Banks may see compression in NIMs on rising slippages

Private Lenders Likely To Face More Stress

- SACHIN KUMAR

BANKS ARE LIKELY to witness a spike in bad loans in the January-March quarter, driven by rising delinquencies in the unsecured and microfinance segments. Slowing credit growth, tight liquidity and elevated deposit rates are expected to squeeze net interest margins. Banks are also expected to see a decline in low-cost current and savings account (CASA) ratios.

"Slippages have moderately been on the rise sequentially for the system, and a similar trend may continue," said Shivaji Thapliyal, head of research and lead sector research analyst, Yes Securities. "Sequential evolution of provisions would be a function of not only slippages, but also of recoveries, upgrades and pre-existing provision buffers."