Public-sector banks (PSBs) in India have reported an 11.2 per cent year-on-year rise in net profit, reaching a record 1.98 trillion in FY26, marking their fourth consecutive year of profitability, driven by sustained business growth, improved asset quality, and strong capital positions.
If TVK MLAs and ministers are perceived as clean, or demonstrably cleaner than their predecessors, the credibility dividend will be enormous. The voter will feel rewarded, points out Ramesh Menon.
Indian stock markets experienced a significant sell-off, with the Sensex tumbling over 1,300 points, driven by escalating crude oil prices due to US-Iran tensions and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for austerity measures, which amplified investor concerns about India's economic outlook.
Following through announcements with enforcement of measures is key, as a run through recent Indian economic history shows, points out A K Bhattacharya.
The Indian rupee depreciated 20 paise to close at a fresh all-time low of 94.88 against the US dollar, driven by surging Brent crude oil prices, hovering around USD 115 per barrel, and persistent foreign capital outflows.
S&P Global Ratings warns that a sustained rise in crude oil prices to $130 per barrel could significantly slow India's economic growth, weaken fiscal metrics, and strain corporate and banking sector performance, potentially reducing growth by up to 80 basis points.
'Once the market decides it wants to go up, it goes up -- no amount of bad news can really hold it back.'
'At the first sign of real trouble, that money will move. There will be a run.'
rediffGURUS Mihir Tanna, Vipul Bhavsar, T S Khurana, Vivek Lala and Anil Rego will answer your tax queries related to the Union Budget 2026-2o27.
'We are profoundly energy-dependent on the Gulf. That dependency must now be redirected towards the United States, because we require American permission to procure oil.' 'We additionally require Iranian permission to acquire oil from that source. So India now has to seek two separate permissions merely to secure its energy supply.' 'Should we be compelled to source from America, or from Venezuela -- which is, in effect, American-controlled supply -- that will inevitably carry a price premium, an elevated shipping cost, and a considerably extended delivery timeline, given the distances involved.'
India's home-grown EV startups say the government's auto PLI scheme is helping big players while shutting out innovators building electric two- and three-wheelers from scratch.
'Even last year, when India bought gold, the physical quantity was much less than the previous years.'
Mixed-use real estate projects, integrating residential, commercial, retail, and hospitality segments, are gaining significant traction in India as developers seek to maximise returns, optimise land use, and diversify cash flows, with experts predicting 35-40% of urban real estate supply will be mixed-use by 2030.
rediffGURU T S Khurana answers readers' personal income tax queries
Direct plans of mutual fund schemes added nearly 21 million individual investor folios in FY26 (as of February), surpassing regular plans' 15 million net additions, marking only the second time direct plans have outpaced regular plans in annual folio growth, despite turbulent equity markets.
'India's ties with Israel have to do with defence and general technology.' 'The war changes nothing in what India and Israel hope to get from the relationship.' 'It's not as though India will get significantly more benefits from Iran if India abandons Israel at this time.'
Is the current rally telegraphing a durable peace plan in West Asia, boosted by United States (US) President Donald Trump's incoherent and contradictory posts on social media?
West Asia conflict triggers sharp sell-off in Indian markets, with realty, banking and auto stocks leading losses amid energy shock fears.
'We are staying away from making forward-looking statements on when we will reach 1 trillion, etc. But growth will be rapid; it's only a matter of time.'
The Reserve Bank of India's 2024 norms for the voluntary conversion of Small Finance Banks (SFBs) into universal banks, particularly the subjective 'diversified loan portfolio' criterion, are proving to be a significant hurdle, with Ujjivan SFB and Jana SFB having their applications returned.
Infosys shares experienced a significant drop, hitting a 52-week low, after the company announced its Q4FY26 results and provided a modest revenue growth guidance of 1.5-3.5 per cent in constant currency for FY27, falling below market expectations and raising concerns about AI-led deflation and margin pressures.
Best in class asset quality, strong retail granularity, and a sustainable return ratio -- these are the things we will look at, says Yes Bank's new MD and CEO Vinay Tonse.
Three disappointing experiences with Tata companies made me question whether the group's historic values of customer focus and accountability are slowly fading, notes Dr N Ravichandran.
Supreme Court judge Justice B V Nagarathna has cautioned against the over-reliance on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the judiciary, emphasising the need for judicial independence from algorithmic influence. She stressed that AI should only serve as a tool and not replace human judgement, which is guided by legal reasoning, constitutional values, and a deep sense of justice.
Indian stock markets tumbled sharply with the Sensex falling 800 points and nearly 4 lakh crore wiped out in a single session. Here are the 6 key factors, including rupee weakness and global cues, behind the crash.
Benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty tumbled in early trade on Friday after a two-day rally, tracking a weak trend in global peers, as the US-Iran conflict continues to be a key overhang for the markets. Track Sensex, Nifty50 movement and key market drivers for March 27, 2026.
Chief Justice of India, Justice Surya Kant, advocates for careful integration of AI in the judicial system, emphasising the importance of human judgement and oversight in delivering justice.
Chief Justice of India, Justice Surya Kant, advocates for the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the judicial system, emphasising that it should enhance efficiency without compromising core judicial functions and human oversight.
Supreme Court judge Justice B V Nagarathna stated that judicial independence in the modern era includes freedom from algorithmic influence, emphasising that AI should only assist judges, who must ultimately decide based on constitutional values and human judgment.
The benchmark BSE Sensex's trailing 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple has declined to 20.2x, its lowest since May 2020, driven by a record $42 billion FPI selloff since September 2024 and concerns over corporate earnings and economic growth.
Supreme Court judge Justice B V Nagarathna stated that judicial independence in the modern era is not just freedom from external power, but also from algorithmic influence, while speaking at a conference in Bengaluru.
India's state-level fiscal rules have improved headline deficits, but the gains are fragile and uneven with major states still grappling with high debt levels, a World Bank report submitted to the 16th Finance Commission (FC) said. According to the report, despite nearly two decades of adoption of fiscal responsibility laws (FRLs), debt levels have not converged.
'I suspect that Bangladesh being given permission stuck in India's official craw, and this story was an attempt to balance the scales by giving the impression that a similar waiver had been given to India as well.'
rediffGURU Vipul Bhavsar answers readers' personal income tax queries.
Trump has made it clear: the US will not lift its blockade of Iranian ports until a deal is signed.
Sensex and Nifty post steepest weekly loss in over a year, falling nearly 3 per cent.
rediffGURU Vipul Bhavsar answers readers' personal income tax queries.
By all available indications, the White House drafted a face-saving note and handed it, ready-made, to Islamabad. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was supposed to then post it in the guise of a plea urging Trump to extend the deadline by two weeks 'to allow diplomacy to run its course'. Trump would then graciously accept Pakistan's 'request' and declare a ceasefire. Sharif dutifully posted the message on X. Except that he, or whoever was handling the account, forgot to delete the tell-tale first line visible in the edit history: 'Draft - Pakistan's PM Message on X'. Prem Panicker's must read blog on the Iran War.
The NCERT's class 8 textbook is under scrutiny for its content on judicial corruption, potentially leading to its removal after government concerns and objections from the judiciary.
Tea planters in Darjeeling have raised that a shortage of commercial LPG, triggered by the ongoing conflict in West Asia, could hit tea processing during the first flush, the delicate early-season harvest that commands the highest premiums and often sets the tone for the year.
