After the last Budget's announcement of a major tax relief for those earning an annual salary of less than Rs 12 lakh, there is not much that individuals can look forward to in the forthcoming Budget, points out A K Bhattacharya.
Silver prices rallied sharply by Rs 15,000 to hit a lifetime high of Rs 265,000 per kg in the national capital on Monday, and gold advanced to a fresh record of Rs 144,600 per 10 grams, mirroring strong gains in the global markets.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday said the government will roll back a steep interest rate cut on small saving schemes such as PPF and NSC -- saying it was an oversight, a move being seen as an attempt by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party to contain the fallout of a decision hitting the common man in the ongoing elections in West Bengal, Assam and three other states.
Passenger vehicle dispatches from companies to dealers raced to the highest ever sales mark in a calendar year in 2025 as a reduction in prices due to GST reforms led to robust sales in the festive season, industry body SIAM said on Tuesday.
The country's exports rose marginally by 0.61 per cent to $36.56 billion in January, while trade deficit widened to a three-month high of $34.68 billion, government data showed on Monday.
After years of rapid expansion, the Centre's capital spending growth eases as private investment shows early signs of revival, points out A K Bhattacharya.
Both countries commit to provide each other preferential market access in sectors of respective interest on a sustained basis
South Africa beat New Zealand by seven wickets in T20 World Cup game in Ahmedabad.
The violence in Kennedy is often unflinching and the characters offer no easy sympathy, but you stay hooked on how it all plays out. And that's when the classic Anurag Kashyap twist arrives, bringing an unexpected emotional payoff that lands just right, observes Mayur Sanap.
The agreement addresses non-tariff barriers and promotes increased trade in technology products and cooperation between the two countries.
Uncertainties over the impact of the United States' (US') tariffs on India, along with the ongoing transmission of past rate cuts, prompted the members of the Reserve Bank of India's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to maintain the status quo during the August meeting, the minutes showed. While some of the external members highlighted their concern over growth, the internal members cited the one-year headline inflation rate overshooting the 4 per cent target.
Even if the Reserve Bank of India's Monetary Policy Committee decided to hold interest rates in the October meeting, it acknowledged the scope for further rate cuts while waiting for the impact of the past steps to play out.
Gold ETFs attracted around Rs 11,700 crore, the highest in a calendar month.
Central banks in India, China and South Korea are closely monitoring the emerging inflationary pressures on their economies and hikes in interest rates could be expected across the Asia-Pacific region after Australia raised key interest rates.
Marketed as a Valentine's Day treat, audiences can expect to be mildly entertained by the surface-level intimate scenes in Wuthering Heights that only leave you thirsty for the real, raw passion, notes Divya Nair.
While season 1 and 2 had the most sizzling chemistry between the lead pair, the Bridgerton series hasn't peaked since Kate and Anthony. With Benedict and Sophie, the spark and intensity feels further subdued, observes Divya Nair.
While the bond market is relatively conservative about their interest rate expectations, the currency market seems to be projecting that interest rates should be much sharper
Abhishek Sharma blasted a half-century from 14 balls -- the second fastest by an Indian batter in T20 Internationals.
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.
Retail inflation inched up to 0.71 per cent in November on rising prices of vegetables, protein-rich items, and fuel, government data showed on Friday. The consumer price index (CPI)-based retail inflation had fallen to a record low of 0.25 per cent in October, mainly due to lower prices helped by GST rate cuts and a favourable base.
RBI's interest rate decision, macroeconomic data, global trends and trading activity of foreign investors are the crucial factors to drive equity markets in a holiday-shortened week ahead, analysts said. Markets would remain closed on Monday for Gandhi Jayanti. "While global cues will continue to dictate trends in local markets, focus will shift to RBI's monetary policy announcement on Friday. "Although the market is expecting a status quo on interest rates, global concerns like rising US dollar index and bond yields coupled with surging crude oil prices continue to weigh on investors' minds.
Sanjay Malhotra has made structural changes to banking regulation to bring down costs and increase efficiency. Plus, he kicked off a benign interest regime. But there are challenges ahead.
The Indian economy is likely to grow at 7.4 per cent in 2025-26, up from 6.5 per cent in the previous fiscal, mainly on account of better performance of manufacturing and services sectors, as per the government data released on Wednesday.
The RBI has flagged concerns over rising volatility in gold prices and advised lenders to exercise caution in the gold loan segment.
Bankers on Wednesday asserted that interest rates were unlikely to go up in the immediate future. They said this on the eve of a crucial meeting of state-owned bank chiefs with Finance Minister P Chidambaram, where the government is expected to signal a bias towards a soft interest rate regime.
The debate on interest rates continues on the days leading to the Budget. So what are its consequences on our household budgets and pockets? Read on. . .
O'Romeo is an ordinary plot about a man's obsession, but Vishal Bhardwaj lays it out like a lavish spread, with stylish and very violent action set pieces, effectively used music (Bhardwaj composes Gulzar's delectable lyrics), and a romance that has moments that are tender as well as bitter, observes Deepa Gahlot.
Macroeconomic data announcements, global trends and trading activity of foreign investors would be major driving factors for market movement this week, analysts said. Unabated capital infusion by domestic institutional investors have supported the positive trend in the stock market last week, traders said.
500,000 tonnes of sugar exports allowed on top of an existing 1.5 mt window
Following a Supreme Court setback, Donald Trump has announced an increase in global tariffs from 10% to 15%, impacting international trade relations and raising concerns about economic repercussions.
Kiaan Shetty loves Kurukshetra so much that he recommends it to his friends too.
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.
US and India will promptly implement this framework and work towards finalising the interim agreement with a view to concluding a mutually beneficial bilateral trade agreement.
ICICI Bank chief K V Kamath today said interest rates in the country were "moderating" but could put pressure on the economy if they rise further.
Shyam Ponappa explores what the right aims and strategies could do for us.
Among Sensex firms, Eternal, Sun Pharma, Infosys, HDFC Bank, HCL Tech, Hindustan Unilever, Power Grid, ITC and Adani Ports were the major gainers. However, Tata Motors, Trent, Bajaj Finance and Asian Paints were among the laggards.
'There is a challenge in repositioning yourself, maybe reinventing yourself.'
This Budget positions India's taxation ideology as not merely a revenue source but as a strategic catalyst for growth, inclusion and long-term confidence.
Since February 2025, the RBI has reduced the policy rate by 100 basis points. In its previous policy review in June, it had trimmed the repo rate by 50 basis points to 5.5 per cent.
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