Bihar’s new microfinance law could stall the sector’s rebound. The state assembly passed a bill regulating money lending, a move that may push up loan defaults, echoing issues seen in other states. Lenders are prioritizing borrower engagement to curb repayment delays, and the industry aims to reassure borrowers while safeguarding asset quality.Read More

IIFL Home Finance has secured a $300 million loan from the Asian Development Bank to expand affordable housing lending for low-income families, with a special emphasis on women. A portion of the funds will back green-certified, energy-efficient homes, helping address India’s substantial housing shortage and extending homeownership to underserved communities nationwide.Read More

The Nifty IT index plunged 19.5% in February, its steepest monthly drop since 2008, as AI disruption fears and new tools from Anthropic triggered heavy selling. Tech stocks erased Rs 5.7 lakh crore in market value, with Coforge and LTIMindtree among the worst hit.Read More

Global stocks saw a dip on Friday. Concerns over AI’s impact and high tech valuations weighed on markets. Meanwhile, rising US-Iran tensions pushed oil prices higher. Sterling also experienced a fall following a Labour election defeat. Investors are closely watching these developments.Read More

U.S. stocks faced significant declines on Friday, heading for their largest monthly drop in a year due to persistent investor worries. Financial and tech sectors were particularly hard hit by concerns over AI costs, revived tariff uncertainties, and geopolitical tensions, alongside hotter inflation data.Read More

Gold loans surged 128% year over year, while renewable-energy lending rose 62%. Export credit declined 17.2%. Total bank credit increased 14%, outpacing deposit growth. Retail loans grew 15%, corporate lending improved to 12%, and the gems-and-jewellery and engineering sectors each posted 36% growth. Overall credit expansion now exceeds deposits.Read More

January saw Mumbai’s new rupee-loan rates climb, propelled mainly by state-owned lenders. By contrast, rates on existing loans dipped slightly and deposit rates declined a touch. The move unfolds in the RBI’s policy backdrop, after its prior repo-rate reduction.Read More

Howard Marks believes AI possesses many investor qualities like data processing and unemotional decision-making, but lacks crucial human elements like “skin in the game” and intuitive risk assessment. While acknowledging AI’s rapid advancement and potential, he advises a cautious, selective approach to investing in the technology, warning against going all-in.Read More

Trump Media & Technology Group is exploring a significant move. The company plans to spin off its Truth Social platform. This will create a separate publicly traded entity. Discussions are underway with potential partners. This strategic shift aims to separate social media assets from a new fusion energy venture.Read More

European shares hit a record high, marking their longest monthly winning streak since 2012-2013, buoyed by positive corporate updates. However, heavyweight banks experienced a significant decline due to concerns over private credit markets and potential AI disruptions. Defensive sectors like healthcare and food and beverage saw gains as investors sought stability.Read More