Everything a banker needs today, in about five minutes: RBI, the government, banks, regulators, markets and the exam angle, each with its official source.
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Banks
PNB and Indian Bank raise MCLR by 10 basis points
PNB raised its MCLR by 10 basis points across tenors from 1 Nov, taking the one-year rate to 8.90%, and Indian Bank did the same from 3 Nov, taking its one-year rate to 8.95%. PNB’s repo-linked lending rate stays at 8.35%, and Indian Bank’s repo-linked rate is unchanged.
At the branch: MCLR loans reprice only on their reset date, so tell a borrower when that date falls. Repo-linked loans do not move with this change.
Exam angle: JAIIB AFM and PPB: loan pricing, MCLR and external benchmarks.
Source: PNB and Indian Bank filings, reported by Moody’s on TradingView
Exam relevance: High
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Bankers' corner
Supreme Court: ARC can replace bank in cheque case
On 4 Nov the Supreme Court refused to interfere with a Bombay High Court ruling that lets an asset reconstruction company replace the bank as complainant in a pending Section 138 cheque-bounce case after it acquires the loan. Justices Dipankar Datta and Sheel Nagu dismissed the special leave petition, noting that Section 5(4) of the SARFAESI Act refers to “other proceedings of whatever nature”.
At the branch: When a loan goes to an ARC, hand over the papers of any pending cheque case with the file. The case can go on in the ARC’s name.
Exam angle: CAIIB BRBL and promotion exams: NI Act Section 138, SARFAESI Section 5.
Source: Supreme Court, Kishore Avarsekar vs Assets Care and Reconstruction Enterprises Ltd, reported by LiveLaw on 4 Nov 2026
Exam relevance: High
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Bankers' corner
RBI: circular on ₹10, ₹20, ₹50 notes is forged
RBI said on X on 2 Nov that a circular dated 27 Oct, claiming ₹10, ₹20 and ₹50 notes would run short before Diwali, is forged, and that its vaults and currency chests hold enough notes of all denominations. PIB Fact Check also called the claim fake.
At the branch: If a customer shows this circular, tell them it is fake and point them to RBI’s website. Anyone planning a large cash withdrawal for the festival should tell the branch in advance.
Exam angle: JAIIB PPB and promotion exams: currency management, RBI Act Section 22.
Source: RBI post on X of 2 Nov 2026 and PIB Fact Check, reported by Business Today
Exam relevance: Medium
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Economy and markets
Services PMI at four-month high of 55.8 in October
The HSBC India Services PMI rose to 55.8 in October from 55.2 in September, data released on 4 Nov show, and input-cost inflation was the lowest since August 2020. Finance and insurance grew fastest, export orders grew at the slowest pace since February 2023, and the composite index rose to 56.2 from 55.9.
At the branch: Useful when appraising service-sector borrowers: the survey shows domestic demand rising, while export orders are barely growing.
Exam angle: Promotion exams and JAIIB: economic indicators, PMI.
Source: HSBC India Services PMI (S&P Global), 4 Nov 2026, reported by Business Standard
Exam relevance: Medium
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Banks
Kotak gets CCI nod for Deutsche Bank’s India retail
The Competition Commission of India approved on 3 Nov Kotak Mahindra Bank’s purchase of Deutsche Bank’s retail, private banking and wealth management businesses in India, agreed in June as a slump sale. Sixteen of Deutsche’s 17 branches and about 1,000 staff are expected to join Kotak; the deal still has to close.
At the branch: Nothing changes for depositors of either bank until the transfer completes.
Exam angle: CAIIB BRBL: Competition Act, 2002, combinations; slump sale.
Source: Kotak Mahindra Bank stock-exchange filing of 3 Nov 2026, reported by Business Standard and Angel One
Exam relevance: Medium
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Banks
Bank of India raises FD rates; 500-day deposit at 6.85%
From 2 Nov, Bank of India pays 6.60% for one year and 6.70% for above one year to under three years on deposits below ₹3 crore. Its 500-day Star Akshay deposit pays up to 6.85%, 7.35% for senior citizens and 7.50% for super senior citizens.
At the branch: Existing deposits keep their booked rate. Check the premature-closure terms before a customer breaks an FD to rebook.
Exam angle: JAIIB PPB: deposits, interest rates.
Source: Bank of India statement, reported by HDFC Sky and Equitybulls
Exam relevance: Medium
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Government
Cabinet clears ₹4,371 crore VISTAR statistics plan
The Union Cabinet on 4 Nov approved VISTAR, with ₹4,371.10 crore for FY27 to FY31 to modernise official statistics, including a Headline Index of Services Production and the Eighth Economic Census. It also cleared ₹14,500 crore of viability gap funding for 92 GWh of grid-scale energy storage over the same years.
At the branch: Energy-storage borrowers may cite the viability gap funding; check the scheme’s terms before counting it in a project’s cash flows.
Exam angle: Promotion exams: Indian economy, official statistics, viability gap funding.
Source: Union Cabinet decisions of 4 Nov 2026, reported by Business Today and India TV
Exam relevance: Medium
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Other regulators
IRDAI drafts rules on instructions and committees
An IRDAI exposure draft of 3 Nov proposes regulations under Sections 114B and 114C of the Insurance Act, 1938, limiting subsidiary instructions to clarifying rules and setting ancillary procedures, and setting out how consultative committees work. Comments are open until 23 Nov.
At the branch: It is only a draft, so nothing changes yet for bancassurance staff.
Exam angle: JAIIB and promotion exams: insurance regulation.
Source: IRDAI exposure draft of 3 Nov 2026, reported by TaxGuru
Exam relevance: Low
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Economy and markets
Sensex rises for fifth day; rupee firms to 94.58
The Sensex closed at 77,301.40 on 4 Nov, up 383.55 points (0.50%), and the Nifty 50 at 23,960.60, up 149.75 (0.63%), a fifth straight gain; Nifty IT was the only sector to fall, by 1.50%. The rupee settled at 94.58 a dollar (provisional), up 17 paise, and Brent was about $102.84 a barrel.
At the branch: For a forex customer, quote the bank’s own card rate for the day, not the market figure in the news.
Exam angle: JAIIB AFM: foreign exchange; promotion exams: market indicators.
Source: Market close of 4 Nov 2026, reported by India Infoline and HDFC Sky
Exam relevance: Low
Index figures as reported by India Infoline and HDFC Sky; rupee and Brent by HDFC Sky; 10-year yield from Trading Economics; repo rate and reserves from RBI.