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Imagine this. You have a younger sibling you’re mighty envious of. And why not? Unlike you, they seem to enjoy all the freedom and money in the world. They party like there’s no tomorrow, and here you are, stuck in a boring, ultra-disciplined but responsible routine that feels completely devoid of any independence, and mostly, funds. But of late, things are changing. This sibling is in massive trouble and just cannot escape the parent’s wrath anymore. Long story short, the party is over, and it is time to go back home. The rising defaults on this sibling’s part have now begun pulling the entire house down, thereby attracting the regulator’s ire. <h2>The Wild West of microfinance and unsecured loans</h2>It's hard to ignore the issues with microfinance and unsecured loans in India. Many saw them as a small gamble and ignored the rising defaults much like the younger siblings’ tantrums, and now they find themselves in hot waters. The skyrocketing instances of non-payments aren't a micro-issue anymore and are threatening the stability of the entire banking system. In the quarter ended September 30, 2024, 5 of India’s 8 largest private sector <keyword id="19934118" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="banks" source="keywords">banks</keyword> reported a steep rise in their bad loan book, mostly thanks to microfinance loans. Some banks, in a bid to strengthen their fortress against these <keyword id="142154" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="bad-loans" source="Orion">bad loans</keyword>, have significantly upped their provisions. For instance, <keyword id="46717" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="IndusInd-bank" source="Orion">IndusInd Bank</keyword> set aside Rs 525 crore during July and September 2024 to battle the menace of defaults on microfinance loans, which make up about 9% of its total loan book. See, banks rely heavily on their interest income, which they earn from advancing loans. Any loan where the borrower has not paid interest to the bank or defaulted for 90 days or more becomes bad, i.e., an <keyword id="79363" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="npa" source="Orion">NPA</keyword>, or non-performing asset for the bank. And who likes things going bad? Simply put, there has been a steep rise in three areas, much to the dislike of banks and MFIs (micro-finance institutions). But hey, it's mostly their doing! <ol><li>GNPA ratio (gross net performing assets): The quantum of non-performing assets a bank has in proportion to its total assets.</li><li>Provision: The amount banks set aside to take care of such NPAs.</li><li>Slippage ratio: The rate at which good girls go bad, or the speed at which good loans turn into NPAs</li></ol>But how are these plaguing the Indian banking sector? And what does the road ahead look like? We decode it for you. <h2> Microfinance: A not-so-micro-menace</h2>Microfinance loans were initially brought forth for low-income households and individuals, i.e. for those who might not generally have access to traditional ways of credit, like bank loans and more. They don’t require collateral or an asset to be pledged in lieu of the loan, making it a tad bit easier for borrowers. As of June 2024, the amount of outstanding loans in the microfinance industry stood at a staggering Rs 4,20,256 crore. Of this, NBFC-MFIs accounted for 40% and banks made for 33% of these. In 2022, <keyword id="30067" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="RBI" source="Orion">RBI</keyword>, in a bid to inspire some competition in this space, did something radical-they did away with the ceiling on how much interest MFIs could charge their customers. Previously, MFIs could add up to 12% to their cost of acquiring funds to determine the final interest rate chargeable to the consumer. So, assuming that Bank A incurs a 5% cost to acquire funds for further loaning, A could charge up to 17% interest from the end consumer. So, interest rates were in the hands of MFIs, and boy, did they have a gala time with it. Instead of spurring some healthy competition, as RBI expected, MFIs and banks went rogue and all guns blazing, competing for the title of “Who will charge the highest interest?” Recently, RBI banned 4 microfinance institutions (MFIs), namely Asirvad Micro Finance Limited, Arohan Financial Services Limited, DMI Finance Private Limited, and Navi Finserv, from disbursing loans effective October 21, 2024. Why? Because they were charging 14% extra interest over their original cost of funds. To maintain their loan books (and pockets), banks and NBFCs resorted to shady practices like netting off loans, which RBI has now advised MFIs against. Here, lenders allow borrowers to settle a previous outstanding loan by issuing them a new loan! As crazy as it sounds, it helped banks to report less of their total assets as NPAs, since the new credit would cover pending installments of the borrower’s previous loan. Then there was the issue of borrowers overleveraging, i.e. taking multiple loans using different IDs from various lenders and then failing to honor any of them. The consequence? Banks and NBFCs end up with massive NPAs. Data from credit bureaus suggests that over the last quarter, there was a 17.2% rise in the number of borrowers who had 5 or more active loans at the same time. <h2>Growth &gt; Caution</h2>It's an age-old tale unfolding yet again in India’s banking sector- Icarus flew too close to the sun and eventually, fell to its death. Between April and June 2024, NBFCs microfinance portfolio jumped by 2.7%. If you see this in terms of loan sources, microfinance loans issued by banks grew by 11.2% in Q1FY25. But the same portfolio in NBFCs swelled by almost double-23.9%. While most of these loans had an average ticket size between Rs 30,000-50,000, there was a sharp spike in the number of loans that had a ticket size of Rs 80,000 or more. Data suggests that as of March 2024, more than 12% of all microfinance borrowers had over 4 or more active loans. In dating parlance, this is a classic case of borrowers going polyamorous, minus the honesty and transparency. Not the best of situations, you'd agree! <h2>Will banks and NBFCs stand up to this stress?</h2>If their results for Q2FY25 are to be believed, NBFCs are not handling the pressure all that well. Or even slightly well. Only a few banks like Bank of Baroda (BoB), ICICI, and Indian Bank were up for the battle, even witnessing a decline in their loan delinquencies. Some others, like IndusInd Bank, saw their stock dip by a massive 16.2% over the last 5 days. Its slippages in the previous quarter burgeoned from Rs 15.3 billion in Q1FY25 to Rs 17.9 billion in Q2. As a result, the bank pushed a staggeringly high amount of money to create an NPA cushion for itself. While its management has highlighted its preference for secured lending, that was hardly reflected in its actions during the quarter, where growth in unsecured personal loans remained exceptionally high at over 7% on a QoQ basis. Turns out, only 44% of customers in IndusInd Banks’ microfinance loan portfolio were exclusive to it. The rest 47% were, you guessed it right-polyamorous! 27% had borrowed from another lender as well, apart from IndusInd Bank, while 20% were those who had outstanding loans with two other lenders, apart from IndusInd Bank. IndusInd Bank’s credit card segment did not miss the NPA bus and accounted for 7-8% of its GNPAs. Canara Bank’s total slippages during the previous quarter jumped to Rs 11.1 billion, up by 24.7% QoQ, and making up for 3.6% of its total loans. As for Bandhan Bank, its <keyword id="763994" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Gross-NPA" source="Orion">gross NPA</keyword> for Q2FY25 inched up on a QoQ basis, up from 4.23% in Q1, to 4.68% in the second quarter. <keyword id="62152" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="IDFC-bank" source="Orion">IDFC Bank</keyword>’s heavy provisioning for its NPAs marred its profits significantly, causing its PAT (profit after tax) to dip by 73% on a YoY basis. Data from ICRA Analytics suggest that the AUM (asset under management) growth in microfinance loans and unsecured (personal and business) loans by the NBFCs will moderate to 10-12% and 19-21%, respectively, in FY2025 compared to 30% and 38%, in FY2024. Says A M Karthik, Senior Vice President &amp; Co-Group Head, Financial Sector Ratings, ICRA, “As bank funds constitute a larger share in the overall funding of NBFCs, a slower credit flow from banks to the NBFCs will compress their AUM growth. The NBFCs in unsecured and digital lending businesses shall face a higher squeeze in funding compared to others, and the unsecured lending space will continue to be a source of stress in the near term.” There has been uninhibited growth in unsecured loans, apart from just the microfinance segment. For instance, Axis Bank’s gross slippages jumped by Rs 4,443 crore, largely thanks to its unsecured business. The same is the case with Yes Bank, which saw 35–40% of its retail slippages emerging from the unsecured loan portfolio. Kotak Mahindra Bank was also quick to follow Yes Bank’s suit, with around 35%-40% of its slippages coming from credit cards. <h2>How is the road ahead?</h2>While RBI has just cracked its whip and served a warning at the moment, experts at Morgan Stanley believe that more changes (read regulatory lashes) are underway. Moreover, with both festive and wedding seasons underway in our country, unsecured lending might pick up momentum, much to the disdain of the calibrated approach banks have been taking towards it so far. But if the situation doesn't improve, RBI will not waste any time in becoming the typical tyrannical Bollywood headmaster who runs his dominion with an iron fist and takes things (and ceiling rates) into their own hands. However, that's a story for another day.

Is the lending party over? The dangerous tango of Indian banks with microfinance and unsecured loans

<ul class="summary-list"><li>China's stimulus isn't enough to stem slowing GDP growth, the World Bank said this week.</li><li>Neighboring countries will see their growth contract after years of positive spillover effects.</li></ul>China's stimulus measures aren't enough to stem the decline of its economic fortunes, and the troubles facing the world's second-largest economy will also be a drag on its neighbors, a new report from the World Bank finds.The report, released Tuesday, says that China's outsized growth has had positive spillover effects on nearby developing economies for years. Yet, as China's growth slows amid a struggling economy and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-stimulus-fix-economy-xi-jinping-stock-market-2024-10">tepid stimulus efforts</a>, those countries will also see growth contract.The bank forecasts China's economic growth will slow to 4.3% next year, down from a forecasted 4.8% for 2024. Growth in East Asia and the Pacific, meanwhile, will slow to 4.4% in 2025 from about 4.8% this year as a result."For three decades, China's growth has spilled over beneficially to its neighbors, but the size of that impetus is now diminishing," the group said.The authors point in particular to developing economies in East Asia, which benefited from increasing demand from China for imports even as it competed heavily as an exporter of goods. China's neighbors saw positive spillover effects from increased Chinese demand for commodities and services and from the relocation of Chinese production to those countries, the report says.The authors estimate that a 1% increase in China's GDP per-capita growth was associated with a 0.13% increase in GDP per-capita in emerging markets between 2020 and 2023.But now, with China's domestic demand stuck in low gear, its neighbors will feel the impact of China's export strength more drastically."If China's exports grow faster than its imports, as has continued to be the case in manufacturing and overall trade, then the negative impact of increased competition may outweigh the positive impact of demand enhancement in international markets," the report says.It says that a one percent slowdown in China's growth could reduce GDP growth in neighboring developing economies by as much as 0.21%.The report from the World Bank comes shortly after officials in Beijing announced a round of stimulus measures last month, vowing to rescue the economy from a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-economy-housing-market-real-estate-crash-investors-outlook-construction-2024-3?utm_medium=ingest&amp;utm_source=markets">struggling property sector</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-economy-weak-domestic-demand-factory-activity-amid-strong-export-2024-7?utm_medium=ingest&amp;utm_source=markets&amp;_gl=1*arxr6l*_ga*MTY3OTgyNjg0MS4xNzIxMDE2MDM2*_ga_E21CV80ZCZ*MTcyODMwODIxNC4yMjkuMS4xNzI4MzA4MzIyLjQxLjAuMA..&amp;utm_medium=ingest&amp;utm_source=markets">weak consumer demand</a>.The measures, which included lower interest rates and liquidity support, plus <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/chinese-property-stocks-homebuying-restrictions-stimulus-shanghai-gdp-2024-9?_gl=1*1lm342a*_ga*MTY3OTgyNjg0MS4xNzIxMDE2MDM2*_ga_E21CV80ZCZ*MTcyODMwODIxNC4yMjkuMC4xNzI4MzA4MjE0LjYwLjAuMA..&amp;utm_medium=ingest&amp;utm_source=markets">relaxed restrictions on homebuying</a>, fueled a <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/china-stock-market-rally-economy-stimulus-liqudity-overwhelm-system-2024-9?_gl=1*1a7ytxc*_ga*MTY3OTgyNjg0MS4xNzIxMDE2MDM2*_ga_E21CV80ZCZ*MTcyODM5NjQwNS4yMzguMS4xNzI4Mzk2NTM4LjU5LjAuMA..">stock market rally</a> in the country and abroad as investors cheered any indication of future growth after months of downbeat data. However, the World Bank warns that the measures are still undefined, which makes it tough to calculate their impact on China's growth.Aaditya Mattoo, the World Bank's East Asia and Pacific chief economist, said the stimulus measures' fiscal impact has yet to be determined."The question is whether [the stimulus] can actually offset consumer concerns about declining salaries, concerns about declining property incomes and fears about falling ill, growing old, becoming unemployed," Mattoo said in a Tuesday interview with CNBC.Mattoo added that China will need to implement deeper structural reforms to see any long-term growth, but that the rest of the region will still welcome the stimulus efforts since it's so dependent on the country for growth.In the meantime, the rest of the region will "need to strengthen domestic drivers of growth by implementing long-deferred deeper reforms" to see growth independent of China, the report says.China's officials previously said the country is targeting "around 5%" growth for this year. In recent months, economists have increasingly said that goal <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-growth-targets-axa-investment-property-sector-industrial-production-2024-9">is out of reach</a>.

China's growth will fizzle next year despite stimulus efforts, and its issues will drag down neighboring economies, World Bank says

<div type="image" title="The RBI has cracked the regulatory whip on NBFCs and banks, who&amp;#39;ve been pushing microfinance and unsecured loans aggressively to grow their loan books." agency="ANI" msid="114778648" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The RBI has cracked the regulatory whip on NBFCs and banks, who&amp;#39;ve been pushing microfinance and unsecured loans aggressively to grow their loan books.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Imagine this. You have a younger sibling you’re mighty envious of. And why not? Unlike you, they seem to enjoy all the freedom and money in the world. They party like there’s no tomorrow, and here you are, stuck in a boring, ultra-disciplined but responsible routine that feels completely devoid of any independence, and mostly, funds. But of late, things are changing. This sibling is in massive trouble and just cannot escape the parent’s wrath anymore. Long story short, the party is over, and it is time to go back home. The rising defaults on this sibling’s part have now begun pulling the entire house down, thereby attracting the regulator’s ire. <h2>The Wild West of <keyword id="113684" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="microfinance" source="Orion">microfinance</keyword> and unsecured loans</h2>It's hard to ignore the issues with microfinance and unsecured loans in India. Many saw them as a small gamble and ignored the rising defaults much like the younger siblings’ tantrums, and now they find themselves in hot waters. The skyrocketing instances of non-payments aren't a micro-issue anymore and are threatening the stability of the entire banking system. In the quarter ended September 30, 2024, 5 of India’s 8 largest private sector <keyword id="19934118" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="banks" source="keywords">banks</keyword> reported a steep rise in their bad loan book, mostly thanks to microfinance loans. Some banks, in a bid to strengthen their fortress against these <keyword id="142154" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="bad-loans" source="Orion">bad loans</keyword>, have significantly upped their provisions. For instance, IndusInd Bank set aside Rs 525 crore during July and September 2024 to battle the menace of defaults on microfinance loans, which make up about 9% of its total loan book. See, banks rely heavily on their interest income, which they earn from advancing loans. Any loan where the borrower has not paid interest to the bank or defaulted for 90 days or more becomes bad, i.e. an NPA, or non-performing asset for the bank. And who likes things going bad? Simply put, there has been a steep rise in three areas, much to the dislike of banks and MFIs (micro-finance institutions). But hey, it's mostly their doing! <ol><li>GNPA ratio (gross net performing assets): The quantum of non-performing assets a bank has in proportion to its total assets.</li><li>Provision: The amount banks set aside to take care of such NPAs.</li><li>Slippage ratio: The rate at which good girls go bad, or the speed at which good loans turn into NPAs</li></ol>But how are these plaguing the Indian banking sector? And what does the road ahead look like? We decode it for you. <h2> Microfinance: A not-so-micro-menace</h2>Microfinance loans were initially brought forth for low-income households and individuals i.e. for those who might not generally have access to traditional ways of credit, like bank loans and more. They don’t require collateral or an asset to be pledged in lieu of the loan, making it a tad bit easier for borrowers. As of June 2024, the amount of outstanding loans in the microfinance industry stood at a staggering Rs 4,20,256 crore. Of this, NBFC-MFIs accounted for 40% and banks made for 33% of these. In 2022, RBI, in a bid to inspire some competition in this space, did something radical-they did away with the ceiling on how much interest MFIs could charge their customers. Previously, MFIs could add up to 12% to their cost of acquiring funds to determine the final interest rate chargeable to the consumer. So, assuming that Bank A incurs a 5% cost to acquire funds for further loaning, A could charge up to 17% interest from the end consumer. So, interest rates were in the hands of MFIs, and boy, did they have a gala time with it. Instead of spurring some healthy competition, as RBI expected, MFIs and banks went rogue and all guns blazing, competing for the title of “Who will charge the highest interest?” Recently, RBI banned 4 microfinance institutions (MFIs), namely Asirvad Micro Finance Limited, Arohan Financial Services Limited, DMI Finance Private Limited, and <keyword id="20117932" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="navi-finserv" source="keywords">Navi Finserv</keyword> from disbursing loans effective October 21, 2024. Why? Because they were charging 14% extra interest over their original cost of funds. To maintain their loan books (and pockets), banks and NBFCs resorted to shady practices like netting off loans, which RBI has now advised MFIs against. Here, lenders allow borrowers to settle a previous outstanding loan by issuing them a new loan! As crazy as it sounds, it helped banks to report less of their total assets as NPAs, since the new credit would cover pending instalments of the borrower’s previous loan. Then there was the issue of borrowers overleveraging, i.e. taking multiple loans using different IDs from various lenders and then failing to honour any of them. The consequence? Banks and NBFCs end up with massive NPAs. Data from credit bureaus suggests that over the last quarter, there was a 17.2% rise in the number of borrowers who had 5 or more active loans at the same time. <h2>Growth &gt; Caution</h2>It's an age-old tale unfolding yet again in India’s banking sector- Icarus flew too close to the sun and eventually, fell to its death. Between April and June 2024, NBFCs microfinance portfolio jumped by 2.7%. If you see this in terms of loan sources, microfinance loans issued by banks grew by 11.2% in Q1FY25. But the same portfolio in NBFCs swelled by almost double-23.9%. While most of these loans had an average ticket size between Rs 30,000-50,000, there was a sharp spike in the number of loans that had a ticket size of Rs 80,000 or more. Data suggests that as of March 2024, more than 12% of all microfinance borrowers had over 4 or more active loans. In dating parlance, this is a classic case of borrowers going polyamorous, minus the honesty and transparency. Not the best of situations, you'd agree! <h2>Will banks and NBFCs stand up to this stress?</h2>If their results for Q2FY25 are to be believed, NBFCs are not handling the pressure all that well. Or even slightly well. Only a few banks like Bank of Baroda (BoB), ICICI, and Indian Bank were up for the battle, even witnessing a decline in their loan delinquencies. Some others, like IndusInd Bank, saw their stock dip by a massive 16.2% over the last 5 days. Its slippages in the previous quarter burgeoned from Rs 15.3 billion in Q1FY25 to Rs 17.9 billion in Q2. As a result, the bank pushed a staggeringly high amount of money to create an NPA cushion for itself. While its management has highlighted its preference for secured lending, that was hardly reflected in its actions during the quarter, where growth in unsecured personal loans remained exceptionally high at over 7% on a QoQ basis. Turns out, only 44% of customers in IndusInd Banks’ microfinance loan portfolio were exclusive to it. The rest 47% were, you guessed it right-polyamorous! 27% had borrowed from another lender as well, apart from IndusInd Bank, while 20% were those who had outstanding loans with two other lenders, apart from IndusInd Bank. IndusInd Bank’s credit card segment did not miss the NPA bus and accounted for 7-8% of its GNPAs. Canara Bank’s total slippages during the previous quarter jumped to Rs 11.1 billion, up by 24.7% QoQ, and making up for 3.6% of its total loans. As for Bandhan Bank, its gross NPA for Q2FY25 inched up on a QoQ basis, up from 4.23% in Q1, to 4.68% in the second quarter. IDFC Bank’s heavy provisioning for its NPAs marred its profits significantly, causing its PAT (profit after tax) to dip by 73% on a YoY basis. Data from ICRA Analytics suggest that the AUM (asset under management) growth in microfinance loans and unsecured (personal and business) loans by the NBFCs will moderate to 10-12% and 19-21%, respectively, in FY2025 compared to 30% and 38%, in FY2024. Says A M Karthik, Senior Vice President &amp; Co-Group Head, Financial Sector Ratings, ICRA, “As bank funds constitute a larger share in the overall funding of NBFCs, a slower credit flow from banks to the NBFCs will compress their AUM growth. The NBFCs in unsecured and digital lending businesses shall face a higher squeeze in funding compared to others, and the unsecured lending space will continue to be a source of stress in the near term.” There has been uninhibited growth in <keyword id="6051027" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Unsecured-loan" source="Orion">unsecured loan</keyword>s, apart from just the microfinance segment. For instance, Axis Bank’s gross slippages jumped by Rs 4,443 crore, largely thanks to its unsecured business. The same is the case with Yes Bank, which saw 35–40% of its retail slippages emerging from the unsecured loan portfolio. <keyword id="6376194" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="kotak-mahindra" source="Orion">Kotak Mahindra</keyword> Bank was also quick to follow Yes Bank’s suit, with around 35%-40% of its slippages coming from credit cards. <h2>How is the road ahead?</h2>While RBI has just cracked its whip and served a warning at the moment, experts at Morgan Stanley believe that more changes (read regulatory lashes) are underway. Moreover, with both festive and wedding seasons underway in our country, unsecured lending might pick up momentum, much to the disdain of the calibrated approach banks have been taking towards it so far. But if the situation doesn't improve, RBI will not waste any time in becoming the typical tyrannical <keyword id="19897820" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bollywood" source="keywords">Bollywood</keyword> headmaster who runs his dominion with an iron fist. However, that's a story for another day. Do you have a topic in mind you'd want a simpler explanation for, or insights or personal experience to share on personal finance and more? Contact us at businessinsider@timesinternet.in.

Simply Put: Is the lending party over? The dangerous tango of Indian banks with microfinance and unsecured loans

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/tickets/how-to-buy-world-series-tickets-yankees-dodgers-mlb-2024">Dodgers and Yankees</a> will face off in the MLB 2024 World Series.</li><li>Behind the teams are billionaire owners Mark Walter and the Steinbrenner family, respectively.</li></ul>When the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/yankees-dodgers-rivalry-history-world-series">Dodgers and Yankees</a> take the field to battle it out for the 120th World Series championship, the players won't be the only ones with trophies on the line.Behind the teams are their billionaire owners, who have built two of baseball's most valuable franchises.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/magic-johnson-may-be-the-new-face-of-the-dodgers-but-this-is-the-real-owner-2012-3">Mark Walter, the CEO of investment firm Guggenheim Partners,</a> is the Dodgers' controlling owner. The financier is worth $6 billion, according to Forbes.In 2012, Walter led a team of investors, which included now billionaire <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nba-magic-johnson-billionaire-forbes-nike-deal-turned-down-billion-2023-10">Magic Johnson</a> and former Atlanta Braves president Stan Kasten, among others, in putting together a<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/report-group-led-by-magic-johnson-buys-dodgers-for-2-billion-2012-3"> $2.15 billion bid for the Los Angeles team</a> and the land around its stadium. At the time, the deal broke records with a sales price more than double that of the previous highest MLB team sale.Under the new ownership, the Dodgers underwent a turnaround. Decisions were made to appeal to fans' in-stadium experience — parking prices were lowered, for example; there were investments in the Dodgers' farm system and its roster; and since 2013, the team has made the playoffs every year, including in 2020, when it won its first World Series in over 30 years."I'm not trying to save a dollar," Walter told <a target="_blank" href="https://www.latimes.com/sports/dodgers/la-xpm-2012-jul-25-la-sp-dn-dodgers-acquire-hanley-ramirez-20120725-story.html">The Los Angeles Times</a> in 2012. "I'd rather say we have a great team and maybe spend a little too much."In the 12 years since Walter's group purchased the Dodgers, the team's value has nearly tripled to $6.3 billion, and in the last year alone, its value has increased 20%, according to <a target="_blank" href="https://d3data.sportico.com/MLBValuations2024/MLBValuationsList.html">Sportico</a>.Unlike the likes of Walter and Johnson, who purchased the Dodgers after becoming wealthy, the billionaires behind the Yankees are rich because of the team.The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/george-steinbrenners-purchase-of-new-york-yankees-paid-off-2015-3">Steinbrenner family has owned the Yankees</a> for decades. George Steinbrenner led a group that bought the team from CBS for about $10 million in 1973, and over the next 27 years, he expanded his stake to 57%.Now, the team is owned by George's kids, Hank Steinbrenner, Jessica Steinbrenner, Hal Steinbrenner, and Jennifer Steinbrenner Swindal. The siblings are each worth $1.5 billion, per Forbes.The bulk of the Steinbrenners' fortune is tied up in the Yankees, which is MLB's most valuable franchise, worth $7.93 billion, according to <a target="_blank" href="https://d3data.sportico.com/MLBValuations2024/MLBValuationsList.html">Sportico</a>. In addition to owning the team, the Steinbrenner family owns more than 25% of the franchise's YES Network, as well as stakes in Major League Soccer's New York City FC, stadium operations company Legends Hospitality, and Italian soccer club AC Milan, Forbes reported.Professional sports teams have become <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/10-billionaires-who-are-sports-team-owners-2024-5">popular toys for the superrich</a> — and good investments, as the spike in the Dodgers and Yankee valuations shows. In recent decades, the valuations of US sports franchises have outpaced the S&amp;P 500, according to <a target="_blank" href="https://pitchbook.com/news/articles/private-equity-sports-investment-dashboard">PitchBook</a>.The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/top-private-equity-firms-investing-in-sports-teams-leagues-media-2024-4">growing valuations</a> are due to streaming services driving up the cost of broadcast rights, the influx of revenue from sports betting, and the asset's recession-proof reliability."I've got a company that no matter how bad it does, I don't lose a customer. No matter how much I underperform, I still have that customer. That's a pretty unique asset. And so that's why we're investing in sports," billionaire Marc Lasry, who sold his stake in the Milwaukee Bucks last year, told <a target="_blank" href="https://www.sportico.com/business/finance/2024/coffey-talk-marc-lasry-1234801999/">Sportico</a> earlier this month on owning a team.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/rich-sports-team-owners-investing-private-equity-2023-9">Banks have seen a flurry of activity from private equity firms and billionaires</a> alike who want to get into sports — so much so that Goldman Sachs launched a new unit to advise on sports deals last year.Sports teams are "assets that used to be thought of as nice-to-have trophy assets that you could talk about at cocktail parties," Ivo Voynov, the head of sports finance at Citi Private Bank, told BI last year. Now, there's a sense of "building up real companies around these assets."

Meet the billionaires battling it out in the 2024 World Series

Ah, <keyword id="18712" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Gold" source="Orion">gold</keyword>! The shiny metal that's been making humans lose their minds since time immemorial. And yet, from King Midas to our neighbourhood aunty and even our moms (and secretly dads), everyone seems to have a super soft spot for the bullion. But here's the kicker: right now, gold prices are breaking all records on their upward trajectory! As of today, prices of 24k carat gold have passed the Rs 80,000 mark per 10 grams. And if experts are to be believed, this train isn't stopping anytime soon! So, as shiny as gold might look, adding even a bit of its glitter as we start decking up for the festive season might not be so easy on your pockets. But let's admit it—we love our gold and can't live without it. No wonder India is the second-largest consumer of the yellow metal in the world, only behind <keyword id="1334" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="China" source="Orion">China</keyword>. Such is our fondness for the metal that the <keyword id="20195223" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="world-gold-council" source="keywords">World Gold Council</keyword> had to up our 2024 annual demand forecast to 850 tonnes, up from the previously estimated 750 tonnes. However, our love for gold isn't just about looking fabulously embellished and blinding people with its bling. Indians also see gold as a long-term, trusty investment, supporting our other hard-earned assets, especially when high <keyword id="22195" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Inflation" source="Orion">inflation</keyword> rates pull our returns down. After all, while inflationary pressures generally weaken the purchasing power of our regular paper money, gold is built differently. When the world is buckling to inflation, gold gains value during these times. This is also why it is considered a solid hedge against inflation. With Diwali and Dhanteras knocking at our doors, the inflation demon continued to bother India like a guest who refused to leave. Just last month, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) stood at 5.49%, much higher than the anticipated levels. Moreover, the diverging policy stances among central bankers worldwide, growing geopolitical tensions, tough job markets, and extreme weather events are only adding to the uncertainty. In such economically uncertain times, what should your gold strategy be this festive season? To buy or not to buy, that is the question. Well, let’s get to it. <h2><keyword id="20050894" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="gold-etfs" source="keywords">Gold ETFs</keyword> to the rescue</h2>See, buying physical gold jewellery is certainly a flex, but also a financial fuss. First, you pay a heavy amount to buy gold. Not to mention all those extra, hefty jewellery-making charges. And then you pay even more money to keep it safe in a bank locker, lest it get stolen. But what if we tell you that you can own pure <keyword id="3311599" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="24K-gold" source="Orion">24k gold</keyword>, minus all these frills? Welcome, Gold ETFs (Exchange Traded Funds). Simply put, gold ETFs are like the cool cousins of your traditional gold investments. Instead of stashing gold bars under your mattress like those maniac millionaires we see in Bollywood films, you can now invest and trade in gold through the stock market. It's basically buying units of an ETF on the stock exchange that directly mirror the ongoing domestic prices of gold. Generally, gold ETFs are equivalent to 99.5% pure physical gold bars, and each ETF unit denotes actual, one gram of gold. And let's face it, who would not want that golden glow in their lives? Gold ETFs have witnessed an over seven-fold surge in their AUM (assets under management) in just the last five years. From Rs 5,613.22 crore in September 2019 to Rs 39,823.50 crore in September 2024, gold ETFs seem to be in-thing. Inflows in gold ETFs have shot up by a whopping 2,695% over the last 5 years. In September 2019, gold ETFs had garnered a mere Rs 44.11 crore. Compare that to the inflows worth Rs 1,232.99 crore gold ETFs received last month. Talk about growing, or glowing popularity! In fact, in just 2024, inflows in gold ETFs have surged by nearly 88% since the beginning of this calendar year. From Rs 657.46 crore in January 2024 to Rs 1,232.99 crore in September 2024, good old gold is never out of season. <h2>So, how do these ETFs work? Should I invest in them now?</h2>All you need is a Demat account. Log into your account, choose the gold ETF scheme you want to invest in, and voila! You’re now a bullion-aire! All your gold ETF units will be stored in this account. Then, you can buy and sell gold ETFs just like you buy shares—in real-time. So, if gold prices inch upwards, which is where gold is currently going, the value of your ETF units will also rise in lockstep. Ashwini Kumar, Senior Vice President and Head of Market Data at ICRA Analytics, says that of late, gold ETFs have been increasingly gaining popularity among investors due to the liquidity, safety and transparency they offer. "With the escalating global geopolitical tensions boosting the ‘safe-haven’ appeal of the bullion, investors are preferring to park their funds in gold ETFs as compared to investing in physical gold, as there is no hassle of storing it. The heightened activity in gold ETFs is also driven by the prospects of an imminent further interest rate cut by the <keyword id="20078761" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="u-s-federal-reserve" source="keywords">U.S. Federal Reserve</keyword> in the coming months,” he added. “Investors with a short- to medium-term investment horizon may consider investment through gold ETFs. A buy-on-dips strategy here may help investors capitalise on a temporary correction in prices. Also, given the current market dynamics where equities are showing mixed trends, a modest, 5-10% allocation to gold may serve as a hedge against inflation and market volatility, which may help you balance risks in an optimum manner,” Kumar noted. <h2> Wait, there is no dearth of options</h2>But if ETFs make you go WTF, there’s always digital gold. You can invest in the yellow metal without actually physically holding it for as low as Rs 1. The best part? You can buy or sell this gold 24 X7 seamlessly via multiple apps without having to pay storage costs. On your behalf, your gold is stored in insured vaults by the seller. But remember, digital gold continues to remain unregulated territory in the country, where you venture at your own risk. In 2021, market watchdog SEBI had even asked its members to desist from selling digital gold. Then there are gold mutual funds and the Sarkari SGBs, or sovereign gold bonds. While gold mutual funds invest primarily in gold ETFs, SGBs are issued by the <keyword id="19899808" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rbi" source="keywords">RBI</keyword> and are also a reliable substitute for holding physical gold. However, with the RBI currently putting brakes on issuing SGBs, investing in them is out of the question. Plus, you should only get your hands on SGBs if you're in for the long haul. Apart from a 2.5% p.a. interest, you don't have any yearly earnings from them. Moreover, no premature redemption is allowed before 5 years, and you'll have to wait a good 8 years to maximise your returns. <h2> Okay, tell me about returns</h2>In contrast, the seventeen gold ETF schemes currently present in the market offer an average one-year return of 29.12%. Stay with it a little longer, and you can end up with returns worth 16.93% and 13.59% over a 3 and 5-year period, respectively. If you look at it, these returns are comparable with the returns delivered by actual, physical gold. Data from Value Research indicates that gold, as a commodity, has delivered returns worth 27.24%, 16.53%, and 14.18% over a 1, 3, and 5-year period, respectively. So, worth investing, right? <h2>What are the risks?</h2>See, stock markets are as unpredictable as monsoons in Mumbai. One significant market correction can wash away your returns, and one sunny day or an upswing can leave you wallowing in wealth. Since your gold investments are directly linked to these markets, you should steel yourself up for some volatility. Plus, international gold prices are in dollars. So, if our rupee decides to take a nosedive, your returns might look a bit tarnished. Also, know that your ETF might not always perfectly mirror gold prices, which is also known as a tracking error. It's like expecting your Zomato-ordered food to look exactly like the picture on the menu—it's close, but not quite. Then there’s the taxation bit. The budget this year brought down the <keyword id="20552259" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ltcg" source="keywords">LTCG</keyword> (long-term capital gains tax) on gold ETFs from the previous 20% to 12.5% (sans indexation). LTCG is what you pay if you sell your ETF units after 12 months. If you sell your gold ETF units within a year and make handsome returns, the tax you’ll have to pay will be equivalent to your income tax slab rate. <h2>Is gold just for old?</h2>A survey by fintech firm Moneyview thinks otherwise. Per their findings, over 85% of the 3,000 respondents it talked to considered gold to be a valuable asset for wealth preservation, with its intrinsic value and historical performance continuing to drive consumer confidence. Particularly, young investors in the age group of 25–40 years are also investing in gold via both physical and digital ways to build wealth for retirement and other long-term goals. So, young or old, everyone’s going for gold. So, this festive season, with gold prices going north, investing in gold can add that much-needed glitz to your financial attire. But remember, don't go overboard since gold isn't exactly a high-return-yielding asset. But whether you're a seasoned investor looking to diversify or a newbie trying to make their way in the markets, investing in gold offers you a glittering safety cushion. Just remember, while gold can make your portfolio shine, it's your smart investment decisions that truly make you golden. Disclaimer: The content on this website is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as investment advice. We recommend readers consult certified, qualified, and registered advisors for professional and personalised financial advice.

Can investing in gold this festive season add the much-touted Midas touch to your investments?

<div type="image" title="Save yourself the trouble of buying physical gold this Diwali, and instead, go digital with Gold ETFs!" height="900" width="1200" msid="114507055" hostid="261" sizebytes="439216" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Save yourself the trouble of buying physical gold this Diwali, and instead, go digital with Gold ETFs!&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Ah, <keyword id="18712" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Gold" source="Orion">gold</keyword>! The shiny metal that's been making humans lose their minds since time immemorial. And yet, from <keyword id="23657519" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="king-midas" source="keywords">King Midas</keyword> to our neighbourhood aunty and even our moms (and secretly dads), everyone seems to have a super soft spot for the <keyword id="6384667" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bullion" source="Orion">bullion</keyword>. But here's the kicker: right now, gold prices are breaking all records on their upward trajectory! As of today, prices of 24k carat gold have passed the Rs 80,000 mark per 10 grams. And if experts are to be believed, this train isn't stopping anytime soon! So, as shiny as gold might look, adding even a bit of its glitter as we start decking up for the festive season might not be so easy on your pockets. But let's admit it—we love our gold and can't live without it. No wonder India is the second-largest consumer of the yellow metal in the world, only behind China. Such is our fondness for the metal that the <keyword id="20195223" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="world-gold-council" source="keywords">World Gold Council</keyword> had to up our 2024 annual demand forecast to 850 tonnes, up from the previously estimated 750 tonnes. However, our love for gold isn't just about looking fabulously embellished and blinding people with its bling. Indians also see gold as a long-term, trusty investment, supporting our other hard-earned assets, especially when high <keyword id="22195" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Inflation" source="Orion">inflation</keyword> rates pull our returns down. After all, while inflationary pressures generally weaken the purchasing power of our regular paper money, gold is built differently. When the world is buckling to inflation, gold gains value during these times. This is also why it is considered a solid hedge against inflation. With <keyword id="188" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Diwali" source="Orion">Diwali</keyword> and <keyword id="4067" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Dhanteras" source="Orion">Dhanteras</keyword> knocking at our doors, the inflation demon continued to bother India like a guest who refused to leave. Just last month, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) stood at 5.49%, much higher than the anticipated levels. Moreover, the diverging policy stances among central bankers worldwide, growing geopolitical tensions, tough job markets, and extreme weather events are only adding to the uncertainty. In such economically uncertain times, what should your gold strategy be this festive season? To buy or not to buy, that is the question. Well, let’s get to it. <h2><keyword id="20050894" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="gold-etfs" source="keywords">Gold ETFs</keyword> to the rescue</h2>See, buying physical gold jewellery is certainly a flex, but also a financial fuss. First, you pay a heavy amount to buy gold. Not to mention all those extra, hefty jewellery-making charges. And then you pay even more money to keep it safe in a bank locker, lest it get stolen. But what if we tell you that you can own pure 24k gold, minus all these frills? Welcome, Gold ETFs (Exchange Traded Funds). Simply put, gold ETFs are like the cool cousins of your traditional gold investments. Instead of stashing gold bars under your mattress like those maniac millionaires we see in Bollywood films, you can now invest and trade in gold through the stock market. It's basically buying units of an <keyword id="19930506" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="etf" source="keywords">ETF</keyword> on the stock exchange that directly mirror the ongoing domestic prices of gold. Generally, gold ETFs are equivalent to 99.5% pure physical gold bars, and each ETF unit denotes actual, one gram of gold. And let's face it, who would not want that golden glow in their lives? Gold ETFs have witnessed an over seven-fold surge in their AUM (assets under management) in just the last five years. From Rs 5,613.22 crore in September 2019 to Rs 39,823.50 crore in September 2024, gold ETFs seem to be in-thing. Inflows in gold ETFs have shot up by a whopping 2,695% over the last 5 years. In September 2019, gold ETFs had garnered a mere Rs 44.11 crore. Compare that to the inflows worth Rs 1,232.99 crore gold ETFs received last month. Talk about growing, or glowing popularity! In fact, in just 2024, inflows in gold ETFs have surged by nearly 88% since the beginning of this calendar year. From Rs 657.46 crore in January 2024 to Rs 1,232.99 crore in September 2024, good old gold is never out of season. <h2>So, how do these ETFs work? Should I invest in them now?</h2>All you need is a Demat account. Log into your account, choose the gold ETF scheme you want to invest in, and voila! You’re now a bullion-aire! All your gold ETF units will be stored in this account. Then, you can buy and sell gold ETFs just like you buy shares—in real-time. So, if gold prices inch upwards, which is where gold is currently going, the value of your ETF units will also rise in lockstep. Ashwini Kumar, Senior Vice President and Head of Market Data at ICRA Analytics, says that of late, gold ETFs have been increasingly gaining popularity among investors due to the liquidity, safety and transparency they offer. "With the escalating global geopolitical tensions boosting the ‘safe-haven’ appeal of the bullion, investors are preferring to park their funds in gold ETFs as compared to investing in physical gold, as there is no hassle of storing it. The heightened activity in gold ETFs is also driven by the prospects of an imminent further interest rate cut by the <keyword id="20078761" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="u-s-federal-reserve" source="keywords">U.S. Federal Reserve</keyword> in the coming months,” he added. “Investors with a short- to medium-term investment horizon may consider investment through gold ETFs. A buy-on-dips strategy here may help investors capitalise on a temporary correction in prices. Also, given the current market dynamics where equities are showing mixed trends, a modest, 5-10% allocation to gold may serve as a hedge against inflation and market volatility, which may help you balance risks in an optimum manner,” Kumar noted. <h2>Wait, there is no dearth of options</h2>But if ETFs make you go WTF, there’s always digital gold. You can invest in the yellow metal without actually physically holding it for as low as Rs 1. The best part? You can buy or sell this gold 24 X7 seamlessly via multiple apps without having to pay storage costs. On your behalf, your gold is stored in insured vaults by the seller. But remember, digital gold continues to remain unregulated territory in the country, where you venture at your own risk. In 2021, market watchdog SEBI had even asked its members to desist from selling digital gold. Then there are gold mutual funds and the Sarkari SGBs, or sovereign gold bonds. While gold mutual funds invest primarily in gold ETFs, SGBs are issued by the RBI and are also a reliable substitute for holding physical gold. However, with the RBI currently putting brakes on issuing SGBs, investing in them is out of the question. Plus, you should only get your hands on SGBs if you're in for the long haul. Apart from a 2.5% p.a. interest, you don't have any yearly earnings from them. Moreover, no premature redemption is allowed before 5 years, and you'll have to wait a good 8 years to maximise your returns. <h2>Okay, tell me about returns</h2>In contrast, the seventeen gold ETF schemes currently present in the market offer an average one-year return of 29.12%. Stay with it a little longer, and you can end up with returns worth 16.93% and 13.59% over a 3- and 5-year period, respectively. If you look at it, these returns are comparable with the returns delivered by actual, physical gold. Data from Value Research indicates that gold, as a commodity, has delivered returns worth 27.24%, 16.53%, and 14.18% over a 1, 3, and 5-year period, respectively. So, worth investing, right? <h2>What are the risks?</h2>See, markets are as unpredictable as monsoons in Mumbai. One significant market correction can wash away your returns, and one sunny day or an upswing can leave you wallowing in wealth. Since your gold investments are directly linked to these markets, you should steel yourself up for some volatility. Plus, international gold prices are in dollars. So, if our rupee decides to take a nosedive, your returns might look a bit tarnished. Also, know that your ETF might not always perfectly mirror gold prices, which is also known as a tracking error. It's like expecting your Zomato-ordered food to look exactly like the picture on the menu—it's close, but not quite. Then there’s the taxation bit. The budget this year brought down the LTCG (long-term capital gains tax) on gold ETFs from the previous 20% to 12.5% (sans indexation). LTCG is what you pay if you sell your ETF units after 12 months. If you sell your gold ETF units within a year and make handsome returns, the tax you’ll have to pay will be equivalent to your income tax slab rate. <h2>Is gold just for old?</h2>A survey by fintech firm Moneyview thinks otherwise. Per their findings, over 85% of the 3,000 respondents it talked to considered gold to be a valuable asset for wealth preservation, with its intrinsic value and historical performance continuing to drive consumer confidence. Particularly, young investors in the age group of 25–40 years are also investing in gold via both physical and digital ways to build wealth for retirement and other long-term goals. So, young or old, everyone’s going for gold. So, this festive season, with gold prices going north, investing in gold can add that much-needed glitz to your financial attire. But remember, don't go overboard since gold isn't exactly a high-return-yielding asset. But whether you're a seasoned investor looking to diversify or a newbie trying to make their way in the markets, investing in gold offers you a glittering safety cushion. Just remember, while gold can make your portfolio shine, it's your smart investment decisions that truly make you golden. Disclaimer: The content on this website is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as investment advice. We recommend readers consult certified, qualified, and registered advisors for professional and personalised financial advice.

Simply put: Can investing in gold this festive season add the much-touted Midas touch to your investments?

<keyword id="20253141" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bharti-Global" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Bharti Global" meta.hostid="268" meta.entityid="Bharti Global">Bharti Global</keyword>, the international <keyword id="19895437" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="investment" source="keywords">investment</keyword> arm of Bharti Enterprises, will acquire about 24.5 per cent stake in <keyword id="20115879" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BT-Group" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="BT Group" meta.hostid="268" meta.entityid="BT Group">BT Group</keyword>, Britain's largest broadband and mobile company, from <keyword id="22756191" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Altice-UK" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Altice UK" meta.hostid="268" meta.entityid="Altice UK">Altice UK</keyword>, a release said on Monday. Although it did not divulge the size of the deal, market watchers say that at BT's valuation of roughly USD 15 billion dollars, the deal could be in the ballpark of USD 4 billion. The shares will be purchased through Bharti Televentures UK, which is wholly-owned by Bharti Global. Bharti Televentures UK has inked an agreement with Altice UK to acquire about 9.99 per cent stake of BT Group's issued capital imminently with the rest about 14.51 per cent of BT's share capital is to be acquired post regulatory clearances. Telecom billionaire Patrick Drahi's Altice UK, the largest shareholder in BT, has been struggling with high debt. "Bharti Global, the international investment arm of Bharti Enterprises, a leading Indian business group with world-class companies in telecoms, digital infrastructure and space communications, has reached an agreement to acquire an interest in 24.5 per cent of the issued share capital of BT Group plc from Altice UK," Bharti said in a release. Bharti hopes the investment will further help create new synergies in the telecom sector between India and UK in the areas of AI and <keyword id="19916120" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="5G" source="keywords">5G</keyword> R&amp;D and core engineering among others, "offering great potential to collaborate on industry best practices and emerging technologies". It is pertinent to mention here that Bharti and BT have a relationship going back more than two decades. In 1997, BT acquired a 21 per cent stake in Bharti Airtel, and hence Bharti's latest move to acquire a 24.5 per cent chunk in the iconic British company marks a defining moment for the Indian telecom conglomerate. Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman of Bharti Enterprises said: "Bharti and British Telecom (BT) have an enduring relationship going back more than two decades wherein BT owned 21 per cent stake along with two board seats in Bharti Airtel Limited from 1997-2001. Today marks a significant milestone in Bharti Group's history as we invest in BT - an iconic British company". Bharti's investment in BT aims to support the commitment of Prime Minister Narendra Modi towards his vision in elevating and broadening the India-UK ties, the release said. It noted that during the recently concluded visit of UK Foreign Secretary, David Lammy to India, the UK-India Technology Security Initiative was announced to expand collaboration in critical and emerging technologies across priority sectors including telecom. Sunil Mittal said: "This investment in BT aims to support the commitment of our Prime Minister towards his vision in elevating and broadening the India-UK ties. Bharti's own record of owning and operating telecom and broadband networks around the world is underpinned by placing customers, digital innovation and operational efficiency at the heart of its business". Shravin Bharti Mittal, Managing Director of Bharti Global said: "We review global investment opportunities in the world of technology from digital infrastructure to software. BT is well known to us from the long association with Bharti, so we are pleased to have this opportunity to acquire a significant stake in the company." Bharti believes that BT is poised for leadership in the telecom arena, especially home broadband services, he added. Meanwhile, BT Group, in a separate statement said the investment from Bharti is a strong vote of confidence in the future of the British telecom carrier and its strategy. Allison Kirkby, Chief Executive of BT said: "We welcome investors who recognise the long-term value of our business, and this scale of investment from Bharti Global is a great vote of confidence in the future of BT Group and our strategy". "BT has enjoyed a long association with Bharti Enterprises, and I'm pleased that they share our ambition and vision for the future of our business. They have a strong track record of success in the sector, and I look forward to ongoing and positive engagement with them in the months and years to come," Kirkby said. Barclays Bank PLC, acting through its Investment Bank served as the sole financial advisor and Linklaters LLP served as legal advisor to Bharti Global in connection with the transaction. SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/webstories/saraswati-saree-depot-ipo-price-band-to-risk-factors-all-you-need-to-know/slidelist/112457330.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/webstories/saraswati-saree-depot-ipo-price-band-to-risk-factors-all-you-need-to-know/slidelist/112457330.cms" target="_blank">Saraswati Saree Depot IPO – Price band to risk factors, all you need to know</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/indias-wearables-market-decline-for-the-first-time-as-smartwatch-shipments-fall/articleshow/112397246.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/indias-wearables-market-decline-for-the-first-time-as-smartwatch-shipments-fall/articleshow/112397246.cms" target="_blank">India’s wearables market decline for the first time as smartwatch shipments fall</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/ola-wants-to-re-enter-the-quick-commerce-business-to-take-on-blinkit-and-swiggy-instamart/articleshow/112364583.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/ola-wants-to-re-enter-the-quick-commerce-business-to-take-on-blinkit-and-swiggy-instamart/articleshow/112364583.cms" target="_blank">Ola wants to re-enter the quick commerce business to take on Blinkit and Swiggy Instamart</a>

Bharti to acquire about 24.5% stake in BT Group from Altice UK; deal estimated at $4 bn

Big banks promised to protect the planet. Now they're doing an about-face.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The US is sending a sophisticated missile defense system to Israel.</li><li>The THAAD system was described by a former US general as the "best in the world."</li></ul>Amid <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/iran-attack-israel-ballistic-missiles-overhyped-2024-10">escalating conflict in the Middle East</a>, the US is stepping up support for Israel with the deployment of its THAAD battery system.THAAD (<a target="_blank" rel=" nofollow" href="http://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/products/thaad.html">Terminal High Altitude Area Defense</a>), a missile-defense system created by Lockheed Martin, was recently described by retired <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://edition.cnn.com">US General Mark Hertling</a> as the "best in the world."In an interview with <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://edition.cnn.com/2024/10/13/world/video/israel-ballistic-missile-system-israel-nr-hertling-digvid">CNN</a> on Sunday, Hertling said that the US only has six of the systems in its arsenal. "Loaning one and deploying a group of soldiers to Israel is a pretty big deal," he said.The move comes amid the rising threat of missile and drone attacks on Israel from Iran and its allies.In recent weeks, Israel has launched an incursion into southern Lebanon to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-troops-israel-advanced-anti-missile-systems-lebanon-gaza-iran-2024-10">damage Iran-backed militia Hezbollah</a>, which has responded by dramatically increasing its missile and drone attacks over the border.At the same time, Israel<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/israel-military-superiority-lacks-strategic-vision-iran-lebanon-gaza-war-2024-10"> is weighing up how to respond to a missile barrage by Iran, </a>after Tehran fired nearly 200 missiles at Israel on October 1.The Pentagon said Sunday it would deploy a THAAD battery and the 100 soldiers that operate it to the country to counter the threats. According to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/DanWilliams/status/1845783933255860601">Bloomberg</a>, the system could arrive as early as Tuesday. It's the first deployment of US forces to Israel since the October 7, 2023, terrorist attacks by Hamas that sparked the conflict.The THAAD, or Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, is considered to be among the best in the world. It is believed to cost somewhere between $1.96 and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://static.rusi.org/201508_op_ballistic_missile_defence.pdf">$3.25 billion.</a>Lockheed Martin, its makers, says it can defend against short-, medium-, and intermediate-range ballistic missile threats. It's the only missile defense system designed to intercept targets either inside or outside the Earth's atmosphere. In his CNN interview, Hertling explained that the system enhances Israel's air defense capabilities.While Israel's famed "Iron Dome" is designed to deal with rockets and low-altitude missiles, and its "Arrow" system can take out high-altitude missiles, the THAAD system operates in a different way to both. Hertling said that instead of firing a missile that explodes near another missile or rocket the crew is seeking to intercept, it hits it directly. It has six launchers, capable of firing around eight missiles at a time, dramatically increasing the chances of intercepting incoming Iranian missiles. Its missiles are reported to have a range of up to 124 miles (200km)."If there is a reaction to any kind of Israeli strike against Iran in the coming days. This is the best system in the world," Hertling said. The Pentagon has also dramatically increased <a target="_blank" rel="" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-warships-aircraft-ready-fight-more-violence-grips-middle-east-2024-9">its military presence</a> in and around the Middle East since the war in Gaza began last October.A recent<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-spent-over-22-billion-arming-israel-battling-houthis-2024-10"> report by The Costs of War Project,</a> a Brown University research initiative, found the US has spent $22 billion on military operations in the Middle East over the past year.The US provides Israel with around $3.8 billion a year in military aid, and since the October 7 terrorist attacks has provided a total of $17.9 billion in security assistance to the country, the report found. In the early months of the war between Israel and Hamas, the US deployed two aircraft carriers to Israel to deter Iran from joining the conflict and deployed a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF12645/2">THAAD battery to the region</a>.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/iran-attack-israel-ballistic-missiles-overhyped-2024-10#:~:text=In%202015%2C%20Iranian%2Dbacked%20Houthi,out%20attack%20on%20the%20kingdom.">It has also deployed </a>US Navy vessels to protect commercial ships from attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, and helped Israel defend itself from an Iranian missile attack in April. And back in 2019, when Iran-backed Houthi rebels attacked Saudi oil facilities, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF12645/2">the US deployed a THAAD system </a>to protect the Kingdom. There are fears that the conflict could spark a much wider war in the region.Ahmet Kaya, a principal economist at the UK's National Institute of Economic and Social Research, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="c-link" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/israel-military-superiority-lacks-strategic-vision-iran-lebanon-gaza-war-2024-10">previously told BI</a> that the growing conflict could "exacerbate the instabilities in the global economy, further increase the uncertainties, harm disinflationary efforts, and eventually reduce the global GDP growth."The Bank of Israel said in May that the war would cost around $66 billion by the end of next year, which is equivalent to roughly 12% of Israel's GDP, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" class="c-link" href="https://edition.cnn.com/2024/10/04/economy/israel-economy-war-impact/index.html">per CNN</a>.Israel's finance minister previously <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" class="c-link" href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/smotrich-presents-2025-budget-plan-saying-war-is-costing-economy-as-much-as-nis-250b/">described</a> the war as the "longest" and "most expensive" conflict in the country's history.

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