India

Punjab National Bank seeks buying 33% of MetLife India stake

Punjab National Bank seeks buying 33% of MetLife India stake

PNB is keen on investing in an insurance company which would offer higher stake at an attractive price.

Hatton National Bank uses green concept in new building

Hatton National Bank will open Sri Lanka's country’s first green bank branch in Nittambuwa on June 2.

Action recommended against ex-Gurkha Bank officials

A meeting of the NRB Board of Directors on Tuesday recommended action against the former Gurkha Development Bank officials, employees and creditors as per the Banking Offense Act.

StanChart keen on expanding India’s M&A financing

The lender sees M&A financing as a huge area of growth despite being a highly competitive product.

Bank of Ceylon to expand globally

The Bank of Ceylon is to spread globally first into the 27 member European Union, then North America, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore.

Bank of Ceylon Q1 net up 163%

Bank of Ceylon's March 2011 quarter net profit shot up 163.1 percent to almost 2.2 billion rupees from a year ago.

NDB March net up 102%

 Sri Lanka's National Development Bank group's net profit for the first quarter doubled to 605 million rupees from a year ago. 

ICICI Bank issues $1bn international bond in Dubai

The bond offering had an order book of US$2.7bn with interest from more than 220 investors.

State Bank of India fourth quarter profit down 99%

The huge drop resulted from tax expenses and provisions, which surged as it ended “teaser loan” program that charged borrowers below-market rates in the initial years.

Union Bank goes into mutual fund business

The lender joined forces with Belgium’s KBC Asset Management to form Union KBC Asset Management Company amidst crowded mutual fund market.

Julius Baer targets entry in India private banking

The Swiss lender is serious in its expansion in the country despite being a crowded market in serving millionaires.

ICICI Bank first quarter profit up 44% to $326mn

Despite rising interest rates in India, the bank’s 2011 credit growth is estimated to be 20%.

Allahabad Bank's net profit increases by 14.74%

Allahabad Bank's net profit increased to Rs.258 crore for the quarter ended March 2011 as against Rs.225 crore in the corresponding quarter last year. This represents a year-on-year growth of 14.74 per cent.

India urges lenders to increase farm lending

Indian government seeks support from banks for the growth of the sector.

India’s state-run lenders step up hiring of personnel

A study revealed that state-run banks would need 500,000 employees over the next 10 years to maintain their competitive edge.

Union Bank of India begins offering New Pension Scheme

The product is now available in 3,000 branches across the country to promote income security to the elderly to all sectors of the society.

HDFC Bank tops in online banking

A study said they spend comparatively much lower time (less than half) on ICICI Bank while users spend maximum time on HDFC Bank and Citibank sites.