Granting bank licences to private entities and NBFCs, smooth conduct of Government borrowing next fiscal and investor safety issues topped the agenda in Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee's meetings with the heads of RBI and Sebi today.

With large parts of the country still out of banking facilities, the Reserve Bank is taking the message of financial inclusion to the masses by asking them to open bank accounts and avail the facility of ATMs.

Bankers do not expect any impact on their earning margins from the RBI move to come out with a base rate, the lowest rate below which commercial loans cannot be offered, from the start of the next fiscal.

Reserve Bank deputy governor KC Chakrabarty today said banks' lending rates to certain segments like short-term corporate loans could go up due to the existing mis-pricing, but felt that the overall rates will be stable.

The Reserve Bank of India today fixed the Reference rate for the US currency at Rs 46.04 per dollar and the single European unit at Rs 64.33 per euro from Rs 46.25 per dollar and Rs 64.39 per euro, respectively, of yesterday.

Expressing concern over the rising food prices, the Reserve Bank today said its move to ask banks to keep more cash with it was a carefully weighed decision to strike a balance between growth and inflation as it will not put an immediate pressure on interest rates.

Unhappy over the RBI's more-than-expected 75-basis point hike in CRR to squeeze money supply, India Inc today cautioned that economic growth will be hit if accommodative monetary stance is reversed hastily.

The Reserve Bank of India on Friday increased mandatory cash reserve of banks held by it by 75 basis points in a bid to suck excess liquidity to combat rising inflation.

Zooming inflation, a build-up of inflationary pressures and cues from global markets could impel the Reserve Bank to tighten its monetary policy stance, bankers said.

The Reserve Bank said rapid and volatile capital flows could present significant policy challenges, potentially leading to exchange rate overshooting, asset-price volatility and financial instability.

Concerned over the spiralling food prices, the Reserve Bank has indicated at tightening money supply to contain the rising inflation pressures.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Tuesday maintained the Reference rate for the US currency at Rs 46.80 per dollar, while the single European unit was fixed at Rs 66.88 per euro against Rs 67.12 per euro on Monday.

The Reserve Bank of India on Wednesday fixed the reference rate for the US currency at Rs 46.68 per dollar and the single European unit at Rs 67.95 per euro from yesterday's Rs 46.64 per dollar and Rs 68.26 per euro respectively.

The RBI has found "certain weaknesses" in Union Bank of India's Zaveri Bazar branch in Mumbai where sizeable cash was reportedly deposited in two accounts that are being investigated in the alleged hawala case involving former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda.

India Inc on Thursday cautiously welcomed the RBI's move to modify the ECB guidelines and said this also indicates a gradual withdrawal of stimulus measures announced to help the industry tide over the global credit crunch in 2008.

The Reserve Bank of India on Friday fixed the reference rate for the US currency at Rs 46.25 per dollar and the single European unit at Rs 69.63 per euro from Rs 46.22 per dollar and Rs 69.75 per euro, respectively yesterday.

The Reserve Bank on Thursday said it would reassess its soft policy stance amid food inflation soaring past 17 per cent even as the the PM's advisory panel and others called for tightening money supply.

The Reserve Bank of India on Thursday fixed the reference rate for the US currency at Rs 46.22 per dollar and the single European unit at Rs 69.75 per euro from Rs 46.27 per dollar and Rs 69.80 per euro, respectively on Wednesday.

The Reserve Bank on Thursday said the financial crisis in Dubai could have some impact on remittances and would affect those parts of the country that receive inflows from the Gulf nation in larger quantity.

India on Thursday reacted cautiously to the financial crisis in Dubai, caused by debt repayment crisis of a state firm, saying it would examine the extent of the problem, but maintained that no impact was visible as of now.

The Reserve Bank of India on Thursday fixed the Reference rate for the US currency at Rs 46.81 per dollar and the single European unit at Rs 69.83 per euro from Rs 46.27 per dollar and Rs 69.88 per euro respectively on Wednesday.

The Reserve Bank of India on Wednesday fixed the Reference rate for the US currency at Rs 46.34 per dollar and the single European unit at Rs 69.50 per euro from Rs 46.60 per dollar and Rs 69.57 per euro respectively on Tuesday.

The Reserve Bank on Wednesday asked banks to take due care while lending to infrastructure sector, as any asset-liability mismatch may lead to defaults.

The Reserve Bank of India on Friday fixed the Reference rate for the US currency at Rs 46.58 per dollar and the single European unit at Rs 69.54 per euro from Rs 46.41 per dollar and Rs 69.26 per euro, respectively, on Thursday.

Credit off-take for the fortnight ended November 6 saw an increase of over 9 per cent -- the slowest growth in 12 years.