Core Viewpoint - State Bank of India (SBI) has decided to keep its key lending rates unchanged for September 2025, indicating a stable interest rate environment for borrowers [1] Lending Rates Summary - The Marginal Cost of Funds based Lending Rate (MCLR) remains between 7.90% and 8.85% [1] - Home loan interest rates are set between 7.50% and 8.70% [1] - The External Benchmark Linked Rate (EBLR) is established at 8.15% plus the Credit Risk Premium (CRP) and Benchmark Spread (BSP) [1] - The Repo Linked Lending Rate (RLLR) is fixed at 7.75% plus the CRP, effective from June 15, 2025 [1]

Core Insights - The surge in gold loans is driven by rising gold prices and a tightening of unsecured lending options like personal loans and credit cards [1][4][12] Group 1: Gold Loan Market Dynamics - In FY26, banks disbursed ₹85,432 crore in gold loans, surpassing home loans which totaled ₹70,675 crore [2] - Gold prices increased by 23% this fiscal year, reaching ₹109,390 per 10 grams, allowing borrowers to secure larger loans against the same amount of gold [3] - Gold loan disbursals grew by 40.9% since the end of March and 122% year-on-year, while home loans only rose by 2.3% since end-March [5] Group 2: Borrower Behavior and Trends - Approximately 60-70% of gold loan customers are repeat borrowers, indicating a reliance on gold loans for urgent financial needs [6] - The tightening of unsecured lending channels has led small businesses to utilize gold loans for working capital [4] Group 3: Competitive Landscape - Traditional non-bank financial companies (NBFCs) have seen increased competition from banks entering the gold loan market, with major public sector banks like SBI and BoB actively promoting gold loans [7][11] Group 4: Regulatory Environment - The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has allowed banks to lend more against gold by increasing the loan-to-value ratio, contributing to the growth of the gold loan sector [10] - Regulatory changes are addressing the classification of gold loans, preventing banks from misclassifying regular loans as agricultural loans, which previously allowed for higher lending limits [14][15]

Merger Announcement - Kvika banki and Arion Bank have initiated discussions on merging, signing a letter of intent to combine their strengths and create a robust financial institution [1][2] Merger Process - The merger is one of the largest in the Icelandic financial market, with the process expected to take time and regular updates to be provided [2] - Initial steps include due diligence reviews and merger negotiations, with preliminary discussions planned with the Icelandic Competition Authority in August [3] - The aim is to finalize contracts and complete the due diligence review in the coming months, with formal announcements to regulators and shareholder meetings contingent on successful preliminary discussions [3] Benefits of the Merger - The merger is expected to enhance banking services for retail, corporate, and investor customers, providing opportunities for risk distribution and diverse revenue streams [4] - It aims to create a more effective business model and improve efficiency within the Icelandic financial market [4] Market Position - Kvika has been a competitive player in recent years, particularly through its brand Auður, which has significantly impacted the deposits market and successfully entered the home loan market [5] - Post-merger, both companies' brands will continue to play a crucial role for customers [5]