INSIGHT
Banking sector reform: Skewed dividends
THE last RBI report on `Trend and Progress of Banking in India' (2002-03) indicated that the return on assets of all scheduled commercial banks (SCBs) — the ratio of net profit to total assets — showed a ... More

Greenspan faces flak on jobs
The US has an oversupply of low skills and undersupply of knowledge professionals. This equation must change for it to be a high value-adding economy in the global division of labour and retain its pre-eminent position. More

FOREX
Rupee steady; bond prices soar
MUMBAI: The rupee closed on Tuesday at 45.2875/2925, almost unchanged from Monday's close of 45.2850 in its value against the dollar. The domestic currency opened at 45.28/29 and touched an intra-day low of 45.31 on limited dollar ... More

CONSUMER FINANCE

PRIVATE BANKS
Centurion Bank may offer bancassurance products
CENTURION Bank is likely to distribute bancassurance products to boost its fee-based income and spur future growth. However, the bank is yet to set a timeline and choose such products, said Mr Shailendra Bhandari, Managing Director. "It is too ... More

PUBLIC SECTOR BANKS
BoB plans to expand overseas
BANK of Baroda has decided to expand its overseas business across many countries. This decision was arrived at after a two-day meeting of its overseas territorial heads. "While reviewing the business plan, it has also been decided to explore ... More

Compliments for Corpn Bank
MANGALORE: The Executive Director of Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Ms Shyamala Gopinath, has appreciated Corporation Bank for winning international laurels. According to a press release here, she said the credit for winning the laurels ... More

TRADE & LABOUR UNIONS
Call for solidarity strike on Feb 24
THE United Forum of Bank Unions (FBU), a body of nine unions of bank employees and officers, has given a call for a nationwide bank strike on February 24 to express solidarity with central trade unions that have called for a strike on the same ... More

INTERVIEW
`Financial planners have a bigger role to play'
THE US-based Financial Planning Standards Board (FPSB), which controls the Certified Financial Planner trademark, has initiated a reality check on the Indian market. Mr Ian Middleton, Director, FPSB, feels financial planners will be ... More

EVENTS
`WTO norms spell gains for Indian banks'
THE Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Credit Rating Information Services of India Ltd (Crisil), Mr R. Ravimohan, has said that WTO norms have opened up lot of opportunities for Indian banking system. He was delivering the ... More

PEOPLE
Will politics lure Gelli?
THE stay of Mr Ramesh Gelli, the chief promoter of Global Trust Bank (GTB), on the bank's board could well be a short affair of little over a month, if one goes by what is being talked about in political circles of Andhra Pradesh. Mr Gelli has ... More

Gelli back on GTB board `to reassure investors'
GLOBAL Trust Bank (GTB), the Hyderabad-based ailing private sector bank, has reinducted its founder-promoter, Mr Ramesh Gelli, on to the board after a gap of close to three years. The GTB board in Mumbai meeting on Monday also decided to ... More