Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

<keyword id="20104772" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Hyundai-Motors" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Hyundai Motors" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Hyundai Motors">Hyundai Motors</keyword> India's IPO worth Rs 27,870 crore, the largest India has ever seen, got off to an unhurried start today, with 18% of the total offer subscribed on the first day. The IPO, which closes on October 17, has already attracted significant attention from retail and institutional investors. The issue was subscribed 0.27x in the retail category, 0.05x in the QIB (qualified institutional buyers) category and 0.13x in the NII (non institutional investors) category. <keyword id="19972907" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="retail-investors" source="keywords">Retail investors</keyword> placed bids for 1.3 crore shares, as against the 4.94 crore shares which were offered to them. In contrast, Hyundai employees showed strong support for the IPO, bidding for 6,28,509 shares, as against the 7,78,400 shares allocated to them. Just a day before, Hyundai had raised Rs 8,315.3 crore from about 225 <keyword id="21330641" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="anchor-investors" source="keywords">anchor investors</keyword>. The list included several marquee global names, like the <keyword id="22882636" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Government-of-Singapore" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Government of Singapore" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Government of Singapore">Government of Singapore</keyword>, New World Fund Inc, and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board. These institutions, along with Fidelity, Government Pension Fund Global, and American Funds Insurance Series New World Fund, invested a combined Rs 2,191.66 crore in the company. Other notable participants in the anchor round included Vanguard, Blackrock, Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan. Hyundai Motor India allocated 4.2 crore equity shares to these anchor investors at Rs 1,960 per share. Also, 34.42% of the entire allocation to anchor investors went to 21 domestic mutual funds via 83 schemes. AMCs (asset management companies) like ICICI, Invesco, Kotak and UTI were part of this round. While the current IPO is entirely OFS (offer for sale), which means that no part of the proceeds will go to Hyundai Motor India, the company has announced that it plans to invest more than Rs 33,000 crore over the next 10 years in India. The country is an important market for the South Korean automobile giant, given that it is the 2nd largest OEM (original equipment manufacturer) in the passenger vehicle space in India. However, the market is already preparing for muted listing day gains, with the company's GMP dropping to Rs 59 today. Hyundai is estimated to list at Rs 2,019 per today's GMP, taking the expected gain/loss per share to a minuscule 3.01%, as per data from IPO site Chittorgarh.

India's biggest IPO off to a slow start, subscribed 0.18x on Day 1

Global <keyword id="19978688" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="gold-demand" source="keywords">gold demand</keyword> in Q2 2024, excluding over-the-counter (OTC) transactions declined by 6% year-on-year to 929 tonnes, primarily due to a sharp fall in jewelry consumption, according to the latest report of the <keyword id="20195223" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="World-Gold-Council" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="World Gold Council" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="World Gold Council">World Gold Council</keyword>. However, when including <keyword id="22654356" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="OTC-investment" source="keywords">OTC investment</keyword>, total gold demand increased by 4% YoY to 1,258 tonnes, marking the highest Q2 figure since data collection began in 2000. The record-high <keyword id="19910265" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gold-prices" source="keywords">gold prices</keyword> took a significant toll on jewelry consumption. Volumes fell 19% YoY to 391 tonnes, the lowest in four years. The report reveals a mixed picture for the Indian market in the second quarter of 2024. While overall gold demand showed a modest increase due to investment in OTC markets and central bank purchases, India witnessed trends that reflect broader market shifts. This decline reflects the impact of elevated gold prices on consumer purchasing behaviour, particularly in markets sensitive to price fluctuations, including India. <keyword id="19946830" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="central-banks" source="keywords">Central banks</keyword> continued to be significant players in the gold market, with net gold buying increasing by 6% YoY to 184 tonnes. This rise is attributed to the need for portfolio protection and diversification in a volatile economic environment. In June alone, central banks reported net purchases of 12 tonnes, with key contributors including the Central Bank of Uzbekistan and the Reserve Bank of India, both adding 9 tonnes to their reserves. The Monetary Authority of Singapore was noted as the largest seller, offloading 12 tonnes in the same month. The LBMA (PM) gold price averaged a record $ 2,338 per ounce in Q2 2024, up 18% YoY and 13% QoQ. Gold prices peaked at a new high of $2,427 per ounce in May. This environment drove significant investment and production trends, with total gold supply growing by 4% YoY to 1,258 tonnes. Mine production reached a record 929 tonnes for a second quarter, while recycling supply was the highest since 2012, reflecting the response to rising prices. OTC investment was a major component of the Q2 total gold demand, amounting to 329 tonnes. This, along with continued central bank buying, contributed to pushing gold prices to record highs during the quarter. Despite a minor 7-tonne decline in global gold <keyword id="19930506" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="etf" source="keywords">ETF</keyword> holdings in Q2, this was an improvement compared to the 21-tonne drop in Q2 2023. The decline in ETF holdings was followed by early outflows and nascent inflows later in the quarter. Retail bar and coin investment experienced a 5% decline to 261 tonnes, mainly due to weakened demand from Western markets. Conversely, gold used in technology saw an 11% YoY increase, driven by the continued growth in <keyword id="19904566" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="artificial-intelligence" source="keywords">artificial intelligence</keyword> (AI) applications. <keyword id="21088407" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="investment-trends" source="keywords">Investment trends</keyword> continued to diverge regionally. Eastern markets exhibited robust demand for bars, coins, and ETFs, while Western markets saw marked declines. However, Western ETF investment flows have shown signs of recovery in early Q3 2024. Looking ahead to the full year of 2024, it is expected that revived Western investment flows will help balance out weaker consumer demand, and potentially slower central bank buying, compared to 2023.

Global gold demand drops 6% in Q2 2024 due to slump in jewelry consumption, OTC investment pushes the total to record high

India is celebrating <keyword id="23288581" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Dhanteras" source="keywords">Dhanteras</keyword> today, even as the public remains cautious about adding gold's glitter to their portfolios, given the metal's sky-high prices. <keyword id="19910265" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="gold-prices" source="keywords">Gold prices</keyword> went past the Rs 81,000 mark today in Delhi. Per IBJA (<keyword id="20397944" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="India-Bullion-and-Jewellers-Association" source="keywords">India Bullion and Jewellers Association</keyword> Ltd.), the cost of 24K gold stood at Rs 7,885/gram today, while 22K gold was priced at Rs 7,695/gram. While jewelers anticipate some increase in customer footfall today, between afternoon and late evening, the All India Gem and Jewellery Domestic Council expects sales volumes to remain steady at around 20 tons. However, per their estimates, sales this year might be down by 5% compared to last year. The <keyword id="19921618" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Confederation-of-All-India-Traders" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Confederation of All India Traders" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Confederation of All India Traders">Confederation of All India Traders</keyword> (CAIT) projects nationwide retail trade worth Rs 50,000 crore during this Dhanteras. Even quick-commerce companies are cashing in on the Dhanteras sentiment. While Blinkit has partnered with Joyalukkas and Malabar Gold and Diamonds to deliver gold and silver coins in 10 minutes, Zepto has teamed with Augmont and Malabar for the same. Per media reports, Swiggy Instamart has partnered with Muthoot Exim and Malabar, while BigBasket has tied up with Tanishq. Legend has it that it was on this day that Lord Dhanvantari, the deity of health, appeared today, making brass utensils particularly auspicious for purchase. People also seek blessings from Lord Ganesha, Goddess Lakshmi, and Lord Kuber, and it is considered auspicious to buy gold and silver jewelry, utensils, kitchenware, vehicles, garments, and electronics on this day. <h2>The appreciation of gold</h2> Gold has had a great run this year, having a YTD (yield-to-date) of 24%. Despite high prices, the demand for gold this festive and wedding season is expected to remain buoyant in India. The yellow metal's demand as a haven has jumped up significantly in recent times, owing to <keyword id="19955176" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="geopolitical-tensions" source="keywords">geopolitical tensions</keyword> like the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. Moreover, with governments across the world trying to tame inflation and boost spending by way of rate cuts, gold is increasingly being seen as an effective hedge against inflation. Experts suggest that the demand is set to remain elevated for the times to come. "The immediate outlook for gold remains robust, supported by the recent import duty reduction from 15% to 6%, which has already stirred significant market activity with imports doubling year-over-year. Despite price changes, the traditional festive and wedding seasons continue driving strong demand, with consumers adapting their purchasing patterns," says Vikas Singh, Managing Director &amp; CEO of MMTC-PAMP. "Looking ahead, multiple structural factors paint a positive long-term picture. There is an overall trend of increasing gold holdings providing sustained price support. While physical gold remains paramount, there's increasing interest in gold investments, particularly among urban consumers," he continues. <h2>How to check if your gold is pure </h2>First, always make sure to buy only hallmarked physical gold. "Hallmarking is the accurate determination and official recording of the proportionate content of precious metal in the precious metal article. Hallmarking provides consumers with third-party assurance and satisfaction that they get the right purity of gold (or silver), the government noted in a press release yesterday, urging customers to buy only <keyword id="23040621" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="hallmarked-gold" source="keywords">hallmarked gold</keyword> and silver. Hallmarked gold is characterized by a few specific marks, like the logo of BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards), the jeweler's mark, and that of the hallmarking center. During the process of hallmarking, each piece of gold or silver is assigned a 6-digit alphanumeric code or HUID (Hallmark Unique Identification). Download the BIS Care app on your phone and enter this code using the verify HUID icon on the app. This will help you test the veracity of your purchased gold.

Gold continues to shine bright on Dhanteras, but should you participate in the glitter?

<ul class="summary-list"><li>China's stock investors and watchers are actively discussing the markets before they reopen.</li><li>China released a stimulus blitz a week before the National Day break, sending downtrodden markets on a tear.</li></ul>China's investors are looking forward to some stock market action after the country's weeklong National Day break.On Monday — a day ahead of the mainland's markets reopening — China's Weibo microblog was abuzz with talking about what the markets may hold after a hot run following Beijing's stimulus blitz on September 24.China's domestic stock markets are dominated by retail traders, who number over 200 million and account for about <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.troweprice.com/financial-intermediary/sg/en/thinking/articles/2024/q2/chinas-economy-enters-a-new-cycle-unveiling-fresh-opportunities-apac.html">70% of trading volume.</a>China's stimulus measures include interest rate cuts and 800 billion yuan, or about $114 billion, to support the domestic stock markets. The country's top leadership has also <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-stimulus-fix-economy-xi-jinping-stock-market-2024-10">pledged more stimulus</a> is on the way. The world's second-largest economy is facing multiple challenges including a property crisis, deflation, and high youth unemployment. Mainland China's benchmark <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/index/csi-300">CSI 300 Index</a> closed 17% higher year-to-date on September 31 before the weeklong break — a stark contrast to its <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/china-stock-market-meltdown-brutal-year-explainer-whats-happening-2024-1">meltdown</a> and lackluster performance for much of the year.Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index closed 1.6% higher on Monday. It's up about 35% year-to-date.Trending topics on Weibo included <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://s.weibo.com/weibo?q=%23%E6%B8%AF%E8%82%A1%23&amp;t=31">#Hong Kong stocks,</a> <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://s.weibo.com/weibo?q=%23%E6%9C%AC%E8%BD%AE%E7%89%9B%E5%B8%82%E8%83%BD%E6%8C%81%E7%BB%AD%E5%A4%9A%E4%B9%85%23&amp;t=31">#How long this bull market can run,</a> and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://s.weibo.com/weibo?q=%23%E8%8A%82%E5%90%8EA%E8%82%A1%E5%BC%80%E5%B8%82%E5%B0%86%E6%80%8E%E4%B9%88%E8%B5%B0%23&amp;t=31">#How A-shares will perform after the holiday.</a> A-shares are stocks of Chinese companies listed on the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges."I hope the rally can hold for a bit longer, so that I can at least get my initial investment back," wrote one <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://weibo.com/1988800805/OAq5ncUko">Weibo user.</a> The CSI 300 index was down 45% from a 2021 peak until the pivotal announcement in late September.There was also a trending hashtag discussing <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://s.weibo.com/weibo?q=%23%E8%82%A1%E6%B0%91%E6%8B%85%E5%BF%A7A%E8%82%A1%E5%BC%80%E7%9B%98%E7%AC%AC%E4%B8%80%E5%A4%A9%E4%B9%B0%E4%B8%8D%E5%88%B0%23&amp;t=31">those who fear</a> they will not be able to buy A-shares on Tuesday. Before the weeklong break, some brokers and traders reported <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/china-stock-market-rally-economy-stimulus-liqudity-overwhelm-system-2024-9?">delays on the Shanghai Stock Exchange</a> as systems were so overwhelmed by enthusiastic investors and market watchers.Despite the market rally, skeptics about China's economic outlook and markets abound — and Weibo, too, isn't short of naysayers."I don't feel reassured now that the topic is trending," said a Weibo user in a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://s.weibo.com/weibo?q=%23%E6%9C%AC%E8%BD%AE%E7%89%9B%E5%B8%82%E8%83%BD%E6%8C%81%E7%BB%AD%E5%A4%9A%E4%B9%85%23&amp;t=31">thread</a> discussing the likely duration of the bull market that garnered nearly 700 likes in half an hour."An expert said this is not a bull market, but bullshit," wrote a second user."What is the current economic situation in China? Are you all blind? Can't you see it?" asked a third user commenting on <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://weibo.com/1646051850/OAqbWwUIg">another post</a> discussing the market rally.However, given the extent to which China's stocks have sold down before Beijing's stimulus announcement, there may be more upside to come.Goldman Sachs, for one, has upgraded China's stocks to overweight and is forecasting another 15% to 20% upside to Chinese shares.Beijing's "coordinated forceful policy announcements" amid "an oversold, undervalued, and under-positioned market backdrop" are key factors in their reasoning, wrote the bank's analysts wrote in a note published on Saturday.There could also be earnings growth potential for companies should the economy respond positively to Beijing's coordinated stimulus, they wrote."Together, these announcements constitute a more substantial quantum of policy stimulus that contrasts with the sporadic and modest easing measures over the past few years," they wrote, even as they warned that China's macroeconomic challenges remain serious.

China's retail investors are eyeing the stock market reopening after a weeklong break

<ul><li>Investments in gold ETFs grew by a whopping 472% at ₹841 crore in October ‘23.</li><li>Despite words of caution by experts, <keyword id="6416579" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="retail-investors" source="Orion">retail investors</keyword> continue to bet on midcap funds for better returns, thanks to government policies.</li><li>The weight of automobiles in overall allocation jumped to an almost 5-year high of 8.4% (up 10 bps MoM and 70 bps YoY) in October 2023. </li></ul> All that glitters is gold when it comes to the festive season in India. A month ahead of Diwali, retail investors chose to tank up on gold funds, going by data released by the Association of Mutual Funds of India (AMFI). Moreover, the weightage on sectors like auto, utilities and insurance stocks increased significantly while sectors such as banking saw a moderation. Investments in gold ETFs (exchange traded funds) grew by a whopping 472% at ₹841 crore in October compared to ₹147 crore in the same period last year. But that is not all, retail investors are now mature and picking themes with a view on higher value creation over the long term. The month of October reflects this trend quite clearly. As large caps continue to struggle, retail investors continue to bulk up on small and midcap funds that have already delivered over 40% returns this year. After a short blip in September, small cap funds attracted higher inflows to the tune of around ₹4,495 crore in October, up from ₹2,678 crore in September. According to ICRA Analytics, for a country to grow it should grow intrinsically strong and adopt a bottoms-up approach. The government is focusing on this and is making policies to strengthen such small companies. This is likely to augur well for small and mid-sized firms and would help in higher value creation. G. Pradeepkumar, CEO, Union Mutual Fund, says: “If one takes into account the allocations to mid and small caps in categories such as multicap, flexicap and large &amp; mid Cap, it appears that anywhere from 40% to 50% of the total net flows could have gone to mid and small-cap stocks. While the long-term outlook for these companies is positive, investors should remain cautious about the possibility of short-term market volatility and consider a staggered approach to their investments.” It is not just betting on smaller stocks that will lead to higher value creation that shows that the Indian retail investor has evolved. Analysis shows that the pace of redemptions slowed down to Rs 26,000 crore (down 14.8% month-on-month). Consequently, net inflows accelerated to ₹22,000 crore in October from ₹15,500 crore in September 2023. Financialisation of savings is a big trend that has been playing out since 2016 in India. The retail investor’s faith in the India story has not faded despite the headwinds. Explains Ashwini Kumar, Head Market Data, ICRA Analytics, “Net inflows during the month of October 2023 have grown by a whooping 473% at ₹80,528 crore, as against ₹14,047 crore in October 2022.” The sectoral shift The story gets even more interesting when one digs deeper into the monthly flows. Net inflows into equity-oriented schemes grew by 113% at ₹19,957 crore in October, up from ₹9,390 crore in the same period last year. According to analysis done by Motilal Oswal Financial Services (MOFS), the month saw notable changes in the sector and stock allocation of funds. Retail investors are doubling down on automobiles, utilities, consumer and insurance sectors. On a MoM basis, the weights of all these sectors increased while that of banks (Private &amp; PSU) , technology, capital goods, and metals moderated. The weight of automobiles jumped to an almost five-year (59-month) high of 8.4% (up 10 basis points month-on-month and +70 basis point year-on-year) in October 2023. Utilities’ weight climbed for the second consecutive month to a 38-month high of 3.9% (+10bp MoM, +60bp YoY), says MOFS. The weightage for private banks moderated for the fourth consecutive month to 18.7% (-20bp MoM, flat YoY) in October 2023. PSU Banks overall weight declined to 3% (-20bp MoM, -70bp YoY) and this is the lowest since February 2021.

It’s not banks but insurance that the retail investors now fancy

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

You Searched For "retail investing trends" and got 6 results

India's biggest IPO off to a slow start, subscribed 0.18x on Day 1

BI India Bureau

Global gold demand drops 6% in Q2 2024 due to slump in jewelry consumption, OTC investment pushes the total to record high

ANI

Gold continues to shine bright on Dhanteras, but should you participate in the glitter?

Ira Alok Puranik

China's retail investors are eyeing the stock market reopening after a weeklong break

Huileng Tan

It’s not banks but insurance that the retail investors now fancy

Malini Bhupta

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

Ira Alok Puranik

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides