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Economists at the country's largest lender, SBI, today said they see India's Q2 real GDP growth slowing down further to 6.5% in the September quarter of this fiscal year. Amid concerns over the country's economic growth rate and whether it is slowing down, the analysts said they expect FY25 growth to come "closer to" 7%. SBI analysts join a long line of agencies like Fitch, ADB, IMF, Moody, World Bank, S&amp;P, and even RBI in forecasting India's GDP growth for FY25 in the range of 6.8% to 7.2% for FY25, driven by robust consumption and investment. SIP inflows have been at an all-time high, and so has QIP (qualified institutional placement) fundraising. As many as 71 companies raised Rs 88,678 crore this year through QIPs. Activity in Indian primary markets also remained robust, with 78 mainboard IPOs in 2024; this is a 111% rise from just 38 listings in FY23. Between April and June 2024, India's real GDP grew by 6.7%, the lowest growth seen in 15 quarters, pushing experts to believe that India is caught in a cycle of slowdown. "There is some incipient pressure evident on the domestic economy. Based on our analysis of 50 meaningful leading indicators (both consumption and demand-centric), a dip looks plausible across select cohorts of agriculture, industry, and services in Q2," the <keyword id="22337294" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="SBI-economists" source="keywords">SBI economists</keyword> added. Stating that they track 50 indicators to gauge economic activity, SBIs note said the proportion of indicators showing acceleration declined to 69% in Q2 FY25, as against 80% in Q2 FY24 and 78% in Q1 FY25. However, things might be changing now, given that rural demand has started looking up amidst muted urban demand. SBI also explained that the ongoing regulatory tightening on unsecured lending and roadblocks that are hindering rollover/refinancing of debt through unsecured credit are dismantling the unwarranted exuberance that had built up post-pandemic, especially in the urban areas. Madhu Lunawat, CIO &amp; Fund Manager, Bharat Value Fund states that the overall investment environment remains strong due to favorable economic conditions supporting government policies &amp; reforms. "The sustainable inflow from domestic investors is going to support the Indian equity market in any kind of correction. The long-term bullish structure of Indian economy will continue to attract new domestic &amp; global investors to participate in India’s growth story through various Investment avenues.” <h2>Rate cuts not on cards</h2>RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das clarified today that changing the monetary policy stance to 'neutral' does not mean a rate cut is imminent in the central bank's next policy announcement. Notably, RBI MPC is set to meet between December 4 and 6, 2024, to decide if the prevailing repo rate of 6.5%, which has stayed unchanged for the last 2 years, should be brought down or not. In its last meeting, The <keyword id="20501100" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="RBI-monetary-policy" source="keywords">RBI monetary policy</keyword> committee had shifted its stance to 'neutral' indicating that it is open to adjusting interest rates based on economic conditions. "It should not be assumed that we have done this, so therefore the next step is a rate cut. A change in stance doesn't mean that the next step is a rate cut in the very next meeting. It's not so," Das said. Das also cautioned that inflation remains a key factor, and inflation and CPI prints for October are expected to stay high.

SBI economists see Q2 GDP growth slowing down to 6.5%; FY25 growth to be closer to 7%

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

Mumbai, The <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> expects the price of the Indian basket of <keyword id="20023856" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="crude-oil-imports" source="keywords">crude oil imports</keyword> to be around $85 per barrel going ahead amid geopolitical tensions which have "imparted significant uncertainty" to the outlook. India exports around 85 per cent of its crude requirement, and soaring oil prices which have often crossed the $90 a barrel mark in recent years, tend to drag down the economy. The RBI's monetary policy report released on Friday states that international crude prices exhibited sizeable two-way movements in the second half of 2023-24, falling in October-December 2023 to around $75 per barrel on slowing global demand amidst weak manufacturing activity and easing demand for transportation fuels as well as supply increases from non-OPEC countries. However, amidst intensifying hostilities in the <keyword id="19904316" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="middle-east" source="keywords">Middle East</keyword>, deep output cuts by OPEC plus cartel, and incidents of supply outages, international crude prices moved higher from mid-December reaching an average close to $85 per barrel in March, the report points out. "The spread between global petroleum product prices and crude prices eased from its recent peaks in mid-2022 but remains elevated by historical standards in view of demand-supply refinery mismatches. Taking into account these factors, the baseline assumption for the crude price (Indian basket) is retained at $85 per barrel," the report states. Regarding the outlook for the rupee, the report states that the nominal exchange rate of the Indian currency saw two-way movements in the range of Rs 82.8-83.4 per US dollar in the second half of 2023-24. Taking into consideration the uncertainty around US dollar movements, the ebbs and flows of global capital flows and international crude oil prices, the baseline assumption for the exchange rate is revised to Rs 83 per US dollar. It also sees as a positive factor in the global growth forecast for 2024 being revised upwards by 20 bps to 3.1 per cent by the <keyword id="19916590" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="international-monetary-fund" source="keywords">International Monetary Fund</keyword> (IMF) in its January 2024 update of the <keyword id="20389978" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="world-economic-outlook" source="keywords">World Economic Outlook</keyword> (WEO) from its October 2023 projection. Global economic growth is expected to increase marginally to 3.2 per cent in 2025 and global trade growth (goods and services combined) is projected to accelerate from 0.4 per cent in 2023 to 3.3 per cent in 2024 and further to 3.6 per cent in 2025. However, the headwinds from protracted geopolitical tensions and increasing disruptions in trade routes pose risks to India's growth outlook, according to the report. Taking all these factors into consideration, India's real GDP growth for 2024-25, is projected at 7.0 per cent, with Q1 at 7.1 per cent; Q2 at 6.9 per cent; Q3 at 7.0 per cent; and Q4 also at 7.0 per cent. The risks are evenly balanced, the report adds.

RBI sees price of India's crude oil imports at $85 a barrel in FY25

<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?

Domestic <keyword id="19910265" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="gold-prices" source="keywords">gold prices</keyword> have risen by 10% on a year-to-date basis on the back of the strength in global gold prices, which have surged by 18% year-to-date, driven by robust <keyword id="19894998" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="central-bank" source="keywords">central bank</keyword> purchases, heightened geopolitical risks, and growing expectations of a monetary policy pivot from the <keyword id="19901377" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="us-federal-reserve" source="keywords">US Federal Reserve</keyword>, according to the <keyword id="20195223" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="World-Gold-Council" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="World Gold Council" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="World Gold Council">World Gold Council</keyword>. The reduction in <keyword id="20069572" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="import-duty" source="keywords">import duty</keyword> has ignited a resurgence in gold demand across <keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="India" source="keywords">India</keyword>. Reports from the recently concluded India International Jewellery Show indicate a substantial increase in order bookings from retailers, particularly in preparation for the upcoming festive and wedding season. Manufacturers have noted that in some cases, orders have reached levels not seen in several years, underscoring the strong buying interest among <keyword id="21595593" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="jewellery-retailers" source="keywords">jewellery retailers</keyword> and consumers alike. The trend of bar and coin buying has also remained robust, with both consumers and jewellers capitalizing on the more attractive prices to stock up for future manufacturing needs. Historical analysis suggests that Indian consumer demand, encompassing jewellery and bar and coin demand, could see an additional 50 tonnes or more in the second half of 2024. This potential increase is fueled by a combination of an initial boost in consumer appetite due to the more attractive prices and a longer-term alignment of local prices with international rates. In a notable shift, domestic gold prices, which had been trading at a discount to international prices for five consecutive months, have now started trading at a premium following the <keyword id="19908389" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Union-Budget" source="keywords">Union Budget</keyword> announcement. The discount had widened significantly in July, reaching a peak of around $80 per ounce in the third week of the month, driven by subdued demand and an increased supply of gold through various preferential trade agreements and unofficial channels. However, wholesalers who had inventory purchased under the old customs duty regime began selling gold at a premium to the landed cost to mitigate their losses, further supported by increased consumer demand. While the premiums have moderated recently, from $28 per ounce to around USD 5 per ounce, this shift highlights the changing market sentiment and the impact of rising international gold prices and potential inventory valuation adjustments. The changes introduced in the Union Budget, including a reduction in the long-term investment holding period and a lower tax rate, have made gold ETFs a more attractive investment option. Data from the Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI) reveals that net inflows into gold ETFs in July amounted to Rs 13.4 billion (approximately USD 160 million), marking the highest monthly inflows since February 2020 and an 84% increase compared to June 2024. Despite these inflows, the total assets under management (AUM) for Indian gold ETFs grew marginally by 0.3% from the previous month, reaching Rs 345 billion ($4.1 billion). This modest increase can be attributed to the 8 % fall in domestic gold prices following the import duty reduction. Year-to-date, net inflows into Indian gold ETFs have totalled Rs 45 billion ($543 million), with total AUMs rising by 48 % from a year ago. 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="153" meta.entityid="Reserve Bank of India">Reserve Bank of India</keyword> (RBI) has continued its gold purchasing trend, although at a slower pace following a significant increase in June, when purchases reached 9.3 tonnes--the highest monthly total in nearly two years. Year-to-date, the RBI's gold acquisitions have totaled 44.3 tonnes, surpassing the total purchases of the past two years combined. The RBI's gold reserves have now reached a record 849 tonnes, representing 8.8% of total foreign reserves, compared to 7.5 % a year ago. In July, gold imports remained steady at $3.1 billion, maintaining the stable trend observed over the previous three months. Between April and July, imports averaged $3.2 billion, with volumes ranging between 43 and 47 tonnes during this period. The gold import bill for July 2024 was 11 % lower than the previous year, with an estimated 26% decrease in volume terms, around 47 tonnes. Despite a surge in international gold prices, domestic gold prices in India have experienced a notable decline, primarily due to the 9 % reduction in import duty announced in the Union Budget 2024-25. This policy change has led to a 6% decrease in the landed cost of gold, marking a shift in the domestic gold market dynamics.

Domestic gold prices surge 10% amid global price rally, central bank buying: World Gold Council

The entire country celebrating Raksha Bandhan today. But are you one of those elder siblings still mulling and stuck over the perfect gift to give your younger ones? Well, then it is time for you to move beyond your traditional gift ideas like sweets, gadgets, clothes, and jewelry, and invest in their future prosperity. How? By gifting them <keyword id="19905382" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="stocks" source="keywords">stocks</keyword>, or even mutual fund units. Here's a deep dive into how you can lay the foundations of a lasting bond with your siblings, and cement their financial future, one stock and one mutual fund unit at a time. <h2>How can I gift shares ?</h2>You can swiftly transfer shares online, provided both you and your siblings have a <keyword id="19977340" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="demat" source="keywords">demat</keyword> account. Many brokerage firms like Zerodha, Groww and others also offer this facility. For this, you will need to input details like your sibling's name (who you wish should receive these shares), particulars of their demat account, the amount of shares you wish to give as gift, and the name and 12-digit ISIN number of the company whose stocks you want to transfer. In addition, you will also have to provide the beneficiary owner ID of your siblings, reason for transferring these shares, and bank account details. In order to kickstart the process, you'll have to initiate what is known as an off-market settlement. This means without the stock exchange coming into the picture, two parties i.e. you and your sibling will mutually settle shares. For this, you will have to submit a delivery instruction slip (DIS) to your DP, or depository participant, which serves as a bridge between you and the depository. When you are transferring shares, you are essentially transferring your ownership of such stocks to them, and thus, you need to inform your DP and depository of the same. At present, there are only 2 depositories present in the country, namely NSDL and CDSL. You can submit this DIS both online and offline. If you have more than one siblings you wish to transfer shares to, remember to use separate DIS for each recipient's account. Once you initiate the transfer, your broker will send an email and SMS to the recipient, who will have 7 days to accept this. But remember, once you've transferred these shares, there is no provision to revoke this transfer. And just like with your clothes, accessories and everything else in life, your siblings will have full freedom and ownership to do whatever they deem fit with these shares! However, what you can certainly do, and make this gift more meaningful, is drive home the value of holding these securities for the long term, so that they are able to make the most of this investments. Ideally, a good start would be to start investing in stocks of large-cap, blue-chip companies, and them eventually complement them with small and midcap stocks, which offer higher legroom for growth. Per brokerage firm Master Capital Services Ltd, "consider choosing stocks from well-established companies with a solid track record and growth potential. It is essential to consider risk tolerance, investment horizon, and financial goals before selecting stocks for your brothers and sisters. The finest present you could give your siblings this year would be long-lasting financial stability". If you're looking for some stock recommendations you can consider for your siblings, we have you covered as well: <h4>Larsen &amp; Toubro Ltd. </h4>Why you should consider this? The company has shown consistent revenue growth and profitability in the past years while maintaining stability with its ROCE &amp; ROE of around 19% and 15%. L&amp;T has a significant global presence, with projects and operations in various international markets. This geographic diversification helps in tapping into global opportunities and reduces dependence on the domestic market. <h4>HCL Technologies Ltd. </h4>Why you should consider this? HCL Technologies is one of the IT giants of India, which is ranked amongst the top five Indian IT services companies in terms of revenues. HCL offers a wide array of IT, business services, engineering, R&amp;D services, and software products with operations in 60 countries. The company has been investing heavily in digital technologies, including cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI), and automation. This focus aligns with current industry trends and positions the company to capture growth in the high-demand areas. <h4>TATA Motors Ltd.</h4>Tata Motors Limited is a leading manufacturer of automobiles and one of the largest OEM in India offering a wide range of passenger and commercial vehicles. Tata motors owns the flagship brand of Jaguar and Land Rover (JLR) which is a dominant automobile player in the global market. Its early entry in the electric vehicle segment has positioned it well ahead of many competitors and currently, it enjoys the largest market share in the EV segment in India. The focus on innovation and sustainability, along with a robust product lineup, positions Tata Motors well for future growth and market opportunities. <h2 style="margin-bottom: 0.7em; line-height: 1.3; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 24px; background: 0px 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">Tax Implications of gifting shares</h2>The best part about gifting shares is that it is tax-exempt, since you're giving it to your relative. This means your sibling will not be liable to pay any taxes on this gift. However, to be on the safer side, make sure that the market value of the shares that you gift them does not exceed Rs 50,000, or else your siblings, i.e. the recipient will have to incur a tax liability. If your siblings decide to sell these gifted shares, they will have to pay LTCG (long-term capital gains) tax at the rate of 12.5%, or STCG (short-term capital gains) tax at the rate of 20%, depending on how long they hold these securities for. <h2>Gifting mutual fund units? </h2>Unfortunately, you cant transfer your mutual fund units to your siblings. The transfer of mutual fund units is only possible in case the unitholder passes away. But the one thing you can certainly do is start an SIP, or systematic investment plan (SIP) in their name. With as much as Rs 5,000 per month, invested over a period of 10 years, you 'll have invested Rs 6,00,000 for you siblings, which would have earned returns worth Rs 5,61,695, taking their total corpus to Rs 11,61,695. You can even start an SIP with just Rs 500/month in their name. You can nudge them into continuing this, so that you instill the value of financial discipline and long-term investing in them. Remember, at the end of the day, the true value of your gift lies not just in its monetary worth, but in the knowledge, responsibility, and financial acumen that you will pass on to your siblings. So, this <keyword id="22639140" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Rakshabandhan" source="keywords">Rakshabandhan</keyword>, consider tying not just a rakhi, but also a knot of financial empowerment.

Move over regular gifts! Gift your sister stocks, MF units this Rakhi

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 5 (ANI): <keyword id="19899810" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="reserve-bank-of-india" source="keywords">Reserve Bank of India</keyword> Governor Shaktikanta Das will announce the outcome of the first <keyword id="6375120" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Monetary-Policy-Committee" source="Orion">Monetary Policy Committee</keyword> (MPC) meeting of the financial year 2024-2025 on Friday. The central banking authority of India has kept the <keyword id="43352" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="repo-rate" source="Orion">repo rate</keyword> unchanged for the last six consecutive MPC meetings and according to experts it is likely to maintain the status quo on interest rates this time too. The repo rate, is the interest rate at which banks draw funds from <keyword id="30067" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="RBI" source="Orion">RBI</keyword> to overcome short-term liquidity mismatches. Monetary Policy Committee was constituted under the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934. MPC is a six-member committee comprising three members from RBI including Governor Shaktikanta Das and three members appointed by the Central government. The two-day review meeting of the MPC that commenced on April 3 concludes today. The RBI had maintained the status quo on policy rates and stances in its last review, which was held in February 2024. The decision however was not unanimous and one member has recommended a rate cut of 25 basis points and policy change stand to neutral. Since the last policy, rating agencies have revised India's growth forecast upwards. <keyword id="7706673" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Finance-Minister-Nirmala-Sitharaman" source="Orion">Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword>, recently said that India will grow over 8 per cent in FY24. Inflation has dropped and has remained under the range of comfort zone. Consumer Price Index inflation was 5.1 per cent in February 2024, up from over 5.5 per cent in December 2023. The core CPI inflation, excluding food and beverages, was at a low of 3.5 per cent in February 2024. However, food inflation at above 7 per cent was a concern, but with a recent cut in the prices of petrol, diesel and LPG, it is likely to further fall in March and may come below 5 per cent. Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department's (IMD) recent announcement of above-normal temperatures during April-June may be a concern regarding rise in prices of vegetable, fruits and other perishable items. Also prices of rice, pulses have shown an upward trend which may be a concern for the MPC while taking a decision. However, softening prices of non-food items will give some relief to the committee. Generally, normal monsoons follow above normal temperatures, presuming that the average CPI inflation is likely to be in the RBI's comfort zone of 4-6 per cent in FY25. According to official data, retail inflation in India eased a tad in February to 5.09 per cent from 5.10 per cent the prior month, due to the deceleration of prices in all categories except food. Experts believe that the RBI is unlikely to change its policy stance before the August 2024 MPC review and any rate cut is unlikely before that. The US Fed has also recently indicated that it is not in a hurry to cut rates. All these suggest that the RBI, too, is unlikely to go for a rate cut before the October 2024 policy. The next MPC meetings of the RBI have been scheduled this year for June, August, October, December and February 2025.

RBI Monetary Policy Meeting: Central Bank likely to keep rates steady

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?

<ul class="summary-list"><li>David Tepper is growing even more bullish on Chinese stocks amid the nation's new fiscal stimulus measures.</li><li>The new measures include interest-rate cuts, liquidity support, and encouraging company stock buybacks.</li></ul>It's a buy "everything" moment for Chinese stocks after the country <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-economy-stock-market-bazooka-liquidity-stimulus-sparks-panic-speculation-2024-9">launched a fiscal stimulus bazooka this week</a>, according to billionaire investor David Tepper.In an interview with CNBC on Thursday, Tepper outlined his bull case for China's stock market, which has been practically left for dead in recent months as it trades at the same level it did in 2007."I thought that what the Fed did last week would lead to China easing, and I didn't know that they were going to bring out the big guns like they did," Tepper said, referring to the Federal Reserve's <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fed-cuts-interest-rates-how-much-september-fomc-powell-inflation-2024-9">jumbo 50-basis point interest rate cut last week.</a>That big cut is giving China's central bank some breathing room in implementing its own fiscal and monetary stimulus policies, according to Tepper.In recent days, China has cut key interest rates, announced liquidity support for its stock market, lowered bank reserve requirements, and even encouraged company stock buybacks."Encouraging buybacks of stocks. Ok, this is China. This is stock buybacks. Not only encouraging it, lending you money to do it," Tepper said.He added: "I took it that they did a lot, they exceeded expectations, and he promised to do more and more and more, and that's very strange language, especially for any central banker, but especially over there," referring to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-economy-aggressive-monetary-stimulus-interest-rate-rrr-2024-9">recent dovish comments</a> from People's Bank of China governor Pan Gongsheng.Chinese stocks have responded to the stimulus measures with big moves higher. On Thursday, shares of large-cap China tech stocks like <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/baba-stock">Alibaba</a>, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/pdd-stock">PDD Holdings</a>, and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/tctzf-stock">Tencent Holdings</a> surged more than 7%.Even the broader <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/etfs/ishares-msci-china-etf-us46429b6719?miRedirects=1">iShares MSCI China ETF</a> soared 8% on THursday and is up more than 16% this week alone.But Tepper believes Chinese stocks have plenty of room to run higher, even after the recent surges."Even with the recent moves they're like on a flat-line low compared to where they have been in the past. And you're sitting there with single multiple PEs, with double-digit growth rates for the big stocks that trade over here," Tepper said.As to whether steep tariffs from a potential Donald Trump Presidency would shake his bullish view on China, Tepper said it probably wouldn't matter because of the "internal stimulus" measures."Obviously this is incredibly good for very undervalued Chinese equities, especially when the government is encouraging buybacks," Tepper said.On US markets, Tepper said he is not following his buy "everything" mantra with Chinese stocks and is being more selective in buying US stocks.Tepper, who runs the $6 billion hedge fund Appaloosa Management, highlighted US casinos that have exposure to China, like <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/wynn-stock">Wynn Resorts</a> and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/lvs-stock">Las Vegas Sands</a>, as well as companies that are exposed to the power demand of the AI tech trade as potential buys."I don't love the US markets on a value standpoint, but I sure as heck won't be short, because I'd be nervous as heck of the setup with easing money everywhere, a relatively good economy, and China just doing massive stimulus coming in, so it would make me nervous not to be somewhat long the US," Tepper said.He added: "You can't be short the US."Tepper's biggest position as of June 30 was Alibaba, which made up 12% of his portfolio. He hinted that he's buying more of the stock."I have limits. I probably said a long time ago I don't go above 10% or 15%, well that's probably not true anymore," Tepper said.Tepper also owns shares of PDD Holdings, Baidu, the KraneShares China Internet ETF, and JD.com.As to how Tepper is hedging his bullish China trade, as some might expect a hedge fund to do, he's not."My counter bet is that I don't care," Tepper said.

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Move over regular gifts! Gift your sister stocks, MF units this Rakhi

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