In a
much anticipated move by RBI considering the inflation entering comfort zone,
the repo rate has been slashed by 50 basis points. The new repo rate now stands
at 6.75 percent from the previous 7.25 percent. Reverse repo rate is now
at 5.75 percent; Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) at 4 percent and
Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR) at 21.5 percent respectively, remains unchanged. Since the first
bi-monthly RBI policy review back in January, the apex body has reduced the key
rate by 125 basis points or 1.25 percent, bringing it down to 6.75 percent from
8 percent. What this suggests is that, banks will now be under pressure to
lower their lending rates, the benefit of which will be directly passed on to
the customers via reduced EMIs.
“The target of 6 percent inflation by January 2016
is likely to be achieved considering the major conditions that have been met
since the last policy review in August. This move was thus pretty much on the
cards looking at the economic recovery witnessed over the last couple of
months. With various key banks in India already on a reducing rate spree, a
rate reduction by RBI here will open the gates for further rate reduction by
banks, thus assisting the customers with less pressure on their pockets”,
elucidates Mr. Kushagr Ansal, Director, Ansal Housing. Adding to the fact, Mr.
Ashok Gupta, CMD, Ajnara India Ltd. avers “RBI has been extremely pro-active in
terms of bringing relief to the economy and pushing the banks forward to
provide final benefit directly to borrowers through reduced EMIs. Real estate
sector in particular was in dire need of repo rate reduction as we are standing
right on the verge of final festive season of the year. Sentiments will now
become better as customers will be expecting banks to lower their rates that
will be profitable for them prior to a big purchase such as, property”.
Perfect reasons to slash rate:
With monsoon season being highly unstable, weakening
industrial production and investment activities, retail and food inflation kept
under check, this decision has come out as a pro-active supply side management
one. “Despite the monsoon deficiency and contained food inflation pressure
through resolute government actions by managing supply, the disinflation has
been quite broad-based and inflation barring food and fuel has also come off
its peak in June. Since the beginning of this calendar year, RBI had assured of
a rate cut cycle this year which it has followed owning to the economic
recovery and fair chances of meeting the target inflation by January next year.
This move is greatly welcomed especially for this sector considering the rising
inventory levels which will now see a momentum if banks reduce the lending
rates, something that is quite evident”, explains Mr. Mukesh Khurana, MD,
Rudra Buildwell.
"The residual question now becomes; the extent of
transmission of these cuts. Not many banks have been following the rate cut
cycle, the loss of which has been pushed onto the customers. On the flipside,
major banks in India such as SBI, ICICI, HDFC and few others have been keeping
their lending rate cycle in sync with the RBI’s repo rate cycle. This has
provided relief to a major chunk of buyers taking loans for property. Also,
banks with high liquidity can easily afford to decrease their lending rates
without touching the deposit rates but banks with lesser liquidity are first
forced to decrease the deposit rate which on the other hand increases their
liquidity then can they bear the drop in the lending rates" adds Mr. Vikas Bhasin, MD, Saya Homes.
A drop in the
deposit rate directly leads to lesser returns on investments such as fixed
deposits, etc. Thus, major players of the banking industry are able to satisfy
the complete demand whereas other banks can either provide higher returns on
investments or charge less on the amount lent to the public. “Several banks
made reduction in lending rates earlier this month and many held back as well.
There exists a direct relation between reduction in lending rates by banks and
an increase in demand for property. It is then just a matter of proper timing
by the banks while adjusting the rates. Few days from now, the festive season
of the Hindu calendar is about to commence where massive demand is observed
every year, and this is the time when potential customers plan and allocate
their funds for the big purchase. Thus, a fall in lending rates today will
promote the sentiments in the market and allow people to strategize their
upcoming purchase. RBI has played its part well today and now the ball is in
banks court”, enlightens Mr. Vivek Gupta, Director, Vardhman Estates &
Developers (P) Ltd.
Road to recovery all clear:
For a long while now, real estate sector has been
reeling under heavy pressure of rising prices and unsold inventory across all
major cities. The bigger problem is that these cities are the perfect catchment
areas for the developers due to the presence of ready infrastructure and civic
amenities for the future residents. Although, each year we observe heavy
footfall at project sites of these regions during the festival season and thus,
a slow real estate sector gets the much needed push each year towards the end
of the calendar year. “We were pretty sure of a rate cut in this bi-monthly
policy of RBI as the next two months are full of festivals and this time around
sentiments are usually flowing well. A reduced lending rate ahead of festival
season will make the property prices look lighter to the customers as monthly
instalments will come down. This will enhance the purchasing power of the
customers thereby allowing them even go ahead with a better purchase. For
instance, due to reduced EMIs, one will be able to afford a bigger unit or a
much lavish one. Hence, a much awaited road towards the recovery of this sector
is looking fairly visible”, states Mr. Ankit Aggarwal, CMD, Devika Group.
Banks following the legacy:
For the last few months, banks have been on a rate
reduction spree due to continuous nods by the RBI and frequent repo rate cuts
as well. In the beginning of this month, HDFC had reduced its lending rate by
35 basis points bringing it down to 9.35 percent, standing shoulder-to-shoulder
with ICICI and SBI. Although, SBI has announced a further rate reduction by 40
basis points, bringing its lending rate to the lowest in the industry at 9.30
percent which will be effective from 5th October, 2015. Reduced banking rates
will have a positive impact on the demand for the sector, and with final
festive season of the year about to commence; it will be a win-win situation
for all. “The reduction in lending rates by banks has been coming at the right
time as we are inching closer towards the final festive season of the year
where most property purchasing takes place. It was also imperative on the banks
behalf that these rates were reduced as frequent nods had already come from the
RBI chief and this time also, a good 50 basis points have been reduced. Still
there is ample room for lending rate reduction by banks as we see SBI has
already announced a 40 basis points reduction. The platform is now all set for
the realty sector to deliver its goods in the upcoming festival season in
India”, concludes Mr. Deepak Kapoor, President-CREDAI Western U.P. &
Director, Gulshan Homz.
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