Shaktikanta Das News

Bank credit rose 14% on-year as of June 28, outpacing deposit growth at 11%, putting the spotlight yet again on central bank's concerns over the gap that could lead to asset-liability mismatches. Latest Reserve Bank of India (RBI) data showed the growth in deposits and credit was lower than the year-ago period, reflecting a slowdown in economic activities due to the uncertainty on the economic outlook because of the Lok Sabha elections. Year-on-year credit and deposit growth rates in the same period of 2023-24 were higher — at 16.3% and 12.9%, respectively

banks to find ways to bridge the gap between credit and deposit growth and reduce credit-deposit ratio, raising concerns over the persistent higher credit growth than deposit mobilisation which could pose a risk in business sustainability. The central bank Governor Shaktikanta Das held a meeting with the heads of public sector banks and select private sector lenders Wednesday where he spoke about high credit-deposit ratio, the resultant liquidity risk management challenges, trends in unsecured retail lending as well as cybersecurity and third-party risks and the need for improving customer services. He also highlighted the importance of further strengthening the governance standards, risk management practices and compliance culture in banks.

Also Read: JPMorgan on track to include India in emerging market debt index from June; How will it impact Indian bonds and yields?The index weighting of India bonds is expected to reach a maximum weight of 10% in GBI-EM Global Diversified Index, 8.7% in the GBI-EM Global Index and 14.59% in the GBI-EM Global Diversified IG 15% Cap Index.Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) area is estimated to see the largest regional hit to index weight. EMEA EM's aggregate weight is expected to drop to 26.2% by March when India's inclusion is complete compared to around 32% at the start of this month, Reuters reported.With India’s addition, Asia’s weight is estimated to increase to 47.6% in the index, HSBC Plc said in a note.

Shaktikanta Das while addressing the 188th AGM of Bombay Chamber of Commerce & Industry in Mumbai informed that India is at the threshold of a major structural shift in its growth trajectory as it moves towards 8% GDP in a sustained manner. «India is at the threshold of a major structural shift in its growth trajectory moving towards 8% GDP growth in a sustained manner,» said the RBI governor in Mumbai. Speaking on RBI's forecast of 7.2% growth, the governor flagged concerns such as weather, geo political conflicts, fragmentation in trade and other challenges like heightened financial sector volatility that could hurt the forecast but remains confident of achieving the predicted growth.

gold reserves parked overseas dropped to the lowest in six years at the end of March--47% of the total—since it started accumulating the precious metal in December 2017. Data show that the RBI started bringing the gold to India in March 2022, coinciding with the start of the Russia-Ukraine war. This is in line with the trend of central banks globally that have turned cautious after the US government froze Russian foreign currency assets as the conflict began in February 2022. News that the RBI had brought back 100 tonnes of gold from the UK to India emerged at the end of last month. Governor Shaktikanta Das said this was because there is enough domestic storage capacity and nothing more should be read into it. At the end of March, the RBI’s total gold holdings amounted to 822.1 tons. A December 2023 survey by global investment manager Invesco of 57 central banks and other asset managers showed that they had increased exposure to gold 8-10 years ago, keeping it London and using it for swaps and to enhance yields, but that they were now moving the reserves back to their own countries, underscoring its role as a safe-haven asset. From 50% in 2020, the share of gold reserves held in their own countries is estimated to have gone up to 68% by December 2023 and will likely rise to 74% within the next five years, according to the survey.

Reserve Bank of India's gold reserves parked overseas dropped to a six-year low at the end of March — 47% of total. This is the lowest since it started accumulating the precious metal in December 2017. Data shows that the RBI started bringing the gold to India in March 2022, coinciding with the start of the Russia-Ukraine war. This is in line with the trend of central banks globally that have turned cautious after the US government froze Russian foreign currency assets as the conflict began in February 2022.

Reserve Bank of India's Monetary Policy Committee have flagged worries relating to price worries in coming months owing to 'exceptionally' warm summer months experienced across the country, as per the Minutes of the June meeting released on Friday. RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das opined that retail inflation in India would moderate to an average of 4.5 per cent in FY25, higher than the target of 4 per cent. «In the immediate months, however, the impact of exceptionally warm summer months on output of certain perishables; a likely rabi production shortfall in some pulses and vegetables – particularly potatoes and onions; and the upward revisions in milk prices, warrant close monitoring,» Das said.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Shaktikanta Das has raised a cautionary flag over banks engaging in a “mindless pursuit of bottom lines". Speaking at an event of the College of Supervisors on Thursday, Das said that profitability must not be pursued by taking unacceptable risks and that RBI tries to sniff out a crisis before one builds up. He further noted how its timely action has helped mitigate vulnerabilities caused by unsecured loans.

low reservoir levels. This issue is likely to impact the central bank's fight against inflation, which it says has been interrupted by volatile and elevated food prices. «The exceptionally hot summer season and low reservoir levels may put stress on the summer crop of vegetables and fruits. The rabi arrivals of pulses and vegetables need to be carefully monitored,» RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said in the June edition of its Bulletin.

household consumers surveyed cutting consumption or feeling the pinch of rising prices of onion, potato and tomato and another 31% are likely to be impacted once per kg prices cross INR 50 for these items 2 in 3 household consumers surveyed confirmed paying Rs 25/kg or more for tomato, Rs 30/kg or more for potato and Rs 35/kg or more for onion. While tomatoes are still affordable at these prices, potatoes and onions are now selling at much higher rates than their average price of Rs20/kg. The summer monsoon set in two days early in Kerala this year but so far it has remained sporadic, leading to humid weather. In most states, with temperatures rising, power cuts and water shortages are being reported. The result is, there is more demand for fruits and vegetables, which have become pricier. The prices of essential vegetables onion, potato and tomato have also shot up by 20% to 50% in the last few weeks.

India's retail inflation eased to 4.75 per cent on an annual basis in May as against 11-month low of 4.83 per cent in the previous month, showed the government data on Wednesday

employment data in the US weakens the case for monetary policymakers in the world's biggest economy to begin the cycle of easing, said a report by ICICI Securities Primary Dealership. Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor, Shaktikanta Das, Friday said that the rate-setting panel will look at domestic conditions while taking rate cut decisions and will not be following the Fed. Other central banks are also diverging from the Fed, as the Bank of Canada and European Central Bank cut rates last week.

PM Narendra Modi and his new council of ministers, speculation is rife about who will be the next finance minister. Will Nirmala Sitharaman retain her position in the finance ministry for a consecutive second term, or will she move to a different ministry this time?

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will set up Digital Payments Intelligence Platform to check growing instances of digital fraud, Governor Shaktikanta Das said on Friday.

In a move aimed at making travel by road and metro hassle-free, the Reserve Bank has allowed processing of recurring transactions through e-mandate, which means users can recharge Fastag and National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) through an automatic replenishment facility.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) maintained status quo on key interest rate yet again on Friday, while announcing its second bi-monthly monetary policy decison for the current financial year.

RBI) will continue to adopt a flexible approach in managing liquidity to maintain an orderly evolution of money market rates that affect cost of borrowing across the economy, governor Shaktikanta Das said on Friday.

Reserve Bank of India has drawn up a reform agenda to be achieved on its centenary, a decade down the line as it aspires to be a role model for the central banks in the developing world.

interest rates by exploiting the freedom the regulator offered after pushback from states in the past.

key lending rates unchanged for an eighth straight time but with a bigger split in votes. The Reserve Bank of India also indicated it has «greater elbow room» to ensure price stability in Asia's third-largest economy, which is seeing strong growth but price pains continue to worry everyone from the aam admi (common man) to Mint Street and New Delhi bosses.