Banking, Finance And Economy Current Affairs Notes Major Developments October 2025

1. RBI Retail Sandbox of Digital Rupee (e-Rupee).

• What: On the 8th of October, 2025, it initiated a controlled testing environment (sandbox) of its Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC).
• Intent: With this, fintechs can securely experiment and develop products (apps, wallets) without impacting the primary financial system on e-Rupee.
• Background: e-Rupee retail pilot was launched in Dec 2022, and currently has a user base of around 7 million.

2. WTO Reduces Trade Growth Projection.

• Outlook: Cut forecast of global merchandise trade to 0.5 percent (1.8 percent).
• Causes: US tariffs and decelerating world economy.
• 2025 Projection (Upgraded to 2.4): US stockpiling imports, US robust AI goods trade and emerging market with high growth such as India will boost it.

3. SEBI Check and SEBI Validated UPI Handles.

• What: New system to check valid UPI IDs of brokers (.brk) and mutual funds (.mf) on an handle of length of one character, the @valid.
• Visual Cue: The icon of verified transaction is a thumbs-up in a green triangle.
• SEBI Check: It is a tool that allows investors to verify bank/UPI information of intermediaries before making payments so as to improve security and reduce fraud.

4. Sustainability-Linked Loan of L&T.

• What: Larsen and Toubro (L&T) took a Standard Chartered USD 700 million loan.
• Major Characteristic: It is a Sustainability-Linked Trade Facility (SLTF) which is to say that its conditions depend on L&T meeting environmental objectives, such as emission reductions.

5. Daily GIFT Nifty Contracts of NSE.

• What: NSE will introduce daily expiry GIFT Nifty contracts in Oct 13, 2025.
• Location: it has its subsidiary in GIFT City, Gujarat.
• Eligibility: Only foreign investors are eligible.

6. Air India's Debt Refinancing

• What: Bank of India and Standard Chartered loaned it 215 million dollars.
• Purpose: To refinance debt to acquire six Boeing 777 airplanes.
• Significance: The Bank of India was the lead manager on a loan that was provided by GIFT City.

7. Affirms India Rating by Moody.

• Rating Baa3 and Stable Outlook.
• Strengths: Huge, high-growing economy and healthy external position.
• Weaknesses: Fiscal and high government debt.

8. NABARD Rural Survey

• Discovery: 72.8 percent of the rural households anticipate an increase in their incomes over the coming year.
• Positive Trend: A higher proportion of borrowing is being done through formal sources (54.5%), which is more indicative of accessibility to institutional credit.