Investors in public sector banks not enthused by budget

Budgetary allocation of Rs. 25,000 crore and the subsequent move by the Reserve Bank of India to unlock regulatory capital of Rs. 35,000 crore, both aimed at recapitalising the public sector banks that were beleaguered by rising non-performing assets (NPA), did not cheer equity investors here.

People who have been seeing the bank stocks as an investment haven to park their savings in a safe way, are a worried lot these days after the bank stock prices nosedived following a steep rise in NPAs in recent times.

The fall in prices was so deep that the investors had no option of even averaging out the losses on a short term basis as even experts fail to foresee how far the dip would continue.

For example, State Bank of India shares dipped from Rs. 315 to as low as Rs.148 in the last one year.

“Unless NPA management is strengthened and authorities make a closer introspection of loan disbursements, things are not going to improve.

Those who invested in public sector bank stocks are primarily middle class people who trusted the nationalised bank structures and it is sad that bank assets are taken away by some affluent class people resulting in huge NPAs”, pointed out P. Balasaravanan, a regular investor in bank equities.

Technocrats like S. Dhananjayan, a chartered accountant, too reiterated the need for better NPA management if the investors’ money on bank stocks needs to be protected.

“Quantum of capital infusion announced this week is not going to help improve the situation much as the NPA levels in PSU banks are almost high as around Rs. six lakh crore.

It will take many more months for the equities to recover back to the levels a year ago”, pointed out Mr. Dhananjayan.

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