The Hindu Business Line : Thursday, February 16, 2006

Indian banks should be more competitive
Competition among banks should lead to improved customer satisfaction which, to a large extent, is determined by the costs of services they render. Competition should be growth-enhancing in that it should help reduce the servicing costs of banks and boost entrepreneurial innovation. The institutional mechanisms associated with prudential regulatory structures have to actively promote competition even while paying attention to banking stability, points out A. Vasudevan. More

FOREX

Rupee range-bound; bond prices decline
MUMBAI: The rupee was range-bound and ended marginally lower against the US dollar on Wednesday as the central bank was seen buying dollars, said dealers. The Indian currency moved in the narrow range of 44.23-44.25. On Wednesday, the ... More

CONSUMER FINANCE

Srei unveils new loan scheme for solar water heaters
SREI Renewable Energy Unit, promoted by Srei Infrastructure Finance, today launched, on a test basis, in Bangalore, its `Retail Finance Scheme for Solar Water Heating Systems'. Under the scheme, a low subsidised interest rate is offered, to ... More

GENERAL INSURANCE

Profit from sale of investments may soon be tax-free for general insurers
General insurance companies are keen to benefit from the amendments in the Budget of 2004-05 which provided that long-term capital gains from sale of equity shares (where securities transaction tax has been charged) would be tax-exempt from assessmen t year 2005-06. More

PUBLIC SECTOR BANKS

Oriental Bank plans to raise Rs 500 cr via Tier-II bonds — `GTB integration smooth, successful'
AIMED at augmenting the capital-to-risk assets ratio (CRAR) in view of growing business volumes and also to meet the Basel-II norms, Oriental Bank of Commerce (OBC) plans to raise Rs 500 crore as Tier-II capital. Following the acquisition of ... More

SBT training camp
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: State Bank of Travancore (SBT) is organising `Kindleteens,' a three-day leadership training programme for students going to the ninth and tenth standards. An official spokesperson said here that the workshop, to be ... More

CREDIT CARDS & DEBIT CARDS

Tata group, SBI launch card with loyalty theme
THE Tata group and State Bank of India on Wednesday launched a credit card in association with MasterCard International. The Tata Credit Card, labelled as the first `credit-cum coalition loyalty card' in the country, offers the facilities of a ... More

Vishal Mega Mart inks pact with SBI for co-branded card
SBI Card announced the launch of its co-branded card in association with retail chain Vishal Mega Mart to tap the booming organised retail market. ``SBI Vishal Mega Mart Card is one of the best co-branded credit card that offers reward points ... More

FIXED DEPOSITS

Banks halt deposit-based lending to corporates
BANKS have closed ranks in a bid to thwart corporates from arbitraging between bulk deposit rates and short-term loans. High-level banking officials said they had stopped lending to the corporates that place bulk deposits. The banks resorted ... More

TRADE & LABOUR UNIONS

UBI employees demonstrate
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Employees of the Union Bank of India held a mass demonstration in front of the regional office here on Wednesday to protest the sale of stake through a second public issue by the bank. The President of the Bank ... More

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