Banking Sector

Britain's Barclays looks to Mideast to raise billions

London - Britain's Barclays bank said in London Friday it plans to raise some 7.3 billion pounds (11.8 billion dollars) in fresh capital from investors, mostly from the Middle East, thereby avoiding a cash hand-out from the British government.

The investments would mostly come from state funds in the Gulf state of Qatar and the royal family of Abu Dhabi, but also from existing shareholders and institutional investors.

The investors would own 32 per cent of the bank after the capital injection.

Barclays said the move fulfilled the British government's strict regulations for raising capital.

Premier: Iceland seeking to float currency when possible

Premier: Iceland seeking to float currency when possible Reykjavik - Cash-strapped Iceland was set to allow its currency to float as soon as the country secures new loans, Prime Minister Geir Haarde said Thursday in parliament.

Haarde further said the cost of the collapse of the North Atlantic nation's banks may total the equivalent of some 9.4 billion dollars or "85 per cent of GDP" last year.

A week ago, Reykjavik signed a 2.1-billion-dollar emergency loan with the International Monetary Fund to help stabilize Iceland's economy.

State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur hikes deposit rates by 100 bps

State Bank of Bikaner and JaipurState Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur, the largest associate lender of SBI, has increased the fixed deposit rates by 100 basis points to 10.75 per cent.

The bank stated in an official communiqué that for fixed deposits in between 2-3 years, the rate has been increased from 9.75 per cent to 10.75 per cent. However, the bank has kept interest rates for other maturities unchanged at the September 3 level when it last raised rates.

Last month, SBBJ raised the interest rate on term deposit in between 1-2 years by 50 basis points to 10.25 per cent.

SBI MF introduces ‘Debt Fund Series-90 Day Fund-31’; NFO opens on October 31st

SBI Mutual FundSBI Mutual Fund (SBI MF), one of the largest mutual funds in the country has introduced ‘SBI Debt Fund Series -90 Days Fund-31’ in Indian market.

The fund is a close ended equity scheme with primary objective to provide regular income, liquidity and returns to the investors through investments in a portfolio comprising debt instruments such as government securities, AAA/AA+ bonds and money market instruments.

The fund is open for subscription from October 31, 2008 till November 3, 2008.

The Scheme will offer Growth Option and Dividend Option.

Hughes Communications bags order to deploy 1800 satellite broadband terminals

Austria aids Erste Bank with 2.7 billion euros

Austria aids Erste Bank with 2.7 billion euros Vienna - As the first large Austrian bank to apply for government aid, Erste Group Bank AG said Thursday it will receive 2.7 billion euros (3.5 billion dollars) of public funds to strengthen its capital base.

The percentage of the bank's debts covered by equity through the cash injection will rise to 10 per cent by the end of the year, compared with the previous estimate of 7.5 per cent.

In return for the government help, Erste agreed to provide credit worth 6 billion euros to commercial and retail customers over the next three years.

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