State Bank of India to divest nearly 1% stake in NSE via upcoming IPO

New Delhi: State Bank of India (SBI) and its subsidiary SBI Capital Markets Ltd together plan to dilute up to 1 per cent stake in the National Stock Exchange (NSE) through the exchange's proposed Rs 30,000-crore initial public offering (IPO).

The bank is participating in the NSE IPO and will dilute a 0.65 per cent stake in the exchange, SBI Chairman C S Setty told PTI in an interview.

"We are participating in that divestment. We propose to divest 0.65 per cent and 0.35 per cent by SBI Capital Markets because both of us hold the stake. So together, about 1 per cent as a SBI group... it could be less depending on any other shareholders joining," he said.

SBI currently holds a 3.23 per cent stake in the NSE, while SBI Capital Markets owns 4.33 per cent in the country's largest stock exchange.

He clarified that there is no the monetisation plan for other subsidiaries in the immediate future.

Last month, SBI, along with its foreign partner Paris-headquartered Amundi, diluted around 10 per cent stake in SBI Mutual Fund. The Rs 9,800-crore public offer by the country's biggest fund house was a huge success as the issue was subscribed 42 times.

Post-listing, SBI's holding declined to 55.46 per cent from 61.76 per cent, while Amundi's stake reduced to 32.56 per cent, down 3.7 per cent.

Highlighting the leadership position of SBI in the housing finance segment, Setty said the mortgage portfolio is set to cross an important milestone of Rs 10 lakh crore in the current quarter on the back of robust demand.

The country's largest lender had surpassed Rs 9 lakh crore home loan portfolio during the last financial year.

"We should be reaching the Rs 10 trillion-mark, hopefully in this quarter itself," he said.

SBI has a market share of nearly 28 per cent in the home loan segment, he said, adding that the bank has focused on making home loans accessible across the country.

The lender has more than 460 home loan processing centres across India, increasing accessibility of its housing finance products.

Setty said transparency in pricing and customer trust in the bank's processes, including documentation and due diligence of builders, are among the key factors driving customers to the lender for home loans.

"People trust SBI the most when it comes to taking a home loan... that paperwork is properly done, including the due diligence on the builder," he said.

He also emphasised that home loans should not be viewed merely as a standalone banking product, given their wider contribution to economic activity and multiplier effect on many allied industries.

"Home loan as a segment is very important for the economy," he said, noting that more than 200 industries depend on commercial and residential real estate.

"In a way, home loan should not be seen as a standalone product. It is to be seen as an integral part of India's economic growth," he said.