The Indian government has imposed a new windfall gains tax of Rs 3 per litre on petrol exports, while simultaneously reducing the levy on diesel to Rs 16.5 per litre and aviation turbine fuel (ATF) to Rs 16 per litre, effective May 16.
Larsen & Toubro (L&T) reported a 14 per cent year-on-year increase in Q1 FY27 profit attributable to owners, reaching Rs 3,926 crore, surpassing analyst estimates, despite facing significant supply-chain disruptions in West Asia.
Dr Reddy's Laboratories reported a 68.7 per cent year-on-year decline in consolidated net profit to Rs 443.5 crore in Q1 FY27, primarily due to the end of its lenalidomide sales agreement, a Rs 240-crore provision for semaglutide API inventory quality issues, and elevated freight costs.
Recent changes to tax exemptions and allowances, including increased education, hostel, and HRA limits, have made the old tax regime more competitive against the new regime, prompting salaried employees to re-evaluate their choice for the current financial year.
Election-related freebies and populist measures are other factors crimping the revenue profile of these states.
Bharti Airtel reported a 33.5 per cent decline in consolidated net profit to Rs 7,325 crore for the March 2026 quarter, primarily attributed to one-time provisions for statutory and tax liabilities.
India's Goods and Services Tax (GST) collections saw a significant 14 per cent increase in June, reaching approximately Rs 1.95 lakh crore. This surge was primarily driven by a substantial 34.6 per cent growth in tax mop-up from imports, alongside a 6.5 per cent rise in domestic supplies, reflecting the country's economic resilience despite global uncertainties.
Indian companies are increasingly turning to share buybacks as a preferred payout strategy, driven by recent tax framework changes that make them more tax-efficient for non-promoter shareholders and a fall in stock prices.
India's passenger vehicle industry is poised for a record-breaking year in 2026, propelled by robust dispatches in the first half of the calendar year and strong demand for utility vehicles, despite facing several economic challenges.
India's Code on Wages mandates strict payout deadlines, two-day full and final settlements, universal wage coverage and capped deductions to safeguard employees and enhance payroll transparency nationwide.
The tax treatment of equity savings funds makes them appealing, especially to investors in higher income-tax brackets.
The National Stock Exchange (NSE) is reportedly planning to launch its much-anticipated initial public offering (IPO), estimated at around Rs 30,000 crore, in September, potentially valuing the exchange at over Rs 5 lakh crore.
Reliance Industries Ltd reported a 22 per cent year-on-year decline in consolidated net profit for the June quarter, primarily because the previous year's earnings were inflated by a one-time gain from the sale of its stake in Asian Paints.
India's banking system liquidity has fallen into a deficit for the first time in nearly three months, prompting the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to inject 1.41 trillion through a seven-day variable rate repo (VRR) auction to ease the temporary tightness.
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Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) reported a 20.8 per cent year-on-year rise in net profit for Q1 FY27, reaching 357.9 crore, despite macroeconomic headwinds like geopolitical tensions in West Asia impacting international travel and airline catering business.
...exceeding their 49,340 crore equity selloff.
Eternal, the parent company of Zomato and Blinkit, reported a nearly fourfold increase in net profit to 92 crore for Q1FY27, primarily due to operational gains and the strong performance of its quick commerce business, Blinkit.
The Reserve Bank of India's Financial Stability Report indicates that the interim peace deal between the US and Iran has favourably shifted the balance of risks, reducing headwinds from the West Asia conflict. However, it cautions that exchange rate volatility could increase if crude oil prices spike due to delayed normalisation of supply chain disruptions.
Businesses across sectors are positioning themselves to capitalise on the expected surge in demand.
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A Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged embezzlement of donation money at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya is expected to question people associated with the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust and review banking arrangements for donations.
Behind the aesthetics of an entrepreneurial lifestyle lies a silent financial crisis that nobody is talking about: Freelancers are sprinting toward a retirement brick wall.
The World Bank has increased India's economic growth projection for FY27 to 6.6 per cent, citing resilient domestic demand, while simultaneously cutting its global economic growth outlook due to the conflict in West Asia.
Non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) reported encouraging results for Q4FY26 with improved asset quality and earnings, but analysts maintain a cautious near-term outlook due to geopolitical tensions, monsoon risks, and specific portfolio concerns.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has revised down India's GDP growth forecast for fiscal year 2026-27 (FY27) to 6.6 per cent from an earlier 6.9 per cent, primarily attributing the change to elevated energy prices stemming from the Middle East conflict. Despite this moderation, India is still expected to remain the world's fastest-growing major economy.
A former Income Tax officer has been sentenced to six months' rigorous imprisonment by a special CBI court in Thane in a 19-year-old bribery case. The officer was convicted of taking a bribe of Rs 20,000 to finalise a tax security assessment.
The Indian government is accelerating its sale of minority stakes in state-owned companies, including a significant offer for sale (OFS) in Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) expected "very soon," to meet its 80,000 crore mobilisation target and reduce its holdings to 75 per cent in most listed PSUs by year-end.
If we really want to curb the further depreciation of the rupee and make the rupee appreciate, we want to come out of the mindset that the exchange rate is merely a number, bring policy corrections to help reduce the outflow of foreign exchange by imposing suitable tariffs to discourage imports and bring self reliance, discipline FPIs, and correcting rules governing royalty outflows, suggests Dr Ashwani Mahajan, National Co-Convenor, Swadeshi Jagaran Manch.
IT stocks had their worst first half fall in decades, with the Nifty IT index declining 31% in the January-June 2026 period, its biggest decline in the first six months of a calendar year since 2003.
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.
Nayara Energy, India's largest private fuel retailer, has reduced petrol prices by Rs 5 per litre and diesel by Rs 3 per litre nationwide, marking the first such cut in over two years. This reduction follows easing tensions in West Asia and stabilised international crude oil prices, though public sector retailers have not yet followed suit.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has reduced India's growth forecast for FY27 to 6.4 per cent, citing the potential impact of higher energy prices offsetting the country's economic resilience. Despite this, India remains among the fastest-growing major economies.
Tamil Nadu Governor RV Arlekar announced that the TVK regime, led by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, will take steps to ensure fair financial devolution from the Centre, including pursuing the matter in the Supreme Court. The government also plans to conduct a 'Social Justice Survey' and address the state's severe financial deterioration.
FMSCI President Arindam Ghosh announced plans to bring Formula 1 back to India by 2030, and a round of the World Rally Championship and MotoGP by 2028, following a meeting with the Sports Ministry. The federation is focused on developing Indian drivers and promoting motorsports in the country.
Pakistan has increased its defence budget by 17.6 per cent to PKRs 3,000 billion for the upcoming fiscal year, as announced by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb. The federal budget, estimated at PKRs 18,771 billion, targets 4 per cent GDP growth, with significant allocations for debt service and pensions. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif highlighted economic stability and ongoing discussions with the IMF, while the opposition protested Imran Khan's incarceration during the budget session.
The Indian central government has reduced its total expenditure by approximately 60,000 crore in FY26, below its revised estimate, to successfully achieve the fiscal deficit target of 4.4 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP), according to the latest data from the Controller General of Accounts (CGA).
A US federal judge has ruled that the USD 100,000 fee imposed by former President Donald Trump for H-1B visa applications was unlawful, as it lacked congressional approval. The ruling states the fee was a tax, exceeding the administration's authority and impacting skilled global talent.
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