Subprime-wary RBI steps up vigil on MNCs
The Reserve Bank of India has stepped up its vigil on foreign banks operating in the country following the subprime crisis. Complete Pre-Budget Coverage
The RBI executive director Anand Sinha indicated this to the media on the sidelines of a seminar here on Friday. India���s top policymakers had said in the past month that the spillover effects of the subprime crisis to the country are quite low.
However, the RBI governor YV Reddy said that the unusual developments in the West indicates the heightened uncertainties which can pose a challenge for the proper conduct of monetary policy, especially for emerging market economies.
According to Mr Sinha, India still has not witnessed a single financial crisis, which shows the stability of the local banking system . But several top notch banks in the US and Europe ran into problems owing to their exposure to loans to borrowers who had poor credit history.
Till date banks have written down loans worth close to $150 billion in the past few months. Still there is a growing scepticism that the write offs will continue and would go in the range of $400 billion.
| | Also Read |
| �� | |
| �� | |
| �� | |
| �� | |
| �� | |
| �� |
Following the subprime crisis, these banks have been cutting down their credit and exposure limits across the world. In India too, some of these banks have pared their exposure. They are now cautious even while funding the overseas funding needs for Indian corporates.
Mr Sinha sounded a note of caution on the possibility of predatory competition may grip the local banking segment. He indicated that the entire subprime crisis in the US could have been triggered by banks seeking funds which arose out of volatile deposits and not core deposits.
To avoid a similar situation in India, Mr Sinha stressed that if there is greater financial inclusion, banks may be able to ensure better quality of deposits. ���We cannot leave out a majority of the population. Core deposits are what bring about stability in the economy,��� he added.
The Economic Times Business News App for the Latest News in Business, Sensex, Stock Market Updates & More.
The Economic Times News App for Quarterly Results, Latest News in ITR, Business, Share Market, Live Sensex News & More.