- Interest rates unlikely to fall soon: SBI MD (The Financial Express 12th Dec 2007) Interest rates in India are unlikely to come down in the short to medium term, TS Bhattacharyya, managing director of State Bank of India, the country's biggest bank, said on Wednesday.
- RBI may tighten norms for forex derivatives (Business Standard 12th Dec 2007)The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) may soon tighten the norms for foreign exchange derivatives, amid several banks and companies facing losses with calls on currency movements going wrong. The norms may require banks to insist on an undertaking from their corporate clients that such deals are being struck only for risk management purposes and not for trading. The bank may also be empowered to obtain a copy of the corporate clients' risk management practices and approval from the top management for the product before striking the derivative structure.
- Lower rates boost SBI home loans (Business Standard 12th Dec 2007)The lower interest rates charged by the State Bank of India (SBI) are contributing to a growth in its home loan portfolio at a time when the sky-rocketing real estate prices have slowed the credit demand. While fresh loans for buying houses are growing albeit at slow pace, buying out other banks’ home loans is helping the public sector bank to strengthen its home loan book.
- Nod for StanChart to buy UTI Sec stake (Business Standard 12th Dec 2007)Standard Chartered Bank Mauritius has received the Reserve Bank of India approval to acquire 49 per cent stake in UTI Securities, the broking arm of Securities Trading Corporation of India (STCI). P R Somasundaram has been appointed managing director of the brokerage. The bank has the option to acquire another 25 per cent in 2008 and the final 26 per cent in 2010, subject to regulatory approvals. The bank is planning to invest around $50 million over the next few years to 2010 to upgrade technology, implement top-in-class risk management systems, develop talent, strengthen the distribution network, in addition to enhancing the capital base.
- Bidders for 26% IFCI stake get fresh jolts (Business Standard 12th Dec 2007)Development finance company Industrial Finance Corporation of India (IFCI) has informed interested bidders that the strategic investor will have rights to nominate only two board representatives. It has also made it clear that the bidder will not receive a grant of Rs 1,300 crore from the government. This twin development may prove to be a dampener for the valuation of IFCI, a state-run financial company, which is in the process of offloading a 26 per cent stake. Four bidders have already completed the due diligence and the financial bids are expected to be submitted by Friday and IFCI is likely to announce the name of the strategic investor next week.
Jyoti Structures on Tuesday said it has bagged two orders worth Rs 253 crore from Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Ltd and Eskom Enterprises (Pty) Ltd for construction of transmission lines. The company has bagged Rs 160-crore order from Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Ltd for construction of transmission lines and sub-stations. Besides, the company's joint venture company Jyoti Structures Africa (Pty) Ltd has bagged a contract for Eskom Enterprises (Pty) Ltd, the electricity utility of South Africa for construction of transmission line. The scope of the order from Uganda Electricity Transmission Company includes supply and erection of Bujagali Interconnection Project, the manufacturer of transmission line towers informed the Bombay Stock Exchange. The contract valued at around $39.64 million (Rs 160 crore) is to be executed in 24 months, the company said, adding the company would construct 220 kV and 132 kV transmission lines and substations.
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