The University Grants Commission's (UGC) new regulations on promoting equity in higher education institutions have sparked protests and legal challenges. This article explains the regulations, the concerns raised, and the government's response.
Benchmark stock indices Sensex and Nifty closed on a flat note in a choppy session on Wednesday as gains in PSU banks and auto shares were offset by losses in IT stocks.
Benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty ended lower on Thursday, snapping a three-day rally, amid a weak trend in global stock markets.
'Oil is still well below its all-time highs, and the world is gradually running out of known reserves.'
Opposition MPs in the Rajya Sabha criticised the Modi government's economic policies, citing the LPG crisis, lack of energy security, and concerns over the Economic Stabilisation Fund.
From the Sensex firms, Tata Steel tanked the most by 4.57 per cent. ICICI Bank, Power Grid, HCL Tech, Tech Mahindra, Infosys and Kotak Mahindra Bank were also among the laggards. Mahindra & Mahindra, State Bank of India, ITC and Bharat Electronics were among the gainers.
Retail investors' equity portfolios have significantly underperformed benchmark indices over the past 16 to 18 months.
Stock markets rebounded on Friday with the benchmark Sensex closing higher by 316 points after heavy buying in banking and metal shares amid optimism over trade deal progresses and India's participation in Pax Silica.
Inflow in equity mutual funds dropped by 22 per cent to Rs 33,430 crore in August primarily due to a sharp fall in new fund offers (NFOs), data released by the Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI) showed on Wednesday. Also, the latest fund infusion by investors marks the 54th consecutive month of net inflows into the segment.
'It's a changing world and the opening up doesn't mean that concerns with regards to security have gone away.'
The Iran conflict led to a sharp correction in Reliance Industries Ltd's (RIL's) share price, which has been partially reversed by a rebound.
The new UGC regulations mandating all higher education institutions to form "equity committees" to look into discrimination complaints and promote equity were notified on January 13.
Benchmark equity indices Sensex and Nifty tumbled in early trade on Wednesday, tracking a bearish trend in Asian markets, as the conflict in West Asia widened, driving oil prices higher.
Bharat Electronics, Reliance Industries, Mahindra & Mahindra, Larsen & Toubro, InterGlobe Aviation, ICICI Bank and UltraTech Cement were among the other major gainers. Axis Bank, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, Trent and Titan were the laggards.
'People become guided by emotions, fear of missing out, and greed. They tend to invest in booming sectors that may prove exceptionally expensive.' 'Typically, that represents the peak, and subsequently, they lose substantially.'
'Except for extremely conservative investors, others can consider allocating 10 to 20 per cent of their portfolio to small caps.'
'Once the actual scope is understood, it becomes evident that the framework is about internal redress and course correction, and in no way criminalisation.'
Flexicap fund performance depends heavily on the fund manager's decisions.
Equity benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty ended higher in highly volatile trade on Tuesday, buoyed by heavy buying in bank and metal stocks, a firm trend in global markets and optimism over India-EU FTA. The 30-share BSE Sensex climbed 319.78 points, or 0.39 per cent, to settle at 81,857.48.
We will explore some of the reasons why a stock-only portfolio may no longer be sufficient and some of the modern alternatives and strategies that can help investors build resilient and profitable portfolios.
Ask rediffGURU and tax expert Mihir Tanna your income tax-related questions.
Ask rediffGURU and PF and MF expert Janak Patel your mutual fund and personal finance-related questions.
Domestic equities surged on Tuesday, posting their best single-day gains in more than eight months after a long-awaited trade deal between India and the US. The deal, which lowered tariffs on Indian goods to 18 per cent from 50 per cent, significantly improved investor sentiment and lifted a key overhang for the market.
This single amendment, unfortunately, overshadows much of the Budget's promise, explains Harsh Roongta.
Ask rediffGURU and PF expert Nitin Narkhede your mutual fund and personal finance-related questions.
Stock markets closed higher on Friday after the Reserve Bank of India kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged as expected and proposed allowing banks to lend to Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) with certain prudential safeguards to deepen the financing pool for the real estate sector.
Precious metal prices, particularly gold and silver, experienced a significant surge in the national capital as investors sought safe-haven assets amid escalating hostilities in the Middle East.
The most common mistake is investing without assessing suitability and long-term implications.
Benchmark equity indices Sensex and Nifty extended their gains for the second straight session on Monday, driven by optimism over the India-US trade deal and robust buying in public sector banks, consumer durables, and realty stocks.
'Long-term investors seeking sustainable gains from resilient, fundamentally strong companies may go for these funds.'
Bitcoin has fallen from its peak of $1,26,251.3 on October 6, 2025, to $65,405.5, a decline of 48.2 per cent. Investors must recognise that sharp volatility is inherent to Bitcoin and avoid kneejerk reactions.
Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) remained in a selling mode in January, withdrawing nearly Rs 36,000 crore (about $3.97 billion) as global uncertainties persisted. Meanwhile, a higher securities transaction tax (STT) proposed in the Union Budget may weigh on overseas investor participation in the near future.
Platform-style partnerships between global investors and Indian developers are expected to gain further traction over the next few years. This comes as institutional capital increasingly shifts from one-off asset acquisitions to scalable, long-term strategies.
'Multi-asset funds have cornered 30 per cent of hybrid fund inflows in 2025, reflecting a growing preference for diversified portfolios that combine equity, debt and commodities.'
India is well-stocked with inventories of crude oil and key petroleum products, including petrol, diesel, and aviation turbine fuel (ATF), to deal with short-term disruptions as the war intensifies in West Asia, Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri said on Tuesday.
Even as the benchmark and broader indices were down sharply on Monday due to escalating tensions in West Asia, the Nifty Defence index ended the session in the green.
Capex, infrastructure development, and prudent fiscal management are the key focus areas in the Budget, says Nilesh Shah.
Most first-time investors may be better served by diversified options such as flexicap or multi-cap funds, which already hold pharma and healthcare stocks.
'...a mix of asset classes.' 'Include equities for growth (across market caps), debt for stability and liquidity, gold as a hedge against macro and currency risk, and global assets for geographical and economic diversification.'
Analysts predict a surge in gold and silver prices as investors seek safe-haven assets due to escalating tensions in the Middle East. The impact on domestic prices will depend on the conflict's duration, with geopolitical factors and macroeconomic data also playing a role.
