Call rates recede in anticipation of announcement of some liquidity measures in RBI monetary policy review

05 Aug 2014 Evaluate

Interbank call rates were trading higher at 7.80/7.85% against Monday’s close of 7.00/7.05%, but lower than repo level of 8%, in anticipation that central bank though leave key interest rates unchanged, but would introduce some liquidity measures, to keep the overnight rates around repo level. This could be brought about by decreasing the minimum daily cash reserve ratio (CRR) requirement to 90% from 95%, increasing the eligible overnight repo amount from 0.25% to 0.50% of total deposits, and introducing daily 14-day repo/ reverse repos.

The central bank, so far, has been conducting 14-day term repos - through which banks borrow money for two weeks - only once or twice a month, which prompts banks to borrow aggressively and then end up with surplus funds later on in the cycle, leading them to start lending at lower rates, fuelling volatility in overnight rates.

The banks via Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF) borrowed Rs 10005 crore through repo auction and parked Rs 23526 crore via reverse repo window on August 4, 2014.

The overnight borrowing rates touched a high and low of 8.25% and 7.70% respectively.

According to the Clearing Corporation of India (CCIL), the weighted average rate (WAR) in the call money market was at 7.74% on Tuesday and total volume stood at Rs 22226.26 crore, so far.

As per CCIL data, WAR in the CBLO (Collateralized Borrowing and Lending Obligation) market was at 7.61% on Tuesday and total volume stood at Rs 37145.70 crore, so far.

The indicative call rates which closed 7.00/7.05% on Monday were contributions made from Andhra Bank, AXIS Bank, Bank of America, Bank of Baroda, Bank of India, Canara Bank, J P Morgan Chase, Citibank N.A., Corporation Bank, Credit Agricole Bank, Indusind Bank, ICICI Bank, ICICI Securities, IDBI Bank, Jammu and Kashmir Bank, Punjab National Bank, RBS, Societe Generale, Standard Chartered, so far.

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