Crypto assets pose financial stability challenges: IMF report

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The rapid growth of the crypto ecosystem presents new opportunities, the IMF has said, but also cautioned that the digital currency assets pose financial stability challenges. Cryptocurrencies are digital or virtual currencies in which encryption techniques are used to regulate the generation of units and verify the transfer of funds, operating independently of a central bank.

“The rapid growth of the crypto ecosystem presents new opportunities. Technological innovation is ushering in a new era that makes payments and other financial services cheaper, faster, more accessible, and allows them to flow across borders swiftly,” it said in a chapter of its latest report Global Financial Stability Report.

Innovative financial services

Crypto asset technologies have potential as a tool for faster and cheaper cross-border payments. Bank deposits can be transformed to stable coins that allow instant access to a vast array of financial products from digital platforms and allow instant currency conversion, said the IMF in its chapter titled The Crypto Ecosystem and Financial Stability Challenges.

Decentralised finance could become a platform for more innovative, inclusive, and transparent financial services, it added.

Volatile currency

“Despite potential gains, the rapid growth and increasing adoption of crypto assets also pose financial stability challenges,” the IMF said.

In a recent interview with PTI, Tobias Adrian, the Financial Counsellor and Director of the Monetary and Capital Markets Department of IMF, said that Bitcoin could lead to instability because it is extremely volatile. It was trading above 65,000 earlier this year, and then it came down to below 30,000.

“It might go back up, it might go back down. So if you’re a merchant, and you’re quoting in Bitcoin, you’re exposed to this massive volatility. It is much more volatile than equities or commodities or even exchange rates. It’s a very, very volatile asset, and that is introducing instability,” he said.

“It’s fine as an investment asset. But as a monetary aggregate, it just doesn’t have the right properties,” he added.

Also see: Indian cryptocurrency market likely to reach up to $241 million by 2030: Nasscom

“And let me just add two more problems with that. One is that transaction costs can be fairly expensive and compared to digital money, as it’s the case in India for example, where you have a real-time gross settlement payment system, it’s actually slow because it’s a distributed ledger, and to know that the transaction has gone through, it has to be verified on all of these different computers. So, it’s not that instantaneous, and it can be expensive to transact and it’s extremely volatile. It doesn’t have the properties that you want money to have,” Adrian said.

Destabilise capital flows

The IMF in its report said that challenges posed by the crypto ecosystem include operational and financial integrity risks from crypto asset providers, investor protection risks for crypto-assets and DeFi, and inadequate reserves and disclosure for some stable coins.

“In emerging markets, the advent of crypto assets has benefits but can accelerate cryptoisation and circumvent exchange and capital control restrictions. Increased trading of crypto-assets in these economies could destabilise capital flows,” it said.

Need for regulation

“Policymakers should implement global standards for crypto-assets and enhance their ability to monitor the crypto ecosystem by addressing data gaps. As the role of stable coins grows, regulations should correspond to the risks they pose and the economic functions they perform. Emerging markets faced with cryptoisation risks should strengthen macroeconomic policies and consider the benefits of issuing central bank digital currencies,” the report said.

Also see: China declares all cryptocurrency transactions illegal

In a joint blog post, three IMF officials Dimitris Drakopoulos, Fabio Natalucci, and Evan Papageorgiou wrote that as crypto assets take hold, regulators need to step up.

“Crypto-assets offer a new world of opportunities: Quick and easy payments. Innovative financial services. Inclusive access to previously “unbanked” parts of the world. All are made possible by the crypto ecosystem,” they wrote. “But along with the opportunities come challenges and risks,” it added.

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RBI may signal policy normalisation on Oct. 8, StanChart says, BFSI News, ET BFSI

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The Reserve Bank of India is likely to signal the start of an unwinding of its accommodative monetary policy, introduced to cushion the economic impact of the pandemic, at a meeting next week, economists at Standard Chartered Bank wrote in a research note on Friday.

The consensus view is that the RBI will leave interest rates unchanged at its Oct. 8 MPC meeting and only start to unwind its accommodative monetary policy by reducing the gap between the repo and reverse repo rates early next year.

Some economists, including those at StanChart, however have brought forward their policy normalisation expectations amid concerns of rising domestic inflation from high oil and global commodity prices and a sharp increase in the pace of vaccination.

“We now expect India‘s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to hike the reverse repo rate by 40 basis points to 3.75% at the December 2021 and February 2022 policy meetings; we had earlier expected the hikes in February and April 2022,” the Standard Chartered economists said.

They expect the MPC to raise the key repo rate only in August 2022 but said the risk of an earlier hike has increased. They also acknowledged the risk of a nominal increase in the reverse repo rate on Oct. 8, on account of the higher cut-offs at recent variable rate reverse repo auctions.

“Unlike VRRR cut-offs/sizes and tenor, a reverse repo rate hike is a firmer signal of policy normalisation, in our view,” the economists said.

“We think a firmer signal is warranted when the risk of another surge in infections is largely ruled out. Additionally, with India entering the festival season, supportive monetary policy is likely to help sentiment and demand,” they added.

Nomura also expects a 40 bps reserve repo rate hike in December and a total of 75 bps repo and reverse repo rate hikes throughout 2022.

“We still believe that RBI’s normalisation strategy will hinge upon the growth outlook, and not inflation,” Rahul Bajoria, economist at Barclays said in a research note.

“Macro indicators show that India’s activity levels have begun to normalise, and with the economy recovering faster than anticipated, the RBI has more options to calibrate an exit, both through communication and actions, in our view,” he added. (Reporting by Swati Bhat. Editing by Jane Merriman)



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HSBC, Yes Bank join rate cut war; foreign lender to offer mortgage from 6.45%, BFSI News, ET BFSI

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Mumbai, HSBC on Friday reduced rates on its home loan products, offering mortgages at 6.45 per cent – one of the lowest in the industry – for balance transfers. For fresh loans, the British lender’s local branches will offer lending at 6.70 per cent, which is at par with sector leaders like SBI and HDFC.

Yes Bank also cut its rate to the same level in a review and is aiming for doubling the book size during the limited period offer.

Last month, private sector lender Kotak Mahindra Bank cut its interest rates to offer home loans from 6.50 per cent onwards, forcing others to also review their rates. Credit growth is at low levels amid a flush of liquidity which is leading to the rate cuts.

HSBC India said its rate has been reduced by 0.10 per cent to 6.45 per cent for balance transfers, wherein existing borrowers being served by rivals are enticed to switch the remaining loan amounts to a newer lender by aggressive offerings.

Home loans are generally considered safer bets because of the underlying security, and waning of COVID infections has also prompted healthy pick-up in home buys.

In a statement, the bank said it has also waived the processing fee for these loans and added that the rate offering will be applicable only till December 31.

“We believe this reduction in the home loans rates will help reduce the interest burden of customers and make homeownership more affordable,” its head of wealth and personal banking, Raghujit Narula said.

The bank currently offers home loans of up to Rs 30 crore to all customer at 6.70 per cent.

Meanwhile, private sector lender Yes Bank also announce a cut in its offering to 6.70 per cent, as per a statement, which also said salaried women will get credit at 6.65 per cent.

“Given our focus on further building the retail book, home loan is segment we are looking at expanding and envisage growing the book size by 2X over the next three months,” its chief executive and managing director Prashant Kumar said. PTI AA ANU ANU



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J&K Bank gets shareholders’ nod to raise up to Rs 2,000 cr via equity, debt, BFSI News, ET BFSI

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Jammu and Kashmir Bank on Friday said it has received shareholders‘ nod to raise up to Rs 2,000 crore through equity and debt to fund its business. The shareholders at the annual general meeting on Friday approved the plan to raise equity and debt capital of up to Rs 1,000 crore each.

They approved raising of equity capital of up to Rs 1,000 crore in one or more tranches by way of rights issue/preferential allotment/private placement or qualified institutional placement (QIP) or any other approved mode, the bank said in a regulatory filing.

Also, shareholders approved raising up to Rs 1,000 crore by issuing Basel III compliant tier-II bonds in the nature of non-convertible debentures on a private placement basis.

Shareholders also cleared the appointment of Nitishwar Kumar and Mohmad Ishaq Wani as directors. PTI DP ABM ABM

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Nigeria gets $400 million in World Bank financing for COVID-19, BFSI News, ET BFSI

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LAGOSNigeria got approval on Friday for $400 million in World Bank financing to procure and deploy COVID-19 vaccinations, the bank said in a statement.

The World Bank board of directors signed off on the financing, provided via the International Development Association, which it said would enable Africa’s most populous nation to purchase COVID-19 vaccines for 40 million people, some 18% of its population, and support vaccine deployment to 110 million people.

In a statement, the bank said the money would ensure that the government can vaccinate 51% of its population within two years and “avoid the dreadful consequences of another lockdown that left in its wake an economic toll the country is still grappling with.”

The government last month said that around 20% of workers in Nigeria had lost their jobs as a result of COVID-19.

Nigeria has administered some five million vaccine doses to its 200 million citizens, and is in the midst of deploying millions more doses of Moderna and AstraZeneca shots received through the COVAX scheme aimed at providing vaccines to developing countries.

It also has 1.12 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine that it purchased through an African Union programme and is also scheduled to receive 7.7 million doses of the Sinopharm vaccine via COVAX.

As of Oct. 1, Nigeria had recorded 205,779 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 2,721 deaths from the virus.

(Reporting By Libby George in Lagos and Camillus Eboh in Abuja, Editing by Nick Zieminski)



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HDFC Bank, BFSI News, ET BFSI

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Mumbai: HDFC Bank has said that as a practice it levies processing fees on customers attempting to avail loans with discrepant or suspect documents. However, it has denied reports that these cases are not reported on the bank’s fraud reporting system.

“The bank does not waive the processing costs from customers who come forward in such discrepant/suspicious cases. The processing fee is charged towards defraying the cost of efforts of the bank for additional due diligence and verification and not for closing the cases,” HDFC Bank said.

Responding to reports that frauds are not reported by the bank, the private lender said that in all cases, the bank updates its internal database to prevent any future application from the customer and also updates industry data to prevents such borrowers from indulging in similar practises with other banks, NBFCs & financial institutions. “Collection or non-collection of processing fees has no bearing on reporting to the internal & Hunter (industry) database or attempts to report to the police authorities,” the bank said.

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HSBC, Yes Bank cut home loan rates, BFSI News, ET BFSI

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HSBC India has reduced its home loan interest rates by 10 basis points (100bps = 1 percentage point) from 6.55% to 6.45% for balance transfer home loans. Yes Bank too has announced a limited period a offer on, ‘Yes Premier Home Loans’ at 6.7%. It gives extra 0.05% benefit (interest rate at 6.65%) for prospective salaried women homebuyers.

HSBC’s special rate is available across all loan amounts, and the bank has also waived the processing fee for these loans. This special rate of 6.45% is part of a festive home loan offer which will be effective from 1st October 2021 to 31 December 2021.

“We believe this reduction in the home loans rates will help reduce the interest burden of customers and make homeownership more affordable,” said Raghujit Narula, Head Wealth and Personal Banking, HSBC India, said,

HSBC currently offers home loans to all customer at a competitive rate of 6.70% p.a. HSBC’s mortgage offering goes up to Rs 30 crores and includes other benefits such as Top-up Loans, Loans Against Property (LAP) and interest saving variant known as ‘Smart Home’. The special rate applies only to the basic home loan scheme.

Under Yes Bank’s offer, salaried home buyers can get flexible loan tenure of up to 35 years and zero prepayment charges with minimal documentation. The offer is applicable for home loans for property purchase as well as balance transfers from other lenders.



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Swiss National Bank says Rajna Gibson Brandon nominated for bank council, BFSI News, ET BFSI

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The Swiss National Bank‘s Bank Council has nominated Rajna Gibson Brandon as a member for the remainder of the 2020 to 2024 term of office, the central bank said on Friday.

Gibson Brandon, Professor of Finance at the University of Geneva, will succeed Monika Buetler from May 1, 2022 if she is elected at next year’s annual general meeting.

Buetler, who has worked on the bank council since 2010, is stepping down after reaching the 12 year maximum term of office. The Bank Council oversees and controls the conduct of business by the SNB, but does not decide monetary policy. (Reporting by John Revill, Editing by Louise Heavens)

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Indian Bank picks up 13.2% stake in NARCL, BFSI News, ET BFSI

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Indian Bank on Friday said it has picked up 13.27 per cent stake in the proposed bad bank National Asset Reconstruction Company Ltd (NARCL). The lender has subscribed to 1,98,00,000 equity shares of NARCL for cash consideration of Rs 19.80 crore, it said in a regulatory filing.

The investment of equity stake of 13.27 per cent would be reduced to 9.90 per cent by December 31, 2021, Indian Bank added.

Three state-owned lenders — SBI, Union Bank of India and PNB — had picked up over 12 per cent stake each in NARCL on Thursday.

NARCL, which is yet to become operational, will take over the bad assets of banks in its own account for speedy resolution of sour loans.

Last month, the Cabinet cleared a proposal to provide government guarantee worth Rs 30,600 crore to security receipts issued by NARCL.

NARCL will pay up to 15 per cent of the agreed value for the bad loans in cash and the remaining 85 per cent would be government-guaranteed security receipts.

It will be 51 per cent owned by PSBs and the remaining by private sector lenders. State-owned Canara Bank has expressed its intent to be the lead sponsor of NARCL with a 12 per cent stake. PTI DP ABM ABM



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Know how banks, financials performed this week, BFSI News, ET BFSI

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The indices were volatile this week, in line with its global peers, while the broader market indices continued to outperform. The BSE Sensex breached its 60,000-mark, while the Nifty extended its winning run to five weeks in a row on Wednesday, posting the longest weekly gaining streak since 20 December 2020.

However, overall, the indices were muted this week, with experts suggesting indices may see further correction on concerns over global economic recovery and US inflation.

Stock specific moves, cues from Asian markets, US debt ceiling crisis and uptick in bond yield, strong vaccination numbers were key driving factors this week.

Monday Closing bell: Benchmark indices end flat with positive bias, Nifty Bank up nearly 1%

The BSE Sensex pared 334 points from the day’s high to end 29 points higher at 60,078, while the NSE Nifty50 closed at 17,855. During the day, the Sensex logged a fresh record high of 60,412.

The broader market indices underperformed the benchmark Sensex, as the BSE Midcap closed flat and BSE Smallcap down 0.13%.

The Nifty PSU Bank ended flat with positive bias gaining 0.48%, the Nifty Bank ended 0.90% higher at 38,171, and the Nifty Financial Services ended 0.41% higher at 18,706. SBI and HDFC Bank were among top gainers, while Bajaj Finserv was the top laggard, losing more than 2%.

Tuesday Closing bell: Indices bleed, financials highly underperform

After crashing nearly 1,000 points, Sensex recovered from its day’s low to finally close at 59,668, down 0.68%. The Nifty, meanwhile, tumbled 0.60% to end at 17,749.

The broader market also declined, in tandem with the benchmarks. The BSE Midcap index lost 0.71% and the BSE Smallcap 0.62%.

After a volatile session, Nifty PSU Bank gained 1.24% closing at 2,398. Bank Nifty ended in the red, losing 0.59% to end at 37,945, while Nifty Financial Services ended 0.92% lower at 18,534. Kotak Mahindra Bank was among the top gainers, while Bajaj Finance, Bajaj Finserv, ICICI Bank and Induslnd Bank were top laggards.

Weekly Market wrap up: Know how banks, financials performed this week

Wednesday Closing bell : Indices volatile for second day; PSU Banks gain over 2.5%, financials fall

Indices remained volatile for the second day in a row on Wednesday, ending with losses. S&P BSE Sensex recovered from intraday lows and closed 0.43% lower at 59,4113. NSE Nifty 50 turned positive during the day but failed to hold gains and closed 0.21% lower at 17,711.

Midcap and Smallcap indices outperformed benchmark indices, closing with gains.

Nifty PSU Banks finished the day with 2.72% gains, while Nifty Bank slipped 0.53% ending at 37,743. Nifty Financial Services closed 0.88% lower at 18,371. HDFC was among the worst-performing Sensex constituents, falling 2.15%, followed by Axis Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank and HDFC Bank.

Thursday Closing bell: Indices witness 3-day losing streak, both down 0.5%

Domestic headline indices ended with losses for the third consecutive session, with the Sensex witnessing a tug of war between gains and losses for most of the day to end 0.48% lower at 59,126. The Nifty50 dropped 0.53% to close at 17,618.

Nifty PSU Bank Index maintained its winning streak, closing with 0.80% gains. Nifty Bank, however, fell below the 37,500-mark, down 0.84% to close at 37,425, while Nifty Financial Services closed 0.37% lower at 18,303.

Bajaj Finserv was the top Sensex gainer, jumping 2.19%, followed by Bajaj Finance. Axis Bank, SBI and Kotak Mahindra Bank were among the top drags.

Friday Closing Bell: Sensex, Nifty witness losses for fourth day, both down 0.5%

Indices settled in the red for the fourth straight day on Friday, with Sensex closing 0.6% lower at 58,766, and the Nifty50 falling 0.5% to close at 17,532.

Nifty PSU Bank index continued its winning streak for the fourth consecutive session, closing 1% higher. Nifty Bank, however, fell more than half a percent to close at 37,225, while Nifty Financial Services closed 0.91% lower at 18,137.

Bajaj Finserv fell more than 3%, and Bajaj Finance, ICICI Bank and Induslnd Bank were among top laggards. Muthoot Finance gained over 5%, and Au Small Finance Bank, Bandhan Bank, PNB were among top gainers.

Key Industry takeaways

Icra revises up FY22 GDP growth forecast to 9%

Ratings agency Icra on Monday revised up its 2021-22 real GDP growth estimate for India to 9 percent from the earlier 8.5 percent. A ramp-up in COVID-19 vaccination, healthy advance estimates of kharif (summer) crop and faster government spending were the factors which led to the revision, the agency said in a statement. Icra on Monday said it expects the second half of the fiscal year to have brighter prospects.

Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC IPO fully subscribed on Day 2

Weekly Market wrap up: Know how banks, financials performed this week

The initial public offer of Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC Limited was fully subscribed on the second day on Thursday. The Rs 2,768.25crore initial share sale received bids for 2,99,46,460 shares against 2,77,99,200 shares on offer, translating into 1.08 times subscription, according to an update on the NSE.

The qualified institutional buyers (QIBs) category was subscribed 6 per cent, non-institutional investors 40 per cent and retail individual investors (RIIs) two times. The initial public offer is of 3,88,80,000 equity shares.

RBI extends MSF facility for banks until March next year

Weekly Market wrap up: Know how banks, financials performed this week

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on September 28 said it has extended the marginal standing facility (MSF) relaxation for banks until March 31. Earlier, this facility was given till September 30.

Under MSF facility, banks are allowed to avail of funds by dipping into the Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR) by up to an additional one percent of net demand and time liabilities (NDTL), i.e., cumulatively up to 3 percent of NDTL.

“With a view to providing comfort to banks on their liquidity requirements as also to enable them to continue to meet LCR requirements, it has been decided to continue with the MSF relaxation for a further period of six months, i.e., up to March 31, 2021,” the RBI said.

US Fed’s tapering inclination may impact India’s FPI inflows, says CARE Ratings

Weekly Market wrap up: Know how banks, financials performed this week

The US Federal Reserve’s indication of tapering asset purchases is likely to impact the flow of funds into Indian markets, but may not be immediate, CARE Ratings said in a report.

The tapering is likely to affect India’s foreign portfolio inflows. Earlier when the Fed had announced tapering in 2013, FPI inflows to India had shrunk in the 2015-18 period.

RBI lifts PCA curbs on Indian Overseas Bank

Weekly Market wrap up: Know how banks, financials performed this week

The Reserve Bank of India on 29, September lifted Prompt Corrective Action restrictions from the Indian Overseas Bank, the central bank said in a release.

The decision came after the bank reported its earnings for the year ended March 31, 2021, and the RBI observed that IOB was not in breach of the PCA parameters. IOB has also provided a written commitment that it would comply with the norms of Minimum Regulatory Capital, Net NPA and Leverage ratio on an ongoing basis



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