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<div type="image" title="Data from RBI suggests that the outstanding amount on gold loans has swelled from Rs 85,009 crore in September 2022 to Rs 1,47,081 crore in September 2024." msid="115250619" hostid="261" sizebytes="118350" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Data from RBI suggests that the outstanding amount on gold loans has swelled from Rs 85,009 crore in September 2022 to Rs 1,47,081 crore in September 2024.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> “Ye le beta, humare khaandani sone ke gehne. Ise girvi rakhva de, shayad kuch paise aa jaye ghar main.” How many times have we seen similar dialogues repeat itself in Bollywood films of the 70s and 80s—abject poverty and a frail-looking old mother pleading to her son to pawn the family’s heirloom <keyword id="18712" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gold" source="Orion">gold</keyword> ornaments to a jeweller, all to get a few bucks? Well, if you’d ask that son in 2024, he’d rather hit the loan button on his <keyword id="19977340" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="demat" source="keywords">Demat</keyword> account than pawn his mother’s gold jewellery. Given how Indians are rapidly resorting to taking loans against their investments in shares and mutual funds, these might as well be a cherished family heirloom in today’s time. Fair warning though; it's not as if gold and loans against it are going down in India’s lending scene. It's very much the opposite, shining brighter than ever! The secured loan category is having its time in the spotlight, and people are certainly looking beyond land and property to get their hands on some extra monies! But what is funding the steep rise behind these loans? And are they as failsafe and secure as they’re made out to be? We decode for you in this week’s Simply Put. <h2>The great Indian pawning party</h2>Pawning one’s gold has been, by far, the OG Indian financial move to get a loan. That continues well into 2024, and apparently, more so when India decides to wed and celebrate! Data from <keyword id="19899808" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rbi" source="keywords">RBI</keyword> suggests that the outstanding amount on gold loans has swelled from Rs 85,009 crore in September 2022 to Rs 1,47,081 crore in September 2024. It looks like Gold took the motto of rise and shine too seriously! Table 1: Growth in gold loans <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; table-layout: fixed; width: 468pt;" class="redcator-table-advance"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Year </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Amount (In Rs crore) </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">September 2022 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">85,009 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">March 2023 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">89,370 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">September 2023 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">97,426 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">March 2024 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">1,02,562 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">September 2024 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">1,47,081 </td></tr></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody></table> Source: RBI data While the world continues to be riled up in multiple geopolitical crises in 2024, gold has been making merry of these tough times. Thus far this year, domestic gold prices have grown by 23%, outperforming benchmark indices like Nifty and Sensex by a mile, which have gone up by 9.85% and 8.86%, respectively. The growth in gold loan disbursal rates month on month this year could also put Nifty and Sensex’s growth to shame. In just September 2024, gold loans grew an astounding 51%, up from 40.9% in August, 30.5% in June, and just 14.8% in March. <h2>Hey, wait up for me, says <keyword id="23953567" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="las" source="keywords">LAS</keyword></h2>In lockstep with the elder, gold loan sibling, advances against shares and bonds have also been inching up since 2022. Data from RBI (Reserve Bank of India) notes that as of September 2022, the outstanding quantum of loans that were taken against shares (LAS) and bonds stood at Rs 7,397.94 crores. This inched up to Rs 7,764 crore in September 2023. Come 2024, and it looked like this was LAS’ time to shine. Loans swiftly skyrocketed, with outstanding loans in this category going up from Rs 8,492 crore in March 2022 to a staggering Rs 9,546 crore at the end of September 2024. Naturally, the smoke of LAS has its fire in the record inflows that Indians are pouring into the stock market and mutual funds month on month. Per AMFI (<keyword id="20090034" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="association-of-mutual-funds" source="keywords">Association of Mutual Funds</keyword> in India), the net AUM (assets under management) of India’s mutual fund industry grew to Rs 67,25,614.61 crores in October 2024, up from Rs 67,09,259.24 crores in September 2024. Even the number of retail mutual fund folios, which include equity, hybrid, and solution-oriented mutual funds, burgeoned to 17,23,52,296 in October, as compared to 16,81,61,366 in September. The same goes for stock investments in India, where the number of new demat accounts that are added every month just simply refuses to climb down. As of last month, total demat accounts in the country stood at 17.9 crore, which is more than the entire population of full-fledged nations like Japan (12.45 crore), Russia (14.38 crore), and Bangladesh (17.3 crore). In fact, since February this year, the monthly growth of LAS has been hitting double digits. From 11.3% in March to 21.6% in May to 26.8% in August, growth in LAS has been exceptional, hitting 22.9% in September this year. For context, monthly growth in the LAS segment was at a mere 5% in September 2023. <h2>What's driving the growth?</h2>It's a win-win for both the bank and the customer. Customers love them because LAS is available at a lower interest rate compared to unsecured personal loans. You can get a loan at an interest rate of anywhere between 9 and 12% by pledging your gold, MF units, or shares. Compare this to over 10-28% rates, which is the range where unsecured personal loans charge interest. Banks love <keyword id="827883" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="secured-loans" source="Orion">secured loans</keyword> since they are well-secured. In case you default on paying back, the bank can sell off your gold, shares, or mutual fund units to recover the amount. This takes a lot of stress off the banks, which are already dealing with secured loans’ riskier sibling-unsecured lending. High NPAs (non-performing assets) and non-payments in the unsecured borrowing space have already put RBI on red alert, which is why the apex bank is tightening the screws on unsecured lending, which was well on its way to becoming a ticking time bomb. As a result, credit growth has moderated to 12.8% YoY in October, as against the 19.3% rise recorded in the year-ago period. Yet it's not like the banks won't feel the heat. Analysts at Nomura note that personal loan delinquencies in India that have been overdue by over 90 days rose to 5.1% in the last financial year, as opposed to just 3.9% in the year prior. <h2>How does it work?</h2>Both these loans work on a similar principle: Your loan amount is equal to a certain percentage of the actual market value of your asset. This is known as the <keyword id="20051485" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ltv" source="keywords">LTV</keyword> (loan-to-value ratio). In the case of gold and debt mutual funds, RBI mandates that this LTV be about 75-80%. So, for every Rs 100 of gold or debt mutual fund unit you pledge, your maximum loan amount cannot exceed Rs 80. If you pledge gold, which has a market value of Rs 10 lakh, you can take a loan of up to Rs 8,00,000. In the case of shares and mutual fund units, this limit is set at 50%. So, your shares worth Rs 5,00,000 can only get you a loan worth Rs 2,50,000. But the bright side? You can continue earning returns on your investments and pay interest only on the amount you use, since this loan works as an overdraft facility. <h2>Super safe, you say?</h2>Interest rates on both of these loans are very much dependent on the market value of the asset, which wildly fluctuates on a day-to-day basis. So, in case the value of your asset falls, you’ll have to keep a margin or more of the same asset in order to continue with the loan and maintain the LTV balance. Failure to do so could mean the bank can even sell off your asset. Says financial planner Nema Chaya Buch. “Yes, LAS offers easy availability of funds since these loans come with a lower interest rate as compared to personal loans. Also, you continue to earn average returns of 10–13% on your equity investments. But the downside is, in case of emergency, those pledged securities cannot be sold. Also, if the equity market goes down, then the bank may ask for additional collateral. Raghvendra Nath, MD, Ladderup Wealth Management notes that taking a LAS is best when the value of your securities has appreciated significantly. “This allows you to maximize the loan amount based on your collateral while also addressing financial needs without having to liquidate your investment portfolio. However, there are notable disadvantages to consider. The market risk is significant; a substantial decline in market value could lead to margin calls, which may incur fees and charges if there are delays or prepayments, ultimately increasing the effective cost of borrowing. Furthermore, failure to make timely payments could result in the loss of your assets.”. Umesh Mohanan, ED &amp; CEO, of Indel Money, cautions that one should have a sufficient quantity of gold to get the loan amount one wants. "According to the current RBI rules, the loan applicant/borrower can draw up to 75% of the total market value of the collateral/gold jewellery. So, always carry a sufficient quantity of gold based on one’s loan requirement. “The most important thing is that the valuation of the gold depends on the purity of the gold. If the borrower pledges gold with higher purity, such as 24 carats or 22 carats, he will get the maximum loan amount," he adds.

Simply Put: Secured Loans 2.0 — why more and more Indians are turning to gold, shares and mutual funds to get loans

<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

<div type="image" title="In case RBI is in the mood to hike the interest, your home loan EMIs might end up taking more from your pockets. Or, if it leaves the rates unchanged, your EMIs wont budge one bit" msid="114284206" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;In case RBI is in the mood to hike the interest, your home loan EMIs might end up taking more from your pockets. Or, if it leaves the rates unchanged, your EMIs wont budge one bit&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> On September 18, 2024, the <keyword id="19951097" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="us-fed" source="keywords">US Fed</keyword> delivered a jumbo-sized surprise to the global economy. Not only did they trim their interest rates by a massive 50 basis points to bring their yields down to 5%, but also hinted at further rate cuts in the upcoming months. This move from the fed and several other central banks globally had pushed expectations high for a similar rate slash closer home, from the <keyword id="19899808" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="rbi" source="keywords">RBI</keyword> this month. But governor <keyword id="19913110" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="shaktikanta-das" source="keywords">Shaktikanta Das</keyword>, in a “picture abhi baaki hai” moment, decided to hold the repo rates here steady, leaving them unchanged at 6.5% for the record 10th straight time. Although, he did tinker with the policy stand, changing it from “rate cuts are absolutely off the table” to a more accommodating “we’re okay with bringing down the rates, if needed”. This, rather neutral, stance from India’s financial custodian sparked hopes for a rate cut in December this year. However, the stubborn <keyword id="22195" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="inflation" source="Orion">inflation</keyword> levels in September have again dented such hopes. As consumers, you may be wondering what all the hullabaloo this is about, since it hardly makes a difference to your regular financial routine. Well, the majority of both economic growth and inflation is closely connected to this policy stance from the central bank and it does have a rather indirect effect on both our earnings and spending. But more directly, it would have clear implications for those looking to own a house. Even the slightest modification of interest rates, or the lack of it, influences the <keyword id="19916018" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="emi" source="keywords">EMI</keyword> you pay significantly. So, all aspiring homebuyers, is this the right time to take out a loan and buy a house? Can you expect a rate cut anytime soon, and what will that mean for your home-owning dreams? We lay it out. <h2>What’s the connection?</h2>You see, buying a house is no small feat, at least financially. The task becomes even more herculean if you are scouting for your own roof in cities like Delhi, Noida, Bangalore or Mumbai where, as Circuit from Munnabhai says, “room shuru hote hi khatam ho jata hai”. Naturally, you’ll have to take a <keyword id="6354730" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Home-loan" source="Orion">home loan</keyword> from the bank. Don’t be mistaken, the bank won't give you a loan that covers 100% of the value of the property you want to own. Rather, your loan amount will be equivalent to a certain percentage of the property’s total value. RBI’s guidelines on this are pretty clear: <ul><li>If your loan amount is up to Rs 30 lakh, you can get a loan worth 90% of the property’s value.</li></ul><ul><li>If the loan amount is between Rs 30 lakh and Rs 75 lakh, you are eligible for a loan worth 80% of the property’s value. </li><li>If you are taking a loan of more than Rs 75 lakh, your loan amount will be equivalent to 70% of the property’s value. </li></ul>Now assuming that you have the money, it's all about paying back the principal amount, but not without a little (read hefty) interest added on top. See, when you’re taking a home loan, you are actually signing up for a long-term, even multi-decadal financial commitment, which will unfailingly present itself to your bank accounts and finances every single month, in the form of EMIs, or equated monthly instalments). When you take a home loan, you can choose to pay the interest in two ways (talk about choices!). One is that you decide to keep a fixed rate of interest throughout the tenure of your home loan. So, if you opt for a 25-year fixed-rate home loan at the rate of 8.8% p.a., you’ll have to pay interest at this rate for the next 25 years, till your entire loan is paid off. Yes, you can go backsies and switch to a floating-rate home loan by paying a fee. Floating, as the name suggests, means that your interest rate is not set in stone. But starting October 2019, when it comes to a floating interest rate home loan, your payable interest and EMIs are directly impacted by any changes in <keyword id="20094323" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="repo-rate" source="keywords">repo rate</keyword>, which were left unchanged by RBI this time around. Why are these two so chummy, you might ask. Well, <keyword id="173069" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Home-loan-interest" source="Orion">home loan interest</keyword> rates are a sum of two things: <ol><li>Repo Rate (the rate at which RBI lends money to banks)</li><li>Operational cost + margins</li></ol>Any plus or minus in this equation would send your home loan interests tanking, or skyrocketing. Vivek Iyer, Partner, Grant Thornton Bharat explains that any change in the repo rates impacts the cost of funds and thereby the home loan interest rates. “When the interest rates are expected to reduce, the corresponding impact will be in the form of a reduced EMI. Home loan borrowers should always try to borrow at a floating rate when interest rates are expected to reduce and at a fixed rate when the interest rates are expected to increase. This minimizes the outflow in the form of EMIs that the home loan borrowers will experience”, he continues. So, no change in repo rates means no change in your home loan interest payout and no financial relief whatsoever. A rate cut, which most experts are anticipating will start this December, would mean your EMI payments come down, and your wallet might save a little more. But there’s also a chance of an UNO reverse happening. In case RBI is in the mood to hike the interest, your home loan EMIs might end up taking more from your pockets. Consider this. You took a floating interest rate home loan worth Rs 50 lakh in January 2022 at 8% p.a., for a period of 20 years. This brings your total monthly EMI to Rs Rs 41,822. But, as luck would (or won't) have it, RBI raised the interest rate by 250 basis points between May 2022 and February 2023, bringing it to its current status of 6.5%. Some back-of-the-envelope calculations suggest that now, your home loan interest payout will also rise by a hefty 2.5%, taking the total to 10.5%. In other words, you’ll have to dish out Rs 49,919 per month as EMI. Now, won't you heave a sigh of relief if the RBI were to bring down the interest rate by say, even 50 basis points, or 0.5%? Agreed, your EMI will come down just marginally, to Rs 48,251. But look at this over a 20-year period, and you’ll see how big the difference is. <h2>Are rates set to change anytime soon?</h2>Generally, RBI hikes the repo rates if it sees inflation spiralling out of control. Then, in a bid to reduce consumer spending, it raises interest rates to make borrowing expensive. But when the apex bank sees sluggish consumption in the economy, inflation in control and wants to boost spending, it slashes down on interest rates, making it more lucrative for people to borrow. As of now, most experts are not anticipating any changes in the interest rates anytime soon. This means home loans are not getting cheaper anytime soon. The CPI data, which came out yesterday, saw inflation rise to 5.49% in September, compared to 3.65% last month. Food and beverage prices jumped to a four-month high of 8.36% in September, as opposed to a 5.3% rise in August. So a rate cut seems a no-go at the moment! Apurva Sheth, Head of Market Perspectives and Research, SAMCO Securities explains that the RBI had probably expected a hardening of inflation and that's why it chose to hold on to the rates in the monetary policy announcement last week. “Now, it seems that RBI will take a cautious stance going ahead and will not be in a hurry into rate cuts like its global peers”, he added. In all this, one thing is clear, in the grand movie of the Indian economy, the RBI has chosen stability over drama. And just like in every good Bollywood film, we're left wondering what twist the sequel will bring. Until then, it might be “The End" for rate cuts, but the show must go on for the Indian economy!

Simply Put: Boom or bust — how RBI’s decision to leave rates unchanged affects homebuyers

<ul class="summary-list"></ul>Although my dad has helped out over the years, my 64-year-old mother — a retiree and recent widow after my stepdad died in 2023 — supports me the most. Stating this makes me cringe. I feel immense shame over being in midlife and heavily reliant on my parents.Without a doubt, my mom expected to be free of dependents decades ago. At 40, she was planning <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/woman-retired-to-italy-at-55-despite-reducing-pension-2024-8">an early retirement</a>. But here I am, 39, unable to save a cent, in need of her financial support. While she lives alone, my kids and I occupy her townhouse.Although I pay rent to her, it is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-nyc-affordable-housing-lottery-rent-apartment-tour-brooklyn-2024-8">well below market rate</a>, utilities and internet are included, and accommodations are made when I don't have enough to pay. And that's not all. Over the years, she has gifted me vehicles, loaned me money, and given me cash outright.<h2 id="a56acc7d-234f-4632-928a-684d160714a2">At one point, I felt like I was on a good financial path</h2>At 19, with my mom and stepdad acting as guarantors and contributing a $35,000 deposit that I later paid back, I <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/renting-vs-buying-homeownership-wont-make-genz-rich-increase-wealth-2024-7">became a homeowner</a> of a townhouse like the one I am in now. I was otherwise financially independent, worked three jobs, had a good chunk of money saved, and my life was planned out. It looked like I was headed in the right direction.So, where did I go wrong? Simply put, several bad investments of different kinds — dead-end relationships, attempts at pursuing education, and career choices — led to my current state of financial affairs.I got married in 2009 while I was in university, and after putting nearly $20,000 toward a degree — all of which came from a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/investing/best-529-plans">registered education savings plan</a> set up by my mom — I dropped out of school to start a family. Five years and two kids later, my marriage ended.<h2 id="efdec07f-41c4-4876-9518-92c5fa2a3670">After my divorce, I went back to school</h2>We settled outside court and, with his parents' guidance, split the assets my parents had helped me acquire. We also shared the debt, including a sizable amount I was completely oblivious to. To this day, I am not entirely sure how so much <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/married-separate-credit-cards-dont-fight-about-money-2023-11">shared debt was accrued</a>, but I assume a large portion was my ex-husband's education expenses and purchases he put on credit cards. Ultimately, I was left without the place I had owned for 10 years, chasing minimum-wage jobs. I spontaneously decided to become a practical nurse to put myself in a better position.After spending 18 months in full-time studies, acquiring additional specialized training, and working as a nurse, I was depleted. Not only was I feeling the effects of financial strain from the cost of school, but physical, mental, and ethical exhaustion had taken hold.Still, I resolved to pursue further education. I switched to a focus on psychology instead of nursing to establish a career I was passionate about that aligned with my values and would allow me a better work-life balance. I was aware that I would be in it for the long haul.Typically, to get a master's degree, a person will dedicate nearly seven years to their education: four years toward their bachelor's degree and two and a half years in a master's program. And that's only if they are taking a full course load. However, my course load has reflected my situation as a single mom; while other students typically enroll in five courses a semester, I have only taken three.<h2 id="027e5fb3-b90b-413b-a253-5bb232e40700">Another pregnancy made it hard to keep up, and I asked for help</h2>I thought I could simultaneously pick up nursing shifts and study, but an unexpected pregnancy decimated the chances of that. Although I tried to find a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/working-from-home-remote-work-increased-layoff-risk-job-market-2024-2">job from home</a> — a remote position where I could work around a new baby and fit into my already stretched schedule — I was unsuccessful. I was unemployed, my student loans were insufficient to live off, and the little resources I had dwindled away, leaving me reliant on borrowed money.With inflation and the lack of other social support for parents in my position, after two years of staying at home with my youngest, I was <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/professor-student-loan-debt-suddenly-forgiven-2024-8">drowning in debt</a>. Luckily, I could still continue with school by signing up for remote education courses.Typical expenditures such as vehicle repairs and maintenance, dental fees, vet bills, and costs associated with raising kids continued to drain my bank. Feeding, clothing, sheltering, and shuttling around growing kids all but obliterated my budget. I would rack up my two credit cards and then, as soon as I got my student loan, would pay them off. But the interest charges were astronomical, and I was doing a terrible job juggling it all.I hit a breaking point one day, and after crying to my mom about my Visa debt, which was nearly $12,000, she offered to help me out. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/parents-help-financially-call-it-loan-against-inheritance-2024-7">She loaned me money</a> to pay off that debt and told me I could pay my rent when I received my next student loan payment.Even though I feel embarrassed by my financial situation, I feel blessed. Not everyone has a family to back them like this. It seems no matter my age or what I need, my parents will come to my rescue, and I know I will do the same for my kids.As I am set to graduate next summer, I am one step closer to accomplishing my long-term goal of obtaining a master's in counseling psychology. While this means at least two and a half years of graduate school and more money, it will allow me to help people how I've always wanted to. And this is all possible because I have the support of my family. Though it's embarrassing to acknowledge how much help I've had to ask for along the way, I hope one day, in my career, I will support others to pursue lives that bring them happiness.

I'm a millennial mom of 3, and I rely on my mom's financial assistance

<keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="india" source="keywords">India</keyword>'s <keyword id="23127366" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="consumption-loan" source="Orion">consumption loan</keyword> portfolio grew by 15.2% year-on-year (YoY) to Rs 90.3 lakh crore as of March 2024, according to the latest <keyword id="6354680" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="credit" source="Orion">credit</keyword> bureau report. The fourth edition of the CRIF High Mark report noted a slowdown from the 17.4% growth recorded in March 2023, largely due to a deceleration in the home <keyword id="6362287" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="loans" source="Orion">loans</keyword> segment, which accounts for 40.1% of the overall consumption loan portfolio by value. The home loans portfolio saw growth slowing down to 7.9 % YoY in FY24, from the 23 % expansion seen in FY23. This was mainly due to muted growth in "originations", which increased by 9.2 % in FY'24 compared to 18.2 % in the previous fiscal year. Origination refers to the process by which a lender creates or initiates a new loan or credit, including evaluating, processing, and approving a borrower's application. The report finds a shift toward higher <keyword id="6871589" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ticket-size" source="Orion">ticket size</keyword>s, with a growing preference for loans above Rs 35 lakh, although the average ticket size (ATS) rose by 32% from Rs 20.1 lakh in FY20 to Rs 26.5 lakh in FY24. In contrast, the personal loans segment maintained strong momentum, growing by 26% YoY in FY24, despite recent regulatory reforms. Larger ticket loans of Rs 10 lakh and above increased their share in originations by value, while loans under Rs 1 lakh continued to dominate in volume. Banks led in value-based originations, whereas non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) remained dominant in volume. Two-wheeler loans experienced a 34% YoY growth in FY24, up from 30% in FY23, fueled by a shift to higher ticket-size loans. However, the overall volume of originations grew at a slower pace of 13% in FY24 compared to 32% in FY23. <keyword id="35527" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="auto-loans" source="Orion">Auto loans</keyword>, on the other hand, grew by 20% YoY in FY24, compared to 22% in FY23. Consumer durable loans posted a robust growth of 34% YoY in FY24, up from 26% expansion in the previous fiscal. This growth was driven by a shift to larger ticket sizes, although origination volumes grew by only 8.5% in FY24, compared to 38.2% in FY23. The MSME lending segment displayed mixed results, with individual MSME loans growing faster than entity MSMEs. The individual MSME portfolio increased by 29% YoY in FY24, accelerating from 15% in FY23, while entity MSME loans grew by just 6.6 % YoY, a sharp slowdown from 17.2 % in the previous year. Microfinance lending also saw strong growth, with the portfolio rising by 27% YoY in FY24, compared to 21% in FY23. "The resilience of the Indian credit market is evident in the strong performance across various lending categories and the stability in delinquencies. Home loans remain dominant, but the growth in personal loans, two-wheeler loans, and the rebound of NBFCs highlight significant shifts in the lending landscape," CRIF High Mark MD Sanjeet Dawar said.

Consumption loan portfolio expands 15% to Rs 90 lakh crore in FY24, notes CRIF report

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The <keyword id="19921999" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Education-Department" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Education Department" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Education Department">Education Department</keyword> said student-loan company MOHELA failed to process <keyword id="23618290" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="borrower-applications" source="keywords">borrower applications</keyword> for <keyword id="23618289" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="income-driven-repayment" source="keywords">income-driven repayment</keyword> plans.</li><li>The department is not assigning new accounts to MOHELA until it corrects its actions.</li></ul>The Education Department notified <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fire-student-loan-company-mohela-remove-borrowers-from-roster-biden-2024-5">student-loan company MOHELA</a> on Tuesday that it would be facing penalties for failing to perform the servicing obligations required in its contract. According to a document from the Education Department reviewed by Business Insider, MOHELA has failed to process over 460,000 applications for borrowers on income-driven repayment plans, preventing those borrowers from accessing more affordable <keyword id="23618291" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="monthly-payments" source="keywords">monthly payments</keyword>. The department also said Mohela had failed to stop capitalizing interest on borrowers' accounts, incorrectly marked some borrowers for negative credit reporting, and failed to process forgiveness in a timely manner for borrowers who met the threshold. "The Department continues to take swift action in response to errors that cause confusion or unnecessary difficulty for borrowers," Education Secretary Miguel Cardona told BI in a statement. "<keyword id="23618292" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="federal-student-aid" source="keywords">Federal Student Aid</keyword> has determined, through its oversight of federal <keyword id="21652556" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="student-loan" source="keywords">student loan</keyword> servicers, that MOHELA has not consistently met the Department's standards for serving borrowers. MOHELA's continued challenges have resulted in less-than-satisfactory quality of servicing for borrowers." The Education Department requested that MOHELA provide a "corrective action plan" within 10 business days, Cardona said, along with weekly meetings with Federal Student Aid to review the servicer's performance . In the meantime, the department will not assign new borrower accounts to MOHELA until it can demonstrate that it can properly serve borrowers, which could impact the servicer's revenue. A Mohela spokesperson told BI that the servicer "is surprised by FSA's sudden change in direction and communication" after the Education Department recently gave it new borrower accounts. "As one of FSA's critical partners and contractors, MOHELA has and will continue to work closely with FSA," the spokesperson said. Since <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/student-loan-repayment-issues-debt-relief-broken-industry-2023-9">student-loan payments resumed last October</a> after an over three-year pause, MOHELA has been under scrutiny from the Education Department, lawmakers, and advocates over its handling of borrowers' accounts. It was the first servicer to receive a punishment from the department last year — on October 30, 2023, the department <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/student-loan-company-mohela-late-statements-borrowers-biden-withholding-pay-2023-10">withheld $7.2 million in pay from MOHELA</a> over its failure to deliver on-time billing statements to 2.5 million borrowers. This is the second time Mohela has faced changes to the accounts it manages.In April, the Education Department transferred over 1 million borrowers to new servicers to allow for borrowers to have "the best service." This is the second penalty MOHELA has faced this year.In January, the department <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/student-loan-borrowers-missing-billing-statements-servicers-punishment-nelnet-mohela-2024-1">withheld pay from the remaining three major federal servicers</a> over failure to deliver on-time billing statements to borrowers. Still, MOHELA has remained in the spotlight as borrowers have continued to report challenges with the servicer, prompting Sen. Elizabeth Warren to hold a hearing in April over the servicer's performance and later calling for the Education Department to consider terminating the servicer's contract altogether. 'We've organized, we've held hearings, we've done everything possible to hold these student loan servicers accountable for their misconduct," Warren <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/student-loan-borrowers-fire-their-servicer-elizabeth-warren-mohela-navient-2024-9">previously told BI</a>. "And it's beginning to bite. Last year, the department released <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/student-loan-borrowers-bad-customer-service-education-department-oversight-repayment-2023-11">an accountability framework</a> that outlined enforcement actions it would take over servicers who failed to meet their obligations. It's unclear what action the department will take next over MOHELA if it does not correct its actions. Correction: October 18, 2024 — An earlier version of this story misstated one of the Education Department's accusations against Mohela. The department said the company had failed to process forgiveness in a timely manner for borrowers who met the threshold. The story was also updated to clarify who the Mohela spokesperson said was "surprised by FSA's sudden change in direction and communication." It was Mohela, not the Education Department.

A major student-loan company is being punished for preventing over 460,000 borrowers from accessing cheaper monthly payments

The <keyword id="20018890" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="digital-infrastructure" source="keywords">digital infrastructure</keyword> has made the <keyword id="20572901" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="loan-sanctioning" source="keywords">loan sanctioning</keyword> system adopt an online mode, but the <keyword id="21614839" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="loan-recovery" source="keywords">loan recovery</keyword> still requires a 'feet on the street' approach, says <keyword id="20506781" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="swaminathan-j" source="keywords">Swaminathan J</keyword>, Deputy Governor of Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Speaking at a media event in Mumbai, the deputy Governor of RBI noted that with the digital infrastructure at place, many <keyword id="22721545" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="fintech-players" source="keywords">fintech players</keyword> are giving loans to customers with poor credit profiles, and up on default, use aggressive recovery tactics. "While loan sanctioning and disbursement have become increasingly digital, effective collection and recovery still require a 'feet on the street' and empathetic approach. Many fintech platforms operate on a business model that involves extending <keyword id="22791879" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="small-value-loans" source="keywords">small-value loans</keyword> to customers who often have a poor credit profiles" said the deputy governor. He emphasized that the business model of many fintech platforms involves offering small-value loans to customers who often have poor credit profiles. This has led to the adoption of aggressive recovery strategies, which on many occasions also crosses ethical boundaries. He also highlighted one particularly concerning practice that involves the invasion of customers' privacy, where recovery agents access the personal data and contacts of borrowers and use that as a threat practice. Swaminathan cautioned that such tactics not only infringe on individuals right to privacy, but also risk damaging the reputation of regulated lenders associated with these fintech platforms. He also highlighted RBI's regulations on outsourcing, that even though regulated financial entities delegate certain activities to third parties, they remain ultimately accountable for the actions of their outsourced agents. The deputy governor also noted that the digitisation allows banks and NBFCs to leverage data for greater insights into their customers' requirements and behaviour, which can be used for developing bespoke products apart from facilitating better risk management and compliance. He stated that the role of RBI as a regulator is to establish guardrails or a balanced framework that encourages innovation while ensuring that risks are managed prudently. The deputy governor also indicated the primary goal of RBI is to ensure the stability and integrity of the financial system and not to hinder business operations.

You Searched For "loans" and got 7 results

Simply Put: Secured Loans 2.0 — why more and more Indians are turning to gold, shares and mutual funds to get loans

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

Ira Alok Puranik

Simply Put: Boom or bust — how RBI’s decision to leave rates unchanged affects homebuyers

Ira Alok Puranik

I'm a millennial mom of 3, and I rely on my mom's financial assistance

Alyse Benoit

Consumption loan portfolio expands 15% to Rs 90 lakh crore in FY24, notes CRIF report

PTI

A major student-loan company is being punished for preventing over 460,000 borrowers from accessing cheaper monthly payments

Ayelet Sheffey

Loan sanctioning has gone digital, but recovery still needs a 'feet on the street' approach, says RBI Deputy Governor

ANI

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