Core Viewpoint - The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced three liquidity-boosting measures aimed at significantly enhancing system liquidity and aiding in the transmission of rate cuts made over the past year [10]. Group 1: Liquidity Measures - The RBI will conduct an open market operation (OMO) purchase of ₹1 lakh crore in two tranches of ₹50,000 crore each on February 5 and February 12 [10]. - A three-year dollar-rupee buy-sell swap of $10 billion will be conducted on February 4, which is expected to infuse nearly ₹92,000 crore into the banking system [2][10]. - A 90-day variable rate repo operation of ₹25,000 crore is scheduled for January 30 [2][10]. Group 2: Current Liquidity Status - System liquidity stood at a daily average surplus of ₹57,120 crore in January so far, compared to ₹72,549 crore in December [4][10]. - As a percentage of net demand and time liabilities (NDTL), liquidity is at 0.2% in January, down from 0.3% in December [4][10]. Group 3: Future Expectations - Market participants expect the RBI to continue conducting OMOs, with expectations of ₹2 lakh crore in February and March, and additional measures of ₹5 lakh crore in the next fiscal year [4][10]. - With the latest liquidity measures, liquidity is projected to reach around 0.9% of NDTL, assuming minimal leakage from liquidity via foreign exchange market interventions [6][10].

Core Insights - The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is evolving its forecasting process in response to recommendations from former Federal Reserve Chair Ben Bernanke, focusing on improving the accuracy and transparency of economic forecasts [1][3][10]. Forecast Evaluation - The Forecast Evaluation Report is part of the Bank's response to Bernanke's recommendations, assessing the accuracy, unbiasedness, and efficiency of forecasts published in the MPC's Monetary Policy Reports [3][12][14]. - The report evaluates forecasts for four key variables: CPI inflation, GDP growth, wage growth, and the unemployment rate, which are crucial for understanding the UK economy [14][64]. - The Bank's forecasts have been at least as accurate as those from external forecasters and alternative model-based approaches over the past decade, although accuracy has declined since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic [12][21][90]. Methodology and Tools - The Bank employs a range of models and data sources to produce forecasts, which are published quarterly alongside the Monetary Policy Report [34][35]. - A new forecast evaluation toolkit has been developed to support systematic evaluation of forecasts, enabling real-time benchmarking against alternative models [66][68]. Findings on Forecast Performance - The report identifies that forecast errors have increased post-COVID, with the RMSE for one-year ahead inflation forecasts rising from 0.6 percentage points pre-COVID to 3.7 percentage points post-COVID [83][84]. - The analysis highlights that while external shocks have contributed to forecast errors, there are also areas for improvement in the Bank's forecasting models, particularly regarding labour market variables [21][23][25]. Future Directions - The Bank plans to enhance its forecasting models and processes based on the findings from the report, focusing on better understanding key economic mechanisms such as wage-price interactions and inflation expectations [30][32][31]. - Continuous learning from forecast errors is emphasized as a means to improve the MPC's understanding of the UK economy and the effectiveness of monetary policy [9][7][56].

Group 1 - Nifty Bank index opened at 59,305, showing a gap-up from the previous close of 59,200, but is currently trading at 59,100, down 0.2% [1] - The advance-decline ratio is 6-8, indicating a slight bullish sentiment, with IDFC First Bank and Union Bank of India being the top performers, up 1% and 0.8% respectively [1] - Punjab National Bank is the top loser, down 1%, followed by Bank of Baroda, down 0.9% [1] Group 2 - Nifty PSU Bank has decreased by nearly 0.3% today, while Nifty Private Bank is down 0.1%, indicating higher selling pressure on public sector banks [2] Group 3 - January expiry Nifty Bank futures opened higher at 59,463 compared to the previous close of 59,343, but is currently trading at 59,175, down 0.3% [3] - The futures faced resistance at 59,500, and a breakout above this level is needed for a positive outlook, with support at 59,000 to potentially halt the downtrend [3][4] Group 4 - The Nifty Bank futures are expected to remain within the range of 59,000 and 59,500 today, with the breakout direction providing clues for the next trend [4] Group 5 - Trade strategy suggests staying on the sidelines and initiating trades based on the breakout of the 59,000-59,500 range, with specific targets and stop-loss levels outlined for both short and long positions [5]

Market Overview - Nifty Bank index opened at 59,194, up 0.6% from the previous close of 58,800, currently trading at 59,150 [1] - The advance-decline ratio is 10-4, indicating a bullish market sentiment [1] Stock Performance - Federal Bank and IDFC First Bank are the top performers, rising by 2.7% and 2.6% respectively [1] - IndusInd Bank is the top loser, down 0.8%, followed by AU Small Finance Bank, down 0.6% [1] Sector Performance - Nifty PSU Bank has increased nearly 2% today, while Nifty Private Bank is up 0.3%, indicating that public sector banks are outperforming private banks [2] Futures Market - January expiry Nifty Bank futures opened at 59,160, currently trading at 59,250, up 0.7% [3] - Increased volatility has been observed, with expectations of a bullish bias for the day [3] Price Projections - The Nifty Bank futures contract could rise to 60,000 in the next couple of days, with support levels at 59,200 and 59,000 [4] Trading Strategy - A long position on Nifty Bank futures is recommended at 59,250, with a target of 60,000 and a stop-loss at 58,900 [5] - Support levels are identified at 59,250 and 59,000, while resistance levels are at 60,000 and 60,200 [5]

Core Insights - First Bancorp reported revenue of $83.9 million for the quarter ended December 2025, reflecting an 18.1% decrease year-over-year [1] - The company's EPS was $1.19, an increase from $0.76 in the same quarter last year, resulting in an EPS surprise of +15.53% against a consensus estimate of $1.03 [1] - Revenue fell short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $121.95 million, indicating a surprise of -31.2% [1] Financial Metrics - Net Charge-offs were reported at 0.1%, better than the estimated 0.2% by analysts [4] - Net Interest Margin stood at 3.6%, matching the average estimate from analysts [4] - Average Interest-Earning Assets totaled $11.79 billion, slightly below the estimated $11.87 billion [4] - Bank-Owned Life Insurance Income was $1.38 million, exceeding the estimated $1.15 million [4] - Total Non-Interest Income reached $21.42 million, significantly higher than the average estimate of $14.63 million [4] - Other service charges, commissions, and fees amounted to $5.65 million, below the estimated $6.21 million [4] - Service charges on deposit accounts were $4.27 million, slightly above the estimated $4.16 million [4] - Commissions from sales of insurance and financial products were $1.8 million, slightly above the estimated $1.77 million [4] Stock Performance - Shares of First Bancorp have returned +10.5% over the past month, outperforming the Zacks S&P 500 composite, which changed by -0.4% [3] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), suggesting it may perform in line with the broader market in the near term [3]

Core Viewpoint - First Bancorp reported quarterly earnings of $1.19 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.03 per share, and showing a significant increase from $0.76 per share a year ago, representing an earnings surprise of +15.53% [1] Financial Performance - The company posted revenues of $83.9 million for the quarter ended December 2025, which fell short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 31.2%, compared to $102.48 million in revenues from the previous year [2] - Over the last four quarters, First Bancorp has surpassed consensus EPS estimates four times and topped consensus revenue estimates three times [2] Stock Performance - First Bancorp shares have increased by approximately 13.7% since the beginning of the year, while the S&P 500 has declined by 0.7% [3] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), indicating it is expected to perform in line with the market in the near future [6] Earnings Outlook - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $1.05 on revenues of $122.15 million, and for the current fiscal year, it is $4.50 on revenues of $508.05 million [7] - The trend of earnings estimate revisions is mixed ahead of the earnings release, which could influence future stock performance [6] Industry Context - The Banks - Southeast industry, to which First Bancorp belongs, is currently ranked in the top 31% of over 250 Zacks industries, suggesting a favorable outlook compared to lower-ranked industries [8]

News Release For Immediate Release: For More Information, Contact: January 21, 2026 Katie Doyle 336-286-8741 First Bancorp Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year Results | Fourth Quarter | 2025 | Financial | Data | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | (Dollars in 000s, | | | | | | | except per share | | | | | | | data) | Q4-2025 | | Q3-2025 | | Q4-2024 | | Summary Income Statement | | | | | | | Total interest | | | | | | | income | $ 143,634 | | $ 144,200 | | $ 132,395 | | Total interest | | | | | | | ...

Core Insights - QNB Group has become the first bank in the Middle East and Africa to surpass a banking brand value of $10 billion, reaching $10.3 billion, which is an 11% year-on-year increase, solidifying its position as the most valuable banking brand in the MEA region [2][5] Brand Strength and Rankings - QNB maintained a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score of 86, retaining its AAA brand rating, one of the highest distinctions awarded by Brand Finance [3] - On a global scale, QNB moved up three places to rank 36th among the world's top banking brands and secured the 244th position among the world's most valuable brands across all sectors, climbing one place from its 2025 ranking in the Global 500 index [4] Strategic Focus and Commitment - The rise in brand value reflects growing confidence among customers, investors, and stakeholders, reinforcing QNB's strategic focus on being a trusted financial partner in local, regional, and international markets [5] - Brand Finance's assessment highlights QNB's long-term commitment to brand building as a competitive differentiator, supported by investments in innovation, digital banking, green finance, and inclusive finance initiatives [6] - This milestone underscores QNB's progress toward its 2030 strategy, which aims to enhance its standing as a leading banking group in the MEA while delivering sustainable value for shareholders and clients [7]

Fiscal Policy Shift - The Indian government is shifting its focus from targeting the fiscal deficit to targeting the debt-to-GDP ratio starting April 2026, which is expected to support growth through a more modest pace of tightening [1][9] - The fiscal deficit is targeted to decrease to 4.4% of GDP for the year ending March 2026, down from 9.2% in 2020-21 [1][9] Debt Targets - Economists from Bank of America Securities project that the government will aim for a debt target of 55% of GDP by 2026-27, compared to the current level of approximately 57% [2][9] - Deutsche Bank and Axis Bank anticipate a fiscal deficit of 4.25% and 4.2%, respectively, with a long-term goal of reducing the debt-to-GDP ratio to 50% by 2030-31 [9] Borrowing Forecast - Gross borrowings are expected to rise to a record high, estimated between 16 trillion rupees and 17.50 trillion rupees ($174.7 billion to $191.1 billion), compared to 14.6 trillion rupees in the current year [5][6][9] - Net borrowings are projected to remain stable at 11.5 trillion rupees [6][9] Market Impact - The Indian bond markets are facing pressure due to heavy supply from federal and state government bonds, coinciding with a decline in demand from major buyers like insurance companies and pension funds [7][9] - Traders predict that if federal gross borrowing exceeds 16 trillion rupees, the trend of supply pressure will continue, with Nomura expressing caution regarding bonds due to these dynamics [8][9]

Group 1 - The article provides a market analysis covering various financial instruments including the US Dollar, Japanese Yen, Gold Spot in US Dollars, US Dollar Index Futures, and Bitcoin [1] Group 2 - The analysis highlights the performance of the US Dollar against the Japanese Yen, indicating fluctuations and trends in the currency pair [1] - It discusses the current status of Gold Spot prices in US Dollars, reflecting investor sentiment and market conditions [1] - The US Dollar Index Futures are examined, showcasing the overall strength of the US Dollar in the global market [1] - Bitcoin's market performance is analyzed, noting its volatility and potential investment opportunities [1]