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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

<keyword id="19895995" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="HDFC-Bank" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="HDFC Bank" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="HDFC Bank">HDFC Bank</keyword> on Saturday posted a marginal 5 per cent increase in its standalone profit at Rs 16,821 crore in the second quarter ended September 2024. The country's biggest private sector lender had earned a <keyword id="19942166" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="net-profit" source="keywords">net profit</keyword> of Rs 15,976 crore in the same quarter a year ago. Total income increased to Rs 85,500 crore during the quarter under review against Rs 78,406 crore in the same period last year, HDFC Bank said in a regulatory filing. The bank reported <keyword id="20202322" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="interest-income" source="keywords">interest income</keyword> of Rs 74,017 crore during the quarter compared to Rs 67,698 crore in the same period a year ago. Net Interest Income (NII) improved to Rs 30,110 crore, from Rs 27,390 crore in the second quarter of previous year, registering a 10 per cent growth. As regards asset quality, the bank witnessed slight deterioration with gross <keyword id="19927319" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Non-Performing-Assets" source="keywords">Non-Performing Assets</keyword> (NPAs) rising to 1.36 per cent of the gross loans by the end of September 2024 from 1.34 per cent a year ago. Similarly, net NPAs or bad loans rose to 0.41 per cent from 0.35 per cent at the end of the second quarter of the previous fiscal. On a consolidated basis, the bank logged a growth of 6 per cent in net profit to Rs 17,826 crore as against Rs Rs 16,811 crore in Q2FY24. SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/personal-finance/news/best-credit-cards-for-online-shopping-in-india/articleshow/114354358.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/personal-finance/news/best-credit-cards-for-online-shopping-in-india/articleshow/114354358.cms" target="_blank">Best credit cards for online shopping this festive season</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/webstories/best-smartphones-under-25000-in-india-in-october-2024/slidelist/114339207.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/webstories/best-smartphones-under-25000-in-india-in-october-2024/slidelist/114339207.cms" target="_blank">Best smartphones under ₹25,000 in India in October 2024</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/webstories/waaree-energies-ipo-price-band-to-risk-factors-all-you-need-to-know/slidelist/114350114.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/webstories/waaree-energies-ipo-price-band-to-risk-factors-all-you-need-to-know/slidelist/114350114.cms" target="_blank">Waaree Energies IPO – Price band to risk factors, all you need to know</a>

HDFC Bank Q2 profit soars 5% to ₹16,821 crore

The bad assets or gross <keyword id="19964545" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="NPAs" source="keywords">NPAs</keyword> of commercial <keyword id="19934118" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="banks" source="keywords">banks</keyword> fell to a 12-year low of 2.8% in March 2024 and may go down further to 2.5% by the end of the current fiscal, said the <keyword id="19899808" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="RBI" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="RBI" meta.hostid="269" meta.entityid="RBI">RBI</keyword>'s <keyword id="678734" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Financial-Stability-Report" source="Orion">Financial Stability Report</keyword> (FSR) released on Thursday. <keyword id="19982351" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Scheduled-Commercial-Banks" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Scheduled Commercial Banks" meta.hostid="269" meta.entityid="Scheduled Commercial Banks">Scheduled Commercial Banks</keyword>' (SCBs) gross <keyword id="6401657" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="non-performing-assets" source="Orion">non-performing assets</keyword> (<keyword id="19982350" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="GNPA" source="keywords">GNPA</keyword>) ratio fell to 2.8%, and the net non-performing assets (NNPA) ratio to 0.6% at the end of March 2024. "The asset quality of SCBs recorded sustained improvement, and their GNPA ratio moderated to a 12-year low in March 2024. Their NNPA ratio too improved to a record low," said the June FSR. Among bank groups, public sector banks (<keyword id="20012926" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="PSBs" source="keywords">PSBs</keyword>) recorded a substantial reduction (76 bps) in their GNPA ratio during H2 2023-24. While the GNPA stock decreased across all bank groups, active and deep provisioning by PSBs and foreign banks (FBs) resulted in an improved provisioning coverage ratio (PCR) in March 2024, the report said. The half-yearly slippage ratio (viz, new NPA accretions as a share of standard advances) decreased across bank groups. Though the amount of write-offs declined during the year, the write-off ratio remained almost at the same level a year ago due to a reduction in GNPA stock, the FSR said. Overall, it added the sustained reduction in the GNPA ratio since March 2020 has been primarily due to a persistent fall in new NPA accretions and increased write-offs. The RBI said macro stress tests are performed to assess the resilience of SCBs' balance sheets to unforeseen shocks emanating from the macroeconomic environment. These tests attempt to assess capital ratios over a one-year horizon under a baseline and two adverse (medium and severe) scenarios. "The GNPA ratio of all SCBs may improve to 2.5% by March 2025 under the baseline scenario," the report said. However, if the macroeconomic environment worsens to a severe stress scenario, the ratio may rise to 3.4%. Under the severe stress scenario, the GNPA ratios of PSBs may increase from 3.7% in March 2024 to 4.1% in March 2025, whereas it may go up from 1.8% to 2.8% for private sector banks and from 1.2% to 1.3% for FBs. The <keyword id="20089808" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="financial-stability" source="keywords">Financial Stability</keyword> Report reflects the collective assessment of the Sub-Committee of the Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC) on the resilience of the Indian financial system and risks to financial stability. The report further said deposit mobilisation by SCBs gathered pace during 2023-24, with a large portion of new accretions in the form of term deposits. "Interest rates became more attractive as banks stepped up efforts to mobilise funds to match the rapid rise in credit demand. Growth in current account and savings account (CASA) accelerated across all bank groups," the RBI said. According to the report, bank credit accelerated during H2 2023-24 among public sector banks (PSBs) and foreign banks (FBs), whereas it moderated in respect of private sector banks (PVBs). The share of credit to the services sector and personal loans in the aggregate loan portfolio increased. Personal loans accounted for over half of PVBs' <keyword id="19998083" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="credit-growth" source="keywords">credit growth</keyword>. The expansion in personal loans was broad-based, led by housing loans and followed by other personal loans.

Banks' gross NPAs at 12-yr low, may fall further to 2.5%: RBI report

Leading multiplex operator <keyword id="19986619" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="PVR-INOX" source="keywords">PVR INOX</keyword> plans to close 70 <keyword id="22996404" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="non-performing-screens" source="Orion">non-performing screens</keyword> in FY25 and will go for potential <keyword id="20069509" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="monetisation" source="keywords">monetisation</keyword> of non-core <keyword id="20478737" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="real-estate-assets" source="keywords">real estate assets</keyword> in prime locations such as Mumbai, Pune, and Vadodara, according to its latest annual report. Though the company will add 120 new screens in FY25, it will also close almost 60-70 non-performing screens, as it chases for <keyword id="738150" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="profitable-growth" source="Orion">profitable growth</keyword>. About 40 per cent of new screens addition will come from South India, where it will have a "strategic focus" on this lesser penetrated region as per its medium to long-term strategy. Moreover, <keyword id="799" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="PVR" source="Orion">PVR</keyword> <keyword id="6407732" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="INOX" source="Orion">INOX</keyword> is redefining its growth strategy by transitioning towards a capital-light growth model to reduce its capex on new screens addition by 25 to 30 per cent in the current fiscal. Now, PVR INOX will partner with developers to jointly invest in new screen capex by shifting towards a franchise-owned and company-operated (FOCO) model. It is also evaluating monetisation of owned real estate assets, as the leading film exhibitor aims to become "net-debt free" company in the foreseeable future. "This involves a potential monetisation of our non-core real estate assets in prime locations such as Mumbai, Pune, and Vadodara," said Managing Director Ajay Kumar Bijli and Executive Director Sanjeev Kumar addressing the shareholders of the company. In terms of growth, they said the focus is to speed up expansion in underrepresented markets. "Our company's medium to long-term strategy will involve expanding the number of screens in South India due to the region's high demand for films and comparatively low number of multiplexes in comparison to other regions. We estimate that approximately 40 per cent of our total screen additions will come from South India," they said. During the year, PVR INOX opened 130 new screens across 25 cinemas and also shut down 85 under-performing screens across 24 cinemas in line with its strategy of profitable growth. "This rationalisation is part of our ongoing efforts to optimise our portfolio. The number of closures seems high because we are doing it for the first time as a combined entity," said Bijli. PVR INOX's net debt in FY24 was at Rs 1,294 crore. The company had reduced its net debt by Rs 136.4 crore last fiscal, said CFO Gaurav Sharma. "Even though we are cutting down on capital expenditure, we are not compromising on growth and will open almost 110-120 screens in FY25. At the same time, not wavering from our goal of profitable growth, we will exit almost 60-70 screens that are non-performing and a drag on our profitability," he said. In FY24, PVR's revenue was at Rs 6,203.7 crore and it reported a loss of Rs 114.3 crore. This was the first full year of operations of the merged entity PVR INOX. Over the progress on merger integration, Bijli said "80-90 per cent of the targeted synergies was achieved in 2023-24" In FY24, PVR INOX had a 10 per cent growth in ticket prices and 11 per cent in F&amp;B spend per head, which was "higher-than-normal". This was primarily on account of merger synergies on the integration of PVR and INOX, said Sharma. "Going forward, the increase in ticket prices and food and beverage spending per head will be more in line with the long-term historical growth rates," he said. PVR INOX aims to restore pre-pandemic operating margins, enhancing return on capital, and driving free cash flow generation. "We aim to boost revenue by increasing footfalls through innovative customer acquisition and retention," said Sharma adding "We are also driving cost efficiencies by renegotiating rental contracts, closing under-performing screens, adopting a leaner organisational structure, and controlling overhead costs."

PVR INOX to close 70 non-performing screens in FY25, plan monetisation of real estate assets

<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

Private sector <keyword id="19945702" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="rbl-bank" source="keywords">RBL Bank</keyword> on Friday reported an 11% increase in its profit to Rs 233 crore in the third quarter ended in December 2023. The bank had earned a net profit of Rs 209 crore in the same quarter a year ago. Total income increased to Rs 3,969 crore during the quarter under review against Rs 3,116 crore in the same period last year, RBL Bank said in a regulatory filing. Interest income of the bank also improved to Rs 3,191 crore during the quarter compared to Rs 2,498 crore in the same period a year ago. The bank's gross <keyword id="19927319" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="non-performing-assets" source="keywords">Non-Performing Assets</keyword> (NPAs) declined to 3.12% of the total loans at the end of December 2023 from 3.61% a year ago. Net NPAs or bad loans also came down to 0.80% from 1.18% at the end of the third quarter of the previous fiscal.

RBL Bank Q3 profit rises 11% to Rs 233 crore

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Asset Management are becoming a bit less bullish.</li><li>Although the US economic outlook is strong, returns may have been pulled forward.</li></ul>A pair of Wall Street juggernauts are getting slightly more skeptical about stocks and bonds, but a compelling investment opportunity may be hiding in plain sight.<div type="image" title="GS 10-year projection" height="1088" width="1508" msid="114505224" hostid="261" sizebytes="75402"></div>Goldman Sachs stole headlines recently by forecasting that <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/stock-market-outlook-sp500-future-returns-decade-forecast-goldman-sachs-2024-10">US equities will only rise 3% a year in the next decade</a>, down from an average annual gain of 13% in the prior 10 years. The firm's rationale is based on a more challenging backdrop characterized by lofty valuations, an unusually high concentration in the market's biggest stocks, increased recession risk, lower profits, and elevated interest rates.<div type="image" title="GS 10-year projection baseline" height="742" width="1010" msid="114505227" hostid="261" sizebytes="35320"></div>Top minds at JPMorgan Asset Management (JPMAM) agree that stocks might not post the returns that investors have come to expect, though they're not nearly as pessimistic.The firm, which manages $3.5 trillion in assets, expects US large-cap equities to appreciate by 6.7% a year in the next 10 to 15 years, according to its yearly long-term capital market assumptions report released on October 21. For reference, JPMAM thinks global stocks will rise between 7.2% and 8.1% a year in that same span.A mid-single-digit annual gain for US large caps is nothing to sneeze at, though it would be down substantially from <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-invest-economy-growth-outlook-recession-risk-inflation-jpmorgan-2022-11">7.9% two years ago</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-invest-stocks-bonds-real-estate-outlook-strategy-jpmorgan-2023-10">7% last year</a>.There's a simple explanation for that marginally more tepid outlook: US stocks have been on a tear. And while <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/stock-market-outlook-prediction-2025-how-to-invest-rally-trader-2024-10">some bulls are emboldened</a> by the S&amp;P 500's excellent track record, JPMAM strategists worry that the market has pulled forward future gains."Near the bottom of all these pages, we put a little statement saying, "Past performance is not indicative of future returns.' That's actually not true," said David Kelly, JPMAM's chief global market strategist, at a press conference about the report. "Past great performance is indicative of a more difficult environment going forward."The S&amp;P 500 is on pace to rise by at least 10% <a target="_blank" href="https://www.macrotrends.net/2526/sp-500-historical-annual-returns">for the fifth time since 2018</a> and the 11th time since the financial crisis, including what's been a 22.7% gain in 2024. That strength, combined with already-rich valuations, led JPMAM to cut its long-term projection for US large caps.<div type="image" title="JPMAM valuations" height="926" width="1038" msid="114505230" hostid="261" sizebytes="32120"></div>However, Kelly said the downward shift was gradual since the economic growth outlook is promising. The firm is calling for US real GDP of 2% in the long term, which is the highest mark since the pandemic, along with 2.4% inflation, which is down for the third consecutive year."The very good news is that we think that the foundations for the US economy and the global economy look better than they did a year ago," Kelly said. "We got through some of our more significant worries on inflation; economic growth looks pretty solid."<div type="image" title="JPMAM US GDP forecast" height="828" width="1032" msid="114505215" hostid="261" sizebytes="15222"></div><h2 id="ee7765b8-415d-46ac-862a-90df145c611f">As the 60-40 portfolio loses steam, real estate can take the baton</h2>Lower stock returns are expected to drag down the traditional 60-40 stock-bond portfolio, which JPMAM now says should fetch 6.4% a year for the next decade or so.That forecast is down from 7% last year and 7.2% heading into 2023, though it's higher than the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/alternative-investing-strategy-60-40-portfolio-bitcoin-outlook-inflation-jpmorgan-2021-11">4.3% mark in late 2021</a>, where US large caps were only expected to climb 4.1% a year in the long term after an outstanding rebound from the early pandemic lows.Bonds, which make up the second half of that calculus, have a solid but unremarkable outlook.US bonds broadly are expected to return 4.6% in the long term — down from 5.1% last year and the same as two years ago — while the US 10-year Treasury note is projected to fetch 4.2%, versus 4.6% last year and 4% two years ago. Meanwhile, high-yield bonds should deliver a 6.1% gain in the long term, compared to 6.5% last year and 6.8% two years ago.After accounting for inflation, JPMAM expects the standard 60-40 portfolio to return less than 5% in the long term, and the same is true of large-cap stocks and bonds. While such gains may be satisfactory for some, it would take over 16 years for an investor to double their money.Those looking for a more compelling investment opportunity should consider real estate, according to JPMAM. Unlike stocks and bonds, the firm's projected returns for that asset class are steadily rising, from 5.7% two years ago to 7.5% in late 2023 to 8.1% this year.US core real estate is projected to yield close to 6%, up from just over 4% a few years ago and well above the 10-year's yield of 4.2%. Real estate isn't cheap based on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/capitalizationrate.asp">capitalization rates</a>, which measure how much money a property generates relative to its market value, but JPMAM believes the asset class is an exceptional value relative to other yield-generating investments.<div type="image" title="Real estate vs 10-year yield" height="924" width="1032" msid="114505221" hostid="261" sizebytes="34048"></div>"If you were to look at this on a spread basis, the cap-rates spread would tell you that real estate looks a little bit expensive," said David Lebovitz, a global market strategist for JPMAM, at the conference. "But if you look at the all-in yield and think of that as your valuation and your starting point, we're looking at a generational opportunity."Monica Issar, JPMorgan Private Bank's global head of multi-asset and portfolio solutions, echoed that sentiment."This is absolutely the largest generational opportunity to invest in real estate in a long time," Issar said at the conference.Commercial real estate looks especially compelling, Issar said. Unlike residential real estate, which has held up well in recent years — as evidenced by <a target="_blank" href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/MSPUS">remarkably resilient home prices</a> despite <a target="_blank" href="https://www.freddiemac.com/pmms">still-elevated mortgage rates</a> — office buildings have struggled to regain their value since the pandemic ushered in a new era of remote work for millions of Americans.As companies reduced their physical presence or eschewed offices altogether, demand for commercial spaces has taken a massive hit. However, Issar thinks that risk is reflected in prices."All we've been reading about and all we've been seeing is price declines and discussions about empty buildings," Issar said. "This is a time for investors to step in, move into attractive pricing, move into asset classes like non-core real estate."Investors can bet on a commercial real estate rebound by working with <a target="_blank" href="https://am.jpmorgan.com/us/en/asset-management/institutional/investment-strategies/alternatives/real-estate/">JPMAM's team</a>, or on their own through publicly traded real estate investment trusts (REITs). JPMAM didn't outline any specific investments to make, but Issar threw out a few ideas to help investors brainstorm."Think of multifamily housing; think of student housing around campuses; think of cell towers and data centers," Issar said. "That is the modernization of the new direct real estate that is going to be really attractive for investors in the future."

'Generational opportunity': Invest in real estate as stock and bond returns shrink, according to $3.5 trillion JPMorgan Asset Management

If there is one word to aptly describe the ongoing 2024 Lok Sabha <keyword id="20515965" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="election-results" source="keywords">election results</keyword>, specifically for the incumbent party, it would be jolting, startling, and perhaps, even surprising. The exit polls were wide off the mark, and then some. Less than a week ago, India reported a remarkable <keyword id="19972825" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="GDP-growth" source="keywords">GDP growth</keyword> rate of 8.2% for the fiscal year 2023-24. Over the weekend, exit polls predicted a clear and easy majority for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its alliance NDA. Consequently, benchmark indexes, Sensex and <keyword id="6354813" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nifty" source="Orion">Nifty</keyword>, both zoomed more than 3 per cent on Monday, breaching the all-time high records. On Tuesday, the tides turned! Putting a harsh full stop on the ruling party’s “abki baar 400 paar” narrative, the electoral situation on Tuesday evening shows less than 300 seats to the NDA and over 230 seats to the opposing INDIA bloc. What’s even more concerning for the ruling party is its tally dropping from 303 in 2019 to less than 245 this year. Consequently, on Tuesday, Sensex witnessed the steepest drop in over four years since the pandemic, recording a drop of 4,389 to settle just over 72,000. Nifty also dipped by almost 6%, standing at 21,884 points. If the trends hold, the BJP will lack a clear, simple majority on its own for the next five years, even if it manages to form a government with its pre-poll allies. The question is, how stable the new government would be, what would be the overall impact of this verdict on India’s economy, and what’s the story behind the jitters exhibited by the markets on Tuesday? <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="India’s incredible economic growth story" comment="subhead" text="India’s incredible economic growth story">India’s incredible <keyword id="19900794" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="economic-growth" source="keywords">economic growth</keyword> story </cmsannotation>Perched to be the world’s 3rd largest economy by 2027, India’s current GDP value stands at $3.9 trillion. As per FM <keyword id="20200167" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nirmala-Seetharaman" source="keywords">Nirmala Seetharaman</keyword>, the Indian economy is anticipated to grow at a rate of close to 7% in FY25 and hit $7 trillion by 2030. The <keyword id="3530620" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Gross-Value-Added" source="Orion">Gross Value Added</keyword> (GVA) data supports the optimistic outlook, with a growth rate of 7.2% in FY24 compared to 6.7% in FY23. And notably, this strong economic growth has come at a time when most of the major economies across the globe are grappling with a slowdown. While few expect India to maintain a robust growth of 8.2%, most economists agree that GDP growth could moderate to around 7% in FY25. But most of these growth forecasts are contingent on a stable government and policy reforms at the centre. So, does the sharp fall in benchmark indices on Tuesday foretell a twist in India’s growth story? <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Is there a twist in the tale?" comment="subhead" text="Is there a twist in the tale?">Is there a twist in the tale? </cmsannotation>Firstly, the <keyword id="16791710" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="foreign-portfolio-inflows" source="Orion">foreign portfolio inflows</keyword> (FPI), indicative of the global confidence reposed in the Indian markets, have been on a consistent decline over the past 3 months. As of 4th June 2024, foreign institutional investors had withdrawn a total of Rs 14,339 crores from the Indian equity markets while investing Rs 55,273 crores in debt instruments, which are traditionally reflective of safety, security, and a low-risk and change appetite. Foreign institutional investors had also withdrawn Rs 25,586 crores during May 2024, and Rs 8,671 crores during April 2024. If anything, the Indian market stands atop the strong confidence of domestic investors. The AUM (assets under management) of the Indian mutual fund industry stood at a record high of around $57 lakh crores in April 2024, even as the SIP AUM hit a record high of Rs 11.26 lakh crore. "The steep fall is due to the results so far falling short of the exit polls which the market had discounted yesterday. If BJP doesn't get a majority on its own there will be disappointment and this is getting reflected in the market. Also it is possible that Modi 3.O may not be as reform-oriented as the market expected and may turn more welfare- oriented," said V K Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist, Geojit Financial Services. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Cautiously optimistic investors could prevail" comment="subhead" text="Cautiously optimistic investors could prevail">Cautiously optimistic investors could prevail </cmsannotation>But does this mean India’s growth story stands threatened or even jeopardized? Even though social media is flooded with memes that might lead one to believe it is all over for India’s story, the country remains the fastest growing economy amongst all G-20 nations in 2024, compelling almost all rating agencies to positively hike the country’s potential growth rate. But, equally noticeable is the fact that India’s private consumption, a major indicator of the economy’s growth, jumped by only 3.5% over the last 3 months of 2024. India now makes up 6.7% of the world’s GDP by purchasing power parity (PPP). As figures go, India is set to become a $10 trillion economy by 2030. Veteran investors like Raamdeo Agrawal, who heads Motilal Oswal Financial Services, believe that India’s potential growth rate of 8-8.5% is not going anywhere and that NDA’s leadership is here to stay. In his words, if an investor has managed to make 4-5x in the last 3-4 years, one will have to give in 20-30%. But that is where you will have to persist as an investor. "With the NDA still looking to form a government, though with the important support of coalition partners, markets look jittery about the prospects of strong decision making. Markets believe that the reformistic approach, which was a hallmark of the previous two terms, might take a backseat in the third term. However, our sense is that it is still early to jump to conclusions and should ideally wait for a clearer picture," said Manish Chowdhury, Head of Research, StoxBox. But all in all, the NDA government is most likely to stay for the full term, and those who bet on the same stand to stay safe despite the surprisingly strong performance of the INDIA alliance. However, in the end, the only one who wins in the market stays put in the market in the long run. Because NDA, or INDIA, compounding is here to stay, all set to immensely benefit long-term investors. (With inputs ANI)

Economic implications of Lok Sabha Election 2024 results: Would lack of a clear majority for BJP impact India’s growth story?

It looks like <keyword id="15561167" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sunshine-days-for-the-Indian-banking-sector" source="Orion">sunshine days for the Indian banking sector</keyword> after having struggled with a seemingly <keyword id="15561168" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="never-ending-gloom-of-rising-non-performing-assets" source="Orion">never-ending gloom of rising non-performing assets</keyword> (NPAs) and the Covid-19 pandemic, which hit their profits hard. The September quarter results of <keyword id="6355548" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="public-sector-banks" source="Orion">public sector banks</keyword> (PSBs) seem to have brought cheer for the Indian banking sector with all the major 12 PSBs recording net profits worth Rs 25,685 crore during the period under review. On September 7, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had lauded all the 12 PSBs for their outstanding fiscal performance. In a series of tweets, she said that "the continuous efforts of our government for reducing the NPAs and further strengthening the health of PSBs are now showing tangible results. All 12 PSBs declared net profit of Rs 25,685 cr in Q2FY23". She said that the combined net profits of public sector banks recorded a year-on-year growth of 50 per cent. Similarly, in the first half of the current fiscal, the 12 state-owned banks recorded total profits of Rs 40,991 crore, which were 31.6 per cent higher year-on-year. Country's largest lender State Bank of India (SBI) reported a 74 per cent jump in profit to Rs 13,265 crore, while Canara Bank reported an 89 per cent jump in profit to Rs 2,525 crore. UCO Bank reported a huge 145 per cent jump in profit to Rs 504 crore, while the Bank of Baroda reported 58.70 per cent profit of Rs 3,312.42 crore in the September quarter of 2022-23. Experts have said that the financial performance of PSBs is expected to improve in the current fiscal of 2022-23 over the previous financial year, as NPAs are coming down and leverage of corporates too has been cut. They informed that NPAs of banks were brought out especially after the asset quality review measure was introduced by the government in 2015. While rising NPAs seem to be under control as of now, the Indian banking system had faced a serious threat from these in 2011, when they started rising and had reached a climax in 2017-18, when they reached 11.18 per cent. Though now the NPAs have come down, experts say that it is a cyclical thing as they keep rising and falling. To help PSBs tide over the NPA problem, the government had infused Rs 3 lakh crore in these banks, which went a long way in stabilising them financially. On the basis of this stability, state-owned banks are now able to issue bonds and raise funds from outside, which is gradually making them more financially independent, industry experts said. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/psb-stocks-on-52-week-high-riding-on-record-profits-double-digit-loan-growth/articleshow/95621602.cms" style="">PSB stocks on 52-week high riding on record profits, double-digit loan growth</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/news/rupee-slips-6-paise-to-close-at-81-70-against-us-dollar/articleshow/95604868.cms" style="">Rupee slips 6 paise to close at 81.70 against US dollar</a>

You Searched For "gross non performing assets" and got 9 results

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

Ira Alok Puranik

HDFC Bank Q2 profit soars 5% to ₹16,821 crore

PTI

Banks' gross NPAs at 12-yr low, may fall further to 2.5%: RBI report

PTI

PVR INOX to close 70 non-performing screens in FY25, plan monetisation of real estate assets

PTI

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

Ira Alok Puranik

RBL Bank Q3 profit rises 11% to Rs 233 crore

PTI

'Generational opportunity': Invest in real estate as stock and bond returns shrink, according to $3.5 trillion JPMorgan Asset Management

James Faris

Economic implications of Lok Sabha Election 2024 results: Would lack of a clear majority for BJP impact India’s growth story?

BI India Bureau

Crunching Numbers: 12 PSBs end Sept quarter notching up ₹25K+ cr net profit

IANS

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