RBI eases related-party lending norms, allows run-off of existing exposures
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Monday issued the final guidelines on lending to related parties, easing several provisions from the draft norms, including allowing existing non-compliant transactions to continue till maturity. The draft guidelines were released on October 3. The aim was to provide a harmonised, principle-based framework to be adopted by regulated entities for lending to related parties and suitably rationalising the existing provisions.

State-run banks’ headcount rises for first time in 5 years; Private banks’ dips 0.9%
Mumbai: The employee count of public sector banks, which has been declining  since the wave of mergers that began in 2017, has grown for the first time in five years in the financial year 2025, but their private sector counterparts have seen their headcount declining.

RBI Guv urges NBFCs to maintain sound underwriting standards, close monitoring of asset quality
RBI flags underwriting, asset quality risks in meeting with NBFC chiefs
mint

Rs 12 crore in 573 inactive accounts in Chandigarh slips into RBI vault

The data was shared by SK Singhal, Lead District Manager (LDM), Chandigarh, who said the transfer was made in line with RBI guidelines that mandated shifting unclaimed deposits to the Depositor Education and Awareness Fund (DEAF) once an account remained inoperative for 10 years or the deposited amount was not claimed by the due date.

IDBI Bank sale may spill over to next fiscal
The strategic disinvestment of IDBI Bank is likely to spill over to the next financial year as the necessary procedural and evaluation processes are still under way, sources said. This would mean that the government’s non-debt capital receipts in the current fiscal year may fall significantly short of the Budget target.

Jefferies’ top 3 banking sector picks with up to 38% upside potential
The Indian financial sector is entering a phase of accelerated credit momentum, with Jefferies observing a notable pickup in growth across major institutions. Driven by a strong festive season and improving microfinance (MFI) collection efficiencies, sector-wide loan growth is increasingly aligning with the broader economic recovery. Jefferies remains bullish on players that are successfully expanding their Assets Under Management (AUM) and leveraging strategic transitions.

Central Bank of India Q3 data: 16% growth led by higher deposits
The Central bank of India has released its provisional business figures for Q3FY26. As per these numbers the bank had pointed to a nearly 16% growth in its total business accompanied by an increase of nearly Rs 38,000 crore in deposits. However, it is important to note that these figures are subject to review by its statutory auditors.

HDFC Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank report double-digit growth in loans, deposits in Q3
Mumbai: Private sector lenders HDFC Bank and Kotak Mahindra Bank today reported double-digit year-on-year (y-o-y) growth in advances and deposits in Q3FY26, while YES Bank reported sluggish growth on both parameters. HDFC Bank’s overall advances and deposits rose 12 per cent y-o-y each to ₹28.44 lakh crore and ₹28.59 lakh crore, respectively, as on December end. Despite strong growth, the lender’s shares ended trading 2 per cent lower at ₹978 apiece on the BSE on Monday, as deposit growth was slower than expected. The bank’s management has guided that it will grow advances on par with the banking industry in current fiscal and faster than industry in the next fiscal. Deposit growth will continue to outpace industry average, they said.

HDFC Bank Q3 Update: Deposits surge 12% as the festive season adds spark to growth, but stock slips over 1%
HDFC Bank posted a steady growth in its loan book and deposits for Q3FY26. The growth was supported by the festive season and sweeping tax cuts.

Karur Vysya Bank cuts Base rate and BPLR
Chennai: Private sector Karur Vysya Bank has announced that it will be amending its Base Rate and Benchmark Prime Lending Rate (BPLR) of the Bank would be revised with effect from January 07, 2026.

SBI to promote India-Israel trade in rupee
Amid deepening strategic ties and discussions around Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and Israel gaining momentum, the State Bank of India (SBI), the only Indian bank with a presence in Israel, is looking to facilitate bilateral trade in Indian rupees.

HDFC Bank logs 12% rise in loans in December quarter
HDFC bank loan growth hits 11.9%: Is the ‘darling of Dalal Street’ back?
The Financial Express

Aim to make Central Bank customer-centric, digitally agile: MD & CEO
 

Home loan mistakes: Don't equate eligibility with repayment capacity

Buying a home is often the biggest financial decision an individual makes, yet many borrowers underestimate the preparation it requires. A recent NoBroker report highlights recurring mistakes among home loan applicants. Avoiding these pitfalls can make borrowing smoother and less stressful.

Avanse Financial Services raises ₹1,200 crore through rights issue
Mumbai: Avanse Financial Services, an education-focused non-banking financial company (NBFC), raised Rs 1,200 crore through a rights issue from its existing shareholders, including Warburg Pincus, Kedaara Capital and Alpha Investment Company, an affiliate of Mubadala Investment Company, the company said in a press release. The capital raise reflects strong shareholder confidence in Avanse’s strategy, governance and long-term growth potential, while reinforcing its disciplined approach to building a diversified funding base, the company said.

Sagarmala Finance expecting at least ₹2K cr equity infusion from govt: MD
 

Crypto trading volumes can double if the government ratifies tax policy: COO ZebPay
As India’s Budget session approaches, cryptocurrency exchanges once again train their eyes towards potential revisions in tax policies for crypto as an asset. While other exchanges in the past talked about their suggested revision for the Tax Deducted at Source (TDS), Raj Karkara, Chief Operating Officer, ZebPay, talks about the potential boost such an amendment could give to customer activity. Having spent over a decade in India, Karkara also talks about the journey over the years. Here are some excerpts from the interview:

HDFC AMC gets IFC backing for Rs 1,500 crore credit fund
HDFC Asset Management Company has forayed into the fast-growing private credit market with its new Structured Credit Fund-I, targeting mid-market companies with alternative debt financing.

Top asset manager taps Citigroup, HSBC Holdings for nearly $1.4 billion IPO
SBI Funds Management has hired nine banks to advise on a proposed initial public offering that may raise around $1.4 billion in the first half of 2026, according to people familiar with the matter.

ICICI Prudential AMC’s Naren warns gold and silver should not be standalone investment bets
When elevated valuations and fresh supply of equity could moderate market returns, investors could consider putting their money in equity schemes – with the flexibility to manoeuvre across sectors and market capitalizations – and in asset allocation schemes with a greater tilt towards equity, Sankaran Naren, executive director and chief investment officer at ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund, said in an interview with Mint.

Equities decline amid renewed tariff threat, weakness in IT majors
 

‘Plan to invest ₹40K cr in clean energy by 2030’: Chief Executive Subahoo Chordia
 

Pricing to remain key in largely stable corporate bond market in 2026
Despite a 125-basis-point cut in the policy repo rate since February 2025, bond yields remain elevated, suggesting that pricing this year will be driven more by demand-supply dynamics, maturity preferences, and global factors than by expectations of further policy easing. With yields staying high, bank loan rates — following transmission of rate cuts — have become more attractive for borrowers rated just below AAA, who were already finding it difficult to raise funds at favourable rates in the bond market. According to Primedatabase, corporates raised about ₹10.08 trillion from the bond market in 2025, broadly unchanged from ₹10.09 trillion in 2024. While the first half of 2025 saw healthy activity, issuance slowed in the second half due to factors that kept yields elevated, including geopolitical concerns and market oversupply.

India bonds fall as record state debt plan fans supply fears
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/markets/bonds/rbi-injects-rs-50000-crore-rejects-2040-bond-bids/articleshow/126363534.cms