestic airlines a chance to grab a larger chunk of the market share, analysts said. Share prices of India’s largest airline, IndiGo, were up 5.1% on Wednesday, after rising as much as 8.2% earlier. Lenders to Go First, including Central Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, IDBI Bank and Axis Bank, fell on Wednesday.

☆ IndiGo shares surge after smaller rival Go First files for bankruptcy
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BENGALURU, May 3 (Reuters) - Shares of India's largest airline IndiGo (INGL.NS) surged over 8% on Wednesday as smaller rival Go First's bankruptcy filing raised hopes of market share gains and improved yields. Cash-strapped airline Go First filed for bankruptcy on Tuesday, blaming "faulty" Pratt & Whitney engines for the grounding of about half its fleet and taking lenders by surprise. Lenders to Go First, including Central Bank of India (CBI.NS), Bank of Baroda (BOB.NS), IDBI Bank (IDBI.NS) and Axis Bank (AXBK.NS) dropped 1.1% to 6.8% on Wednesday. Go First owes financial creditors 65.21 billion rupees ($798 million), its bankruptcy filing showed. Bombay Burmah Trading (BBRM.NS), which is also owned by Wadia and has given loans to Go First in the form of inter-corporate deposits, slid 10%.

☆ India's Go First Airways owes financial creditors $798 million - filing
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Arpan Chaturvedi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MUMBAI, May 2 (Reuters) - Indian airline Go First, which filed for bankruptcy on Tuesday, owes financial creditors 65.21 billion Indian rupees ($798 million), its bankruptcy filing showed. "However, considering the present financial situation of the corporate applicant, defaults to financial creditors would be imminent," the filing said. The filing lists Central Bank of India (CBI.NS), Bank of Baroda (BOB.NS), IDBI Bank (IDBI.NS), Axis Bank (AXBK.NS) and Deutsche Bank among Go First's financial creditors. The airline's total liabilities to all creditors stand at 114.63 billion rupees, the filing shows. The company has defaulted on payments to operational creditors, including 12.02 billion rupees to vendors and 26.60 billion rupees to aircraft lessors.

☆ India's Axis Bank reports wider-than-expected Q4 loss on Citi deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Axis reported a loss of 57.28 billion rupees ($700.1 million) for the three months ended March 31, compared to a profit of 41.18 billion rupees a year earlier. Analysts had forecast the bank to report a loss of 8.06 billion rupees, according to Refinitiv IBES data. It reported a standalone operating profit, which excludes provisions and contingencies, of 91.68 billion rupees, compared to 64.66 billion rupees a year earlier. The bank's net interest income, the difference between interest earned and expended, grew 33% to 117.42 billion rupees. Provision and contingencies for the quarter stood at 3.06 billion rupees, down from 9.87 billion rupees a year ago.

☆ Asia's richest banker will loom over his successor
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Shritama Bose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

It will also be messy and is at odds with the regulator’s own aim to improve governance across the industry. Bosses of the country’s private-sector banks are allowed to stay in their jobs for up to 15 years. It is little surprise that more than 99% of investors voted for him to stay, per exchange filings published last week. If Kotak sits on the board, his successor - expected to be an insider – will effectively continue to work with his or her long-time boss. If things go wrong at Kotak, regulators may end up wondering who to blame.

☆ Indian shares set to open higher as strong earnings lift mood
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BENGALURU, April 24 (Reuters) - Indian shares were set to open higher on Monday as improved quarterly results from heavyweights Reliance Industries Ltd (RELI.NS) and ICICI Bank Ltd(ICBK.NS) eased some concerns over a lacklustre start to the earnings season. India's most valuable company, Reliance Industries reported 19% growth in fourth-quarter profit, aided by the strong performance in oil-to-chemicals (O2C) segment, post market hours on Friday. Private lender ICICI Bank posted a 30% jump in net profit in the March quarter, helped by improved net interest income and loan growth. The strong earnings of the two companies, which account for nearly 20% of the total weightage in Nifty 50, could improve the sentiment soured by the weak earnings and outlook of top information technology companies, analysts added. Stocks to Watch:** Yes Bank Ltd (YESB.NS): Lender's net profit slumps 45% in the March quarter on higher provisions.

☆ Instant View: Here’s what experts think of India's surprise rate decision
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +16 min

The monetary policy committee (MPC) retained the key lending rate or the repo rate (INREPO=ECI) at 6.50% in a unanimous decision. With the likely softening of CPI to the low- to mid-5% levels in the coming month, the current repo rate of 6.5% implies that India’s real policy rate will hover around 1% during 2023-24, while maintaining a policy rate differential of about 1.5% with the US. Room for additional rate hikes has been retained with MPC’s policy stance continuing to remain unchanged at ‘withdrawal of accommodation’. We believe the bar for future rate hikes has increased, especially since near-term prints of CPI will be sub 6%. Scope for further hikes is limited given our growth-inflation outlook and impact of the past rate hikes on the same.

The central bank said its policy stance remains focused on "withdrawal of accommodation", signalling it could consider further rate hikes if necessary. The monetary policy committee (MPC), comprising three members from the central bank and three external members, retained the key lending rate or the repo rate (INREPO=ECI) at 6.50%. Most analysts had expected one final 25 basis point hike in the RBI's current tightening cycle, which has seen it raise the repo rate by a total 250 bps since May last year. The central bank sees inflation at 5.2% in 2023-24, and GDP growth is seen at 6.5% in the financial year beginning April 1. Reuters GraphicsFinancial stability concerns appear to have prompted the pause in rate hikes, said Aditi Nayar, chief economist at rating agency ICRA.

☆ Exclusive: India's Bank of Baroda stops clearing payment for above-cap Russian oil - sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Nidhi Verma | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"Bank of Baroda is extremely cautious in settling payments for Russian oil bought (at levels) above the price cap," one of the sources said. After Western sanctions on Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine, Indian refiners have been gorging on discounted Russian oil. Russia has replaced Iraq as the top oil supplier to India in the last few months, data from trade sources showed. It was not clear if Axis Bank had also stopped settling trades for Russian oil sold above the price cap. India does not recognise the Western price cap on Russian oil, a senior oil ministry source said last month.

India's oil trade, in response to the turmoil of sanctions and the Ukraine war, provides the strongest evidence so far of a shift into other currencies that could prove lasting. MTS had facilitated some Indian oil non-dollar payments, the trade sources said. An Indian refining source said most Russian banks have faced sanctions since the war but Indian customers and Russian suppliers are determined to keep trading Russian oil. "As it is, the government is not asking us to stop buying Russian oil, so we are hopeful that an alternative payment mechanism will be found in case the current system is blocked." Similarly, many banks from Russia have opened accounts with Indian banks to facilitate trade.

☆ Axis Bank completes deal to buy Citi's India consumer business
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The deal value of 116.03 billion rupees ($1.41 billion) is based on the closing position of assets, assets under management and liabilities of Citi's portfolio as of Jan. 31, Axis Bank said. The consideration was subject to changes in the business' position since then, said Axis Bank. "Citi India consumer banking customers are now served by Axis Bank," Citibank said on its website. Shares of Axis Bank rose 2.2% on Wednesday in their biggest intraday advance in four weeks. Axis Bank will hold a press conference on the deal after the market closes on Wednesday.

☆ India, Singapore launch real-time link for cross-border payments
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Siddhi Nayak | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MUMBAI, Feb 21 (Reuters) - India and Singapore launched on Tuesday a real-time link to facilitate easier cross border money transfers between one of the world's biggest recipients of remittances and an Asian financial powerhouse. Transfers of funds will now be possible using just mobile phones due to the tie-up between India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and Singapore's PayNow facility. UPI is an instant real-time payments system, allowing users to transfer money across multiple banks without disclosing bank account details. To begin with, State Bank of India (SBI.NS), Indian Overseas Bank (IOBK.NS), Indian Bank (INBA.NS) and ICICI Bank (ICBK.NS) will facilitate both inward and outward remittances while Axis Bank (AXBK.NS) and DBS India will facilitate inward remittances, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said in a statement. At the launch event, Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said that cross-border retail payments and remittances between India and Singapore currently amount to over $1 billion annually.

☆ India's HDFC raises $3 bln in largest-ever local bond issue-bankers
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Dharamraj Lalit Dhutia | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

MUMBAI, Feb 16 (Reuters) - India's Housing Development Finance Corp (HDFC.NS) raised its target of 250 billion rupees ($3.03 billion) in the country's largest privately placed corporate bond issue on Thursday, merchant bankers said. The country's largest housing financier, soon to be merged with private lender HDFC Bank, sold 10-year bonds at a coupon of 7.97% coupon. The issue received 92 bids worth 278.63 billion rupees, of which the company retained 55 bids worth 250 billion rupees, HDFC said in an exchange notice. The NBFC has now raised an aggregate of 784.14 billion rupees through bond issuance in this financial year, the highest by any company. Axis Bank, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank and ICICI Securities Primary Dealership are the arrangers.

☆ Indian lender HDFC's biggest-ever bond issue to see strong demand - bankers
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Dharamraj Lalit Dhutia | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

HDFC aims to raise at least 50 billion rupees ($603.4 million) through the sale of 10-year bonds on Thursday, with an option to retain an additional 200 billion rupees. If the company garners full the quantum, this would also be the biggest-ever privately placed debt issue by an Indian company. Axis Bank, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank and ICICI Securities Primary Dealership are the arrangers for the bond issue. The company's fundraising via private placement stood below 250 billion rupees in 2013-14. HDFC is raising funds as it would help them meet capital requirements after the upcoming merger with HDFC Bank, bankers said.

☆ Breakingviews: Adani’s share sale U-turn spares only some blushes
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Una Galani | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

HONG KONG, Feb 2 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Markets have given Gautam Adani a big bloody nose, and his backers a partial reprieve. The tycoon’s decision on Wednesday to pull the $2.4 billion share sale at his flagship Adani Enterprises (ADEL.NS) was all but forced after a 28% plunge in the company’s share price the day after it closed the books. That danger was magnified on Wednesday with India’s regulator looking into possible irregularities around the share sale, Reuters reported exclusively citing a source with direct knowledge of the matter. Less than one quarter was due to pay down borrowings at the issuer and its unlisted subsidiaries, including Adani Airport and Adani Road. loadingCONTEXT NEWSAdani Enterprises on Feb. 1 said it is withdrawing its $2.4 billion share sale due to the “unprecedented situation and the current market volatility”.

☆ Exclusive: Blackstone in talks with Bain to sell $480 million stake in top Indian REIT
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( M. Sriram | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

For Blackstone, it would mean a further selldown of its Embassy stake as it adjusts its portfolio. A spokesperson for Blackstone declined to comment while Bain Capital and Embassy did not respond to requests for comment. It owns and operates more than 43.2 million square feet of office parks and office buildings in cities such as Bengaluru and Mumbai and is also the largest office REIT in Asia by area. Blackstone currently owns 24% of the Embassy REIT, which has a market capitalisation of nearly $4 billion. That will be worth $400 million-$480 million based on Monday's closing price of the Embassy REIT on the stock exchange in Mumbai.

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