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[ad_1] To boost domestic supplies of lentils (masoor) and ensure that its retail prices do not spiral out of control, India will enter into agreements with Russia and Kazakhstan for imports of the key pulses variety under long-term contracts. The memorandums of understanding (MoUs) would facilitate imports of lentils by private traders. These agreements will follow similar arrangements with Mozambique, Myanmar and Malawi for import of other varieties of pulses, namely tur and arhar. Sourced told FE that after the deliberations with Russia’s and Kazakhstan’s officials, the agriculture ministry is working out plant quarantine modalities before these MoUs are entered into. Officials said that since the domestic consumption of pulses, especially lentils, in Russia and Kazakhstan are negligible, they want to import annual commitments so that farmers there would be encouraged to grow the variety of pulses, which has one of the largest shares in India’s pulses imports basket. According to commerce ministry data, India imported 1.11 million tonne (mt) of lentils out of total pulses imports of 2.26 mt in 2020-21. In the current fiscal, around 6.5 lakh tonne of lentils have been imported so far. Trade sources said that domestic production of lentils has not kept pace with rising demand and the government has been resorting to imports, mostly from Canada and Australia, to augment domestic supplies. As per the second advance estimates of foodgrains production released by the ministry of agriculture on Wednesday, India’s lentil production is estimated at a record 1.58 mt in the 2021-22 crop year (July-June). Because of dry weather conditions last year in Canada, production in 2021 has declined by 35% to 40%. Also, the global container crisis is adversely pushing up the time duration for shipment from Canada and Australia. At the same time, transit time from Russia’s and Kazakhstan’s consignments for Indian ports is 25-30 days, much quicker than consignments from Canada. “The MoUs with Russia and Kazakhstan will open doors for India to work with two more origins and reduce dependence on Canada or Australia for the lentils imports,” Harsha Rai, director, Mayur Global Corporation, a global brokerage firm said. In 2021, the government had approved a one-time import of lentils from Russia for a six-month term, provided they meet India’s phytosanitary norms. India signed an MoU with Mozambique for import of 2 lakh tonne of tur or arhar annually for five years, when the retail prices of tur skyrocketed to `200 a kg in 2016. This MoU was extended for another five years in September 2021. In 2021, India entered into MoUs with Malawi and Myanmar for the import of 50,000 tonne and 1,00,000 tonne of tur per annum, respectively, till 2025. India met 10-12% of its domestic consumption through imports. In anticipation of domestic shortfall in the output in May 2021, India had put import of tur, urad and moong varieties of pulses under ‘open’ from ‘restricted’ category earlier till March 2022. [ad_2] Source link

[ad_1] The performance of loan pools backing private-label securitization deals has continued to improve across most measurement metrics through the end of January after hitting a low point in mid-2020 at the height of the pandemic. The most recent RMBS Credit Indices report from the Kroll Bond Rating Agency (KBRA) shows that loan pools supporting outstanding private-label residential mortgage-backed securities issuances overall are performing relatively well to date in both the prime and nonprime markets. Through the end of January, the report shows, loan-delinquencies, net losses, and prepayments all were trending downward since the pandemic’s peak in 2020— with loan modifications recording more recent improvement.  The return to investors, measured via the weighted average coupon, has experienced a slight haircut in recent months, however, attributable to newer, lower-rate mortgages being rolled into the running average.  The KBRA January report includes analysis from 335 outstanding prime transactions valued in total at $54.6 billion and 134 nonprime transactions valued at $22.9 billion. In addition, the rolling indices include data stretching back to the fall of 2016, which represents the time frame for the comparisons in the analysis. “In short, borrowers across [RMBS] asset classes have returned to pre-COVID levels of delinquency — a level of performance that is commensurate with the relatively tight credit standards in place at origination and the favorable interest-rate and home-price regime that has existed for the past decade,” said Jack Kahan, KBRA’s senior managing director of RMBS. “With mortgage rates increasing [recently], prepayments on prime loans are retreating quickly from their highs.” Prepayments in the prime category reached the mid-40% to 60% range between October 2020 and July of 2021. Since late summer 2021, however, the nonprime prepayment rate has declined steadily — down to at 22.5% as of January of this year. In the nonprime sector, prepayment rates have declined as well, from the mid-40% range this past summer to the low 40% range starting in the fourth quarter of last year­ — ending January of this year at 41.6%. Loan delinquency rates for prime RMBS issuance, which includes prime jumbo loans, is also in retreat. Early-stage delinquency rates (loans 30-59 days past due) receded from a high of 5.4% in mid-2020 to 0.9% as of January 2022. Mid-stage delinquency rates (loans 60-89 days past due) likewise have dropped — from a high of 4.3% in July 2020 to 0.6% as of January of this year. Late-stage delinquency rates (mortgages delinquent 90 days or more) also are down, from a high of 3% in September 2020 to 0.6% as of January 2021. For nonprime issuance — which includes alternative-documentation loans to the self-employed, real estate investors as well as credit-challenged borrows — the pattern is the same, even if the delinquency rates are higher due to the riskier nature of the loans. Early-stage delinquency rates declined from a high of 23% in June 2020 to 5.5% as of January 2022. Mid-stage delinquency rates declined from a high of 17.5% in July 2020 to 3.5% as of last month. And late-stage delinquency rates have plummeted from 13% in August 2020 to 2.9% in January 2022. Loan modifications are a trailing metric relative to delinquencies and that is reflected in the data as well, with modifications across both prime and nonprime sectors reaching high points in the summer and fall of 2021 — 3.7% for prime issuance in July and 9% for nonprime issuance in October. As of January, the loan-modification rate had declined to 2.2% for prime and 7.1% for nonprime. Annualized net losses for prime issuance stood at 0.0197% as of January 2022 while nonprime issuance recorded a January rate of 0.0339%. This figure is a bit more volatile, with the prime net loss figure hitting a high of 0.1515% as recently as October of last year and the nonprime mark reaching 0.2025% in July 2021. For both prime and nonprime issuance, however, the figure has been trending downward in recent months. “The annualized net loss rate represents the amount of losses the deal would incur in one year if every month of that year had the same amount of loss as the observation month.” Kahan said. “Historically this would be loans liquidated via foreclosure if the property sale price was unable to cover the outstanding loan plus costs.  “Currently, most reported losses are on loans that are still outstanding and likely represent the amount reimbursed to the related servicer with respect to P&I [principal and interest] advances made by the servicer on behalf of the borrower while the borrower was delinquent.” As far as the bottom line, the returns, measured as the weighted average coupon (WAC), the KBRA report shows a decline across issuance in prime and nonprime deals in recent months — compared to rolling averages dating back to 2016. The WAC stood at 3.4% in January of this year for prime deals and 5.9% for nonprime. By comparison, in a far different mortgage environment in the fall of 2016, the prime WAC reached a high of 4.8% and the nonprime WAC hit 7.6%. “Rates bottomed out in early 2021 and remained near 3% much of the year,” Kahan said. “So, every new deal issued and added to the index was decreasing the WAC, and so many new deals were added in 2021 that this was reflected in the average.” The post Private-label market pushes back the pandemic blues appeared first on HousingWire. [ad_2] Source link

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[ad_1] Private equity's latest play: the troubled kids industry [ad_2] Source link

[ad_1] Capital markets regulator Sebi on Thursday imposed penalty totalling Rs 45 lakh on nine entities, including individuals, for indulging in non-genuine trades in illiquid stock options at BSE. In nine separate orders, the regulator has levied a fine of Rs 5 lakh each on Armour Commotrade, Seema Aggarwal, Seema Bagree, Seema Choraria, Kala Patodia, Mandeep Kaur, Kalpana Aggarwal, Ankit Modi and Sarita Gupta. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) observed large-scale reversal of trades in stock options segment of BSE. It noted that such large-scale reversal of trades in stock options led to creation of artificial volume at BSE. In view of the same, the regulator conducted an investigation into the trading activities of certain entities in illiquid stock options at BSE for the period April 2014 to September 2015. Pursuant to investigation, it was observed that over 2.91 lakh trades comprising substantial 81.38 per cent of all the trades executed in stock options segment of BSE during the investigation period were non-genuine. The non-genuine trades resulted into creation of artificial volume to the tune of 826.21 crore units or 54.68 per cent of the total market volume in stock options segment of BSE. It was observed that these nine entities were among the various entities which indulged in execution of reversal trades in stock options segment of BSE. According to Sebi, trades by these entities were non-genuine in nature and created a misleading appearance of trading. By indulging in such trades, they violated the provisions of PFUTP (Prohibition of Fraudulent and Unfair Trade Practices) norms, Sebi said in its orders. In a separate order, the regulator has levied a fine of Rs 2 lakh on Sterling International Enterprises for indulging in fraudulent trading practice. “There is not an iota of doubt that noticee (Sterling International Enterprises) was part of the scheme wherein entities connected to the noticee created artificial volumes in its scrip by indulging in circular trades, synchronized trades and trading among themselves during the investigation period,” Sebi said in an order. Through such act, it flouted the provision of PFUTP rules. The regulator had carried out investigation in respect of irregular trading activities of certain entities in the scrip of Sterling International Enterprises during the period May 2008 to September 2009. [ad_2] Source link

[ad_1] The post 21 Best Online Customer Service Jobs appeared first on Millennial Money. If you’re looking to make money on the go, why not give an online customer service job a try? In this post, we’ll provide some great resources to help you discover opportunities to work at home and wherever your travels take you — as a remote call center representative. Top Companies Offering Customer Service Jobs  Amazon Pearson Sutherland Pink Callers Aetna (CVS Health) Progressive Insurance BFF Wear Apple Discover Williams-Sonoma Yelp AAA Remoters FlexJobs Outsourcely Indeed TTEC Robert Half Craigslist Fiverr ZipRecruiter There’s never been a better time to find work online. Here are some of the places you might be able to land a customer service gig at. 1. Amazon  Amazon is your go-to for just about every product, from Sumatra coffee and duct tape to hair clips and bowties. We’re guessing you’re probably already familiar with the company’s flexible, customer-first attitude.  Good news: Amazon is looking for problem solvers who can think quickly and provide stellar care online and over the phone.  Work with Amazon, and you’ll use the latest customer analytics and communications tools. You’ll also support customers across a range of services – like shopping apps, Echo, Alexa, and Kindle, to name just a few examples.  Benefits  Amazon benefits vary depending on location, length of employment, job status, and the number of hours you work.  In general, the company offers medical coverage, financial security, restricted stock units, wellness options, time off, and career advancement services.  Latest Jobs Education Customer Advisor – Amazon Business ($31K-$53K) Amazon Customer Service – Work From Home ($16-$35/hr) 2. Pearson Pearson provides transformative learning experiences for students across the world, with educational content, services, and products. In fact, you have probably used its services at one point or another when you were in school. As a customer service representative for Pearson, you can provide essential troubleshooting and issue resolution for the company’s numerous offerings.  Benefits  Full-time workers at Pearson receive maternity, paternity, and family care leave, stock options, flexible health plans, paid time off, profit sharing, retirement plans, and wellness support.  Latest jobs Customer service support rep, temporary ($18-$20/hr)  3. Sutherland  Sutherland is on the front lines of technology, helping companies automate customer experiences and backend processes.  If you’re interested, you can play a key role on the Sutherland team, working with leading technologies and helping customers navigate complex challenges. This type of role is ideal for people who excel at problem-solving. Benefits  Sutherland offers medical, dental, and vision benefits as well as a 401(k) program and paid time off. Latest jobs Customer Care Representative – Work from Home (Starts at $12.50/hr) 4. Pink Callers  Pink Callers provides solutions for businesses that need extra support with things like answering calls, emails, and texts. When working as a Pink Caller “Rockstar,” you’ll provide customer support on behalf of clients and act as a direct extension of their team.  Benefits Pink Callers provides six major holidays off, giving you more time to travel and enjoy your digital nomad life.  Plus, the company offers fun prizes and giveaways for call center agents, personal development training and bonuses, and referral bonuses for new members. Ka-ching!  Latest jobs  Remote Customer Service Rockstar! ($12-$15/hr) 5. Aetna (CVS Health)  Aetna is a leading healthcare insurance company owned by CVS.  Working as a customer care specialist in this type of role can be intense at times. You’ll talk to all types of people, some of who will be sick and in need of care. Others will call in ranting about the company’s services and pricing.  If you’re up for the challenge, you’ll provide callers with dedicated support, answer questions, and provide policy information.  Benefits  Employees receive two weeks of paid vacation, health insurance, and a 401(k) match after three months of work. Tuition assistance is also available. Latest jobs  Customer Service Rep – Aetna – Work From Home ($15.11/hr) 6. Progressive Insurance  Progressive Insurance is one of the most widely used insurance companies on the market. You, your family, or someone you know may use Progressive for discount rates on auto, RV, life, or even motorcycle insurance.  Providing customer care for an insurance company can involve a range of scenarios. Sometimes, you’ll receive mundane policy questions from customers. Other times, you may be the first or second person someone talks to after a car accident.  Who knows? You may even have to walk someone through the difficult process of clarifying or claiming a life insurance policy. Benefits  Progressive offers a 410(k) with a dollar-for-dollar match up to 6%. Not bad!   Your body, teeth, and eyes will also benefit from medical, dental, and vision insurance along with free preventative care. And you can get a health savings account, life insurance, and a healthcare flexible spending account as well as paid time off, among additional benefits.  Latest jobs Customer Service Representative – Remote ($16.50 – $19.25) 7. BFF Wear BFF Wear is a company that lets customers place images of their favorite pets on clothing and accessories. The company offers high-quality prints and products, which make great gifts and personal items.  BFF Wear is now hiring long-term, remote customer care specialists. According to the company, everyone starts as a customer care rep, so you’ll have to wear many different hats if you work here.  Benefits  One of the biggest perks of working for BFF Wear is access to growth and development opportunities. This is a small company, so you can be a direct part of the team and contribute to its growth.  Recent jobs  Customer Service Coordinator – pay N/A 8. Apple  Apple offers the Apple At Home Advisor program through Apple Support. This is a great opportunity to join Apple’s workforce of technical advisors who help everyday users solve issues and work through technological challenges. One thing to keep in mind is Apple requires support employees to have a desk and an ergonomic chair. You also need a hardwired high-speed internet connection from a reliable provider

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[ad_1] Bears dragged Indian equity markets in red in a highly volatile session on weekly Index expiry day as uncertainty continued around the Ukraine-Russia scenario. Sensex ended 104 points lower at 57,892, while Nifty 50 held 17300 to settle at 17,304, down 17.60 points. Broader market underperformed and closed with a loss of 1%. Except for FMCG and Oil & Gas, all other sectors ended in red, with Nifty Bank being top laggard, down 1%. India VIX rose 6.9% at 22 levels. ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, UltraTech Cement, IndusInd Bank and UPL were the top Nifty losers, while gainers included Tata Consumer Products, ONGC, HDFC, Reliance Industries and HDFC Life. Siddhartha Khemka, Head – Retail Research, Motilal Oswal Financial Services Ltd “Equity markets have seen rise in volatility in the last couple of days due to varying news flows coming in from Ukraine border. Nifty has been trading in a broader range of 16,800-17,400 and needs a decisive breakout on either side for clear direction. For now, investors will have to navigate their way through the Ukraine crisis and rate hike environment to stay on course.” Nagaraj Shetti, Technical Research  Analyst, HDFC Securities “The short term trend of Nifty continues to be choppy with high volatility and the similar movement is expected in the next session. A sustainable move only above 17650 levels is expected to bring bulls back into action. Immediate support is placed at 17150 levels.” Palak Kothari, Research Associate, Choice Broking “On the technical front, the index has been trading with lower highs & lower lows which points out a weakness for an upcoming session. Furthermore, the index has traded below the middle band of Bollinger which suggests downside movement in the counter. On a daily chart, the index has been trading below 21*50-DMA with the negative crossover which suggests weakness for the next session. Moreover, the daily momentum indicator Stochastic & MACD were also trading with a negative crossover which adds weakness in prices. At present, the index has support at 17130 levels breaching below the same can show further downside till 17000-16800 levels while resistance comes at 17500 levels. On the other hand, Bank nifty has support at 36800 levels while resistance at 38500 levels.” Mohit Nigam, Head – PMS, Hem Securities “Benchmark indices logged losses for the second consecutive session, dragged by banks, consumer durable and oil & gas stocks with Sensex down 104.67 points or 0.18% at 57,892 and the Nifty shedding 17.60 points or 0.10% at 17,304.6. This is due to following a decline in US Futures and rise in crude prices to back above $94 per barrel. Also due to uncertainties between Russia and Ukraine, domestic equities struggled to maintain stability. US futures declined following the release of the FOMC meeting minutes, where the Fed officials outlined plans for an interest rate hike and said that the unwind of the bond portfolio could be aggressive. Continued selling by FII in the domestic market can increase cautiousness in investors in near future. Crucial support for Nifty 50 is 17,100 while Nifty may face some resistance at 17,550.” Neeraj Chadawar, Head – Quantitative Equity Research, Axis Securities “Today, the Indian market settled flat in volatile trade. Investors’ sentiments remained cautious due to the mixed global cues. We believe volatility is likely to stay for some more time before we conclude in a concrete direction, as Geopolitical tension and other macro-economic developments lead to volatility in all major asset classes, including equity, debt, and currency. We believe this increase in volatility should be used by investors to build positions in quality large-cap and midcap stocks, as the earning expectations for Indian corporates remain strong.” [ad_2] Source link

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