5. INTER-CORPORATE DEPOSITS MARKET

Apart from CPs, corporates also have access to another market called the inter corporate deposits (ICD) market. An ICD is an unsecured loan extended by one corporate to another. Existing mainly as a refuge for low rated corporates, this market allows funds surplus corporates to lend to other corporates. Also the better-rated corporates can borrow from the banking system and lend in this market. As the cost of funds for a corporate in much higher than a bank, the rates in this market are higher than those in the other markets. ICDs are unsecured, and hence the risk inherent in high. The ICD market is not well organised with very little information available publicly about transaction details.