MICROFINANCE EVENT: Sankalp Forum to Host “Sankalp Unconvention Summit 2014” on Social Enterprise and Investment, April 9 – 11, 2014, Mumbai, India

Event Name: Sankalp Unconvention Summit 2014

Event Date: April 9 – 11, 2014

Event Location: Hotel Renaissance, Mumbai, India

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Government of Cameroon Partners with United Nations Development Program (UNDP), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) To Consolidate Microfinance Sector

The government of Cameroon recently partnered with three agencies of the United Nations to consolidate the country’s microfinance sector by increasing governmental regulations and mergers of microfinance institutions (MFIs).

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Indian Microlenders Seek More Time to Repay Funds On-Lent in Andhra Pradesh, Where Microlender Sees “No Improvement At All”

Wholesale loans covering INR 55 billion (USD 944 million) in Indian microloans reportedly are at risk of becoming classified as “non-performing assets” (NPAs) if microfinance institutions (MFIs) do not begin making payments on the loans before the expiration of a 90-day repayment window that begins on June 30, 2013.

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Indian Institute of Management at Ahmedabad (IIMA) Report Indicates Bandhan Clients Increased Wealth

The Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIMA), a public business school located in the Indian state of Gujurat, recently released a report detailing the results of its impact study on Bandhan Financial Services Private Limited, an Indian microfinance institution.

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Private Equity Firms Investing in Indian Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) After Two-Year Hiatus

Private equity firms are beginning to invest in Indian microfinance institutions (MFIs) that offer products such as insurance, pension plans and chit funds in order to diversify their portfolios. It is reported that private equity firms have invested INR 7.5 billion (USD 138 million) in Indian MFIs this year, as compared to INR 2.5 billion (USD 46 million) invested in 2011.

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Business Standard Reports on “New Breed” of Small Indian Microfinance Institutions

A recent article in the Business Standard, an Indian financial newspaper, recaps a few highlights of the Indian microfinance industry in the year following the enactment of the Regulation of Moneylending Act in late 2010 in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Indian Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) Spandana Sphoorty Financial, Share Microfin, Asmitha Microfin Call Off Merger After Restructuring Plans Approved

Three Indian microfinance institutions (MFIs), Spandana Sphoorty Financial, Share Microfin and Asmitha Microfin, have reportedly cancelled a potential merger on which MicroCapital had reported in August.

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Due Diligence Critical as Indian Banks Select Business Correspondents to Downscale to Microfinance, Opines Ramesh S Arunachalam

Indian rural finance practitioner Mr Ramesh S Arunachalam recently addressed the need for due diligence in the business correspondent (BC) model that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), India’s central banking authority, adopted in 2010 to increase financial access for low-income people [1].

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Indian Rating Agency ICRA Assigns “A2(SO)” Rating to $1.45m in Pass Through Certificates from Microfinance Institution Arohan

Indian rating agency ICRA Limited (ICRA) has assigned a conditional rating of A2(SO) to a series of pass through certificates (PTCs) backed by INR 7.18 crores (USD 1.45 million) in microloan receivables originated by Arohan Financial Services Private Limited (Arohan), a Kolkata-based non-banking financial company (NBFC).

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Indian Microfinance Institution Bandhan Financial Services to Apply for Banking License

Indian microfinance institution (MFI) Bandhan Financial Services Private Limited (Bandhan) reportedly plans to apply for a banking license after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) finalizes its new guidelines for establishing new banks [1].

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Spurned by Commercial Banks, Indian Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) Raise Funds from Social Investors IFC, ACCION, MicroVest, ShoreCap, Aavishkaar, BlueOrchard

Indian microfinance institutions (MFIs), which have seen new lending from commercial banks dry up since the “Andhra Pradesh crisis” broke in late 2010, instead have been accessing funds from social and philanthropic investors including: International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private-investment arm of the World Bank Group; ACCION International, a US-based nonprofit organization; MicroVest Capital Management, a US-based family of microfinance investment funds; Shore Capital, a UK-based investment banking company; Aavishkaar Goodwell India Microfinance Development Company Limited, an India-based financing company; and BlueOrchard Microfinance Investment Managers, a Swiss manager of microfinance funds.

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: SKS Microfinance of India Increases Loan Loss Provision, Reports 38% Fall in Quarterly Net Profit

SKS Microfinance, a for-profit, publicly traded microfinance institution (MFI) based in India, recently reported total income of INR 3.85 billion (USD 83.8 million) and a 38 percent drop in net profit to INR 341 million (USD 7.4 million) for the period October-December 2010. A 30-percent fall in the share price of SKS has also been recorded since October 2010 [1].

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: India’s Suryoday Microfinance Raises $4.5m from Lok Capital and Aavishkaar Goodwell

Suryoday Microfinance Private Limited, an Indian non-banking financial company (NBFC), recently announced the closing of its Series B equity financing for a total of INR 175 million (USD 3.8 million), provided by Lok Capital, a new investor in the company, and Suryoday’s existing investor Aavishkaar Goodwell, both of which are social investment/microfinance equity funds operating in India.

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: India: Microfinance Industry Predicts $30b in Loan Portfolio and 110m Clients By 2014

In a report from Intellecap, a social sector advisory firm, it is predicted that the Indian microfinance industry will achieve a portfolio of 110 million borrowers and INR 135,000 crore (USD 30 billion) by 2014.

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Aavishkaar Goodwell India Microfinance Development Company Ltd Invests USD 450,000 in Belstar Investment and Finance Ltd

Aavishkaar Goodwell India Microfinance Development Company Ltd, an Indian-Dutch joint venture company that provides equity finance for microfinance institutions (MFIs), recently invested USD 450,000 in Belstar Investment and Finance Ltd, a non-bank finance company (NBFC) based in Bangalore, India.