[sbinews] RBI allows hedging at home
- From: sbistcbangalore@xxxxxxxx
- To: sbinews@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sat, 13 Dec 2003 07:09:46 +0500
RBI allows cos investing abroad to hedge currency risk at home
TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2003 11:19:35 PM ]
MUMBAI: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has allowed companies investing abroad
in joint ventures or subsidiaries to hedge the currency risk arising out of
such investments in domestic market, the central bank’s executive director Usha
Thorat said on Friday.
“Indian companies having overseas investments through joint venture companies
have a (currency) risk, which can now be hedged in the local market,” said Ms
Thorat at the Bank Economists Conference.
Such risks can be hedged by way of forwards or options, said Ms Thorat. It may
be recalled that the RBI, in a circular dated December 6, had allowed
investments in overseas ventures and subsidiaries through the automatic route
without seeking its approval.
It had also allowed local partnership firms to invest abroad to the extent to
100% of their net worth or $10 m (whichever is less) in a given financial year.
Going further, Ms Thorat said that banks may examine invoicing in rupees by
exporters and whether this would require a re-look at any of the current
regulations.
Speaking on the session on “market mechanism: preparing for the change”, Ms
Throat said managing volatility without a fixed exchange rate regime of an
objective, it was important to emphasise that there was no substitute for risk
management for all agents specially financial intermediaries, who face both
direct and indirect risks with regard to forex exposures. “The direct risk is
managed through fixing open positions and gap limits and reviewing the actual
positions on an ongoing basis,” she said. On the government securities market,
Ms Thorat said that banks had a role to play in retailing G-secs. “There is a
whole captive market in the form of co- operative banks and pension funds,
which would create a sizable demand. (These participants) are today meeting
through not so good intermediaries,” she said adding, banks can offer two-way
quotes to other participants in G-secs. Ms Thorat said primary dealers (PDs)
had achieved good experience in G- secs. “Based on this, we feel
that in many Asian markets, our PDs can render experience in markets abroad,”
she said.
Clearing Corporation of India (CCIL) chairman RH Patil said that banks had
increasingly been investing in certain instruments on a private placement
basis, instead of lending directly to corporates.
“This meant that they were lending money without doing a full credit appraisal.
“That phase is now going to end. Issuers will now do full disclosures and
compulsorily trade on stock exchanges,” said Mr Patil.
“Many entities issuing such bonds would disappear from the market. The annual
placements in the bond market are Rs 65,000-70,000 crore. The outstanding stock
of such paper is Rs 2,00,000 crore. These instruments are not traded. Good
things come only when the regulators force them on you,” he said.
Mr Patil said that the present regulations led certain assets, which in the
ordinary course may be deemed non-performing, to be standard ones. “Bonds of
state level undertakings were performing and rated triple-A since it was
guaranteed by the state government.
By definition, loans not serviced turn into junk assets,” he said. Co-operative
bank loans guaranteed by government were rated “AAA”, he said. Mr Patil said
that investors were hesitant to invoke guarantees since they would not be able
to realise funds in this way.
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