Travel is now the dominant spending category for India's affluent consumers, who are prioritising experiences and luxury goods over retail buying, according to a new report.
'Every year we import approximately $70 billion worth of gold -- closer to $72 billion in 2025-2026, an all-time record.' 'There is no parallel for this anywhere in the world. And this love for gold will not disappear overnight.'
The measures announced by it risk backfiring, disrupting the foreign exchange market, and intensifying the very pressures they seek to contain, with broader consequences for the economy points out Rajeswari Sengupta.
Benchmark indices tumbled about 2 per cent on Friday, capping one of the most turbulent weeks for domestic equities as investors fretted that the West Asian conflict could drag on for weeks or even months.
India possesses two months of fuel stockpiles and faces no supply concerns despite global energy disruptions, according to Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri. However, state-run fuel retailers are incurring losses of up to Rs 1 lakh crore in a single quarter due to elevated crude prices and unchanged retail fuel prices, raising questions about the sustainability of these losses.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) net-bought $7.4 billion from the spot foreign exchange market in February, its highest buy since March 2025, before heavily intervening by selling dollars in March as the rupee declined over 4 per cent following a spike in crude oil prices.
14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi, the youngest centurion in men's T20 cricket, will once again be the player to watch out for in the Rising Stars Asia Cup.
'Tightening of visa norms for international students around the world are a concern for the university and the education sector, even as the UK continues to offer relatively attractive post-study work opportunities compared to several competing markets.'
Indian benchmark equity indices, Sensex and Nifty, experienced a decline in early trade, ending a three-day rally, primarily due to heavy selling in IT stocks and concerns over prolonged instability in West Asia.
India has voiced its deep concern over reports of increasing civilian casualties in Lebanon due to Israeli strikes, emphasising the protection of civilians and the importance of international law.
Two Jewish men were stabbed near a synagogue in north-west London, in an attack declared by police as a 'terrorist' incident. A 45-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
'First-time applicants may witness longer approval times or higher rejection rates and requests for more documentation.'
Reliance Industries is expected to report largely flat performance for its fourth quarter (January-March, Q4) of FY26, with weakness in the oil-to-chemicals (O2C) business and muted retail growth likely to offset steady gains in the telecommunications segment.
Despite significant price differences, Indian farmers are increasingly adopting non-subsidised speciality fertilisers, which are seen as a potential solution to the rising fertiliser subsidy burden exacerbated by global supply shocks.
India's foreign exchange reserves saw a substantial increase of USD 9.063 billion, reaching USD 697.121 billion for the week ended April 3, 2026, according to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). This surge follows a previous week's decline and brings the reserves closer to their all-time high.
'People are now searching online for ways to spend their time offline. That is the intersection.'
'FPIs are unlikely to return unless there is equilibrium between valuation premium and earnings growth.'
India have announced their 15-player squad for the upcoming Women's T20 World Cup, which will be held in England and Wales, beginning June 12. Uncapped Nandini Sharma and wicketkeeper batter Yastika Bhatia have been drafted into the squad, while Pratika Rawal has been excluded. Harmanpreet Kaur will lead the squad, with Smriti Mandhana as her deputy.
JPMorgan has downgraded Indian equities to 'neutral' from 'overweight', citing elevated valuations, rising earnings risks, and limited exposure to next-generation technology like AI. The brokerage believes other emerging markets offer more attractive risk/reward propositions despite India's strong structural growth story.
Indian carriers have cancelled over 10,000 flights since the onset of the West Asia conflict, as escalating tensions and airspace restrictions disrupted international operations, a senior government official said.
The broader conflict in West Asia, the largest international market for Indian carriers, has forced a sharp reduction in daily flights relative to the summer schedule.
10 stocks from the Nifty 200 index that offer good growth potential and scope to deliver decent returns from current levels, based on brokerage estimates.
India's passenger vehicle (PV) industry is projected to experience moderated growth in FY27, following a strong rebound in H2FY26, primarily due to the high base effect, absorbed pent-up demand, and the lingering impact of geopolitical tensions in West Asia.
India's aviation sector is facing fresh turbulence, with rising fuel costs, the Ministry of Civil Aviation's free-seat directive, and geopolitical disruptions in West Asia clouding near-term earnings visibility.
'Even if the war ends tomorrow, which is unlikely, and we go back to the pre-war status quo, the world will still need some time to get over the sudden shock of oil price increases.'
Rising living expenses, fear of contract hiring cast shadow on real gains.
Bajaj Auto is set to launch new Pulsar motorcycles in the 125cc and 150-250cc segments in Q2 FY27, aiming to capitalise on the upcoming festival season surge. This move follows strong growth in the 150cc-plus segment, where refreshed Pulsar models already account for over 50 per cent of Bajaj's sales.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Sanjay Malhotra stated that preventing second-round effects of supply shocks, where inflation expectations rise due to prolonged disruptions, is the primary role of monetary policy. He also defended the RBI's foreign exchange market interventions, asserting it did not commit to an 'indefensible peg'.
The Indian government has waived customs duty on critical petrochemical products until June 30 to ensure supply stability and provide relief to consumers amid disruptions caused by the crisis in West Asia.
The central bank is yet to consider actions such as a rate hike or mobilising dollar inflows from non-resident Indians to boost forex reserves as it cannot afford to continue with them for long when the rupee's internationalisation tops its agenda, explains Tamal Bandyopadhyay.
'The March correction was clearly due to the war and with prospects of that coming to a conclusion, there is a natural rally.'
Ayush Shetty defeated world No. 7 Li Shi Feng at the Badminton Asia Championships, while PV Sindhu and HS Prannoy also advanced. Other Indian players faced setbacks in the opening round.
Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said the reduction in airport charges is aimed at containing airfare increases and supporting both airlines and passengers.
Indian airports are rapidly becoming a significant growth avenue for the country's retail sector, with brands across various consumer segments actively opening stores to tap into the increasing number of flyers and strong domestic tourism momentum.
'...especially pressure on the rupee, the current account deficit, and foreign exchange outflows.' 'The key question over the next several months is whether the government can prevent external turbulence from feeding into domestic economic pessimism.'
The Indian rupee depreciated by 34 paise to close at 93.78 against the US dollar, marking its third consecutive session of decline. This fall is attributed to escalating crude oil prices driven by uncertainty surrounding US-Iran peace talks and fresh attacks in the Strait of Hormuz, alongside significant foreign institutional investor outflows from domestic equity markets.
Iranian officials allege a US airstrike on Mashhad airport damaged a Mahan Air plane set to collect vital medical aid from India.
India's EV ecosystem is growing, but remains too underdeveloped to cushion a major oil supply shock.
India's sugar consumption is projected to fall by nearly 400,000 tonnes in the 2025-26 season, primarily due to the ongoing liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) shortage exacerbated by the West Asia conflict and unseasonably cool weather.
Crude oil prices have surged to record highs due to escalating tensions between the US and Iran, raising concerns about supply disruptions and market volatility.
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