Pvt sector credit growth rises to 16.21pc in Aug

The private sector credit growth in the country increased to 16.21 per cent in August year-on-year compared with that of 15.97 per cent in July as banks are now disbursing significant amount of consumer and farm loans to sustain their profitability. The growth, however, had decreased in July, the first month of this fiscal year, after maintaining a 10-month upward trend, according to the BB data. The private sector credit growth had posted a four-year high at 16.56 per cent in the fiscal year of 2015-16. The central bank has set the private sector credit growth target at 16.60 per cent for the July-December period of FY17. Credit flow to the private sector stood at Tk 6,71,924.60 crore in August 2016 against Tk 5,78,176.90 crore in the same month of 2015. It was Tk 6,65,311.80 crore in July 2016 against Tk 5,73,668.70 crore in July 2015. A number of banks had recently gone for aggressive banking by disbursing consumer loans at low rates of interest to ensure profitability, which also played a significant role in pushing up the private sector credit growth. Outstanding amount of banks’ consumer loans almost doubled in two years, surpassing Tk 50,000 crore as of March 31, 2016, the BB data showed. The outstanding consumer loan figure increased to Tk 50,508 crore as of March 31, 2016 from Tk 46,008 crore as of March 31, 2015. The outstanding amount of consumer loans was Tk 27,512 crore as of March 31, 2014. Besides, as of late, the businesspeople have started borrowing from the banks to expand their businesses after a prolonged lull. In the first two months of FY17, the farm loan disbursement registered a 6.29-per cent growth compared with that in the same period of FY16, the BB data showed. Banks handed out Tk 1,814.34 crore in farm loans in the July-August period of FY17 against Tk 1,706.96 crore in the same period of FY16. The BB data showed that the year-on-year credit growth in the overall domestic sector also increased to 12.94 per cent in August from 12.24 per cent in July. The total credit in the domestic sector stood at Tk 8,01,358.50 crore as of August 2016 against Tk 7,09,551.70 crore as of August 2015. It was Tk 7,97,968.40 crore as of July this year against Tk 7,10,934.50 crore as of July last year.

Source: http://www.newagebd.net/article/288/pvt-sector-credit-growth-rises-to-1621pc-in-aug

Pound dips below Tk 100 amid global rout

The exchange rate of the British currency pound sterling against the Bangladeshi currency taka slumped to below Tk 100 in last two days in line with the global trend following the British prime minister Theresa May’s announcement on Sunday that her government would start the process of leaving the European Union within the next six months. The British currency also lost around Tk 17 in last two months in line with the global trend of weak pound due to the British referendum to leave the EU. Bangladesh Bank data showed that before Tuesday the lowest level of pound against the taka was in June 2010 when its average value was around Tk 100-Tk 101. After that it hit the highest level at Tk 133.63 in February 2012. Data of different private and state-run commercial banks showed that selling rate of pound came down to Tk 101-Tk 102 on Tuesday from around Tk 102-Tk 103 on Monday while buying rate fell to Tk 97.35-Tk 98.07 from Tk 98.83-Tk 98.20. At Sonali Bank, the pound was purchased at Tk 97.35 on Tuesday, while the currency was purchased at Tk 98.20 on Monday. At Eastern Bank, GBP was sold at Tk 102.68 and bought at Tk 98.07 on Tuesday, while the currency was sold at Tk 103.45 and bought at Tk 98.83 on Monday. The pound slumped to a 31-year low against the dollar Tuesday on concerns over the timing and terms of Britain’s planned exit from the European Union.

Source: http://www.newagebd.net/article/287/pound-dips-below-tk-100-amid-global-rout#sthash.bzzIxyyo.dpuf

Inflation creeps up in Sep

Inflation increased 16 basis points to 5.3 percent last month, mainly because of price rise in food items, especially of staple rice. Food inflation rose 80 basis points to 5.1 percent in September, according to Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. However, non-food inflation declined 81 basis points to 6.19 percent. The government has targeted to keep the inflation rate within 5.8 percent this fiscal year, and the last month’s data showed that it was still below the government target. Although there was pressure on the Bangladesh Bank to relax the monetary policy for increasing investment, it took a balanced policy by bumping up the private sector credit growth and keeping the policy rates unchanged. The risks of expansionary monetary policy were dramatically illustrated during fiscal 2010-11, when broad money growth averaged 22 percent per year and private credit growth accelerated to 25 percent per year. Although the liquidity growth targets in the current monetary policy are not as expansionary as in fiscal 2010-11, they are on the high side. The evidence suggests that the higher growth of liquidity is unlikely to help private investment or gross domestic product growth but may simply feed into inflation. The monetary policy does not adequately address existing inflationary pressures and the continued appreciation of the real exchange rate.

Source:
http://print.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/2016/10/05/153350
http://www.thedailystar.net/business/inflation-creeps-sep-1294198
http://www newagebd.net/article/268/inflation-edges-up-slightly

Key index crosses 4,700-mark on prime bourse

Stocks finished modestly higher Tuesday with key index of the premier bourse crossing the 4,700-mark after nearly 12 months as investors went on late hour buying spree amid optimism. Market insiders said favourable macro-economic indicators as well as steady capital market scenario lured the optimistic investors to take position on large-cap stocks, taking the benchmark index of the major bourse to one year high level. The market started with a positive note followed by a consolidated mid-session, which witnessed a buying spree in the closing hour, ultimately benchmark index of the premier bourse finished at one year high level. DSEX, the prime index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), went up by 17.65 points or 0.37 per cent to finish at one year high at 4,708.78 points. It is the highest level of DSEX since October 14, 2015, when it was 4,716.08. The stockbroker noted that the rally on the day comes as investors continued to keep close eye on earnings declaration by companies and renewed interest of foreign investors in capital market investments. The two other indices also closed marginally higher. The DS30 comprising blue chips advanced 6.24 points or 0.35 per cent to settle at 1,784.92. The DSE Shariah Index (DSES) gained 5.32 points or 0.47 per cent to close at 1,129.36. The stockbroker noted that conservative GDP growth forecast at 6.80 per cent for fiscal year 2016-17 by the World Bank in its ‘World Development Update 2015′ did not create any negative impact in the investors’ mind. Turnover, the important indicator of the market, however, dropped and the total turnover on the DSE stood at Tk 5.62 billion, which was 5.86 per cent lower than the previous day’s turnover of Tk 5.97 billion.

Source: http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/2016/10/04/48210/Key-index-crosses-4,700-mark-on-prime-bourse