New demat account additions in India reached an 11-month low in March, with only 2.15 million new accounts opened, significantly below the 12-month average. This slowdown is attributed to a sharp decline in equity markets, escalating West Asia tensions, and increased crude oil prices impacting India's economic outlook.
With duties at 15%, GST at 3%, and making charges running as high as 20% -- the gap between a smart purchase and a careless one can easily be Rs 30,000 to Rs 50,000 on every Rs 1 lakh invested. And most of that gap is entirely avoidable. Ramalingam Kalirajan explains the math.
Punjab Cabinet Minister Sanjeev Arora has challenged his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), claiming it is illegal and unconstitutional. The Punjab and Haryana High Court heard arguments and adjourned the matter to May 14. Arora was arrested in connection with an alleged Rs 100-crore GST fraud-linked money laundering case.
From the financial year 2025-2026, the government has introduced a new column in the tax return form for presumptive taxpayers, requiring them to disclose their year-end investments. This requirement was not present last year.
Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist Abdullah, alias Abu Hureira, who was tasked with establishing bases outside Jammu and Kashmir, adopted various professions, including share trading, to blend in with the local population. He was recently arrested along with other members of his network.
The Indian trading and investment space has transformed exponentially in the last few years, and technology plays a pivotal part in how traders engage with the markets. In 2026, brokers are far more than order-execution platforms; they provide several value-added features to market participants to facilitate a data-driven and seamless trading experience.
The number of companies with promoters whose demat accounts were frozen by the stock exchanges due to non-compliance increased over the past year. The BSE froze promoter demat accounts in 457 companies, according to data from the Securities and Exchange Board of India's (Sebi's) 2024-25 annual report released on August 12.
Do not exit in panic or buy falling stocks without reassessing fundamentals; instead, build a watchlist and invest gradually with a disciplined, long-term approach.
Using a trading terminal is not suitable for all market participants. Before market participants start using a trading terminal, it is important for them to know who really needs a trading terminal and what they can do with it. Here, we will explore who should actually use a trading terminal.
Domestic markets saw the addition of nearly 3 million new dematerialised (demat) accounts in July, marking the highest monthly increase since December 2024. This is also the third consecutive month that witnessed a rise in account openings, following a period of moderation from January to April.
About 2.2 million new dematerialised (demat) accounts were opened in May, raising the total to 196.6 million as stock prices continued their upward trend.
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.
Sebi Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey announced intensified surveillance and technology-driven enforcement to combat pre-investment scams targeting retail investors, who are increasingly being lured by fake trading apps and promises of high returns.
A BofA Global Research report indicates that Paytm is leading in monetisation compared to its competitors due to its diversified mix of merchant lending and financial services, which enhances profitability and strengthens its position in the Indian fintech market.
Sebi is working with other regulators to expand the CAS framework.
In the mid-1990s, when the shares of listed companies first began to be held in electronic form, they accounted for less than 1 per cent of the stocks bought and sold on the stock exchanges. This climbed to 99.5 per cent by 2001.
The post-Covid euphoria surrounding direct equity investing has ebbed in 2025. Individual investors have turned net sellers in the domestic equity market, pulling out about 8,461 crore so far this year - a sharp reversal from the record purchases seen in 2024, according to a report by the National Stock Exchange of India (NSE).
rediffGURU Vipul Bhavsar answers readers' personal income tax queries.
The country's primary capital markets delivered a robust performance in FY26, emerging as a global leader in initial public offerings (IPOs) despite an uncertain environment, the Economic Survey said on Thursday.
Markets regulator Sebi board on Wednesday approved a series of measures aimed at improving investor convenience, easing compliance norms, and deepening participation in the capital and debt markets.
The total number of demat accounts in the country stood at 171.1 million as of August 31.
'Allocating 5 to 10 per cent of one's portfolio and staying disciplined through market cycles helps in having a positive investment experience.'
The Indian metal market is a promising sector to invest in as it provides a good balance between the prospects of growth and stability in dynamic economic conditions and a changing geopolitical environment. Metals such as gold, silver, copper, etc, have gained renewed significance in 2025, amidst growing inflation and India's push towards infrastructural growth and green energy initiatives.
The Indian metal market is a promising sector to invest in as it provides a good balance between the prospects of growth and stability in dynamic economic conditions and a changing geopolitical environment. Metals such as gold, silver, copper, etc, have gained renewed significance in 2025, amidst growing inflation and India's push towards infrastructural growth and green energy initiatives.
Markets regulator Sebi has ordered the attachment of bank accounts and shares and mutual fund holdings of absconding diamantaire Mehul Choksi to recover dues totalling Rs 2.1 crore in a case of violation of insider trading rules in the shares of Gitanjali Gems.
Shares of Billionbrains Garage Ventures, the parent of online broking platform Groww, soared nearly 30 per cent on their market debut on Wednesday, defying the recent trend of muted listings. The stock opened at Rs 112 and hit a high of Rs 134.4 before settling at Rs 128.85 on the NSE - a gain of 28.85 per cent over its issue price of Rs 100.
Markets regulator Sebi will soon set up a working group to undertake a comprehensive review of short selling and the Securities Lending and Borrowing (SLB) frameworks, its chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey said on Friday. The framework for short selling, introduced in 2007, has largely remained unchanged since its inception.
From Rs 73k to over Rs 1.2L between January-December 2025 -- is buying gold in 2026 still sensible?
Every investor loves a bull market - that feeling of watching portfolios rise and headlines being filled with record highs is gratifying. Yet, wealth creation in the stock market is not just a matter of market rallies. Some of the most successful investors make their fortunes in periods of slow or even negative market momentum. The secret is mindset, strategy, and disciplined investing, not chasing short-term rallies.
rediffGURU Vipul Bhavsar answers readers' personal income tax queries.
The number of dematerialised (demat) accounts - required to hold shares and other securities in electronics format - crossed the 150-million mark for the first time in March. In March, 3.12 million new demat accounts were added despite a spike in market volatility, taking the total count to 151.4 million. The milestone has come 19 months after the total number of demat accounts hit the 100-million mark, a sign that more domestic households are taking to direct equity investing.
'The outlook for the next Samvat is more constructive, as many of the earlier drags are gradually becoming supports.'
Investors can meet cash needs without selling their securities.
Entities controlled by governments - sovereign wealth funds, and pension funds - have recorded higher growth in equity assets under custody compared to other foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) over the past five years.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) will let Category-I and-II alternative investment funds (AIFs) run a dedicated "co-investment" (CIV) scheme for accredited investors, doing away with an earlier requirement of a separate portfolio-manager licence. The rules notified on Monday are aimed at reducing compliance burden for the AIF managers.
The number of dematerialised (demat) accounts required to hold shares and other securities in electronic format rose by 3.1 million in April, bringing the total tally to a fresh record of 154.5 million. Since December last year, the new additions have consistently remained above the 3 trillion mark, a sign that the stock markets continue to attract new investors despite a spike in volatility.
'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.'
'Indian markets may underperform global peers for the next two quarters.' 'But beyond that, India should catch up and resume its long-term growth path.'
Alternative investment funds (AIFs) are yet to fully demat the outstanding units even as the deadline ended on October 31. Industry players say they are working on the transition from physical to electronic with the depositories Central Depository Services (India) Limited (CDSL) and National Securities Depository Limited (NDSL). Some said they are hoping for some relaxation from the market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), given the teething problems they are facing.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has accused Karnataka Congress MLA K C Veerendra of collecting over Rs 2,000 crore through online betting sites. The agency alleges that Veerendra and his associates used various gateways and fintech service providers to mask their illicit activities.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances