Rediff explains why the system, not the Budget, is the problem.
The rupee witnessed its worst single-day decline in around two months since November 21, 2025, due to demand for dollars among importers, said dealers. The maturing short positions in the non-deliverable forwards market further weighed on the local currency.
The idea of back-loading the target of fiscal consolidation is perhaps guided by the government's desire to be prepared for any adverse developments in the coming year, points out A K Bhattacharya.
'Given that India underperformed emerging markets by 28 per cent in 2025, the worst performance in over 30 years, the timing of the sharp STT hike could have been better.'
From the 30-Sensex firms, InterGlobe Aviation, Sun Pharma, Asian Paints, Reliance Industries, Hindustan Unilever, and Tata Steel were among the biggest laggards. However, Trent, UltraTech Cement, Maruti, and Power Grid were among the gainers.
After withdrawing money on a net basis for the past three months, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) have turned buyers with a Rs 6,480 crore investment in October so far, driven by strong macroeconomic factors.
Benchmark stock indices Sensex and Nifty closed higher on Thursday, helped by a rally in blue-chip Larsen & Toubro and the Economic Survey projecting the GDP growth of 6.8-7.2 per cent for the next fiscal.
The India-US trade deal has offered a much-needed breather for the Indian information technology (IT) industry, which has been grappling with global macroeconomic uncertainty and subdued client spending over the past few years.
In the 15 Union Budget presentation days of the Narendra Modi government since it came to power in 2014, the BSE benchmark Sensex has ended in negative territory eight times.
For every 100 rupees, households invested Rs 45.2 in mutual funds and equities in 2024-2025.
'The first time India has seen two consecutive blockbuster IPO years.'
In November, six primary market issuances accounted for more than 13,000 crore of net equity investments by MFs.
Brokerages were divided on Bajaj Finance after its 2025-26 (FY26) third-quarter (October-December/ Q3) results, with a few raising targets on valuation comfort, while others flagged concerns over the credit cost trajectory.
From the 30-Sensex firms, Eternal, Infosys, Asian Paints, UltraTech Cement, Bajaj Finance, HCL Tech and Titan were among the biggest laggards. However, Tata Steel, Mahindra & Mahindra, Bajaj Finserv and Axis Bank were among the biggest gainers.
IT services major Wipro on Friday reported a 7 per cent decline in consolidated net profit to Rs 3,119 crore in the third quarter of FY26, weighed by a one-time provisional impact of Rs 302.8 crore due to the implementation of new Labour Codes.
From the 30-Sensex firms, ITC tanked 9.69 per cent, following Bajaj Finance, Asian Paints, Bharat Electronics and ICICI Bank. In contrast, NTPC, Eternal, Mahindra & Mahindra, Larsen & Toubro and Power Grid were among the gainers.
Ravi Kaushik has sold 70,000 units of air filters through his start-up Airth and aims to sell 10 lakh units in the next five years.
The surge has come alongside a decline in average issue sizes and more muted listing-day returns compared with last year.
The rupee slumped 5 per cent in 2025 as persistent capital outflows from foreign investors, alongside heightened dollar demand from importers, making it one of the worst-performing Asian currencies.
A host of macroeconomic data announcements, global trends and trading activity of foreign investors would dictate investors' sentiment in the stock market this week, analysts said. Besides, auto sales data will be closely tracked, experts noted.
The automobile and auto-ancillary sector is expected to show strong Q3FY26 results, aided by festival-led demand, rationalisation in goods and services tax (GST) rates for select categories of vehicles, easing interest rates, and improving rural sentiment.
'We operate in an economy that is structurally positioned for long-term growth. As market levels rise over time, our AUM grows in line.'
Investors seeking higher returns at relatively higher risk should consider allocation to smallcap equity funds.
This is the second-worst performance by the pack during this period over the last five years since CY20.
President Droupadi Murmu addressed Parliament, urging unity on national issues like 'Viksit Bharat', swadeshi, and national security. She highlighted government initiatives and the nation's progress.
Ask rediffGURU and PF expert Nitin Narkhede your mutual fund and personal finance-related questions.
Sometimes, the most powerful Budgets whisper and the wisest investors listen, notes Ramalingam Kalirajan.
In a world fractured by uncertainty, India stands out for its policy consistency, paired with sustained ambition, points out Pritam Banerjee.
From the 30-Sensex firms, Trent, Infosys, Bharti Airtel, Tech Mahindra, Bharat Electronics and Maruti were among the biggest gainers. However, State Bank of India, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Larsen & Toubro and Titan were the laggards.
As India's biggest Unified Payments Interface (UPI) app PhonePe prepares to list, the updated draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) shows the impact of regulations on the business, and concentration of payments-linked revenue even as UPI lacks MDR (merchant discount rate).
Retail investors are moving away from a buy-and-hold approach and towards more informed short-term positioning, recent investment patterns show.
Restoring weighted tax deductions and adopting a petty patents regime can foster firm-level innovative activity critical for competitiveness, points out Nagesh Kumar.
Prism, the parent firm of global travel tech unicorn Oyo, has filed preliminary papers with market regulator Sebi to raise Rs 6,650 crore through an initial public offering (IPO) using a confidential route, people familiar with the development said on Wednesday.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's biggest challenge will be to find a new growth driver, particularly against the backdrop of a global economy ravaged by heightened uncertainty and fragmentation, financial markets on a precipice, and global commodity prices on a continued uptrend.
The "huge mountain of debt" in developed economies and the risk of a possible unravelling is a matter of concern for India, Union Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting, Electronics & Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Wednesday, pointing to the recent spike in Japanese bond yields.
Silver prices extended their record-breaking rally for a sixth straight session on Monday, surging 6 per cent to touch a lifetime high of Rs 2,54,174 per kilogram in futures trade amid strong investor demand and bullish global trends. On the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), silver futures for March delivery surged Rs 14,387, or 6 per cent, to hit a new record of Rs 2,54,174 per kilogram.
Bank lending to companies is expected to go up in the coming quarters because the difference in interest rates between corporate bonds and bank loans has narrowed. In addition, recent policy reforms by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), including allowing domestic banks to do acquisition financing, are expected to give further support to corporate lending, analysts said.
The loss of input tax credit (ITC) following the rationalisation of the goods and services tax (GST) on individual life and health insurance from 18 per cent to nil is may weigh on the profits of life insurers in the third quarter (Q3) of 2025-26 (FY26).
Bharti Airtel vice-chairman & managing director Gopal Vittal on Wednesday said while a call on exercising the option of converting pending spectrum dues into government equity would be taken by its board, the company had reached out to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to confirm whether it could do so. "On the adjusted gross revenue (AGR) conversion, it was simple.
'When markets go into a budget with excessive optimism, the risk of disappointment is higher.'
