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RBI hikes CRR by 75 bps; repo rates untouched

RBI GOVERNER

The Reserve Bank of India, in its Monetary Policy review today has hiked the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) by 75 basis points (bps) to 5.75 per cent, while holding the repo and reverse repo rates steady in line with market expectations.

The CRR hike will be done in two tranches. The first one will be for 50 bps with effect from February 13, 2010, and the balance 25 bps will be effective from February 27, 2010. Eventually, this will drain out Rs 36,000 crore from the system.

Repo rate is the rate at which the banks can borrow money from RBI in order to avoid scarcity of funds.

The move comes on the back of spiraling inflation. Food inflation touched 17.4 per cent for the week ended 16 January 2010, slightly higher than previous week’s 16.81 per cent. Fuel price index rose to 5.7 per cent while primary articles price index touched 14.66 per cent for the week ended 16 January 2010.

A median forecast released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in the pre-policy ‘Macroeconomic and Monetary Developments: Third Quarter Review 2009-10’ yesterday raised the economic growth projection to 6.9 per cent from the 6 per cent projected three months ago.

NIFTY Future :In panic low of 4757 was made and now trading at 4801.My Support and expected target was of 4724-4676 in panic.

-Don’t panic @ lower levels.

-If not breaks 4757 & trades above 4812 with volumes will take to 4845-4856 & there after watch unexpected buying upto 4889-4900 level.

Updated at 11:25/29th Dec/Baroda

RBI data :Can create Tremor in Bank Stocks

 After looking at the number of Indian Banks….it looks “All is not well ” The numbers are reminiscent of the previous rate hike cycle. The overall asset quality of Indian banks has started deteriorating. The Indian entities endured a long and painful exercise of cleaning up their asset quality. However, they are once again facing problems sustaining the same.



The latest RBI data shows that the Indian banking system’s gross and net NPAs have risen by 50% YoY and 25% YoY respectively. This certainly is a cause for concern. Banks can distort their NPA proportion by growing assets aggressively. But unless they check the quality of growth, their profits are sure to get eroded.

RBI hikes export credit refinance rate to 5 per cent

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) today said the standing liquidity facilities provided to banks (export credit refinance) and primary dealers (PDs) under the collateralised liquidity support would be at the revised repo rate, ie, 5.0 per cent with effect from 20 March 2010.

The RBI had, in its monetary policy announcement on 19 March, had increased the fixed repo rate under the Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF) by 25 basis points from 4.75 per cent to 5.0 per cent with immediate effect.

The RBI, while announcing its monetary policy measures, had said that there had been significant macroeconomic developments since the third quarter review in January 2010.

Advance estimates by the CSO for 2009-10 and for Q3 of 2009-10 suggest that the recovery is consolidating, RBI noted. Data on industrial production currently available up to January 2010 show that the uptrend is being maintained.

ALERT :RBI Tax to dry FII Tap ?

taxForeign investors funneled more than $15 billion to Indian equities in 2009, sending stocks up more than 75% and strengthening the rupee . With expected positive growth rates for the year and higher interest rates differentials that favor emerging markets, investors are looking to India as a good place to stash their wealth.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has already taken the necessary precautions to stave off a potential asset bubble forming in India’s stock and real estate markets. India’s officials are welcoming the fund inflows with open arms, but Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee says monetary tools will be implemented if inflows become disruptive to the economy.

RBI could stem inflows by:

We are expecting very soon by Next month or First week Jan’10

  • Imposing taxes on inflows; this is considered to be the most likely tactic the government would take, especially when it comes to inflows that could lead to a housing bubble
  • Auctioning quotas for foreign credit to increase the cost of raising funds
  • Using market intervention bonds and raising cash reserve ratios
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