With credit getting tighter and delinquencies rising, many more consumers are becoming aware about credit bureaus -- agencies that track credit histories of individual borrowers. So far, Credit Information Bureau of India Limited (CIBIL) is the only such bureau operating in India, but we understand that 14 others have applied to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for a business licence. At least...

While the entry of credit bureaus may be good for customers, lenders are seriously worried about increased delinquencies. Almost all lenders are out of low-ticket lending or have restricted it to those with an established record. ICICI Bank, Citibank and GE are out of the market; Barclays has accumulated its share of delinquencies and others such as Indiabulls have also slowed down their...

One set of victims -- garment exporters of Tirupur facing losses from exotic forex derivatives -- is already geared to battle the banking sector and has already turned the heat of public opinion on to lenders through the smart move of seeking out a politically-connected champion. The situation is perfect for creating a minor political storm. The exporters have formed the Forex Derivatives...