Issue: 1166
· The Government released the
22nd instalment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme
on March 13, 2026, from
Guwahati. Over ?18,640 crore was transferred to more than 9.32 crore farmer
families.
· India’s foreign exchange
reserves declined by $11.68 billion to $716.81 billion for the week ending
March 6.
· The Indian rupee fell to a
record low of about 92.47 per US dollar.
· The government proposed an
Economic Stabilisation Fund worth ?573 billion ($6.2 billion).
· India is holding off on a
trade deal with the U.S. due to a new American investigation into “excess
industrial capacity”.
· Fitch Ratings increased
India’s GDP growth forecast for FY26 from 7.4% to 7.5%.
· NABARD plans to raise ?8,000
crore through three-year bonds.
· Crude oil prices above $100
per barrel triggered heavy selling in equity markets.
· Market participants expect
the RBI to conduct a $10 billion dollar-rupee foreign exchange swap.
Sensex sees worst week
since May 2020 due to Middle East conflict: Benchmark index Sensex slid
5.5% this week, its worst weekly drop since May 2020, as a raging war in the
Middle East kept crude oil prices above $100 a barrel, stoking inflation and
growth jitters for India. The Nifty 50 has dropped 5.3%
this week. All the 16 major sectors logged losses this week. The broader
mid-caps and small-caps dropped 4.6% and 3.7%, respectively. Auto stocks
plunged 10.6%, the biggest laggards, as fears the Middle East war could hit
production and exports rattled investors. It was their steepest weekly drop in
six years. Financials-focused Bank Nifty slumped 7% this week amid intensifying
foreign investor outflows.
(Moneycontrol)
Fitch raises India's GDP
growth projection for FY26 to 7.5%: Fitch Ratings on Friday raised
India's GDP growth forecast marginally to 7.5 per cent for current fiscal with
domestic demand being the biggest growth driver this year. In December, Fitch
had projected India's GDP growth at 7.4 per cent for current fiscal. For next
fiscal (2026-27), Fitch has revised upwards its growth estimate to 6.7 per cent
from 6.4 per cent projected in December 2025. In its Global Economic Outlook-
March 2026, Fitch projected world GDP growth at 2.6 per cent in 2026.
(Business Line)
US GDP growth falls to 0.7%
as Middle East tensions surge: The US economy grew more
slowly than previously estimated in the final months of last year. The US
Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) said on Friday that Gross Domestic Product
(GDP) expanded at an annualised rate of 0.7% in the fourth quarter, lower than
the earlier estimate of 1.4%. The revised figure also fell short of market
expectations. The slowdown shows weaker activity across several parts of the
economy, including exports, consumer spending, government spending and
investment.
(Financial Express)
India is set to
halt IDBI Bank sale as both bids unviable: India is set to scrap the bids it
received for a majority stake in IDBI Bank Ltd. as the amounts were below the
minimum price sought, according to people with knowledge of the matter. Bloomberg
News had previously reported that Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd. was the
frontrunner for what would have been the biggest foreign investment in India’s
banking sector, and that Emirates NBD had also bid. The 61% stake that the
government and a state-run insurer planned to sell in the private lender is
worth about $6.5 billion at the current market price.
(Moneycontrol)
RBI seeks Middle East
exposure data from banks: The Reserve Bank of India
(RBI) has asked banks to furnish detailed information on their exposure to the
Middle East, said bankers. “The RBI has asked for a comprehensive breakdown of
exposure, covering not just loans but also contingent liabilities such as
guarantees and letters of credit,” said one banker, who confirmed the
development on condition of anonymity.
(Financial Express)
Parliamentary panel
suggests tiered UPI charges: A Parliamentary Standing
Committee on Finance has suggested exploring a tiered charging structure for
UPI transactions. It proposed that while street vendors and small businesses
continue to receive free services, banks and larger entities could be charged
to help make the system financially sustainable. The suggestion comes amid
discussions on the long-term viability of India’s fast-growing digital payments
ecosystem built around the Unified Payments Interface (UPI).
(Financial Express)
Banks recorded higher
credit and deposits growth in the fortnight to February 28:
Bank credit saw a strong 14.5% year-on-year growth
by February 28. Deposits also expanded, reaching 11.9% growth. This marks an
acceleration from the previous fortnight. Scheduled commercial banks hold Rs
251.90 lakh crore in deposits, with fixed deposits forming 87% of this amount.
Total bank credit stands at Rs 207.54 lakh crore. The credit-deposit ratio
slightly eased to 82.39%.
(Economic Times)
New LCR norms could help
banks expand credit by 7%:
The revised Liquidity Coverage Ratio (LCR) norms,
set to take effect from April 1 could give banks additional room to expand
credit by about 7%, assuming deposit growth remains steady at the current 10%
pace, analysts said. Banks can now
use their existing liquidity for loans, increasing lending capacity. This shift
is expected to benefit public sector banks significantly. Analysts believe this
will ease concerns about lending growth constraints. Credit expansion may soon
outpace deposit growth.
(Economic Times)
Sebi issues guidelines for
mutual funds on intraday borrowing from banks:
Markets regulator Sebi on Friday issued guidelines
for mutual funds to undertake intraday borrowing arrangements with financial
institutions such as banks. Under the new framework, the board of an asset
management company (AMC) as well as the board of trustees will be required to
approve a policy governing the use of intraday borrowing facilities. Sebi said intraday borrowings can be used only for
specific purposes -- repurchase or redemption of units, payment of interest or
Income Distribution-cum-Capital Withdrawal (IDCW) payouts to unitholders. The
regulator also stipulated that the borrowing amount cannot exceed the
"guaranteed receivables" expected on the same day.
(Business Standard)
IndiGo to levy fuel charge from March 14 as aviation turbine fuel prices surge: IndiGo, India’s largest airline, will introduce a fuel charge on domestic and international routes from March 14, 2026, citing a sharp rise in aviation turbine fuel (ATF) prices amid ongoing geopolitical tensions in global energy markets. According to the airline, recent data indicates that fuel prices have risen by about 85% in recent months, putting pressure on airline finances and forcing companies to review fare structures.
(Business Today)
Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen
to step down after 18 years: Shantanu Narayen will step down as chief
executive of Adobe after nearly two decades in the role, the company said on
Tuesday, adding that he will remain chair of the board once a successor is
appointed.
(Business Line)
US launches Section 301
probe into India, 15 others over ‘excess capacity’: US has launched investigations into India and
15 other economies over alleged “structural excess capacity” in manufacturing
that it says is distorting global markets and threatening American industries. The investigation,
initiated under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 on March 11, targets
sectors in India such as textiles, health products, construction goods,
automotive goods, solar modules, petrochemicals and steel. “The US will no longer
sacrifice its industrial base to countries exporting their excess capacity and
production to us,” USTR Jamieson Greer said in a statement.
(Business Line)
Centre drafting insurance
scheme for gig workers with life, accident cover: The Ministry of Labour and Employment is
drafting a new scheme for providing accidental and life insurance coverage to
gig workers in line with the provisions of the Code on Social Security, 2020,
according to three people aware of the development. The scheme is likely to lay
down rules for the social security scheme. The ministry is also considering
inclusion of pension security as part of the scheme, a senior official said. India
has an estimated 14.3 million gig workers in 2025-26, according to government
think tank NITI Aayog. This number is expected to reach 23.5 million by 2030.
(Business Standard)
Asia-Africa Agri Alliance launched to boost trade, investment, tech ties: Senior ambassadors, diplomats, policymakers and agribusiness leaders — representing over ten nations — today formally launched the Asia-Africa Agri Alliance (AAAA), with the objective of accelerating agricultural trade, investment, technology transfer and policy cooperation between Asia and Africa. The platform will facilitate cooperation in five major pillars that include trade and market access, technology and innovation transfer, investment and finance, policy, standards and agriculture diplomacy, and capacity building.
(Business Standard)
Parliament panel urges NFRA
to study sector-specific audit issues: A Parliamentary panel has
suggested that regulator NFRA conduct sectoral studies to identify
industry-specific accounting and auditing challenges as well as put in place
sector-specific accounting guidance to help boost investor confidence. The
National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA), set up by the government in 2018
under the Companies Act, 2013, regulates auditors and monitors compliance with
accounting and auditing standards by companies. It also oversees the quality of
audit services to ensure reliability in financial reporting.
(Business Standard)
ECONOMIC CAPITAL
Key Points
RBI KEY RATES
Repo
Rate: 5.25%
SDF:
5.00%
MSF
/Bank Rate: 5.50%
CRR:
3.00%
SLR:
18.00%
FOREX RATES (RBI REF. RATE)
INR
/ 1 USD : 92.4405
INR
/ 1 GBP : 123.2035
INR
/ 1 EUR : 106.3072
INR
/100 JPY: 57.9900
EQUITY INDEX
Sensex:
74563.92 (-1470.50)
NIFTY:
23151.10 (-488.05)
Bnk NIFTY: 53757.85 (-1343.10)
International Day
of Mathematics: The International
Day of Mathematics is celebrated annually on March 14 to highlight the
essential role of mathematical sciences in AI, sustainability, and daily life,
led by the International Mathematical Union. The 2026 theme is
"Mathematics and Hope," emphasizing how mathematical thinking
strengthens resilience and creates a more sustainable future.
Historical
events: March 14th marks
significant historical events, including the 1931 release of India’s first
talking film Alam Ara, the birth of actor Aamir Khan (1965), and Einstein's
birth (1879). Globally, it is celebrated as Pi Day (3/14), the passing of
Stephen Hawking (2018), and the start of the 2008 Tibetan riots.
****Have a nice Day****
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