Benchmark stock indices Sensex and Nifty closed lower for the third consecutive day on Tuesday in a volatile trade, dragged by selling in IT and blue-chip private banking shares and foreign fund outflows amid concerns over the steep hike in US H-1B visa fees.Photograph: Danish Siddiqui/ReutersAfter oscillating between gains and losses during the day, the 30-share BSE Sensex closed lower by 57.87 points or 0.07 per cent at 82,102.10.During the day, it hit a high of 82,370.38 and a low of 81,776.53, fluctuati ...

Core Insights - HSBC has launched the 'HSBC Rewards | Travel with Points' service, allowing credit cardholders to earn up to 12x reward points for travel bookings [4][18] - The service is accessible through HSBC India's website and mobile app, facilitated by Hopper Technology Solutions [4][18] - The program includes features such as best price guarantee, price drop protection, and free cancellation [12][13][14] HSBC Rewards | Travel with Points Service - The service enables credit cardholders to earn accelerated reward points for booking flights, hotels, and car rentals [4][5] - Different HSBC credit cards offer varying reward points for travel bookings, with the HSBC Prive and Premier cards providing the highest rates [6] - The maximum cap for accelerated reward points is set at 18,000 points per cardholder per calendar month, while base reward points remain uncapped [6] Redemption and Payment Options - Cardholders can redeem reward points for travel services at a 1:1 ratio for HSBC Prive and Premier cardholders [10] - Payment for travel bookings can be made entirely with reward points, partially with points and a credit card, or fully with a credit card to earn additional points [16] Benefits of the Service - The best price guarantee allows cardholders to receive a refund if they find a lower rate within 24 hours of booking [12] - Price drop protection refunds the difference if flight prices drop within 10 days after booking, up to a maximum of ₹1,500 [13] - Free cancellation is available up to 3 hours before the trip, ensuring flexibility for cardholders [14] Conclusion - The introduction of the 'HSBC Rewards | Travel with Points' platform enhances the value proposition for HSBC credit cardholders by offering significant rewards and flexible redemption options [18]

Core Insights - The article discusses the growing trend of co-branded credit card partnerships between airlines and banks in India, highlighting their role in enhancing customer loyalty and engagement [1][8] - It notes that while such partnerships are still relatively rare in India, they have been successful in other markets, generating significant revenue [8] Airline Partnerships - The first co-branded partnership in India was between Jet Airways and Citibank in 2003, with many airlines following suit to offer attractive perks [1][8] - Currently, IndiGo is the only major Indian airline with co-branded card partnerships, specifically with Kotak Mahindra Bank and IDFC First Bank, offering rewards in the form of BluChips [2][8] - Air India is expected to launch a new co-branded partnership for its Maharaja Club loyalty program soon [2][8] International Airline Strategies - International airlines are leveraging co-branded cards to attract Indian customers, with major West Asian carriers and airlines like Lufthansa and Singapore Airlines already established in this space [3][8] - The KrisFlyer SBI Card offers significant benefits, including 10,000 KrisFlyer Miles upon activation and eligibility for the KrisFlyer Gold Tier with substantial spending [3][8] - Emirates has a strong co-branded card program with ICICI Bank, providing tier status based on spending, while other airlines like British Airways and Qatar Airways offer Avios co-branded cards [3][4][8] Hotel Partnerships - Marriott and Taj Hotels are also engaging in co-branded card partnerships, offering various perks to attract customers [5][6][9] - The Marriott co-branded card provides a free night stay and Silver Status, while Taj's card offers access to exclusive lounges and upgrades [6][9] Market Trends - The article emphasizes the increasing interest in travel post-pandemic, with co-branded credit cards playing a significant role in encouraging travel and loyalty [8] - Online travel agents are adopting similar strategies to deepen customer relationships and drive bookings [7][9]

During the week, the BSE benchmark advanced 721.53 points or 0.88 per cent, PTI reported.Among the winners were Reliance Industries, HDFC Bank, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Bharti Airtel, State Bank of India, Infosys and Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC). ICICI Bank, Bajaj Finance and Hindustan Unilever, however, ended in the red.The market valuation of State Bank of India soared Rs 35,953.25 crore to Rs 7,95,910 crore, while Bharti Airtel added Rs 33,214.77 crore taking its mcap to Rs 11,18,952 ...

Market Overview - The combined market valuation of seven of the top-10 most valued firms increased by ₹1,18,328.29 crore last week, driven by an optimistic trend in equities [1] - The BSE benchmark rose by 721.53 points or 0.88 percent during the same period [1] Gainers - State Bank of India saw its market valuation increase by ₹35,953.25 crore, reaching ₹7,95,910 crore [2] - Bharti Airtel's valuation rose by ₹33,214.77 crore, bringing its total to ₹11,18,952.64 crore [2] - Reliance Industries' market capitalisation surged by ₹17,389.23 crore to ₹19,04,898.51 crore [3] - Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) experienced a valuation increase of ₹12,952.75 crore, reaching ₹11,46,879.47 crore [3] - Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) saw its valuation rise by ₹12,460.25 crore to ₹5,65,612.92 crore [3] - Infosys' market capitalisation climbed by ₹6,127.73 crore to ₹6,39,901.03 crore [3] Laggards - ICICI Bank's market valuation decreased by ₹10,707.87 crore, resulting in a total of ₹10,01,654.46 crore [5] - Bajaj Finance's market capitalisation fell by ₹6,346.93 crore to ₹6,17,892.72 crore [5] - Hindustan Unilever's valuation dipped by ₹5,039.87 crore, bringing it down to ₹6,01,225.16 crore [5] Market Ranking - Reliance Industries remains the top firm in market valuation, followed by HDFC Bank, TCS, Bharti Airtel, ICICI Bank, State Bank of India, Infosys, Bajaj Finance, Hindustan Unilever, and LIC [5]

Scheduled Maintenance Activities - SBI has scheduled maintenance on September 21, 2025, from 00:15 hrs to 01:00 hrs IST, during which UPI services will be temporarily unavailable [1][6] - HDFC Bank will conduct maintenance on the same day from 01:00 am to 05:30 am IST, affecting several services including Mutual Funds transactions and RTGS [3][4][6] - Kotak Mahindra Bank will have maintenance from 1:30 am to 2:30 am on September 21, 2025, impacting its services [5][6] UPI Lite Services - SBI has advised customers to use UPI Lite Services during the maintenance period, which will remain operational for low-value transactions [1][6] - UPI Lite allows transactions up to Rs 1,000 per transaction, with a cumulative daily limit of Rs 10,000 and a maximum balance of Rs 5,000 in the UPI Lite account [2][6]

Group 1: Banking Sector - ICICI Bank has a 4% weight in the portfolio and has risen almost 10% year-to-date [1] - HDFC Bank also carries a 4% weight, with its stock price increasing by 8.5% this year [1] - State Bank of India, with a 4% weight, has seen its stock rise over 8% year-to-date [1] Group 2: Insurance and Financial Services - SBI Life Insurance holds the highest weight at 6%, with shares rising 32% since the beginning of the year [2] - REC Limited has a 4% weight but is down over 20% year-to-date [2] - PolicyBazaar (PB Fintech) has a 5% allocation, with share prices falling 15% year-to-date [2] Group 3: Finance Companies - Manappuram Finance has a 4% weight in the portfolio and has increased by 50% this year [3] - Home First Finance also holds a 4% weight, with stock prices rising 22% year-to-date [3]

Group 1 - All public and private banks in India will be open on Saturday, September 20, as it is the third Saturday of the month and there is no bank holiday on this day [1] - According to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) calendar, banks are typically closed on the second and fourth Saturdays and all Sundays each month, with exceptions on the first, third, and fifth Saturdays [2] - The next bank holiday is on Sunday, September 21, followed by regional observances on September 22 in Rajasthan for Navratri celebrations [4][5] Group 2 - Remaining bank holidays in September include September 22 for Navratra Sthapna in Jaipur, September 23 for the birthday of Maharaja Hari Singh Ji in Jammu and Srinagar, and September 29 for Maha Saptami in Agartala, Kolkata, and Guwahati [5][6] - Additional bank holidays will occur on September 27 (fourth Saturday) and September 21 and 28 (Sundays) [7] Group 3 - In case of emergencies on bank holidays, ATM services are available 24/7, and online banking services like NEFT, IMPS, and RTGS can be used for transactions [8]

The Bank Nifty index traded 298.20 points lower at 55,429.25, marking a 0.54 per cent decline during Friday’s session as banking stocks displayed mixed performance. The index opened at 55,647.95 against the previous close of 55,727.45, with trading volumes reaching 816.02 lakh shares. Public sector banks led the gainers with Canara Bank surging 2.24 per cent to ₹118, followed by Punjab National Bank at 2.08 per cent and Bank of Baroda gaining 1.69 per cent. State Bank of India posted a modest 1.01 per cent ...

Core Insights - Nifty Bank index opened at 55,797, showing a gap-up from the previous close of 55,493, currently hovering around 55,775, reflecting a 0.5% increase [1] - The advance/decline ratio indicates a strong bearish bias at 11/1, with Bank of Baroda being the top gainer at 2.15%, while State Bank of India is the only stock in the red, down 0.1% [1] Nifty Bank Futures - September futures for Nifty Bank index started higher at 55,900 compared to the previous close of 55,700, currently trading at 55,940, up 0.4% [3] - The 50-day moving average is at 56,000, with potential temporary declines to support levels of 55,800 and 55,650, with expectations of a rebound from these levels [3][4] - A rally past 56,000 could push the contract to 56,350 and 56,800 [3] Trade Strategy - Recommendation to buy Nifty Bank futures at 55,940 and on dips to 55,800, with targets set at 56,350 and a stop-loss at 55,600 [5] - Support levels identified at 55,800 and 55,650, while resistance levels are at 56,350 and 56,800 [5]