Gold prices skyrocketed by Rs 9,700 to scale a fresh peak of Rs 130,300 per 10 grams in the national capital on Monday, lifted by safe-haven buying in the overseas markets and depreciation in the rupee.
Mining major Vedanta's consolidated net profit plunged 58.69 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) to Rs 1,798 crore in the second quarter of 2025-26 (Q2FY26), dragged down by exceptional losses booked during the period under review. The company had reported a net exceptional gain of Rs 1,160 crore in Q2FY25.
'Corporates now have multiple funding sources beyond banks, and many are sitting on large cash reserves.'
Elena Rybakina rallied from a set down to beat Russian fourth seed Ekaterina Alexandrova 3-6, 6-0, 6-2 and win the Ningbo Open title on Sunday, as her late surge to reach next month's WTA Finals gained momentum.
Amid the political push and pull, the Centre's decision to allow sugar exports and remove the 50 per cent duty on molasses exports has rekindled hope in the industry that more relief may follow.
The reduction in goods & services tax (GST) on individual life and health insurance premiums has been called a "landmark step" for making insurance affordable and inclusive. In a panel discussion at the Business Standard BFSI Insight Summit 2025, Anup Bagchi, managing director (MD) & chief executive officer (CEO) of ICICI Prudential Life Insurance; Mahesh Balasubramanian, MD & CEO of Kotak Life Insurance; Tarun Chugh, MD & CEO of Bajaj Life Insurance; and Ratnakar Patnaik, MD of Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), listed what else the industry needs to reach more people.
rediffGURU T S Khurana answers readers' personal income tax queries.
With a confident new generation of innovators, India now has the scale and self-belief to shape its own digital destiny marked by creation, observes Ajay Kumar chairman, UPSC.
Trent reported decent margins in the second quarter (July-September) of 2025-26 (Q2FY26) but growth moderated. Same store growth was low single-digits. Trent's revenue growth decelerated in Q2FY26 at 17 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) while area additions were offset by decline in revenue per square foot (sq ft).
rediffGURU T S Khurana answers readers' personal income tax queries.
The July-September quarter (Q2) performance of consumer electricals and durables major Havells India in 2025-26 (FY26) was broadly in line with Street estimates. While the top line was supported by robust growth in the wire and cable, switchgear, and lighting segments, the consumer durables segment restricted overall gains.
'It takes time and the experience of a few market cycles to develop awareness about one's true risk appetite.'
'If not bullish, volatility should be minimal.'
Digital payments provider PhonePe has filed draft papers with markets regulator Sebi for its upcoming initial public offering (IPO) using the confidential pre-filing route. On Wednesday, the company's spokesperson said, "PhonePe Ltd has filed the Pre-filed Draft Red Herring Prospectus with Sebi and the stock exchanges, under...the Sebi ICDR Regulations in relation to the proposed initial public offering of its equity shares on the main board of the stock exchanges".
Implications for capital gains, wealth taxes, and investment strategies require careful consideration, notes Anil Rego, founder and CEO, RightHorizons.
As the quick commerce (qcom) race hots up, a new model - vertical qcom - is gaining investor attention. Unlike horizontal players such as Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy Instamart, which stock everything from groceries to gifts and gadgets, vertical platforms focus on depth over breadth.
...compared with 153,000 in all of 2024.
Among Sensex firms, Tata Steel, HCL Tech, UltraTech Cement, Bharat Electronics, Sun Pharma and Tata Consultancy Services were the major gainers. However, Axis Bank, Titan, Maruti and Tata Motors were among the laggards.
The old tax regime remains unchanged. 'Taxpayers opting for it will continue to follow the existing slab rates and deductions.'
Organise your PAN, Form 16, Form 26AS, AIS, and all other proofs before e-filing.
'India may never fully participate in the AI hype cycle, but we can position ourselves to benefit from its inevitable disenchantment and the cycle of disillusionment,' alerts Akash Prakash.
Ask rediffGURU and tax expert Mihir Tanna your income tax-related questions.
'A balanced portfolio mix of domestic and international equity, fixed income, and precious metals is recommended.'
'The pace of gold's ascent is striking, with prices rising from $3,500/oz to $4,000/oz in just 36 days -- far quicker than the historical average of 1,036 days taken to achieve similar $500/oz gains.'
Automotive (auto) stocks have been among the best performers in the BSE 200 index in recent months. More than half of the top 15 gainers over the past one, two, and three months have come from the sector.
'They are a poor fit for anyone with near-term goals, low volatility tolerance, or a need for steady income or liquidity.' 'First-time investors should typically avoid them.'
'The primary market's rhythm mirrors investor confidence. While sentiment may appear cautious, it reflects maturity, not weakness.'
Gold prices rallied for the third straight day and gained Rs 2,600 to hit a fresh lifetime high of Rs 1,26,600 per 10 grams in the national capital on Wednesday in line with strong global trends amid looming geopolitical uncertainties triggered by the prolonged shutdown of the US government.
A string of welfare schemes and promises tests the state's budget, which is already heavily dependent on central support and spends little as capital outlay.
'Always keep accurate and transparent records of the source of the investment or property's funding: Loan agreements, transfer records of the property, and bank statements of co-owners if available.'
The Income Tax department on Friday said it has made available the excel utility for ITR-1 and ITR-4 for AY 2025-26, which will enable taxpayers to file their income tax returns. "The Excel Utility for ITR-1 and ITR-4 for AY 2025-26 has been enabled and is now available for taxpayers," the Income Tax department said in a post on X.
Among Sensex firms, Bharat Electronics rose the most by 4.26 per cent. HCL Tech gained 2.57 per cent, Bajaj Finance by 2.19 per cent, TCS by 1.99 per cent, Tech Mahindra by 1.88 per cent and Infosys by 1.85 per cent. Gains in Axis Bank and State Bank of India also supported the rally. However, Mahindra & Mahindra emerged as the biggest loser, falling by 2.47 per cent. Maruti dropped 1.53 per cent and Tata Motors by nearly 1 per cent due to profit-taking. UltraTech, Eternal and Power Grid were also among the laggards.
EV manufacturers point out that converting a regular petrol car into a flex-fuel vehicle requires only about Rs 17,000-25,000 per unit, whereas developing an EV demands vastly greater investments in research, battery development, and localisation.
'I will not be surprised if there is a 7 per cent handle in front of the decimal place for the full financial year.'
The sector's IPO pipeline is led by Tata Capital's Rs 17,000 crore issue, followed by ICICI Prudential Asset Management at Rs 10,200 crore and Billionbrains Garage Ventures at Rs 6,000 crore.
India's 25 venture capital and private equity backed "new-age" companies, that listed between May 2020 and June 2025, reveals a sobering reality behind the hype: barely a third have delivered sustained outperformance against the market.
'Maintain a balanced approach with a preference for short-to medium-duration funds.'
rediffGURU Samkit Maniar answers readers' personal income tax queries.
Growth accelerated for Zomato operator Eternal in the second quarter of financial year 2026 (Q2FY26). Zomato's business to commerce (B2C) operations delivered a strong 57 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) rise in net order value (NOV) to Rs 23,164 crore while consolidated revenue soared 183 per cent Y-o-Y (90 per cent Q-o-Q) to Rs 13,590 crore during the period, with like-for-like (LFL) growth of 65 per cent, and acceleration in the quick commerce (QC) segment, which recorded NOV growth of 137 per cent Y-o-Y (27 per cent Q-o-Q).
Multi-asset allocation funds (MAAFs) have emerged as strong performers among mutual funds (MFs), rivalling medium-term returns from traditional equity categories while maintaining a lower risk profile. Over the past three years, average returns for this segment have surpassed those of flexicap and largecap funds, for both lump sum and systematic investment plan (SIP) investments.