RBL Bank

** Shares of private lender RBL Bank RATB.NS fall as much as 2.58% despite a 27% rise in June-quarter profit, as brokerages flagged pressure on net interest income and elevated slippages in credit cards and personal loans

** CLSA downgrades RATB to "underperform" from "hold" and reduces price target to 310 rupees from 320 rupees

** "Slippages, primarily in the credit card and personal loans portfolio, remain elevated," says CLSA, cutting financial year 2027-2029 profit estimates by 1%-5%

** Investec terms the quarterly performance "soft" and cuts FY2027 and 2028 profit estimates by 9% and 5%, projecting a "slightly lower NII"

** Credit card portfolio "continues to bleed, with slippages high (up 19% QoQ)," says Axis Capital

** Average rating of 20 analysts tracking RATB is "buy"; median price target is 365 rupees, according to data compiled by LSEG

** RATB shares have climbed 15.7% in 2026 so far, outperforming the 3.2% drop in the private bank index .NIFPVTBNK, exchange data shows

(Reporting by Bharath Rajeswaran in Bengaluru)

(([email protected]; +91 9769003463;))

July 17 (Reuters) - RBL Bank Ltd RATB.NS:

• RBL BANK Q1 NET PROFIT 2.54 BILLION RUPEES

• RBL BANK Q1 GROSS NPA 1.3%

• RBL BANK Q1 INTEREST EARNED 38.4 BILLION RUPEES

• RBL BANK Q1 PROVISIONS & CONTINGENCIES 5.99 BILLION RUPEES

• RBL BANK LTD - APPROVED ISSUANCE OF DEBT SECURITIES AND RAISING FUNDS FOR UPTO 100 BILLION RUPEES

Source text: ID:nBSEbSHX9k

Further company coverage: RATB.NS

(([email protected];;))

Updates with statements from IDBI, Emirates in paragraph 4, market cap in paragraph 8 after close

By Nikunj Ohri

July 14 (Reuters) - India has received revised bids from Canada's Fairfax Financial FFH.TO and Dubai's Emirates NBD ENBD.DU for the sale of its majority stake in IDBI Bank IDBI.NS, two sources said, reviving a transaction stalled earlier this year over valuation expectations.

India's federal government and state-run Life Insurance Corp of India LIFI.NS are selling a combined 60.7% stake in IDBI Bank, with the transaction expected to be completed in a month, one of the sources said on Tuesday.

The sale process was stalled earlier this year after bids submitted in March by Fairfax and Emirates fell short of the government's expectations.

IDBI Bank said in a statement to exchanges on Tuesday that it cannot confirm or deny reports about Fairfax Financial's offer and has received no government communication on the ongoing disinvestment process. Emirates NBD declined to comment.

The revised bids are being evaluated, and a top panel of bureaucrats met on Monday to discuss the stake sale, a third source said. The Indian government owns 45.48% of IDBI Bank, while LIC holds 49.24%.

Fairfax is the frontrunner to acquire the bank and is in conversation with the government while Emirates is not actively pursuing the deal after having acquired another Indian lender last year, one of the two sources and another source said.

Details of the revised bids and valuation of the bank could not be immediately ascertained. Shares of IDBI Bank closed 2.87% higher at 86.54 rupees, giving the lender a market capitalisation of 930.5 billion rupees.($9.67 billion)

The finance ministry, LIC and Fairfax did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The sources spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.

The revised bids come amid growing foreign investor interest in India's financial sector.

Last year, Emirates NBD acquired a stake in private lender RBL Bank RATB.NS for $3 billion, while Japan's MUFG 8306.T bought a 20% stake in non-bank lender Shriram Finance SHMF.NS for $4.4 billion, marking some of the largest foreign investments in India's banking industry.

To draw similar interest in state-run banks, India also plans to raise the foreign direct investment limit in them to 49% from 20% presently.

REVIVED SALE PROCESS

IDBI Bank's stake sale process was initiated in 2022 and has since dragged on due to regulatory and procedural approvals.

By March 2026, when the process neared its completion, it stalled due to high government valuation expectations and weak investor appetite amid the Middle East conflict.

Concerns over pension and gratuity liabilities also weighed on bids, Reuters had reported.

($1 = 96.2000 Indian rupees)

(Reporting by Nikunj Ohri, Additional reporting by Ira Dugal and Gopika Gopakumar; Writing by Kashish Tandon; Editing by Mrigank Dhaniwala, Sonia Cheema and Muralikumar Anantharaman)

(([email protected]; 8800437922;))

July 8 (Reuters) - RBL Bank Ltd RATB.NS:

• RBL BANK - TO CONSIDER ISSUE OF DEBT SECURITIES ON PRIVATE PLACEMENT BASIS

Source text: ID:nBSE7mgW5f

Further company coverage: RATB.NS

(([email protected];))

July 3 (Reuters) - RBL Bank Ltd RATB.NS:

• TOTAL DEPOSITS AT 1.25 TRILLION RUPEES, UP 11% YOY, AS OF JUNE 30

• BANK TACTICALLY CHOSE NOT TO RENEW CERTAIN WHOLESALE DEPOSITS IN THIS QUARTER

• GROSS ADVANCES AS OF JUNE 30 AT 1.17 TRILLION RUPEES, UP 21% YOY

Source text: ID:nBSE8HqHnd

Further company coverage: RATB.NS

(([email protected];;))

Updates to closing prices, analysts' comment

By Ateeq Shariff

June 30 (Reuters) - Most Gulf stock markets ended lower on Tuesday on doubts over whether U.S.-Iran talks in Doha will make any progress to end the four-month-old war.

U.S. envoys in Doha will not hold a high-level meeting with Iran, a Qatari official said, adding there will be technical talks this week on issues including regional security that could be elevated to senior level.

Iran had said on Monday that no meeting had been planned as weekend missile exchanges tested an interim ceasefire. It said its technical delegation's visit to Qatar was unrelated to the Americans' trip and that no talks were scheduled.

Saudi Arabia's benchmark stock index .TASI edged 0.1% up on Tuesday, with shares in ACWA Power 2082.SE gaining 2.8%.

Dubai's main share index .DFMGI dropped 0.6%, with top lender Emirates NBD (ENBD) ENBD.DU retreating 1.8% on reports it is considering acquiring HSBC's Turkish unit.

ENBD shares may stay under pressure in the near term as investors price in capital, integration, and execution risks tied to another potentially large overseas deal so soon after its bid for a 26% stake in India's RBL Bank, said Daniel Takieddine, CEO of Sky Links Capital Group.

According to Takieddine, in the longer run, a broader footprint across Turkey and South Asia could help diversify earnings, reduce reliance on the domestic market, and reinforce the bank's long-term growth prospects.

In Abu Dhabi, the index .FTFADGI fell 0.4%.

The Qatari index .QSI eased 0.1%, weighed down by a 2.2% fall in the Gulf's biggest lender Qatar National Bank QNBK.QA.

Outside the Gulf, Egypt's blue-chip index .EGX30 advanced 1.3%, as most of its constituents were in positive territory.

The International Monetary Fund said on Monday it had reached a staff-level agreement with Egypt on two programme reviews, potentially unlocking about $1.6 billion subject to executive board approval.

(Reporting by Ateeq Shariff in Bengaluru; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu and Emelia Sithole-Matarise)

(([email protected]; +918061822788))

Crisil Ratings has assigned its highest long-term rating of 'Crisil AAA/Stable' to RBL Bank's fixed deposits and infrastructure bonds, and its highest short-term rating of 'Crisil A1+' to the bank's certificate of deposits. The rating action reflects the expected strong support from Emirates NBD, which now holds a 60% stake in RBL following a Rs 26,016 crore preferential equity infusion completed on June 18. Crisil noted RBL's pro-forma capital adequacy ratio had risen to 35.3% post-infusion. The agency also highlighted the increasing diversity in the bank's asset profile, with the share of secured retail loans expanding to 35% of advances.

Powered by Tijori

RBL Bank has allotted 92.91 crore equity shares at ₹280 apiece to Emirates NBD, raising ₹26,015.77 crore through a preferential issue. The allotment gives Emirates NBD a 60% stake in the bank, making it the promoter. The board was simultaneously reconstituted, with five Emirates NBD nominees—including Group CEO Shayne Nelson—appointed as non-executive non-independent directors. Existing directors Gopal Jain and Veena Mankar resigned to facilitate the reorganisation. The transaction was previously approved by RBL Bank's board in October 2025 and April 2026. The allotment increases the bank's paid-up equity capital from ₹619.42 crore to ₹1,548.56 crore.

Powered by Tijori

June 12 - RBL Bank Ltd RATB.NS:

• RBL BANK LTD - APPOINTS BHAVIN LAKHPATWALA AS CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Source text: [ID:]

Further company coverage: RATB.NS

BENGALURU, May 22 (Reuters) - Dubai's Emirates NBD ENBD.DU will launch its open offer on June 1 to acquire up to a 26% stake in RBL Bank RATB.NS from public shareholders at 282.38 rupees per share, according to a letter of offer filed to exchanges.

• Public shareholders can tender shares from June 1. The offer will close on June 12.

• The offer price of 282.38 rupees per share includes interest of 2.38 rupees, and reflects around a 15% discount to RBL Bank stock's closing price on Friday.

• Total consideration for the proposed acquisition will be 117.35 billion rupees, if the offer is fully accepted.

• In India, an open offer is a mandatory requirement under acquisition rules, which require the buyer taking a substantial stake in a listed company to extend an exit opportunity to public shareholders.

• In October, Emirates NBD announced plans to ​buy a majority stake in the Indian lender for $3 billion, one of the largest cross-border deals in India's financial sector.

• It received approval from India's central bank in April, followed by government clearance last week.

(Reporting by Nishit Navin; Editing by Shilpi Majumdar)

(([email protected];))

May 17 - EMIRATES NBD BANK ENBD.DU:

• Announces receipt of approval of the Government of India, all requisite regulatory and governmental approvals for Emirates NBD’s acquisition of majority controlling stake in RBL Bank Limited (RBL) have been received

Further company coverage: ENBD.DU

(([email protected];))

May 15 (Reuters) - UAE TO INVEST $5 BILLION IN INDIAN INFRASTRUCTURE AND RBL BANK AND SAMMAN CAPITAL - INDIA GOVERNMENT

Further company coverage: RATB.NS SMMN.NS

(([email protected];))

** Indian banks rise as government approves an emergency credit guarantee programme worth $1.9 billion to support businesses facing short-term liquidity stress due to the Iran war

** Banks .NSEBANK and private banks .NIFPVTBNK climb ~1% each, state-owned lenders .NIFTYPSU up 1.3%, powering gains on benchmark Nifty 50 .NSEI, which is up 0.4%

** The scheme will provide additional credit support to eligible borrowers, with the government offering 100% guarantee coverage for small and medium enterprises and 90% coverage for other firms and the airline sector

** Citi says MSME-focussed lenders such as Axis Bank AXBK.NS, RBL Bank RATB.NS and state-banks will be the key beneficiaries; scheme is net positive for credit sentiment, asset quality and financial stability

** "The scheme is a net positive for banks, a modest loan growth tailwind and a more meaningful near-term asset quality buffer," Nomura says

** YTD, NSEBANK and NIFPVTBNK down 7.5% and 8.5%, respectively, NIFTYPSU up 0.3%; Nifty 50 down 7.6%

(Reporting by Kashish Tandon in Bengaluru)

(([email protected]))

April 30 (Reuters) - RBL Bank Ltd RATB.NS:

• RBL BANK - SEBI APPROVAL TO APPLICATION FOR CHANGE IN CONTROL PURSUANT TO PROPOSED TRANSACTION

Source text: ID:nnAZN4STOF4

Further company coverage: RATB.NS

(([email protected];))

** Shares of India's RBL Bank RATB.NS down 3.17% at 311.2 rupees

** The private lender posted a standalone net profit of 2.30 billion rupees ($24.41 million) in fourth quarter vs 687 million rupees a year earlier

** Citi ("buy", TP:390 rupees) says return on assets missed estimates due to a sharp contraction in net interest margin and higher credit costs, with margin pressures likely to persist in the near term

** Emkay ("buy", TP:375 rupees) expects bank to deliver a gradual improvement in return on assets to 0.9-1.5% over FY27-29, flags uncertainty around the ENBD deal, potential impact of West Asia tensions, and key management attrition

** RATB stock rated "buy", on avg, by 18 analysts; median PT is 344.5 rupees, according to LSEG-compiled data

** YTD, RBL stock up 5.6%

(Reporting by Devika Nair in Bengaluru)

(([email protected];))

BENGALURU, April 25 (Reuters) - India's RBL Bank RATB.NS reported a three-fold jump in fourth-quarter profit on Saturday, helped by strong loan growth.

The private lender posted a standalone net profit of 2.30 billion Indian rupees ($24.41 million) for the quarter ended March 31, compared with 687 million rupees a year earlier.

After months of slower growth, Indian lenders saw a pick-up in credit demand in the second half of the financial year, aided by consumption tax cuts and a recovery in corporate loans.

RBL's loans grew 23% in its fourth quarter from a year earlier, while deposits rose 25%.

Net interest income - the difference between interest earned on advances and paid on deposits - grew 7% to 16.71 billion rupees.

Earlier this month, India's central bank approved Emirates NBD Bank's proposal to ​acquire a majority stake in RBL Bank, giving a key regulatory clearance for one of the largest cross-border deals in India's financial sector.

Last October, Emirates NBD announced plans to acquire a 60% stake in the Indian lender for $3 billion.

RBL Bank will be classified as a ‌foreign ⁠bank subsidiary with Emirates NBD as its parent, the Reserve Bank of India said in its approval, which is valid for a year.

The bank's gross bad loans as a percentage of total loans improved to 1.45%, as of the end of March, from 1.88% in the previous quarter.

Provisions to cover potential bad loans dropped 13.7% to 6.78 billion rupees.

($1 = 94.2400 Indian rupees)

(Reporting by Nishit Navin; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips and Susan Fenton)

(([email protected];))

April 10 (Reuters) - RBL Bank Ltd RATB.NS:

• RBL BANK LTD - RESERVE BANK OF INDIA CONFIRMS AMENDMENT TO RBL BANK'S CAPITAL CLAUSE

• RBL BANK LTD - INCREASES AUTHORISED CAPITAL TO 18 RUPEES BILLION BY CREATING 80 MILLION ADDITIONAL SHARES

Source text: ID:nBSE37gRyw

Further company coverage: RATB.NS

(([email protected];))

Adds details from paragraph 3 onwards

By Ashwin Manikandan and Nishit Navin

April 2 (Reuters) - India's central bank has approved Emirates NBD Bank's proposal to acquire a majority stake in RBL Bank RATB.NS, the Mumbai-based lender said on Thursday, giving a key regulatory clearance for one of the largest cross-border deals in India's financial sector.

The Reserve Bank of India approved Emirates NBD to acquire up to 74% of RBL Bank's share capital, requiring it to maintain at least 51% ownership. RBI capped Emirates NBD's voting rights at 26% of RBL Bank's total voting rights.

In October last year, Emirates NBD announced plans to buy a 60% stake in the Indian lender for $3 billion.

The bank will invest 268.53 billion Indian rupees ($3.05 billion) in the Indian lender through a preferential issue of shares and will have the right to nominate directors to the board, RBL Bank had said.

RBL Bank will be classified as a foreign bank subsidiary with Emirates NBD as its parent, the RBI said. It will be governed by norms for wholly owned foreign subsidiaries, but exempt from the requirement that at least half of attending board members be independent directors.

India's competition regulator cleared the deal in January. The RBI approval is valid for one year.

Dealmaking in India's financial services sector has gained momentum over the past year. The approval comes as Gulf-based businesses face disruptions due to the ongoing war in the region.

As of December 2025, RBL Bank had assets of 1.57 trillion rupees ($17.08 billion) and deposits worth 1.19 trillion rupees ($12.95 billion), according to an investor presentation for the quarter ended December.

(Reporting by Ashwin Manikandan and Nishit Navin; Editing by Tasim Zahid)

(([email protected];))

March 25 (Reuters) - RBL Bank Ltd RATB.NS:

• RBL BANK LTD - CENTRAL BANK OF UNITED ARAB EMIRATES APPROVES NBD BANK ACQUISITION OF A MAJORITY STAKE IN BANK

Source text: ID:nBSEc11Myn

Further company coverage: RATB.NS

(([email protected];))

March 24 (Reuters) - RBL Bank Ltd RATB.NS:

• GST DEMAND OF 920 MILLION RUPEES FOR FY2019-20 WITHDRAWN BY STATE TAX AUTHORITIES

Source text: ID:nBSEDRgYr

Further company coverage: RATB.NS

(([email protected];))

Recasts throughout, changes sourcing

March 13 (Reuters) - India will shelve the bids it received for a majority stake sale in IDBI Bank IDBI.NS, as the offers received were below the government's minimum price expectation, a government source told Reuters.

The Indian government and state-owned Life Insurance Corporation of India LIFI.NS had initiated the process to sell 60.7% of the lender in 2022.

India's government owns 45.48% of IDBI Bank, while LIC holds 49.24%.

The existing sale process would be scrapped as the bids received were below the so-called reserve price, or the minimum sale price, set for the sale, the source said.

Bloomberg News reported the development first.

The government may initiate a fresh process when the market appetite improves and there is strong interest among buyers, the source added.

IDBI Bank and India's finance ministry didn't immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment outside regular business hours.

Reuters had reported that the planned sale of IDBI Bank had attracted bids from Canadian investment group Fairfax Financial FFH.TO and Emirates NBD ENBD.DU.

Tepid interest in acquiring the lender controlled by LIC contrasts with strong foreign investor appetite underscored by Dubai-based Emirates NBD's ENBD.DU $3 billion purchase of a 60% stake in RBL Bank RATB.NS and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp's acquisition of a 24% stake in Yes Bank YESB.NS.

(Reporting by Nikunj Ohri and Anna Peverieri; Editing by Louise Heavens)

(([email protected];))

The author is a Reuters Breakingviews columnist. The opinions expressed are her own.

By Shritama Bose

MUMBAI, March 9 (Reuters Breakingviews) - A dealmaking boom in India's banking sector has an unlikely loser: the government. Canadian insurance holding firm Fairfax Financial FFH.TO leads the race to buy a 61% stake from Indian state entities in $13 billion IDBI Bank IDBI.NS, Bloomberg reported in February, citing sources. An $8 billion transaction would be the largest-ever foreign direct investment in a local bank. But crystallising a premium valuation looks challenging.

A deal would complete a full circle for the lender hardest hit by an asset quality crisis: in 2018, bad loans comprised nearly one-third of its portfolio. Provisions for that sour pool eroded its capital base and prompted New Delhi, which then owned 86% of IDBI, to press state-backed Life Insurance Corporation LIFI.NS to pump in 216 billion rupees, or $2.4 billion at current rates, to raise its 8% stake to 51% in 2019.

LIC now holds 49% of IDBI's shares and the government owns 45%. Selling a 30% stake to Fairfax at the latest market price would fetch the insurer a 136% return on its 2019 investment. New Delhi would be worse off, though: the lender's shares trade lower than they did 13 years ago.

Yet even current multiples may be difficult to fetch. IDBI's shares are trading at about 2 times forward book value, almost twice that of similar-sized rivals Yes Bank YESB.NS and IDFC First Bank IDFB.NS. Throwing in employee liabilities, restructuring costs and the likely absence of indemnity clauses gives the buyer a strong case for a discount.

An abundance of takeover targets has hurt New Delhi, too. Launched in 2022, the slow-moving sale process of IDBI prompted early potential bidders to look elsewhere: last year Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation 8316.T bought a 24% stake in Yes Bank.

With Emirates NBD ENBD.DU still in the reckoning with Fairfax, it's a two-horse race to own IDBI. Both bidders already have a foothold in India's credit market: the Dubai-headquartered lender is set to take control of the $2 billion RBL Bank RATB.NS and Fairfax owns $675 million CSB Bank CSBB.NS.

That chips away at any shred of bargaining power left with the sellers, who can hardly demand a control premium. Regulations cap voting rights of private bank shareholders at 26%. That puts the new owner effectively at par on voting decisions with LIC and the government, which will hold a combined 34% after the sale. To maximise takings, officials could ask the central bank to relax the voting rule. The other option is to reduce their total stake to well below 26%.

Otherwise, New Delhi risks catching the weak end of India's banking M&A wave.

Follow Shritama Bose on LinkedIn and X.

CONTEXT NEWS

Fairfax Financial Holdings is the frontrunner to buy a majority stake in IDBI Bank, Bloomberg reported on February 27, citing unnamed people familiar with the matter.

Valuing the 61% stake that the government and the Life Insurance Corporation of India hold in IDBI at the current market price of about $8 billion could make it the biggest foreign direct investment in the country's banking sector, the report added.

(Editing by Antony Currie; Production by Ujjaini Dutta)

((For previous columns by the author, Reuters customers can click on BOSE/[email protected]))

Feb 25 (Reuters) - RBL Bank Ltd RATB.NS:

• RBI APPROVES SBI MUTUAL FUND TO ACQUIRE UP TO 9.99% STAKE IN BANK WITHIN ONE YEAR

Source text: [ID:]

Further company coverage: RATB.NS

(([email protected];;))

Feb 23 (Reuters) - RBL Bank Ltd RATB.NS:

• RBI APPROVES RE-APPOINTMENT OF CHANDAN SINHA AS NON-EXECUTIVE (PART-TIME) CHAIRMAN

Source text: ID:nBSE842y4j

Further company coverage: RATB.NS

(([email protected];;))

Adds details from paragraph 2-9

By Nikunj Ohri

NEW DELHI, Feb 2 (Reuters) - The Indian government is holding inter-ministerial consultations to raise the limit on foreign direct investment in state-run banks to 49% from 20%, India's financial services secretary M Nagaraju told reporters on Monday.

Foreign interest in India's banking industry is on the rise as evidenced for instance by Dubai-based Emirates NBD's ENBD.DU $3 billion purchase of a 60% stake in private RBL Bank RATB.NS.

Currently, India allows 74% foreign investment in private banks but limits shareholdings of any single foreign institution to 15% unless the Reserve Bank of India grants an exemption.

The Asian nation plans to more than double current limits of direct foreign investment in state-run banks, Nagaraju said. Raising the foreign ownership limit will help them gain more capital in the coming years, Reuters reported last year.

Separately, India's state-run banks will launch qualified institutional placement (QIP) of shares worth about 500 billion rupees ($5.46 billion) in the fiscal 2026-27 year (April-March), more than the planned 450 billion rupees in the current fiscal year, Nagaraju said.

He was speaking to reporters in New Delhi a day after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the nation's annual budget .

New Delhi may also launch an offer next year to sell a portion of its stake in the insurance behemoth Life Insurance Corporation LIFI.NS, he added.

The Indian government will also get financial bids for IDBI Bank IDBI.NS this month, Nagaraju said.

The government, which owns 45.48% in IDBI Bank, and state-owned LIC which holds 49.24%, together plan to sell 60.7% of the lender. IDBI Bank had to be rescued by the state-owned insurer in 2019 after a surge in bad loans at the lender.

($1 = 91.6350 Indian rupees)

(Reporting by Nikunj Ohri; Writing by Tanvi Mehta; Editing by Sonali Paul and Raju Gopalakrishnan)

(([email protected];))

Jan 21 (Reuters) - Major stock markets in the Gulf were subdued in early trade on Wednesday, tracking softer Asian equities as worries over global trade and geopolitical tensions dampened investor sentiment.

Asian shares fell for a third straight session as tensions rose over U.S. President Donald Trump's threats to acquire Greenland and revive a trade dispute with the European Union.

The MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS fell 0.5%.

Saudi Arabia's benchmark index .TASI fluctuated in a narrow band around its previous close.

Meanwhile, oil prices - a catalyst for the Gulf's financial markets - slipped as expectations of a rise in U.S. crude stockpiles overshadowed a brief production stoppage at two major Kazakh oilfields and fresh geopolitical jitters tied to U.S. tariff threats amid its push to take control of Greenland.

Dubai's main share index .DFMGI edged 0.1% higher, helped by a 1.3% rise in top lender Emirates NBD (ENBD) ENBD.DU. India's competition regulator said on Tuesday it had cleared ENBD's acquisition of a stake in RBL Bank RATB.NS.

In Abu Dhabi, the index .FTFADGI traded flat.

Separately, Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund Mubadala is targeting opportunities in artificial intelligence and robotics, viewing the sectors as a major source of industrial growth and a guide for future investments, its group CEO said on Tuesday.

The Qatari index .QSI added 0.2%, with telecoms firm Ooredoo ORDS.QA rising 2.5%.

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani said on Tuesday that Qatar intends to support local firms in competing internationally, indicating fresh measures in the country's drive to diversify its economy beyond energy.

(Reporting by Ateeq Shariff in Bengaluru; Editing by Ronojoy Mazumdar)

(([email protected]; +918061822788))

Jan 20 (Reuters) - RBL Bank Ltd RATB.NS:

• INDIA COMPETITION REGULATOR: APPROVES PROPOSED ACQUISITION OF CERTAIN SHAREHOLDING IN RBL BANK LIMITED BY EMIRATES NBD BANK

Further company coverage: RATB.NS

(([email protected];;))

** RBL Bank RATB.NS falls 6.8% to 302.45 rupees; set for steepest one-day pct drop since December 20, 2024

** Private lender reports lower-than-expected Q3 profit, as it cut provisions for bad loans, other contingencies by 46%

** In October, Emirates NBD ENBD.DU agreed to buy 60% stake in RBL Bank for $3 billion, in India's financial sector's one of largest ever cross-border acquisitions

** Emkay expects RoA to gradually improve to 1%-1.3% as pressure from unsecured retail loans eases, with ENBD deal providing additional boost through lower funding costs, firmer growth

** Stock rated "buy" on avg; median PT is 315 rupees, per data compiled by LSEG

** YTD, RATB down 4.2%

(Reporting by Urvi Dugar in Bengaluru)

(([email protected];))

MUMBAI, Jan 17 (Reuters) - Indian private lender RBL Bank RATB.NS reported a lower-than-expected profit for the three months ended December on Saturday, in its first quarterly earnings since Dubai's Emirates NBD bought a majority 60% stake in the bank.

RBL Bank posted a standalone net profit of 2.14 billion Indian rupees ($23.60 million) for the quarter ended December, compared with 326 million rupees a year earlier.

Analysts had expected a profit of 2.94 billion rupees, according to data compiled by LSEG based on estimates of four analysts.

Profits rose as the bank cut provisions for bad loans and other contingencies by 46%.

The private lender's net interest income rose 5% to 16.57 billion rupees for the third quarter, as loans registered strong 14% growth, helped by a robust increase in lending in its retail book.

The bank's deposit base grew 12% during the quarter.

In October, Emirates NBD ENBD.DU agreed to buy a 60% stake in RBL Bank for $3 billion, in one of the largest ever cross-border acquisitions involving India's financial sector.

The transaction was among a series of cross-border deals in India last year, coming months after Japan's Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation's move to buy up to 25% of Yes Bank.

The lender said it has reduced growth across its unsecured loan book, considered as riskier while stepping up growth in mortgages and auto loans, the bank's chief executive officer R. Subramaniakumar said at a press briefing after the earnings.

The bank will also focus on lending to small businesses and on providing services to non-resident Indians as it integrates with the network of Emirates NBD, he said.

RBL Bank's asset quality improved with the gross non-performing asset ratio at 1.88% at the end of December, compared with 2.32% at the end of September.

($1 = 90.6820 Indian rupees)

(Reporting by Ashwin Manikandan and Ira Dugal in Mumbai; Editing by Ronojoy Mazumdar and Jacqueline Wong)

(([email protected];))

Dec 31 (Reuters) - RBL Bank RATB.NS:

• REQUEST TO REGULATOR, GOVERNMENT TO TEMPORARILY CAP FOREIGN SHAREHOLDING AT 24% NOT ACCEDED TO

• AS PER LATEST SHAREHOLDING PATTERN, EMIRATES NBD HAS SUFFICIENT FOREIGN SHAREHOLDING HEADROOM TO HOLD A MINIMUM OF 51% IN THE BANK

• BANK, EMIRATES NBD CONTINUE TO ENGAGE WITH GOVERNMENT, RBI FOR OTHER REQUISITE REGULATORY APPROVALS

Source text: ID:nNSE6HDGsb

Further company coverage: RATB.NSENBD.DU

(([email protected];))