State Bank of India hopes to receive an injection of up to USD 2 billion from the government this fiscal year, its chairman said on Wedneday, a day after Moody's downgraded its standalone rating due to rising............
State Bank of India hopes to receive an injection of up to USD 2 billion from the government this fiscal year, its chairman said on Wedneday, a day after Moody's downgraded its standalone rating due to rising bad loans and a thinning capital cushion.
Shares in the country's dominant lender continued to slide, falling as much as 3.9% to their lowest in more than two years and helping drag the broader market into negative territory.
"We have taken note of this message and recapitalisation, we are hopeful, will be completed by the end of December 2011 and at the most, if it is stretched, it will go to March," Chairman Pratip Chaudhuri told a media briefing.
He said the bank has outlined to the government scenarios under which it would need Rs 14000 crore to Rs 21000 crore (USD 2.84 billion-USD 4.26 billion) of state capital over five years, and would be "comfortable" with Rs 3000 crore to Rs 10000 crore of fresh government capital in the current fiscal year.
Read Chairman Pratip Chaudhuri's interview here .
The size of the injection depends on the contribution of minority shareholders as well as the surplus generated by the bank's operations, he said.
Last month, State Bank of India, which is 59% owned by the government, doubled its overseas borrowing target to USD 10 billion, and Tuesday's rating cut could make its fund-raising more expensive and squeeze margins at its overseas operations.
SBI, which has a market value of about USD 23 billion, is currently borrowing overseas funds at LIBOR plus 220-225 basis points, Chaudhuri told ET Now.
The bank has delayed a planned USD 4.5 billion rights issue, which would bolster its capital position, as India's cash-strapped government is seen to be reluctant to stump up its share of the offer in order to maintain its stake.
Moody's had said SBI's low capital adequacy and recent failure to raise capital prompted the downgrade of its "Bank Financial Strength Rating" to D+ from C- on a scale of A to E.
State Bank of India hopes to receive an injection of up to USD 2 billion from the government this fiscal year, its chairman said on Wedneday, a day after Moody's downgraded its standalone rating due to rising bad loans and a thinning capital cushion.
Shares in the country's dominant lender continued to slide, falling as much as 3.9% to their lowest in more than two years and helping drag the broader market into negative territory.
"We have taken note of this message and recapitalisation, we are hopeful, will be completed by the end of December 2011 and at the most, if it is stretched, it will go to March," Chairman Pratip Chaudhuri told a media briefing.
He said the bank has outlined to the government scenarios under which it would need Rs 14000 crore to Rs 21000 crore (USD 2.84 billion-USD 4.26 billion) of state capital over five years, and would be "comfortable" with Rs 3000 crore to Rs 10000 crore of fresh government capital in the current fiscal year.
Read Chairman Pratip Chaudhuri's interview here .
The size of the injection depends on the contribution of minority shareholders as well as the surplus generated by the bank's operations, he said.
Last month, State Bank of India, which is 59% owned by the government, doubled its overseas borrowing target to USD 10 billion, and Tuesday's rating cut could make its fund-raising more expensive and squeeze margins at its overseas operations.
SBI, which has a market value of about USD 23 billion, is currently borrowing overseas funds at LIBOR plus 220-225 basis points, Chaudhuri told ET Now.
The bank has delayed a planned USD 4.5 billion rights issue, which would bolster its capital position, as India's cash-strapped government is seen to be reluctant to stump up its share of the offer in order to maintain its stake.
Moody's had said SBI's low capital adequacy and recent failure to raise capital prompted the downgrade of its "Bank Financial Strength Rating" to D+ from C- on a scale of A to E.