'Since the category has a limited track record, assess the fund manager's experience across equity and debt market cycles rather than relying only on past returns.'
The US push for clearer crypto rules is putting pressure on India to fill its own regulatory gap for virtual digital assets.
The tax treatment of equity savings funds makes them appealing, especially to investors in higher income-tax brackets.
Bajaj Auto, the sole player in India's CNG-powered motorcycle segment, has seen a dramatic drop in registrations for its Freedom 125 CNG bike, from a peak of 12,167 in November 2024 to just 1,211 in May this year, primarily due to reduced price arbitrage between petrol and CNG and growing availability challenges.
Conservative investors seeking equity-like tax benefits with low risk may go for them.
The central bank is yet to consider actions such as a rate hike or mobilising dollar inflows from non-resident Indians to boost forex reserves as it cannot afford to continue with them for long when the rupee's internationalisation tops its agenda, explains Tamal Bandyopadhyay.
Life cycle funds may suit people who are starting their investing journey. They may suit those who do not want to monitor their investments frequently. Busy professionals, beginners and delegators, who lack the time, information or interest to manage asset allocation actively, may find these funds useful.
'Investors shouldn't let fear dictate their decisions. The most important step is simply to begin investing.'
Investors can begin investing in mutual funds with as little as Rs 100.
Of course, NOT! Here's why. And here's how you can increase your Rs 1 crore retirement corpus.
Hybrid mutual fund schemes attracted significant inflows of Rs 1.55 lakh crore in FY26, a 29 per cent increase, as investors increasingly opted for diversified investment strategies to navigate volatile market conditions and geopolitical tensions.
'Wipro's challenge is not lack of ideas. In fact, some of its recent structural moves are arguably bolder than peers.' 'The problem is proving it can operationalise these bets faster and more consistently.'
'Arbitrage funds make the most sense for those in the 30 per cent tax bracket, are viable for those in the 20 per cent bracket, but less so for those in the 10 per cent bracket.'
The Vanniyar vote can tip the balance in 70 to 75 assembly constituencies of the 234 in the state, mainly in the Ranipet, Vellore, Thiruppathur, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Tiruvannamalai, Arani, Villupuram and Kallakurichi districts.
Indian companies are increasingly turning to share buybacks as a preferred payout strategy, driven by recent tax framework changes that make them more tax-efficient for non-promoter shareholders and a fall in stock prices.
Biocon is actively seeking in-licensing opportunities to expand its biosimilars portfolio, focusing on products that complement existing therapy areas, as the company shifts to a 'consolidate' phase with a strong emphasis on improving capacity utilisation, expanding margins, and driving return on capital employed.
Ask rediffGURU and PF, MF and insurance expert Purshotam Lal your mutual fund, insurance and personal finance-related questions.
SIS Ltd, a security and facility management services provider, aims to cross Rs 20,000 crore in revenue by FY27, driven by strong double-digit growth, expansion of its service network, and a simplified regulatory framework under new labour codes, said its Group Managing Director Rituraj Sinha.
Arbitrage funds, the new favourite of individual investors, delivered their best performance in nearly a decade in 2024. On average, the schemes delivered 8 per cent return last year, the highest since 2016, according to data from Value Research. The returns were supported by positive equity market sentiments, surge in open interest in stock futures, high interest rate, among other factors, analysts said.
The measures announced by it risk backfiring, disrupting the foreign exchange market, and intensifying the very pressures they seek to contain, with broader consequences for the economy points out Rajeswari Sengupta.
India's electric passenger vehicle market saw an 87.4 per cent year-on-year increase in FY26, reaching 233,246 units, primarily driven by the mid-size SUV segment (20-30 lakh price bracket), while the entry-level segment (sub-10 lakh) experienced a decline.
'At the first sign of real trouble, that money will move. There will be a run.'
Benchmark equity indices Sensex and Nifty tumbled more than 1 per cent on Friday due to across-the-board selloff, especially in metal, IT and commodity stocks, tracking sluggish global markets.
"It is quite possible that the rates will remain low in the near to medium term, but that will depend on how conditions evolve," said RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra.
The question is whether the clocks allow enough time for two deeply mistrustful sides to get there, and whether the surface calm holds long enough for the paddling to produce something before the ceasefire ends on April 22, notes Prem Panicker in his must read blog on the Iran War.
'Solutions developed in India are being commercialised and offered globally because we're executing at scale, creating new markets and revenue streams.'
'Long-term investors seeking sustainable gains from resilient, fundamentally strong companies may go for these funds.'
Fundraising through pre-initial public offerings (pre-IPOs) more than doubled in 2025 compared with the previous year, but remained below the peak seen in 2023. The narrowing gap between pre-IPO and IPO pricing is the reason for the decline in both the number and value of such deals over the past two years.
The proposals outlined in Budget 2026-27 represent a carefully crafted, multi-year strategy designed to strengthen India's big bets on the path to Viksit Bharat 2047, says Sameer Gupta.
'Large firms and their interests can dominate the narrative, even as smaller stakeholders and retail investors struggle to be heard.' 'Regulators therefore require deep subject-matter expertise to assess representations, recognise underlying incentives, incorporate the perspectives of less-visible stakeholders, and guard against bias or capture,' notes Ananth Narayan.
Banks have been borrowing heavily from the Tri-Party Repo (TREPS) market and deploying those funds into the Standing Deposit Facility (SDF) of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), which is offering higher interest rate than the former, leading to increased volumes in the SDF window. The weighted average TREPS rate was trading at 5.66 per cent on Monday, 9 basis points lower than the SDF rate which currently stands at 5.75 per cent.
Mutual fund industry extended its bull run in 2025, adding a staggering Rs 14 lakh crore to its asset base and pushing total AUM to a record Rs 81 lakh crore by November, powered by surge in retail participation and record SIP inflows. Venkat Chalasani, chief executive officer of AMFI, told PTI that the industry's outlook remains positive, with steady SIP inflows continuing to offset foreign portfolio investor outflows and strengthening market resilience.
India is set to reduce its direct imports of Russian crude from late November, following new US sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil, effective November 21.
'Foreign capital will continue to come directly into India, but companies have realised that GIFT City is a more cost-efficient way of channelling funds.'
After three post-pandemic years of an upcycle, it was a mixed bag for the realty sector in 2025, with sales volumes in the residential real estate moderating across top cities, and commercial real estate and institutional investments emerging as standout performers. Residential: Volumes soften, value holds firm.
Insurance intermediaries who receive disproportionately high commissions are likely to see a decline in their payouts, post the new Insurance Amendment Bill. The new Bill gives the Insurance Regulatory & Development Authority of India (Irdai) the power to disgorge unlawful gains made by insurers and intermediaries as well as the right to limit commissions paid to intermediaries.
Rediff explains why the system, not the Budget, is the problem.
'We frequently discuss AI, but we're waiting for other countries to develop solutions rather than creating intellectual property ourselves.' 'We haven't yet produced comprehensive AI solutions developed in India for global markets.'
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday said the government cannot restrain retailers from trading in Futures and Options (F&O) but will definitely create awareness regarding the risks involved in putting money in such instruments.
Arbitrage funds have recorded net inflows for three months straight, after steep outflows for half a year before that. The trend changed as mutual fund (MF) schemes improved amid a rise in equity market volatility. Investors redeemed over Rs 31,000 crore from arbitrage schemes between June and November before putting in Rs 3,000 crore in the last three months, shows data from the Association of Mutual Funds in India (Amfi).
