Private banks in India are aggressively mobilising Foreign Currency Non-Resident (Bank), or FCNR(B), deposits by raising interest rates and using website countdowns, as the Reserve Bank of India's swap window is set to close on August 31, earlier than initially planned.
Indian stock markets are set to be influenced this week by a confluence of factors including quarterly corporate earnings, the US Federal Reserve's interest rate decision, fluctuations in crude oil prices, and ongoing geopolitical developments in West Asia.
Maharashtra is grappling with an escalating drought crisis, with 305 talukas now declared drought-hit, prompting the state government to announce Rs 5,000 in financial aid for farmers before Diwali and extend comprehensive relief measures.
'The Indian market has struggled over the past two years.' 'It peaked in September 2024, and although it has moved up and down since then, investors have not really made money.'
India's private sector capital expenditure is projected to reach approximately 3.2 trillion in the financial year 2026-27, up from 2.6 trillion in FY26, according to a Reserve Bank of India bulletin report, indicating sustained confidence despite global uncertainties.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) net purchased a record $18.65 billion in July, driven by inflows from its concessional swap facility, leading to a significant increase in India's foreign exchange reserves.
The Reserve Bank of India has raised the repo rate by 0.25%. Three financial planners explain how soon banks will pass the increased loan interest on, what borrowers should check and what they need to avoid.
India's foreign exchange reserves saw one of their largest weekly expansions, surging by USD 14.136 billion to reach USD 707.002 billion during the week ended August 7, according to the Reserve Bank of India.
The Indian rupee experienced its sharpest single-day decline in eight weeks, settling at 94.83 per dollar, primarily due to escalating crude oil prices and persistent risk-off sentiment driven by heightened geopolitical tensions and limited foreign inflows.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is widely expected to keep its benchmark repo rate unchanged in the August monetary policy review, with economists citing elevated inflation risks and the pending closure of the FCNR(B) deposit scheme as key factors. Most anticipate a 'Neutral' policy stance but with a hawkish tone due to geopolitical tensions, high crude oil prices, and an uneven monsoon.
India's markets regulator Sebi has launched 'Demat 2.0', a pilot project for tokenisation of corporate bonds, enabling atomic settlement through integration with RBI's wholesale CBDC. This new market infrastructure uses Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) to make bond issuance, trading, and settlement faster and more efficient. India is the first country to issue corporate bonds natively on a distributed ledger with central bank digital currency settlement. Additionally, RBI Governor announced new UPI innovations: 'Tap & Pay' for faster POS transactions and MyUPI, an AI-powered customer support solution.
Rajasthan Police arrested Wasim Hussain in Gurugram for his alleged role in a cyber fraud case. A Jaipur resident was swindled out of Rs 22 lakh after fraudsters, posing as an American citizen, promised a job abroad for his son and demanded various clearance fees. Hussain allegedly provided mule bank accounts used to receive part of the defrauded amount.
A new report by Motilal Oswal Financial Services Ltd (MOFSL) indicates that inflation, interest rates, and monetary policy have become more significant drivers of gold prices than traditional geopolitical conflicts, with markets increasingly focusing on these economic factors.
Despite large inflows of foreign funds mobilised through the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI's) concessional swap schemes, the rupee has seen little impact because the dollars have largely been absorbed into the central bank's reserves instead of being released into the spot market, according to market participants.
The Central Bureau of Investigation has appealed to the Bombay High Court against the acquittal of former Maharashtra minister Padamsinh Patil and seven others in the 2006 murder case of Congress leader Pawanraje Nimbalkar. A sessions court had acquitted the accused on June 20, citing insufficient evidence, and Nimbalkar's wife also filed an appeal last month.
The CBI has registered a case against Basanta Kumar Das, former director of the ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, for allegedly diverting over Rs 27 lakh in government funds to his family members and others. The FIR states that these diversions caused wrongful loss to the exchequer.
After a significant 9.9% depreciation in FY26, the Indian rupee has shown comparative stability in the first half of FY27, depreciating by only 1.1%, attributed to regulatory interventions and measures to attract foreign capital, despite ongoing global pressures from rising crude oil prices and foreign investor outflows.
The Enforcement Directorate has made its sixth arrest, Mukesh Kumar Pukhraj Jain, in a pan-India cyber fraud and digital arrest case involving transactions worth Rs 30,000 crore. Jain is accused of acting as an RTGS agent for the criminal network. The probe, initiated by a Goa Police FIR, uncovered a vast money laundering operation across 20 states, with funds converted into foreign currency and linked to numerous shell companies.
The Enforcement Directorate has seized assets worth over Rs 136 crore, including land parcels and bank deposits, in a money laundering investigation against Gurugram-based realty firm Ocean Seven Buildtech Pvt Ltd (OSBPL) and its promoters. The case involves allegations of defrauding home buyers by collecting over Rs 118 crore for undeveloped projects and diverting funds. OSBPL promoter Swaraj Singh Yadav was arrested in November 2025 in connection with the fraud.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has proposed a standard operating procedure (SOP) for banks to implement temporary debit holds on accounts or transactions suspected of being involved in money-mule activity and cyber-enabled financial fraud, with a maximum duration of 60 days.
RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra stated that the central bank consistently views fintechs as 'valuable partners' in shaping India's future financial system, crediting the sector with expanding financial inclusion, enhancing customer experience, and streamlining credit delivery, particularly for MSMEs.
India's foreign exchange reserves have surged by a record USD 44.903 billion to a new lifetime high of USD 785.706 billion for the week ended September 4, driven by the Reserve Bank of India's concessional forex swap initiatives.
'It's not about individuals operating the mule accounts being more or less skilled. Instead, 'lower-level' refers to the role the individual account plays in the broader mule network.'
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has urged the Reserve Bank of India to accelerate its central bank digital currency initiatives, emphasising the need to sharpen capabilities with the digital rupee amidst rapid advancements in tokenisation, agentic AI, and quantum computing. She also highlighted critical concerns regarding cybersecurity, warning that autonomous AI systems are evolving rapidly and require robust safeguards. Sitharaman proposed a federated industry platform to give India's technology ecosystem a collective international voice.
Chief Economic Advisor V Anantha Nageswaran stated that the second half of the current fiscal year (FY27) is expected to be challenging due to increased downside risks to global growth and rising interest rates worldwide.
A special CBI court in Mumbai denied bail to Sandeep Mistry, an associate of fugitive businessman Nirav Modi, in the multi-million-dollar Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam. The court cited Mistry's history of destroying evidence and his absconding for seven years as reasons for the denial, expressing concerns about securing his presence during the trial if released.
Reserve Bank Deputy Governor S C Murmu has highlighted the "cash paradox" where currency in circulation continues to grow despite a significant increase in digital payments. This trend complicates the RBI's forecasting and planning for currency production and distribution, prompting the central bank to seek solutions and explore ways to extend banknote life and reduce the carbon footprint of the cash cycle.
India's foreign exchange reserves saw a significant increase of $10.512 billion, reaching $692.866 billion for the week ending July 31, driven by a rise in foreign currency assets and gold reserves.
The CBI has registered a case against former Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) assistant commandant Amit for alleged cross-border smuggling activities along the India-Nepal border. He is accused of establishing a nexus with smugglers, facilitating large-scale operations, and engaging in suspicious financial transactions during his posting in Sitamarhi.
India's foreign exchange reserves increased by $9.9 billion to $716.9 billion for the week ended August 14, as reported by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). This surge follows a previous jump of $14.14 billion in the week prior, indicating a robust recovery after a period of decline earlier this year.
Faridabad police have arrested six individuals in connection with a cyber-fraud case where Rs 50 lakh was swindled using a company CMD's photograph on WhatsApp. The police managed to freeze Rs 29 lakh of the defrauded amount. The accused, from Mumbai and Gujarat, were produced in court and sent to judicial custody.
A man from Kochi has been arrested in connection with a 'digital arrest' scam that defrauded a retired judge in Rajasthan of Rs 2.5 crore. The accused allegedly threatened the judge with false links to hawala transactions and the Pulwama case, leading to his apprehension in a coordinated police operation.
RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra announced plans to launch long-lasting polymer currency notes by the next financial year. He also discussed the central bank's data-dependent approach to interest rates, its focus on aligning inflation with the 4 per cent target, and the orderly trajectory of the rupee amidst geopolitical tensions.
The Kerala Legislative Assembly has passed a motion urging the central government to completely withdraw the proposed Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on UPI transactions exceeding Rs 2,000. Chief Minister V D Satheesan and CPI MLA K Rajan highlighted concerns that the MDR would increase business costs, harm small businesses, and reduce the appeal of digital payments, while the BJP argued it would not affect general public or small merchants.
Property ownership disputes depend on the registered deed, the parties' intentions, financial contributions and available evidence.
Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) have withdrawn Rs 48,056 crore from Indian equities in October, driven by elevated crude oil prices, Middle East tensions, inflation concerns, and weak corporate earnings, though selling pressure moderated towards the end of the month.
Delhi Police have taken stringent measures to prevent the Cockroach Janta Party's 'Lehra Do Tiranga' march in Connaught Place, deploying thousands of personnel and citing prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the BNSS due to risks of traffic disruption, stampede, and threats to public safety.
Public-sector banks (PSBs) have reported a substantial increase in non-interest income for Q1FY27, primarily driven by the sale of Priority Sector Lending Certificates (PSLCs) backed by their rapidly expanding gold loan portfolios. This strategy has allowed several lenders to book significant profits by exceeding priority sector lending targets.
A 25-basis-point increase would restore some real monetary restraint when expected inflation has risen, liquidity remains easy and growth is strong, points out Amarendu Nandy.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has dismantled an alleged impersonation and cheating network spanning Delhi, Bihar, Haryana, and West Bengal. Four individuals, including a CGST inspector, have been arrested for fraudulently infiltrating public examination selection processes by posing as candidates. The CBI's investigation is ongoing to identify further accomplices.
