'Global uncertainty is something which definitely occupies the minds of officials when we are preparing for the Budget.'
Net direct tax collection dipped 3.95 per cent to Rs 6.64 lakh crore so far this fiscal, mainly on account on higher refunds, according to government data released on Tuesday. Direct tax includes taxes on income paid by companies, individuals, and by professionals, and other entities.
Mutual fund industry extended its bull run in 2025, adding a staggering Rs 14 lakh crore to its asset base and pushing total AUM to a record Rs 81 lakh crore by November, powered by surge in retail participation and record SIP inflows. Venkat Chalasani, chief executive officer of AMFI, told PTI that the industry's outlook remains positive, with steady SIP inflows continuing to offset foreign portfolio investor outflows and strengthening market resilience.
Budget 2026 sticks to fiscal discipline, shuns populist measures despite five key state elections coming up, but ends up rattling stock markets with a higher transaction tax on derivatives trading.
'This Budget has a one-year agenda, which you can call the sprint, and the marathon is towards Viksit Bharat.'
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) on Wednesday overhauled the cost framework for the 80 trillion domestic mutual fund (MF) industry, introducing a simplified structure aimed at improving transparency for investors while balancing the impact on asset managers.
Ask rediffGURU and tax expert Mihir Tanna your income tax-related questions.
Net direct tax collection so far this fiscal stood at Rs 4.59 lakh crore, 1.39 per cent lower compared to the mop-up during the corresponding period of last fiscal, as advance tax collections slowed, government data showed. Advance tax collection during April 1-June 19, 2025 grew a meagre 3.87 per cent to Rs 1.56 lakh crore.
Benchmark BSE Sensex declined for the fourth day in a row on Wednesday due to selling in financial and banking shares and the government's move to hike securities transaction tax and short term capital gains tax. The 30-share BSE Sensex declined 280.16 points or 0.35 per cent to settle at 80,148.88 with 19 of its components closing lower and 11 with gains. During the day, it tumbled 678.53 points or 0.84 per cent to 79,750.51.
Ask rediffGURU and tax expert Mihir Tanna your income tax-related questions.
Leading stock exchange NSE on Tuesday reported a 94 per cent year-on-year surge in consolidated profit after tax to Rs 3,834 crore for three months ended December 2024. It posted a Profit After Tax (PAT) of Rs 1,975 crore in the year-ago period.
The Committee, in an earlier report on the Direct Taxes Code (DTC) Bill, had favoured abolition of STT.
Net direct tax collection grew 13.13 per cent to over Rs 21.26 lakh crore so far this fiscal aided by by higher advance tax mop up, government data showed on Monday. During the year, the government collected Rs 10.44 lakh crore from four instalments of advance tax as against Rs 9.11 lakh crore in the previous fiscal, registering a growth of 14.62 per cent.
Investors expect the govt to abolish tax on delivery-based transactions in the cash segment.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday said the securities transaction tax (STT) will be increased on futures and options (F&O) trade from October 1 to discourage retail investors from investing in the risky instrument.
Until now, salaried individuals having income under the head LTCG were required to file Form ITR-2.
Ask rediffGURU and tax expert Mihir Tanna your income tax-related questions.
The Singapore Technologies Telemedia (STT) and Telekom Malaysia (TMI) consortium has pulled out of the transaction for acquiring 47.7 per cent stake in Idea Cellular for a consideration of $390 million.
rediffGURU Vipul Bhavsar answers readers' personal income tax queries.
The return filed could be treated as defective, invalid, or even be considered as not filed at all.
Lending and borrowing of securities for short-selling at stock exchanges will not attract Securities Transaction Tax or capital gains tax.
Do you have financial planning or income tax queries? Ask rediffGURU Anil Rego.
Net direct tax collection grew 18.3 per cent to about Rs 11.25 lakh crore as of October 10 this fiscal, government data showed on Friday. The mop-up includes personal income tax collection of Rs 5.98 lakh crore and corporate tax collection of Rs 4.94 lakh crore.
The Union government's revenue from securities transaction tax (STT) is on track to exceed its Budget projection for the current fiscal year, with the mop-up already surpassing 50 per cent of the annual estimate. Provisional figures reveal that the Centre has collected approximately Rs 14,000 crore in the first half of this fiscal year up to September, according to a government official. This amount exceeds half of the full-year target of Rs 27,625 crore set for FY24.
Leading brokerages have revised their charges with the true-to-label norms by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) kicking in from Tuesday.
Net direct tax collection grew 16.12 per cent to over Rs 9.95 lakh crore so far this fiscal on higher advance tax mop up. Refunds worth over Rs 2.05 lakh crore were issued, a 56.49 per cent jump over the same period last fiscal. The net personal income tax (PIT) collection grew 19 per cent to Rs 5.15 lakh crore between April 1 and September 17.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday said the government plans to raise capital gains exemption limit on certain financial assets to Rs 1.25 lakh per year for middle and upper middle class.
Net direct tax collection grew 19.54 per cent to over Rs 5.74 lakh crore so far this fiscal on higher advance tax payment by corporate. The first instalment of advance tax, which was due on June 15, rose 27.34 per cent to Rs 1.48 lakh crore. This includes Corporation Income Tax (CIT) at Rs 1.14 lakh crore and Personal Income Tax (PIT) at Rs 34,470 crore.
The government on Friday proposed hiking the securities transaction tax on Futures & Options (F&O) contracts, a move that will increase the trading costs in the derivatives segment as well as help in curbing excessive trades. In the Finance Bill 2023, passed by the Lok Sabha on Friday, the Securities Transaction Tax (STT) on options is proposed to be increased to 0.0625 per cent from 0.05 per cent and on futures contracts to 0.0125 from 0.01 per cent. Analysts opined that higher STT will shore up the government's revenues to some extent and also discourage excessive trading since a large number of retail traders are losing money in the segment.
'Volumes in F&O trading had gone up rapidly and, in a way, the increase in STT on F&O will protect investor interest.'
The net direct tax collection increased by 21.82 per cent to over Rs 9.57 lakh crore till October 9, helped by good inflow from corporates and individuals, the Finance Ministry said on Tuesday. The net collections have reached 52.5 per cent of the full-year budget estimates (BE) of Rs 18.23 lakh crore. The provisional figures of Direct Tax collections up to October 9, 2023, continue to register steady growth, the statement said.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) is likely to notify soon stricter derivatives trading norms aimed at curbing speculative trading activity and curtailing losses of over Rs 50,000 crore incurred by retail investors every year. Based on the feedback received from industry participants, seven measures proposed by the market regulator in a consultation paper in July may be implemented with minor tweaks ahead of its forthcoming board meeting, said sources.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday announced income tax relief for the middle class, a Rs 2 lakh crore outlay for job creation schemes over the next five years and a spending splurge for states run by her party's new coalition partners as she unveiled the Modi 3.0 government's first budget after the general elections.
Few finance ministers announce any taxation measure that could upset the stock market. Ms Sitharaman decided to take that risk, observes A K Bhattacharya.
rediffGURU Anil Rego answers readers' personal income tax queries.
First Rajya Sabha approved the Rs 45 lakh-crore spending proposed in the Budget, followed by the nod to the Finance Bill that contains tax proposals.
Ask rediffGURU and tax expert Mihir Tanna your income tax-related questions.
Ask rediffGURU and tax expert Mihir Tanna your income tax-related questions.
There are a number of steps taken that will leave more money in the hands of the taxpayers.
These include the reduction in tax rates under the new tax regime, increase in standard deduction, allowing tax collected at source to be adjusted against tax deducted at source from salaries, notes Harsh Roongta.
