Uttam Ghosh outlins the festive madness
The Election Commission, the ultimate symbol of Indian democracy, has flagged off the great Election Race. Rediff.com's Uttam Ghosh offers his quirky take on the mind-boggling electoral exercise.
The factor fund launch spree by mutual funds (MFs) is moving from the passive to the active space. Two new fund offerings (NFOs) - ICICI Pru Active Momentum Fund and Bandhan Multi-Factor Fund - are currently open for subscription. Sundaram MF's multi-factor fund NFO closed this Wednesday.
Uttam Ghosh offers his take on Union Minister Anurag Thakur's incendiary slogan.
Disha Ravi is yet another addition to a growing list of young activists who the Delhi police have arrested since last year on various charges that have yet to be proved in a court of law.
The election campaign in Uttar Pradesh -- the most important election of the year -- is on.
From the Sensex pack, Bajaj Finserv, Bajaj Finance, Sun Pharma, Zomato, Tata Steel and Nestle were the biggest gainers. UltraTech Cement, Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Tech Mahindra and State Bank of India were among the major laggards.
Uttam Ghosh pays tribute to V Gangadhar, the long-time Rediff.com columnist who passed into the ages on Monday, October 10, 2023.
Uttam Ghosh offers his take on the shocking media treatment of a young woman whose only crime appears to be loving a young man who decided to take his life
The 13th-month persistency rate of life insurers - an important metric indicating the retention of new policies - declined in the first quarter of 2025-26 (Q1FY26). This fall was primarily driven by a lower share of high-value policies, following taxation changes implemented in April 2023.
With demand for information-technology (IT) services in North America still sluggish, Europe has become a source of optimism for Indian companies because it is delivering steady gains over the past two years and continuing to outperform in the latest quarter. Yet analysts caution a full-scale revival will require a rebound in the United States (US), particularly in manufacturing, retail, and BFSI (banking, financial services, and insurance), because Europe contributes only about a third of the revenues.
Non-resident Indians (NRIs) haven't gone big on the Indian stock market story despite the post-pandemic boom. While domestic participation through mutual funds (MFs) and dematerialised accounts has soared, NRI participation figures show limited signs of a similar rise.
Uttam's take on AAP's landslide victory in Delhi.
Uttam Ghosh offers his take on the capital's smog and deteriorating air quality at a time when the Delhi government and the Centre bicker daily on other issues.
Mint Road's proposals on banks' M&A funding are cautious even as entrants root for more elbow room, and weigh business models.
American sourcing firms and exporters in China are approaching Indian companies to supply goods to the US as high tariffs imposed by Washington are making it difficult for them to ship directly to America, apex exporters' body FIEO said on Monday. The US has imposed 145 per cent tariffs on Chinese goods entering the American market. For India, the duty is just 10 per cent.
Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com offers his take on the outrage triggered by Goa's minister Ramesh Tawadkar who called homosexuality a 'problem that needed treatment.'
Uttam Ghosh offer his take on the Pragya Thakur controversy.
Following the return of senior Uttar Pradesh minister Azam Khan's stolen buffaloes, Rediff.com's Uttam Ghosh offers his perspective.
The five initial public offerings (IPOs) that closed on Monday attracted cumulative bids worth Rs 1.4 trillion against Rs 2,909 crore they were looking to raise. These offerings were subscribed between 11 and 195 times. Mamata Machinery, a limited manufacturer of machines used for making plastic bags, saw the highest oversubscription at 195x.
Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com offers his unique perspective on the media overkill around the Sheena Bora case.
Foreign investors continue to show confidence in the country's equity market, infusing Rs 14,167 crore so far this month, largely driven by favourable global cues and robust domestic fundamentals. Notably, this inflow has come despite the ongoing military tensions between India and Pakistan.
Young investors with a higher risk appetite are better off with a combination of term insurance and equity funds.
A team of US officials is expected to visit India in the coming weeks for the next round of discussions on the proposed interim trade agreement between the two countries, sources said. The visit gains importance as India and the US are likely to agree on an interim trade agreement before July 9, with New Delhi pushing for full exemption from the 26 per cent reciprocal tariff on domestic goods.
With the BJP expected to win about 100 seats -- just eight more than a simple majority in the 182-member Gujarat assembly and a steep decline from its 2012 tally of 115 seats -- Uttam Ghosh wonders whatever happened to Narendra D Modi and Amit A Shah's loud boast of winning 150 plus seats in the 2017 election?
'Active funds have the ability to manage downside risk.'
India's mergers & acquisitions (M&As) market recorded deals worth $45.44 billion in the first half of 2025, up nearly 3.3 per cent from a year ago, even as ultra large-ticket transactions remained subdued. During the first half, the 7.1 per cent rise in deal count to 1,614 signals continuing appetite among domestic conglomerates and private equity (PE) funds for mid-sized and smaller assets.
As Trade Minister Anand Sharma resists the WTO's attempts to nix India's food security initiative, Rediff.com's Uttam Ghosh offers his perspective.
Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com offers his take on the split between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Shiv Sena.
'Given the proportion of the global leak, it is very likely that the data of Indian citizens might be on the dataset.'
India's consumer price index (CPI)-based retail inflation rate is likely to have cooled further in June, thus remaining below the 4 per cent target of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for a fifth consecutive month, giving the central bank wiggle room to focus on growth. Economists reckon that the decline is on account of easing prices in various categories of goods, especially food items, and a favourable base effect.
Domestic institutional investors (DIIs), mostly mutual funds and insurance companies, overtook foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) in ownership of NSE-listed companies in the March quarter of 2025. According to Prime Database, DIIs held a 17.62 per cent stake, up from 16.89 per cent in the December 2024 quarter.
India Inc, which is sitting on cash balances of 13.5 trillion, is using the funds to meet capital expenditure as well as brownfield expansion, resulting in 'anaemic' demand for bank loans, State Bank of India (SBI) chairman CS Setty said at an event on Monday. He added that a slowdown in corporate credit is mainly due to lack of demand.
They are not just underreporting income; they are reshaping what the income tax system perceives, says study.
Uttam Ghosh offers his take on the strange decision to not allow Question Hour in Parliament at a time when the government has forced lakhs of students to answer questions in the JEE and NEET exams, citing no danger from the coronavirus.
Global trends, tariff-related updates and trading activity of foreign investors would be the key drivers for the equity market movement this week, analysts said. Markets witnessed a strong rebound last week, with the benchmark indices surging over 4 per cent.
Call it bad luck or sheer irony, Ravindra Jadeja was part of three Indian Premier League franchises that were mired in controversy. Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com looks at the lighter side of things
The time is up for the over three-decades-old business model with the advent of artificial intelligence, HCL Technologies' chief executive C Vijayakumar said on Monday. Speaking at industry lobby grouping Nasscom's annual NTLF event in Mumbai, Vijayakumar said companies need to be "paranoid", given the wide-ranging impact of AI and stressed that this attitude will help them to be relevant and grow. "I strongly believe that the business model is ripe for disruption.
Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com offers his unique perspective on the Patel agitation and the reservation issue.
