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Money and Finance
Estimating losses to consumers due to mis-sold life insurance policies
Mis-selling of financial products has prompted regulators in India to work on consumer protection in financial markets. However, evidence on actual mechanisms and extent of mis-selling is lacking. This column estimates losses to consumers owing to mis-selling of Unit Linked Insurance Products in India between 2004-2005 and 2009-2010 – one of the biggest episodes of malpractice in the country’s finance sector.
Changing dynamics of the Indian gold market
The demand for gold and its import have been on the rise in India, despite rising gold prices. The RBI has responded by introducing various measures to curb the demand for gold and gold loans. This column discusses the implications of these measures, and suggests complementing such curbs with innovative financial products that can act as substitutes for gold loans.
What is mitigating a financial crisis in India?
The recent turmoil in the currency market and the general slowdown in growth in India are disturbing. However, India has by and large performed better in terms of macro-financial stability as compared to many parts of the world. This column discusses the problems confronting policymakers, and current policy responses and associated costs, and suggests alternative policies.
Foreign investors under stress: Evidence from India
Emerging market policymakers are concerned about the effects of foreign portfolio flows on financial stability. This column focuses on the behaviour of investors in extreme events, allowing for the possibility that what happens under stressed market conditions may differ from day-to-day outcomes. The findings for India suggest that while on good days, foreign investors exacerbate the boom by bringing in additional capital, no significant effects are found on very bad days in the local economy.
A right time for inflation-indexed bonds?
While the introduction of inflation-indexed bonds in India has been hailed by many as a step in the right direction, this column argues that their success will depend on how serious the government is about taming inflation. These bonds will help the government reduce its debt only if they are accompanied by anti-inflationary monetary and fiscal policies.
The market for inflation-indexed bonds
On 15 May 2013, the Reserve Bank of India announced that it would begin monthly issues of inflation-indexed bonds starting June 2013. These bonds, wherein in the principal amount adjusts according to changes in the price level, are already in use in the developed world and their introduction in India is a welcome development. However, they are likely to have different implications for India given the presence of the Statutory Liquidity Ratio regulation in the country.
The Chit fund crisis: Should not put all financial intermediaries in the same bracket
The government has announced a bailout package for the participants of unregulated saving schemes that have been put at risk by the current Chit fund crisis in West Bengal. In this article, Banerjee and Ghatak caution against putting deposit-takers and micro-lenders in the same bracket while considering stricter financial regulation to prevent recurrence of such events.
Helping India's informal manufacturing sector to grow
India’s informal manufacturing sector is dominated by small household enterprises that keep everything within the family – but these firms are often the least productive. Why aren’t these small enterprises making the changes needed to bloom and grow? This column asks whether the problem is access to finance and what can be done about it.
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