Title:Co-op banks can become small finance banks, says RBI

The Reserve Bank of India has decided to allow urban co-operative banks (UCB) to convert into small finance banks (SFB), a move aimed at bringing these entities into mainstream banking.

印度储备银行已决定允许城市合作银行(UCB) 转变为小型金融银行(SFB)，此举旨在将这些实体纳入主流银行业务。

"It has been decided to allow voluntary transition of UCBs meeting the prescribed criteria into SFBs,"  the RBI said in its monetary policy statement on Wednesday, adding that a detailed scheme will be announced shortly.

印度央行周三在货币政策声明中说：“已经决定允许符合规定标准的UCB自愿过渡到SFBs。”并补充称，不久将公布详细计划。

UCBs had been facing financial trouble till a few years ago, prompting the RBI to stop issuing fresh licences. But their performance has improved recently while their numbers have come down due to mergers and closures. UCBs currently face regulation by both the RBI and the respective State governments. By turning into SFBs, they will be regulated only by the RBI.

UCB直到几年前一直面临财政困难，这促使印度央行停止发放新执照，但最近由于合并和关闭，它们的表现有所改善。目前UCB面临着印度中央银行和各州政府的监管，通过成为SFBs，它们将只受制于RBI。

The regulator has also allowed all banks to spread their mark-to-market losses for the April-June quarter, equally over four quarters.

银监会还允许所有银行在4月至6月的季度按市值分摊亏损。

"It has been decided to grant banks the option to spread the mark-to-market (MTM) losses on investments held in 'Available for Sale ' and 'Held for Trading' portfolio for the quarter ending June 30, 2018, equally over... four quarters, commencing from the quarter ending June 30."

Rising bond yields have resulted in MTM losses for banks. Bond yields and prices are inversely related.

债券收益率的上升给银行带来了MTM的损失，债券收益率和价格成反比。

Yields have hardened in the last two quarters, impelling the RBI to allow similar relaxation earlier. Bond yields may harden further as the RBI raised inflation forecast for this year in Wednesday's policy review, and cited rising crude prices as a source of uncertainty.

过去两个季度银根收缩，促使银监会提前允许类似的放松。随着印度央行周三的政策审查上调了今年的通胀预测，债券收益率可能进一步恶化，并称原油价格上涨是不确定性的根源。