Indian Bank Shares Jump .....
Report says banks don't have to make provisions for 20 firms
RBI's step described as a `breather' for banks by analyst
ICICI Bank Ltd. and Punjab National Bank led Indian bank shares higher following a media report that the central bank eased pressure on lenders to set aside cash for possible defaults.
The S&P BSE India Bankex Index, a gauge of 10 lenders, rose 2.3 percent to the highest since January. ICICI Bank climbed 6 percent and Punjab National gained 6.1 percent. State Bank of India advanced 4 percent.
The Reserve Bank of India reportedly told lenders that they don’t have to make provisions for outstanding loans to 20 companies, including Jaiprakash Associates Ltd., out of 150 it had listed in December,
The decision was prompted partly by the steps taken by the companies to cut debt, (unidentified sources.)
The S&P BSE India Bankex Index, a gauge of 10 lenders, rose 2.3 percent to the highest since January. ICICI Bank climbed 6 percent and Punjab National gained 6.1 percent. State Bank of India advanced 4 percent.
The Reserve Bank of India reportedly told lenders that they don’t have to make provisions for outstanding loans to 20 companies, including Jaiprakash Associates Ltd., out of 150 it had listed in December,
The decision was prompted partly by the steps taken by the companies to cut debt, (unidentified sources.)
“The regulator has reportedly provided a breather to the banking sector on the asset-quality front and this should give some confidence to investors and the bankers, The reported move “will ease the provisioning and asset-quality pressures that have weighed heavily on the banking sector.”
Indian banks are about to start reporting earnings for the quarter ended March, with IndusInd Bank Ltd. due to post results on Thursday. Eleven banks in India reported losses in the quarter ended December amid surging bad loans after the RBI began an audit, known as the asset-quality review, on Oct. 1.
FROM GOUTAM SINHA ROY EX GM OBC
No comments:
Post a Comment