S. Africa’s Sanlam to up stake in 2 Shriram Group insurance JVs
Mumbai: South African financial services giant Sanlam will raise its holdings in two of its insurance joint ventures with Shriram Group. The transaction will result in Sanlam’s effective economic shareholding in Shriram General Insurance Company (SGIC) increasing from the current 40.25 per cent to 50.99 per cent and that in Shriram Life Insurance Company (SLIC) going from 42.38 per cent to 54.40 per cent.

A decade of strong growth for insurance sector, but miles to go
Hyderabad: “Stalemate and obstructionism can’t go on in perpetuity …” Arun Jaitley, Finance Minister in NDA 1, had said when he was questioned on what was the hurry to come with an Ordinance for hiking foreign direct investment in insurance sector to 49 per cent when a Bill was pending in the Rajya Sabha. This had set the tone for ushering in a slew of next generation reforms in the sector.

Can Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC deliver growth at a reasonable price?
The mutual fund industry has been making headlines of late, with systematic investment plan (SIP) flows clocking new records every month. Consistent SIP inflows ensure high revenue predictability for asset management companies (AMC), which is why they are commanding a premium to the broader market (Nifty 500).

HDFC Life receives GST demand notice of Rs 102.5 crore for FY19 period
HDFC Life Insurance Company on Friday announced that it has received a GST demand order from the Appellate Authority for Rs 102.5 crore for April 1, 2018 to March 31, 2019 period. “We wish to inform that the company has received a GST order from State Tax – (2), Unit 8, Ahmedabad, Gujarat on April 04, 2024,” the company said in a regulatory filing. 

South Africa's Sanlam hikes stake beyond 50% in Shriram's insurance JVs
Mumbai: Betting on India’s insurance growth potential, South African financial services giant Sanlam, on Friday, once again raised its holding in two of its Indian insurance joint ventures (JVs) with South India-based Shriram Group in a deal worth around ₹2,230.78 crore.

10 years of NDA | Where is the insurance sector heading to?
In the last decade, insurance has been one sector that has seen a lot of vibrancy in terms of regulation and greater awareness of the need for social and financial security. The focus has also been on achieving insurance for all by 2047, when India completes 100 years of its independence. In this context, we have with us Vishakha RM, CEO of IndiaFirst Life Insurance Company.

“We need to have far more flexibility in our structures,” RM Vishakha, MD & CEO IndiaFirst Life Insurance
How do you rate the growth of the Indian insurance industry?

Insurance Query: Coverage for pre-existing illness during travel, truncated trip
I’m preparing for an international journey, to Vietnam, with my husband and two children. While considering travel insurance, I have two specifics I want covered in my policy. Firstly, my husband has diabetes, so I’m looking for a plan that covers pre-existing medical conditions. Also, my father-in-law has some medical issues that may require us to cut short our trip and return to be with him. In such a case, would travel insurance compensate for our emergency air ticket and hotel cancellation fee? Are there insurance options that address these specific requirements?

Strong Show. NPS assets under management record 30.5% YoY growth in 2023-24
Aided by a strong showing from non-government sector, the National Pension System (NPS) assets under management (AUM) recorded a robust 30.5 per cent year-on-year (YoY) growth in 2023-24 to touch ₹ 11.73 lakh Crore (₹ 8.98 lakh crore), latest PFRDA data showed. This growth was largely fuelled by the 9.47 lakh new subscribers who onboarded NPS from the non-government sector. Of these 9.47 lakh new subscribers, 8.10 lakh were from the ‘all citizen model ‘ and 1.37 lakh were Corporate employees.

DSP Healthcare Fund: Why taking the active fund route makes sense in this sector
In the last one year, S&P BSE Healthcare fund has returned 62 per cent, bettering the broader BSE Sensex returns of 25 per cent. A strong revival in pharma and continued momentum in hospitals has ensured that the sector stands tall once again after the Covid rally of 2020-21. From the current vantage, stock picking from the sector should be a tougher ask compared with the past year. While structural changes can continue to drive incremental returns from the sector, some headwinds and rich valuations can temper outsized returns. For investors looking for long-term healthcare exposure, DSP Healthcare Fund, with the right mix of portfolio and strong return history, can be a suitable choice.

Private equity investments decline for second consecutive year in 2023
Chennai: Private equity (PE) investors are feeling the pinch of the funding winter and taking a cautious approach to investments as geopolitical uncertainties, tough macro environment and tighter credit markets play spoil sport. PE investments (other than in real estate) hit a six-year low in calendar year 2023 as big ticket investments dry up.

Equity markets gain marginally to scale new peaks after RBI policy decision
Equity markets gain marginally to scale new peaks after RBI policy decision

RBI develops app for easy retail access to G-Sec market
Mumbai: The RBI said a mobile application of the Retail Direct portal is being developed to further improve ease of access by retail investors to the government securities market. The app will enable investors to buy and sell instruments/ government securities (Government Dated Securities, State Development Loans, Treasury Bills and Sovereign Gold Bonds,) on the go, at their convenience. The app will be available for use shortly, Governor Shaktikanta Das said.

Foreign investors in IFSC will be permitted to invest in Sovereign Green Bonds: RBI
Mumbai: The RBI has decided to permit eligible foreign investors in the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) to also invest in Sovereign Green Bonds (SgrBs). This is with a view to facilitating wider non-resident participation in SgrBs. At present, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) registered with SEBI are permitted to invest in SGrBs under the different routes available for investment by FPIs in government securities.