Category:

Policy

RBI committee recommends reshaping domestic banking industry

In a report made public on Friday, the committee recommended that banking regulations be amended to allow large industrial houses to act as so-called bank promoters, meaning they could take a significant stake in a lender, something the central bank has strongly resisted in the past.
Bajaj Group, Piramal Group and Reliance Industries are well-positioned to expand into banking, said an investment banker who did not wish to be named.

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Govt approves swap of Mitsui Sumitomo’s Max Life stake with Max Financial Services

The transaction entails swapping by MSI of 20.6% stake that it holds in Max Life with a 21.9% stake in MFSL This will result in MFSL’s stake in Max Life increasing to 93.10%.
Commenting on the development, Mohit Talwar, MD, Max Financial and Vice Chairman, Max Group, said, “Once concluded post regulatory approvals, this transaction will mark an important step for Max Financial to consolidate its shareholding in Max Life paving the way for a new beginning in form of a joint venture with Axis Bank.”

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Ahead of IPO FinMin invites bids from actuarial firms for valuing LIC

The Request for Proposal has been issued to seek proposals / bids from reputed and eligible actuarial firms to work with LIC to “develop IEV in line with the requirements of the relevant Acts and regulations, Actuarial Practice Standards and guidance notes issued by the Institute of Actuaries of India and LIC Act, 1956, and to provide support during the IPO process”, it said.

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Will ask govt to make employers’ contribution tax-free in Budget:PFRDA

“We may propose things like 14 per cent contribution by employers to be made tax free to all. Currently, it is given only to the central government employers.So we are requesting the government to give it to all the employers, whether it is state governments or other corporate entities, so that subscribers across the board can get this benefit,” Supratim Bandyopadhyay, chairman, PFRDA said

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Still no clarity from UK to assess financial market access, says EU

With less than two months before Britain’s full access to the EU ends under post-Brexit transition arrangements on Dec. 31, London’s giant financial hub faces being largely cut off from its biggest customer.

Britain’s finance minister, Rishi Sunak, said on Monday he would not wait for Brussels to decide on UK access and would instead unilaterally allow EU financial firms to offer selected services to UK customers from January.

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Much at stake as Supreme Court weighs future of ‘Obamacare’

What’s at stake has real-world consequences for just about every American, as well as the health care industry, a major source of jobs and tax revenues. Whether the Affordable Care Act stays, goes, or is significantly changed, will affect the way life is lived in the US
The argument against the law from the Trump administration and conservative states is that the 10-year-old statute was rendered unconstitutional in its entirety when Congress dialled down to zero a penalty on those remaining uninsured.
President-elect Joe Biden would build on the ACA by improving it and adding a new public health insurance option. But party liberals want a government-run system for all Americans, including the 160 million covered through employer plans.

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Global Markets: Risk assets cheer Biden win, dollar nurses losses

“The best opportunities now lie within segments of emerging markets, in particular China and North Asia. I believe earnings momentum and valuation put China in a very attractive risk/reward position.”

Chinese shares started higher with the blue-chip CSI300 index .CSI300 up 2.2% on hopes of better Sino-U.S. trade relations under Biden.

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U.S. crosses 10 million COVID-19 cases as third wave of infections surges

More than 237,000 Americans have died of COVID-19 since the illness caused by the coronavirus first emerged in China late last year.

The daily average of reported new deaths in the United States account for one in every 11 deaths reported worldwide each day, according to a Reuters analysis.

The number of reported deaths nationwide climbed by more than 1,000 for a fifth consecutive day on Saturday, a trend last seen in mid-August, according to a Reuters tally.

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Cyber agency alerts against ransomware attacks of ‘Egregor’ virus

It is anticipated that Egregor ransomware may infiltrate via spam email attachments or maliciously crafted link shared via email/instant messaging chats.”

“The modus operandi used is typically breaking into organisations, stealing sensitive data, and running the malware to encrypt their files and (it) threatens ‘Mass-Media’ release of corporate data if ransom not paid in due time,” the advisory stated.

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