Rediff explains why the system, not the Budget, is the problem.
Civil unrest in Iran has started impacting India's basmati rice exports to the country, leading to a sharp fall in domestic prices, as exporters face payment delays and mounting uncertainties, an industry body said on Tuesday. The Indian Rice Exporters Federation (IREF) urged exporters to reassess risks on Iranian contracts and adopt secured payment mechanisms, warning against over-leveraging inventories meant for the Iranian market.
Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party is part of the BJP-led Mahayuti but the two parties are fighting the Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad civic polls separately.
Inflows into mutual fund (MF) schemes via systematic investment plans (SIPs) have topped Rs 3 trillion for the first time in a calendar year, as investors increasingly rely on the staggered investment route amid market volatility.
The BJP and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena alliance secured a majority in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, winning 118 out of 227 seats and ending the Thackeray family's long-standing control.
Based on the broadcast visuals, a rocket expert said the failure appeared similar to the anomaly seen during the PSLV-C61 mission.
Foreign portfolio investors have started 2026 on a cautious note, extending their selling streak from last year by withdrawing Rs 7,608 crore ($846 million) from Indian equities in the first two trading sessions of January. The withdrawal of funds followed the largest outflow of Rs 1.66 lakh crore ($18.9 billion) recorded in 2025, triggered by volatile currency movements, global trade tensions and concerns over potential US tariffs, and stretched market valuations.
Data from used-car platforms suggest that buyer preferences have remained broadly stable post-GST, with SUVs retaining their dominance even as price adjustments played out across segments.
Electric vehicle (EV) retail sales surged 16.37 per cent year-on-year to 22,70,107 units in 2025, driven by a 77 per cent jump in electric passenger car sales, according to data released by dealers' body FADA on Wednesday. The EV makers had recorded a total sales of 19,50,727 units in 2024, the Federation of Automobile Dealers' Association (FADA) said.
Private sector lender IDFC First Bank has lowered its savings account rates and introduced new slabs for small and medium balance categories, effective January 9, 2025, as per its website. The interest slabs and rates for higher balance accounts remain unchanged. Despite the revision, the bank continues to offer one of the highest savings account interest rates in the industry among mid-sized banks.
The growing YOLO (You Only Live Once) mindset, coupled with a desire for immersive outdoor experiences, is driving demand, primarily across age groups from 20 to 45 years.
Despite a 2.8 per cent fall in 2025 volumes, Mercedes-Benz India reported its best-ever revenue and profitability, led by top-end models, AMG growth and higher BEV mix.
Senior BJP leader Narayan Rane hints at retirement, citing family business and political climate as reasons for stepping back from active politics.
A neutral monetary policy stance, heavy government borrowing, and issuers adjusting to a higher-for-longer yield environment have set the stage for a largely stable corporate bond market in 2026.
Jewellery makers are set to post strong revenue growth in the 2025-26 (FY26) October-December quarter (Q3), supported by a robust wedding season and rising value growth, even as volumes decline.
Supported by strong buoyancy in public sector capital expenditure (capex), growth in infrastructure investment is expected to accelerate in 2025-26 (FY26) compared to 2024-25 (FY25), according to the First Advance Estimates of gross domestic product (GDP) for FY26 released by the National Statistics Office (NSO) on Wednesday.
IT services firm HCLTech on Monday reported a 11.2 per cent decline in consolidated net profit to Rs 4,076 crore in the October-December quarter of FY26.
Office redevelopment is emerging as a key growth frontier for developers as India's commercial real estate market shifts towards quality, sustainability, and capital efficiency. With land parcels scarce in central business districts (CBDs) and demand for Grade A offices remaining strong, developers and investors are increasingly turning to ageing office stock in prime locations to unlock value.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a chargesheet against the chairman of Al Falah University, alleging money laundering and the appointment of individuals with terror links without proper verification.
'Retail portfolios were going nowhere even as headline indices moved higher, prompting investors to sell holdings and shift money to IPOs, attracted by listing-day gains.'
'Stay invested but progressively reduce risk. Beyond a point, the objective should shift from maximising returns to avoiding unpleasant surprises.'
Passenger vehicle dispatches from companies to dealers increased 19 per cent year-on-year in November as demand remained robust post festive period, industry body SIAM said on Friday.
Only 17 per cent of boards play an active role in shaping company strategy, said a survey by the Indian School of Business (ISB). According to the survey, 83 per cent of the boards remain passive, playing no active role in the company's management.
Six banks that reported their quarterly business updates for the October-December (Q3FY26) quarter on Friday recorded double-digit growth in their loan books compared with a year ago. Deposits also posted healthy growth during the period.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday said it held a formal meeting with a Chinese delegation openly, given the "improved" relations between New Delhi and Beijing, unlike the Congress which, it alleged, "secretly" signed a memorandum of understanding with the neighbouring country's ruling party.
India's services sector growth moderated in December, as the rates of expansion in incoming new work and output eased to the slowest in 11 months, and companies refrained from recruiting additional staff, a monthly survey said on Tuesday. The seasonally adjusted HSBC India Services PMI Business Activity Index fell from 59.8 in November to 58.0 in December, indicating the slowest rate of expansion since January.
'The immediate impact for India will be very minimal as the share of Venezuela in our total overseas production is very low.'
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has refuted reports that indelible ink marks on voters' fingers were being wiped off during the ongoing civic polls. The BMC clarified that the Municipal Commissioner had not made any such statement.
With demand continuing to be strong post the festive season, leading automakers, Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra, saw robust growth in sales in November as compared to the same month last year. Maruti Suzuki India reported the best-ever total sales, including exports, last month at 229,021 units, a year-on-year growth of 26 per cent as compared to November last year.
The XUV 7XO comes with high tech features, comfort and safety but it will be interesting to see if 7XO can match the popularity of XUV 700, notes Rediff's Hemant Waje.
'What interested me more than the influencers was how were they surviving in Bombay?' 'How many reels did they make per month? How much money did they need to get by?' 'Did they get a job and then come back home and do this at night?'
'Marathi-speaking people of Mumbai have now emerged as a consolidated vote bank standing firmly behind the Thackerays.'
Real Madrid ended a turbulent week with a 2-0 LaLiga win over lowly Levante on Saturday courtesy of second-half goals from Kylian Mbappe and Raul Asencio.
rediffGURU Dr Nagarajan JSK counsels a student on the possibilities and challenges of pursuing a medical residency in Germany.
Ashwin's comments echo a growing concern within the game, that too many tournaments, too often, may be eroding the very excitement that once made World Cups unmissable.
'The government's decision to keep interest rates unchanged on small savings schemes will certainly constrain banks' ability to cut deposit rates further.'
Virat Kohli on Sunday said his spectacular journey so far has been nothing sort of a dream come true as he is able to "give so much happiness and smile to so many people"
Eighteen new-age technology firms went public during the year, a near triple increase from the five firms that debuted in 2023 and 38 per cent more than 2024's tally of 13.
'Somewhere our society's collective morality is lost. There's a kind of moral confusion in our society which reflects in our films.' 'Filmmakers are hiding behind romance, ghost stories, murder mysteries and sex. No film is looking at social issues.'
Ask rediffGURU Reetika Sharma your insurance, mutual fund and personal finance-related questions.
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