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Over the past few months, there’s been a lot of brouhaha about the lagging pace of bank deposits in India. Simply put, the rate at which Indians are depositing their hard-earned money in banks has been falling constantly, and some blame the increasing financialization of household savings in the country, or the rising preference of Indians towards mutual funds and shares. So, the hypothesis is that people are choosing to invest more in mutual funds and the Indian equity markets through direct investments, IPOs, or NFOs, the money flowing into Indian banks in the form of deposits is slowing down. But is that really the case? <h2>A crisis or a phase?</h2><keyword id="19899808" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rbi" source="keywords">RBI</keyword> data suggested that for the quarter ended June 2024, bank deposits grew at 11.7%. On the other hand, credit growth has outpaced this at 15%. This means that the outflow from banks as loans is far greater than the inflow into them in the form of deposits in Q1 of FY 2024-25. The situation largely saw cut-copy-paste in the first week of September as well, with loans registering a 13.3% YoY growth during the period, while deposits rose only 11.1%. This gap has only been widening for the last 3 years. Since deposits are how banks gather assets to further lend and earn interest income as a consequence, even a slight dip could set the alarm bells ringing for banks, and rightfully so. And truth be told, mutual funds are indeed taking on bank deposits in a big way. Per a report by <keyword id="20250971" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="franklin-templeton" source="keywords">Franklin Templeton</keyword>, in August 2024, the AUM (assets under management) of Indian mutual funds, or the total funds managed by them, stood at 31.3% of total bank deposits in the country, up from 24.20% during the year-ago period. As of August 2024, the AUM of mutual funds stood at Rs 66.17 lakh crore, an all-time high. But all said and done, is this really the reason why the rate of bank deposits is falling behind? SBI has dismissed this to be a “statistical myth”, and experts point out that since equity and fund houses also keep the cash in their respective bank accounts, there’s no cause for concern. So, is financialization really to be blamed for the trailing tempo of deposits? Or is something else happening behind the scenes? We take a closer look: <h2>First, are <keyword id="4000333" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="household-deposits" source="Orion">household deposits</keyword> really slowing down? And is that a cause of concern?</h2>Data from Motilal Oswal suggests the contrary. Deposits grew by around 10.4% between March 2020 and August 2024. Data from RBI also highlights that as of August 9, 2024, bank deposits witnessed a YoY growth of 10.8%. The loan-to-deposit ratio for the retail segment, which indicates what percentage of its total deposits the banks lend out as loans, has stayed at 77.5%, above the 77% mark for the tenth straight month. Also, we can’t forego the fact that the share of Indian <keyword id="20319599" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="households" source="keywords">households</keyword> in bank deposits has indeed slowed down. However, data from Axis AMC shows that the dip is marginal—from 63% in 2022 to 62% in 2023 and 61% in 2024. What has slowed down even more considerably is the share of government deposits in the aggregate bank deposits, which has dipped from 14% in 2018 to 9% in 2024. So, it's not just household deposits, you see. Moreover, as of March 2024, the collective CASA ratio (current and savings account deposits) of all commercial banks in India stood at 41.00%, down from 43.1% in March 2023 and 45.2% in March 2022, marking a nearly 5% point decline over the past year, while still staying over the 10-year average of 39.2%. This implies that Indian banks are relying more on higher-cost funds (savings accounts), which can limit their profitability. <h2>What is this financialisation of savings we are talking about?</h2>Then again, there is no doubt about the growing affinity of Indians towards mutual funds and stock markets. Recent data from CBDT (<keyword id="19942037" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="central-board-of-direct-taxes" source="keywords">Central Board of Direct Taxes</keyword>) highlights that India’s net direct tax collection surged by around 22%, driven exclusively by the significant uptick in the collection of <keyword id="20930760" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="securities-transaction-tax" source="keywords">Securities Transaction Tax</keyword> (STT), which doubled to Rs 26,154 crore, from Rs 13,352 crore in the year-ago period. Why does this matter? STT is levied when you buy or sell equity shares on stock exchanges, sell equity mutual funds, and trade in futures and options in the equity segment. Such taxes, including the multiple other taxes in equity market investments, are considered as leakages as the money moves out of the economy into government coffers. Data from a ValueQuest report explains that over the last 20 years, the markets have handsomely rewarded the investors, generating over $900 billion in incremental value for them. This is the major driver behind the dramatic rise in investment flowing towards the equity markets. There’s further proof of this budding romance, if you check the demat pudding. The number of demat accounts, which are a primary requisite for participating in the stock markets, also burgeoned by 42.3 lakh in August 2024, taking India’s total tally of demat accounts beyond 17 crore. To put this in perspective, this is almost equivalent to the population of just 8 nations in the world, including China, the US, Brazil and more. Vivek Iyer, Partner, Grant Thornton Bharat thinks it's rather important, as well. “Financialisation of household savings in India is an indication of deepening capital markets in the market, especially from a retail investor standpoint. Bank deposits with a modest rate of return are no longer the only option for savings for investors. Investors today have more avenues for wealth creation in the form of public capital markets, which have democratized wealth creation and provided equality of opportunity to retail investors”, he says. Yes, Indians are investing more and more in the markets, and in mutual funds. But is it a sin to look out for inflation-beating returns, which the stock markets offer, and vanilla bank deposits don't? After all, the allure of 12-13% annual returns offered by equities can certainly pale the stability offered by good old deposits, which generally do not go beyond 9% when it comes to annual returns. But all of this is not what is behind the slowdown. India is still a toddler in the school of savings financialization, with less than 10% of the population holding a demat account, and less than 5% of us saving in equities. That's a drop in the ocean of deposits, far inadequate to trigger a tsunami. <h2>Tell me why lagging deposits have nothing to do with Indians investing more in mutual funds!</h2>Says Shweta Rajani, Head - Mutual Funds, Anand Rathi Wealth Limited, “Households' equity holdings composition grew from 11.1% in FY 23 to 14.7% in FY 24. This trend reflects a growing awareness of investment options, empowering individuals to take control of their financial futures. Despite this transition towards equities, banks still hold a significant share of household financial savings—33.5% in FY24 compared to 34.9% in FY23”. Also, household savings and their subsequent financialization do not have much to do with deposit creation, which is entirely made by banks. What actually drives increased deposits is credit growth or increased lending. When interest rates are eased, people tend to borrow more and spend more, which circulates more money in the economy. For the past 4 years, RBI has been tightening the screws on interest rates, which raises the cost of borrowings, and makes it more expensive to take loans, putting a dampener on credit growth, but effectively curbing inflationary pressures. The last time RBI cut the repo rate by 40 basis points was back in May 2020, 4 years ago. The lag in deposit growth we’re witnessing is almost 3 years old. Coincidence much, or just good old economics at work? But with the <keyword id="19900043" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="fed" source="keywords">Fed</keyword> recently setting a rate cut precedent by slashing 50 bps off its interest rate, RBI is expected to follow suit in the next <keyword id="19918491" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mpc" source="keywords">MPC</keyword> (Monetary Policy Committee) meeting, scheduled for November 2024. A rate cut would ease the aforementioned high cost of borrowing, and increase loan-taking for corporates and institutional investors, thereby stoking consumption in the economy. And then, deposit creation in banks is likely to return to its former glory. If not, then that would be a curious case to unravel! But that worry is for another day.

A Deposit Dilemma — What's the fuss about a crisis in Indian bank deposits? Are mutual fund investments to blame?

Public sector mortgage lender, <keyword id="6359231" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Central-Bank-of-India" source="Orion">Central Bank of India</keyword> closed the third quarter of FY24 with higher net profit of Rs.717.86 crore. In a regulatory filing on Friday, the bank said that for the quarter ended December 31, 2023, it had earned a total interest income of Rs 7,809.21 crore (Q3FY23 Rs 6,716.55 crore) and a net profit of Rs 717.86 crore (Rs 458.22 crore). The profit went up drastically owing to the sharp spike in the bank's other income for the quarter under review at Rs 1,329.72 crore (Rs 919.16 crore). During the quarter under review, the bank's provisions for non-performing assets came down to Rs 726.69 crore (Rs 849.62 crore). As on December 31, 2023, the bank's gross and net non-performing assets stood at Rs 10,786.49l crore (December 31, 2023 Rs 18,489.97 crore) and Rs. 2,955,57 crore (Rs 4,060.92 crore). According to the Central Bank of India, during the quarter under review, its total business by 11.48% to Rs. 6,17,368 crore with total deposits growing by 9.53% to Rs 377,722 crore and gross advances going up by 14.71% to Rs 239,646 crore. Net Interest Income (NII) marginally declined by 4.04% on Y-o-Y basis to Rs 3,152 crore in Q3FY24 as against Rs 3,285 crore for Q3FY23. However excluding one off exceptional item, NII was up 3.73% from Rs 3,042 crore in Q3FY23 to Rs 3,125 crore in Q3FY24.

Central Bank of India logs Rs.717 crore net profit for Q3

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Russian banks made a record 3.3 trillion rubles, or $36.8 billion, in profits last year.</li><li>It was driven by demand for mortgages and loans to finance large business acquisitions.</li></ul>Even Russia's central bank is surprised by how well Russian banks did last year.Russian banks made 3.3 trillion rubles, or $36.8 billion, last year, marking a record high, the country's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbr.ru/eng/press/event/?id=18380">central bank</a> announced on Tuesday.The performance came as “somewhat of a surprise,” said Alexander Danilov, the head of Russia's central bank's banking regulation department, according to the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ft.com/content/4b29452c-fb4c-44f4-8de7-8877886c9add">Financial Times.</a>The earnings are a massive jump from the sector's 200 billion-ruble profit in 2022 — when profits tanked 90% from a year earlier amid Western sanctions over Russia's invasion of Ukraine.Russia's banking sector's performance last year was spurred by demand for mortgages as well as loans to finance large business acquisitions, the central bank said in its statement on Tuesday.Mortgage lending last year rose nearly 35% from a year ago as <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-ukraine-war-economy-housing-bubble-mortgages-rates-inflation-debt-2023-12">Russians rushed to buy homes</a> on state-backed subsidized mortgage rates, said the central bank.Russian authorities have started winding down the discounted mortgage program, the independent Russian news outlet <a target="_blank" href="https://en.thebell.io/russian-authorities-start-winding-down-the-preferential-mortgage-program/">The Bell</a> reported in September. At the time, mortgage rates in Russia were around 15%, but the subsidized mortgage rate was 8%. Families got a bigger discount with a mortgage rate of 6%.Meanwhile, corporate lending in Russia rose about 20% last year from a year ago, the country's central bank said on Tuesday. It didn't specify what the loans went to, but Russian businesses have been buying up assets from international firms that left the market.The latest central bank report is another indication of unusual resilience in Russia's sanctions-hit economy nearly two years into its war in Ukraine.Reports suggest that much of the country's growth is due to <a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-war-economy-government-boom-crash-sanctions-ukraine-invasion-2023-8">massive military and government spending.</a>However, Russia's economy runs the risk of overheating, the country's top central banker, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-economy-central-bank-hikes-interest-rates-war-inflation-markets-2023-12">Elvira Nabiullina,</a> said in December as she hiked benchmark interest rates to 16% to cool demand.On Tuesday, Russian central bank's Danilov said both consumer and corporate lending growth are expected to slow next year, in turn hitting bank profits, per Reuters.

Russian banks made a record $36.8 billion in profit last year, and even the central bank is surprised by it

The one-hour <keyword id="23618998" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Muhurat-trading" source="keywords">muhurat trading</keyword> session, which marks <keyword id="20963892" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Diwali-2024" source="keywords">Diwali 2024</keyword> and the onset of Hindu Samvat 2081 on both NSE and BSE, is set to commence at 6 pm today and will conclude at 7 pm. Generally, investors and traders make symbolic stock buys during this hour-long session, since it is believed that purchases made during this time herald wealth and prosperity for one’s investments for the year to come. If you are looking for <keyword id="19910146" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="stock-recommendations" source="keywords">stock recommendations</keyword> to add to your portfolio, here are a few value picks by SAMCO and Kotak Securities you can consider: <keyword id="19895995" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="HDFC-Bank" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="HDFC Bank" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="HDFC Bank">HDFC Bank</keyword> Ltd Holding period: 1 year Last Traded Price: Rs 1,734.30 Per the firm, “The bank has maintained a robust 10-year profit CAGR of 21.74%, operating with a NIM (net interest margin) of 3.5% and a low net NPA (non-performing assets) of 0.3%. Advances and deposits have shown steady growth. Currently, the stock trades below its 10-year average price-to-book value and at a price-to-earnings ratio of 19, offering a favorable risk-reward profile with a substantial downside buffer”. <keyword id="22086440" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vindhya-Telelinks" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Vindhya Telelinks" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Vindhya Telelinks">Vindhya Telelinks</keyword> Ltd Holding Period: 1 year Last Traded Price: Rs 1,992.55 SAMCO notes that this key cable manufacturing, which is a joint venture between Universal Cables Limited and Madhya Pradesh State Industrial Development Corporation, has shown robust growth over the last 5 years, nearly doubling revenues with a 14.3% CAGR. The company holds significant investments in Birla Cable Ltd, Birla Corporation Ltd, and Universal Cable Ltd, totaling Rs 3,618 crore—surpassing its market capitalization of Rs 2,545 crore. This solid investment base underscores Vindhya Telelinks’ strong fundamentals and financial potential. <keyword id="23763358" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ramco-Industries" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Ramco Industries" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Ramco Industries">Ramco Industries</keyword> Ltd Holding Period: 1 year Last Traded Price: Rs 244.89 SAMCO observes that over the past decade, sales grew at a 7% CAGR, while the share price rose at a 14% CAGR. Known for its financial stability, Ramco Industries boasts a low debt-equity ratio of 0.07 and has consistently paid dividends since FY17, currently yielding 0.31%. The stock’s attractive price-to-book multiple of 0.5 offers a solid margin of safety, highlighting its investment appeal. <keyword id="22786675" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Gravita-India" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Gravita India" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Gravita India">Gravita India</keyword> Holding Period: 12 months Last Traded Price: Rs 2,119 Kotak explains that Gravita India is the market leader in India’s emerging recycling industry with a focus on lead recycling. Gravita India is increasing its recycling capacity by a massive 72% to 500 ktpa by FY27E. “We expect the company’s earnings per share to grow by 31.8% in FY25E &amp; 31.6% in FY26E. We also expect an upside of 15% or more on this stock over the next 12 months”, adds Kotak’s note. <keyword id="23763359" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="S-H-Kelkar" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="S H Kelkar" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="S H Kelkar">S H Kelkar</keyword> and Company (SHKL) Holding Period: 12 months Last Traded Price: Rs 289.90 The company is a flavors &amp; fragrances (F&amp;F) supplier and has started to make inroads into the global market. SHK is well-placed to drive double-digit revenue growth. The company is a small but emerging contender in the vast F&amp;F market, with potential for margin expansion—higher-margin geographies &amp; operating leverage—allowing for over 15% return upside in the next 12 months. Kotak Securities further notes that FY25 will likely see more broad-based growth across sectors. However, the OMCs (oil marketing companies) may likely drag down overall profits. Most sectors and stocks are quite overvalued, with the degree of overvaluation ranging from: (1) low for most large-cap consumers, IT services, and pharmaceuticals (2) medium in the investment space (3) high in the case of several low-quality companies. "As the broader market valuations are rich, opportunities arising from market correction can be used to add quality stocks (with attractive valuations) from a long-term investment perspective," explains the research firm's note. SAMCO further advises adding a little glitter to your portfolio using GoldBees and SilverBees ETFs since there are recessionary fears in the US and geopolitical tensions across the world. Even central bankers like RBI have been adding gold to their vaults like never before. At present, markets are looking to secure their return on capital rather than seeking a return on capital. "Thus all of these make a strong case to add gold and silver to the portfolio. They will give stability to your portfolio this Samvat," adds SAMCO's note.

Muhurat trading 2024: 5 stock picks you can consider this time around

New Delhi [India], May 22 (ANI): Benefiting from strong sales, organised gold jewellery retailers are set to clock 17-19 per cent <keyword id="19965932" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="revenue-growth" source="keywords">revenue growth</keyword> in the current financial year 2024-25, according to <keyword id="19898320" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Crisil" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Crisil" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Crisil">Crisil</keyword>. The rating agency asserted that the projected revenue would be driven by higher realisations stemming from elevated <keyword id="19910265" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gold-prices" source="keywords">gold prices</keyword>, while volume remains steady. Gold, considered a safe haven asset for investment, has been in demand for considerable period of time, with its prices rallying to hit record highs every now and then. Geopolitical conflict in the West Asia that stretched for long now, buying by several central banks including RBI, physical demand, have altogether pushed gold prices towards northwards. Retailers are likely to step up marketing and promotional campaigns this fiscal to combat the moderation in demand amid rising gold prices, Crisil said on Wednesday. Hence, operating profitability may marginally moderate 20-40 basis points (100 basis points is equal to 1 percentage point) year-on-year to 7.7-7.9 per cent. "Working capital requirements may rise, too, resulting from increased inventory due to a substantial rise in gold prices and new stores additions. That said, credit profiles should remain stable," the rating agency noted. The organised gold sector accounts for slightly more than a third of the market, with the highly fragmented unorganised sector making up the rest. Domestic gold price increased 15 per cent during fiscal 2024 and reached Rs 67,000 per 10 gm as on end of March 2024. Now, they are trading at over Rs 74,000. Gold kept its shine as one of the safer investment options seen by various central banks across the world as well as end consumers amid geopolitical uncertainties. Gold is a scarce commodity, and any mismatch in demand-supply conditions may invariably trigger sharp price rise. Moreover, Crisil believes <keyword id="21263075" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="organised-retailers" source="keywords">organised retailers</keyword> will continue to gain market share at the expense of the unorganised ones, supported by changing consumer preferences and store expansion into Tier 1 and 2 cities and beyond. Himank Sharma, Director, CRISIL Ratings, "Stronger cash generation, due to healthy revenue growth and adequate profitability, will keep credit profiles of organised gold jewellery retailers stable, despite an expected rise in working capital borrowings." At the global level too, gold prices too are at their peaks. Historically, gold, as an asset, is considered to be a haven as it typically manages to retain or appreciate its underlying value in times of turbulence. (ANI)

Benefiting from strong sales, gold jewellers set for 17-19% revenue growth in 2024-25: Crisil

<div type="image" title="Are Indians depositing less money in banks, or more in mutual funds? Turns out, it&amp;#39;s neither of those." msid="113663806" hostid="261" sizebytes="1121785"></div> Over the past few months, there’s been a lot of brouhaha about the lagging pace of <keyword id="20202062" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bank-deposits" source="keywords">bank deposits</keyword> in India. Simply put, the rate at which Indians are depositing their hard-earned money in banks has been falling constantly, and some blame the increasing financialisation of <keyword id="20751315" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="household-savings" source="keywords">household savings</keyword> in the country or the rising preference of Indians towards <keyword id="19929240" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mutual-funds" source="keywords">mutual funds</keyword> and shares. So, the hypothesis is that people are choosing to invest more in mutual funds and the Indian <keyword id="19949641" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="equity-markets" source="keywords">equity markets</keyword> through direct investments, IPOs, or NFOs, the money flowing into Indian banks in the form of deposits is slowing down. But is that really the case? <h2>A crisis or a phase?</h2><keyword id="19899808" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="RBI" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="RBI" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="RBI">RBI</keyword> data suggested that for the quarter ended June 2024, bank deposits grew at 11.7%. On the other hand, credit growth has outpaced this at 15%. This means that the outflow from banks as loans is far greater than the inflow into them in the form of deposits in Q1 of FY 2024-25. The situation largely saw cut-copy-paste in the first week of September as well, with loans registering a 13.3% YoY growth during the period, while deposits rose only 11.1%. This gap has only been widening for the last 3 years. Since deposits are how banks gather assets to further lend and earn interest income as a consequence, even a slight dip could set the alarm bells ringing for banks, and rightfully so. And truth be told, mutual funds are indeed taking on bank deposits in a big way. Per a report by Franklin Templeton, in August 2024, the AUM (assets under management) of Indian mutual funds, or the total funds managed by them, stood at 31.3% of total bank deposits in the country, up from 24.20% during the year-ago period. As of August 2024, the AUM of mutual funds stood at Rs 66.17 lakh crore, an all-time high. But all said and done, is this really the reason why the rate of bank deposits is falling behind? SBI has dismissed this to be a “statistical myth”, and experts point out that since equity and fund houses also keep the cash in their respective bank accounts, there’s no cause for concern. So, is financialization really to be blamed for the trailing tempo of deposits? Or is something else happening behind the scenes? We take a closer look: <h2>First, are household deposits really slowing down? And is that a cause of concern?</h2>Data from Motilal Oswal suggests the contrary. Deposits grew by around 10.4% between March 2020 and August 2024. Data from RBI also highlights that as of August 9, 2024, bank deposits witnessed a YoY growth of 10.8%. The loan-to-deposit ratio for the retail segment, which indicates what percentage of its total deposits the banks lend out as loans, has stayed at 77.5%, above the 77% mark for the tenth straight month. <div type="image" title="Yes, household deposits (as % of total deposits) have dipped, but the drop is far from significant" msid="113663882" hostid="261" sizebytes="306706"></div> Also, we can’t forego the fact that the share of Indian households in bank deposits has indeed slowed down. However, data from Axis AMC shows that the dip is marginal—from 63% in 2022 to 62% in 2023 and 61% in 2024. What has slowed down even more considerably is the share of government deposits in the aggregate bank deposits, which has dipped from 14% in 2018 to 9% in 2024. So, it's not just household deposits, you see. Moreover, as of March 2024, the collective CASA ratio (current and <keyword id="114757" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="savings-account" source="Orion">savings account</keyword> deposits) of all commercial banks in India stood at 41.00%, down from 43.1% in March 2023 and 45.2% in March 2022, marking a nearly 5% point decline over the past year, while still staying over the 10-year average of 39.2%. This implies that Indian banks are relying more on higher-cost funds (savings accounts), which can limit their profitability. <h2>What is this financialisation of savings we are talking about?</h2>Then again, there is no doubt about the growing affinity of Indians towards mutual funds and stock markets. Recent data from CBDT (Central Board of Direct Taxes) highlights that India’s net direct tax collection surged by around 22%, driven exclusively by the significant uptick in the collection of Securities Transaction Tax (STT), which doubled to Rs 26,154 crore, from Rs 13,352 crore in the year-ago period. Why does this matter? STT is levied when you buy or sell equity shares on stock exchanges, sell <keyword id="6361918" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="equity-mutual-funds" source="Orion">equity mutual funds</keyword>, and trade in futures and options in the equity segment. Such taxes, including the multiple other taxes in equity market investments, are considered as leakages as the money moves out of the economy into government coffers. Data from a ValueQuest report explains that over the last 20 years, the markets have handsomely rewarded the investors, generating over $900 billion in incremental value for them. This is the major driver behind the dramatic rise in investment flowing towards the equity markets. There’s further proof of this budding romance, if you check the demat pudding. The number of demat accounts, which are a primary requisite for participating in the stock markets, also burgeoned by 42.3 lakh in August 2024, taking India’s total tally of demat accounts beyond 17 crore. To put this in perspective, this is almost equivalent to the population of just 8 nations in the world, including China, the US, Brazil and more. Vivek Iyer, Partner, Grant Thornton Bharat thinks it's rather important, as well. “Financialisation of household savings in India is an indication of deepening capital markets in the market, especially from a retail investor standpoint. Bank deposits with a modest rate of return are no longer the only option for savings for investors. Investors today have more avenues for wealth creation in the form of public capital markets, which have democratized wealth creation and provided equality of opportunity to retail investors”, he says. Yes, Indians are investing more and more in the markets, and in mutual funds. But is it a sin to look out for inflation-beating returns, which the stock markets offer, and vanilla bank deposits don't? After all, the allure of 12-13% annual returns offered by <keyword id="45369" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="equities" source="Orion">equities</keyword> can certainly pale the stability offered by good old deposits, which generally do not go beyond 9% when it comes to annual returns. But all of this is not what is behind the slowdown. India is still a toddler in the school of savings financialization, with less than 10% of the population holding a demat account, and less than 5% of us saving in equities. That's a drop in the ocean of deposits, far inadequate to trigger a tsunami. <h2>Tell me why lagging deposits have nothing to do with Indians investing more in mutual funds!</h2>Says Shweta Rajani, Head - Mutual Funds, Anand Rathi Wealth Limited, “Households' equity holdings composition grew from 11.1% in FY 23 to 14.7% in FY 24. This trend reflects a growing awareness of investment options, empowering individuals to take control of their financial futures. Despite this transition towards equities, banks still hold a significant share of household financial savings—33.5% in FY24 compared to 34.9% in FY23”. Also, household savings and their subsequent financialization do not have much to do with deposit creation, which is entirely made by banks. What actually drives increased deposits is credit growth or increased lending. When interest rates are eased, people tend to borrow more and spend more, which circulates more money in the economy. For the past 4 years, RBI has been tightening the screws on interest rates, which raises the cost of borrowings, and makes it more expensive to take loans, putting a dampener on credit growth, but effectively curbing inflationary pressures. The last time RBI cut the repo rate by 40 basis points was back in May 2020, 4 years ago. The lag in <keyword id="19998084" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="deposit-growth" source="keywords">deposit growth</keyword> we’re witnessing is almost 3 years old. Coincidence much, or just good old economics at work? But with the Fed recently setting a rate cut precedent by slashing 50 bps off its interest rate, RBI is expected to follow suit in the next MPC (Monetary Policy Committee) meeting, scheduled for November 2024. A rate cut would ease the aforementioned high cost of borrowing, and increase loan-taking for corporates and institutional investors, thereby stoking consumption in the economy. And then, deposit creation in banks is likely to return to its former glory. If not, then that would be a curious case to unravel! But that worry is for another day. Do you have insights or personal experience to share on your personal finances or money? Contact us at <a target="_blank" class="c-link" href="mailto:businessinsider@timesinternet.in">businessinsider@timesinternet.in</a>.

Simply Put: A Deposit Dilemma — What's the fuss about a crisis in Indian bank deposits? Are mutual fund investments to blame?

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Wall Street's biggest banks face a less profitable lending environment as interest rates fall.</li><li>Bank bosses shrugged off those concerns this week and pointed to several benefits of lower rates.</li></ul>Lending threatens to become far less lucrative for Wall Street's biggest banks as interest rates fall. But executives don't seem to be worried — and even spy some benefits from cheaper borrowing.The Federal Reserve <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fed-cuts-interest-rates-how-much-september-fomc-powell-inflation-2024-9">cut its benchmark rate</a> by 50 basis points to between 4.75% and 5% in late September. The central bank had hiked that rate from nearly zero to as high as 5.25% between March 2022 and July 2023 in response to soaring inflation.The Fed is widely expected to keep lowering rates to stimulate economic growth and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/stock-market-crash-recession-warning-signs-job-market-indicators-unemployment-2024-10">stave off a recession</a> — while being careful not to rekindle inflation or overheat the job market.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/banking/bank-of-america-review">Bank of America</a> CFO Alistair Borthwick said on an earnings call this week that even if rates drop below 3%, lenders have historically done well in that environment. He emphasized that banks have many levers to pull that can fuel strong performance."We control our client experience," he said, according to an Alphasense transcript. "We control the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/warren-buffett-advised-american-express-ceo-protect-brand-name-2020-5">level of service</a>. We control the relationship orientation, we control the pricing. We control our expense. So, there are an awful lot of things that we control through any cycle."Banks also offer a wide range of services, some of which do better when rates fall, even as others fare worse.Citigroup CEO <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/citi-jane-fraser-regulators-occ-frb-consent-orders-asset-cap-2024-10">Jane Fraser</a> told analysts this week that fee-based revenues at her bank rose by double digits last quarter despite rates declining, "reflecting the growing diversity of our earnings mix."Lower payment rates fueled interest-earning balances last quarter, and the bank grew its retail mortgage portfolio and overall loan book, Fraser said.<h2 id="f6b149ca-d5eb-4cbd-81c8-b0e1a7d0bec3">Consumer revival</h2>Falling rates promise to reduce interest payments on mortgages, car loans, credit cards, and other debts. But that could leave consumers with more disposable income, which could benefit banks.Citigroup CFO Mark Mason said on the bank's earnings call that inflation cooling and rates dropping <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/big-short-michael-burry-jpmorgan-consumer-inflation-rates-banking-crisis-2023-4">helps consumers</a> and the overall economy, which can reduce loan delinquencies and net credit losses for banks as more people can repay their debts. He said the lender is already seeing more stability with delinquencies improving.Wells Fargo CEO Charles Scharf said on his bank's earnings call that waning inflation and sliding rates should be especially helpful to lower-income people. However, he reported weaker demand for commercial loans because of economic uncertainty and customers holding off on borrowing until rates fall.Wells Fargo has reduced rates on some deposits and raised them on others, striking a balance between protecting its profits and losing customers.Morgan Stanley CFO Sharon Leshaya told analysts this week that her bank's net interest income would likely decrease year-over-year this quarter. Similar to Citi's Fraser, she highlighted loan growth last quarter, saying "this is just the beginning." She also reported a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/real-estate-mortgage-rates-outlook-prediction-top-cities-homebuyers-owners-2024-10">steady increase in mortgages</a>, and forecasted declining rates would fuel a jump in refinancing activity.On JPMorgan's latest earnings call, CFO Jeremy Barnum reported a "pick up in mortgage applications and a tiny bit of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mortgage-rates-30-year-refinance-applications-real-estate-housing-market-2024-8">pick up in refi</a>," as well as "some hints of more activity" in the banking giant's multifamily lending business.Barnum said the lender was yet to see a material acceleration in loan growth or a surge in investment banking deals. But he said the Fed's jumbo rate cut might have sparked more activity in debt capital markets recently.<h2 id="d11f3f95-7494-42dd-8d0f-a7a52424322a">Stock surge</h2><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/goldman-sachs-3q-results-dealmaking-trading-resurgence-david-solomon-2024-10">Goldman Sachs</a> was the exception to the rule this quarter, with little discussion from executives on its earnings call about how falling interest rates are affecting the bank. CEO David Solomon said the Fed's first rate cut has raised hopes of avoiding a US recession, which could translate into more economic activity. He added that Goldman's clients were "highly focused on the trajectory of rates" around the world, among other issues.Bank stocks have fared well since the Fed cut, with Citi and BoA both up just over 8% in the past month, Goldman rising 9%, Wells Fargo jumping 17% and Morgan Stanley soaring almost 20%.

Bank bosses aren't worried about lower interest rates — and even see some upside

The <keyword id="19899810" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Reserve-Bank-of-India" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Reserve Bank of India" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Reserve Bank of India">Reserve Bank of India</keyword>'s (<keyword id="19899808" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="RBI" source="keywords">RBI</keyword>) <keyword id="19913109" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Monetary-Policy-Committee" source="keywords">Monetary Policy Committee</keyword> (MPC) has decided to keep the <keyword id="20094323" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="repo-rate" source="keywords">repo rate</keyword> steady at 6.5%. This decision, announced by RBI Governor <keyword id="19913110" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Shaktikanta-Das" source="keywords">Shaktikanta Das</keyword> early today, marks the ninth consecutive time the central bank has maintained the current rate, which was last adjusted in February 2023. The MPC's decision was made by a majority vote of 4:2, reflecting a cautious approach to balance economic growth and <keyword id="19895000" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="inflation" source="keywords">inflation</keyword> control. But what exactly is repo rate and how does it impact you? Read on as we explain. <h2>Understanding the Repo Rate</h2>The repo rate, or repurchase agreement rate, is a critical monetary policy tool used by the RBI. It is the rate at which the central bank lends money to commercial banks and financial institutions against government securities. By adjusting the repo rate, the RBI influences the money supply, which in turn affects inflation and economic activity. <h2>How does it impact you?</h2>Changes in the repo rate have significant implications for both borrowers and savers. When the repo rate increases, banks incur higher costs to borrow funds from the RBI. To maintain their profit margins, these institutions raise interest rates on loans, leading to higher borrowing costs for consumers. Conversely, a lower repo rate reduces borrowing costs, resulting in lower EMIs for various loans, including home, personal, and education loans. Fixed deposit interest rates are also influenced by the repo rate. An increase in the repo rate can lead banks to offer higher interest rates on fixed deposits to attract more funds, benefiting depositors. On the other hand, a decrease in the repo rate might result in lower <keyword id="20772297" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="fixed-deposit-rates" source="keywords">fixed deposit rates</keyword>, affecting returns for savers. <h2>Relationship between repo rate and inflation</h2>As the lender of last resort, the RBI provides short-term funds to commercial banks through the repo rate mechanism. By doing so, it influences the interest rates that banks offer to their customers. This ability to control the cost of borrowing is a powerful tool for the RBI to manage economic stability. In times of inflation, the RBI raises the repo rate to curb borrowing and encourage saving. Higher interest rates make loans more expensive, reducing consumer spending and slowing down inflation. Conversely, in a deflationary environment, the RBI lowers the repo rate to stimulate borrowing and spending, thereby boosting economic activity. For example, there's a very popular bakery that everyone loves in a fictional town. This bakery makes the best bread and pastries, and almost everyone in town buys their daily bread from there. During a period of low inflation, the central bank of the town (similar to the Reserve Bank of India) sets a low repo rate, meaning it's cheap for commercial banks to borrow money. As a result, banks borrow money at a low cost and are willing to lend more money to the residents at lower interest rates. The residents find it easy and cheap to get loans, so they have more money to spend. With more disposable income, people in the town buy more bread and pastries. The bakery sees a surge in demand. With everyone having more money to spend, the demand for bread and pastries increases rapidly. The bakery struggles to keep up with the demand and starts raising prices. As the prices of bread and other goods in the town go up, inflation starts to rise. The central bank notices that inflation is getting too high, making everyday goods more expensive for everyone. To control this inflation, the central bank decides to increase the repo rate. During a high inflation period, with the increased repo rate, it's more expensive for commercial banks to borrow money. Consequently, banks in the town start lending less money and at higher interest rates. The residents find it harder and more expensive to get loans, so they have less extra money to spend. With less disposable income, fewer people buy bread and pastries. The demand decreases. With lower demand, the bakery reduces its prices to attract more customers. As the prices of goods in the town start to stabilise or even decrease, inflation comes under control.

RBI keeps repo rate unchanged at 6.5%: What is repo rate and how it affects you

<keyword id="19951168" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="RBI-governor-Shaktikanta-Das" source="keywords">RBI governor Shaktikanta Das</keyword> announced no change in prevailing interest rates and maintained the withdrawal of accommodation stance in the ongoing <keyword id="20456086" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Monetary-Policy-Review" source="keywords">Monetary Policy Review</keyword> (MPC) meeting, which was held between August 6th and August 8th, 2024. This was the 50th MPC meeting since its inception. <h2>What is MPC meet? </h2>The <keyword id="19899810" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Reserve-Bank-of-India" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Reserve Bank of India" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Reserve Bank of India">Reserve Bank of India</keyword> (RBI) held its third <keyword id="22709762" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bi-monthly-MPC-meet" source="keywords">bi-monthly MPC meet</keyword>, which began on August 6th, 2024 and concluded today. Experts were widely of the view that there would be no significant changes in the <keyword id="22709761" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="benchmark-repo-rate" source="keywords">benchmark repo rate</keyword> during this MPC meet, and that the MPC would keep it unchanged at 6.5%. This is the ninth time the <keyword id="20094323" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="repo-rate" source="keywords">repo rate</keyword> has been left unchanged, since it was last increased from 6.25% to 6.5% on 8th February 2023. MPC includes 6 members, three from RBI, and three external experts. Together, they are responsible for setting the benchmark interest rate, or repo rate. This is the rate at which the central bank of the country i.e. RBI lends to other banks of the country. If it is increased, the same translates into higher borrowing costs for consumers as well. <h2>What was the decision? </h2>MPC decided, by a majority of 4:2 members, that the repo rate will be left unchanged at 6.5%. This was done to align both market expectations and monetary policies. The MPC has decided to focus on maintaining price stability to ensure growth, and that inflation progressively aligns with the target. Notably, the RBIs inflation target is around 4%, with a tolerance band of about 2%. This target was last met in January 2021, when inflation stood at 4.06%. Per the governor, "PMI services stood strong at 60.3 in July, and have been above 60 for seven constitutive months, indicating robust expansion of services. On the demand side, household consumption is supporting a turnaround in rural demand and steady discretionary spending in urban areas is also being observed". As Das noted, sustained buoyancy in services activity is expected to support urban consumption. Moreover, government's thrust on capex, and signs of pickup in private investment would drive investment activity in the current year. Taking all these factors into consideration, the real GDP growth for 2024-25 has been projected at 7.2% . This is distributed as 7% in Q1, 7.1% in Q2, 7.2% in Q3 and 7.3% in Q4. Explaining the moderation of growth projections for the first quarter of the current FY, as compared to information given during previous MPC in June, Das explained that this was primarily due to updated information on certain high frequency indicators which show lower than anticipated results. These include corporate profitability, central government expenditure and core industries output, among others. As for CPI inflation for current FY, it has been pegged at 4.5%. Accordingly, Q2 projections stand at 4.4%, Q3 at 4.7% and Q4 at 4.3%. CPI inflation for the first quarter of next financial year i.e. Q1FY26 is projected at 4.4%. <h2>Is high food inflation a key concern? </h2>In June 2024, food inflation surged, pushing overall CPI (consumer price index) inflation to 5.1% during the month, from 4.8% in May. It may be noted that food inflation forms a significant part of CPI. That is why, even with a supportive base effect from the previous year, food inflation jumped to 9.4%, driven mostly by high vegetable prices, which have remained in double digits for eight months. "The inflation trajectory has been moderating, and we do expect it to moderate, but the pace of modulation has been uneven and slow. So, we need to be watchful to ensure that we move closer to target, and CPI inflation gets aligned to the target on a durable basis", continued Das. <h2>Some segments of personal loans are excessively leveraged, notes Das </h2> Going ahead, there will be a public repository of digital lending apps deployed by the regulator. This comes amidst a spike in number of unauthorised lending apps, and certain segments of personal loans witnessing excess leverage through retail loans, most of which are for consumption purposes, the governor noted. Additionally, the current UPI transaction limit for tax payments is being enhanced from Rs 1,00,000 to Rs 5,00,000 per transaction. Also, the clearance cycle is also being shortened and made almost continuous, with cheques being cleared on the same day, within just a few hours of being presented, benefiting all stakeholders. <h2>What are the experts saying? </h2>Says Anuj Puri, Chairman - ANAROCK Group, "The RBI's decision to keep repo rates unchanged at 6.5% for ninth consecutive time aligns well with yesterday's announcement on indexation benefits. It sets a positive tone for the housing industry. Maintaining interest rates offers consistency in borrowing costs, which will prompt more aspiring homebuyers to consider taking the plunge - and thus drive demand in the housing market. With interest rates staying steady, EMIs will remain manageable for current and potential homeowners, potentially leading to increased home sales - particularly in the price-sensitive affordable segment". <h2>When is the next MPC scheduled?</h2>The upcoming RBI MPC meets are scheduled to take place between October 7th and 9th, December 4th an 6th, 2024, and February 5th and 7th, 2025.

RBI MPC Meet: Repo rates unchanged at 6.5%, inflation moderating, albeit slowly

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The price of gold keeps hitting new highs and delivering <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gold-price-new-record-interest-rate-cut-recession-fears-2024-8">unusually strong gains in 2024</a>.</li><li>Profits are nice, but the cost of storing and protecting physical gold can offset some returns.</li></ul>In the 2003 remake of the classic heist film "<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0317740/">The Italian Job</a>," a crew of thieves set about retrofitting their Mini Cooper hatchbacks to survive the rigors of a police pursuit while hauling nearly a ton of gold in the boot.The target of the heist was a $35 million stash of bullion bars, which by one <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cliffsnotes.com/tutors-problems/Computer-Science/58787606--In-the-movie-The-Italian-Job-a-gang-of-robbers-plan-to-steal/">estimate</a> works out to about 274 bars, or 65 in each of three vehicles at the average spot price for that year.Two decades later, the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/spot-gold-record-price-fed-interest-rate-cuts-safe-haven-2024-8">price of gold has skyrocketed</a> to a recent all-time high of $2,500, meaning that each one of the gold bars depicted in the film would be worth $1 million.In other words, the crew's haul would be worth more than a quarter billion dollars today if they went after the same 274 bars, or if they only wanted the $35 million, they would only need one car carrying a mere half ton of gold.For the high-net-worth individual interested in living out the silver screen fantasy of holding a 400-ounce gold brick in their hands, there are several companies that will help make that happen.Stephen Flood, director and co-founder of GoldCore, a precious metals services company headquartered in Ireland, told Business Insider his company has provided the experience to several clients who want to take delivery of their bullion investment."There, you're in the realm of armored cars — even for a single bar," he said. "It's not the sort of thing you'd want to put in the post."Most of the time these large-format bars never leave the storage vaults where they're kept under meticulous security, he said. Instead, whenever a bar is sold, it is moved between various shelves and locations within the vaults that correspond to its new owner.The expenses associated with storing and protecting physical gold can add up quickly, which in normal times can offset its increase in value.But for the ultra-wealthy, that's not the biggest concern.Jonathan Da Silva, a trader with Kitco Metals, told BI that ultra-rich bullion buyers have "excess" monetary wealth that they're seeking to convert into something more durable and less risky."The gold bullion market of course offers much tighter spreads than other alternative asset markets like sports memorabilia or high end jewelry, art, or automobiles for example," he said.<div type="image" title="An employee shows an ingot of 99.99 percent pure gold at Russia's leading gold refining and bar manufacturing plant, in Novosibirsk, Russia." height="1666" width="2500" msid="112972401" hostid="261" sizebytes="107622"></div>There's basically no guesswork when it comes to pure gold.Plus, keeping one's gold pile in the same (often Swiss) vault as other investors, institutions, and central banks also makes the investment more liquid in an emergency, since the physical item can change hands in a matter of minutes — no need to hunt around for a trustworthy buyer and schedule an armored car.Flood also said <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gold-price-all-time-high-fed-rate-cuts-trump-presidency-2024-7">the run-up in price</a> has also made kilogram bars a more attractive format, since those now run about $80,000 each.Long-term holders of gold typically don't intend to sell, and in the unlikely event they have to, "when are you going to need to liquidate $1 million?" he said.Setting aside this year's unusual 22% gain, gold tends not to be all that remarkable of an investment vehicle. And if returns are the goal, there are plenty of financial derivatives for investors to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/investing/how-to-invest-in-gold">get exposure to gold's market performance</a> without the trouble of owning the physical metal itself.If you think of financial markets as a giant casino, says Genesis Gold Group Jacob Diaz, owning the actual metal is akin to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/asked-financial-planner-tips-investing-gold-2024-7">taking some of your chips off the table</a>."You put them in your pocket and you know that no matter what, I'm not going to lose this," he said.Diaz said this tends to amount to roughly 5%-20% of a person's net-worth represented in precious metals, depending on their circumstances. Flood's estimate was around 10%.That's part of what makes gold more popular among those who already have a great deal of wealth to preserve, like Gen X and Boomers, than it does among younger generations still trying to grow their wealth in the first place.After all, financial risk and reward go hand in hand, and there are few ways to have significant upside potential without also having exposure to the downside.And gold bullion investors — especially those in a position to buy 400 ounces at once — are more concerned with long-term risk.

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