The shares of Titan Company hit its all-time high on the BSE and was the top gainer in the Sensex on Wednesday after the company released its business update for the third quarter of 2025-26 (Q3FY26). The stock closed at 4,272, up 3.94 per cent as compared to the Sensex, which was a tad down.
Gold prices on Tuesday surged Rs 723 to touch an all-time high of Rs 110,312 per 10 grams in the domestic futures market, tracking strong global cues amid growing expectations of a US Federal Reserve interest rate cut next week. Traders said weak US labour market data has strengthened the case for monetary policy easing, putting pressure on the dollar and boosting demand for the safe-haven asset.
Queen of Chess is a moving and powerful sports documentary about the highest-rated woman player in the history of chess. 'For me, it is a deeply personal reminder of where we came from, and what it took to get there,' notes Susan Polgar as she reviews her sister Judit Polgar's Netflix documentary, Queen Of Chess.
Experts advise investors to buy at lower levels in the next few months and sell at the higher end of their range in the second half, reports Rajesh Bhayani.
Indian equities declined on Friday, with the benchmark Nifty posting its worst weekly fall since September, as foreign investor sentiment remained weak amid tepid earnings growth and little progress on the India-US trade front.
The World Gold Council (WGC) said the recent fall in gold prices was driven by speculative traders in the futures markets.
India's gold demand witnessed a 15 per cent on-year decline to 118.1 tonnes in the January-March quarter of this year, even as value grew by 22 per cent to Rs 94,030 crore due to surging prices, the World Gold Council (WGC) said on Wednesday. According to the WGC forecast, India's gold demand for 2025 is expected to be between 700-800 tonnes.
Gold prices surged Rs 2,200 to hit a fresh peak of Rs 116,200 per 10 grams in the national capital on Monday buoyed by strong global cues as investors awaited key commentary from US Fed officials for policy direction. According to the All India Sarafa Association, the precious metal of 99.9 per cent purity had closed at Rs 1,14,000 per 10 grams on Friday.
'When markets go into a budget with excessive optimism, the risk of disappointment is higher.'
Highlights of the Economic Survey 2025-26
India's merchandise trade deficit widened to a record $41.68 billion in October, as gold imports trebled and outbound shipments registered their sharpest contraction in 14 months, according to data released by the commerce department.
After two years of strong gains, smallcap stocks fell sharply in 2025, but the correction may be setting up opportunities for long-term investors.
Domestic gold jewellery consumption is likely to decline by 9-10 per cent in 2025-26, mainly due to a 33 per cent surge in gold prices, a report said on Thursday. The consumption of bars and coins increased 17 per cent and 25 per cent, respectively, in FY24 and FY25, reflecting investor preference for safe-haven assets amid global macroeconomic uncertainty and heightened geopolitical and trade tensions, Icra said in the report.
Super Kishan, Bumrah-led bowlers give India thumping 61-run win over Pakistan
Finally, gold prices have started heading south this week. Prices of yellow metal tumbled to an eight-month low of Rs 8,600 per 10 gm
Silver prices extended their record-breaking rally for a sixth straight session on Monday, surging 6 per cent to touch a lifetime high of Rs 2,54,174 per kilogram in futures trade amid strong investor demand and bullish global trends. On the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), silver futures for March delivery surged Rs 14,387, or 6 per cent, to hit a new record of Rs 2,54,174 per kilogram.
Rediff explains why the system, not the Budget, is the problem.
Silver prices are up 59.3 per cent in 2025, hitting nearly $44.55 an ounce (oz) in international markets and Rs 137,040 per kilogram (kg) in India on Thursday. It's the best return the metal has given since 2016.
Market sentiment is likely to remain cautious as investors position themselves for the upcoming Union Budget and the US Fed's interest rate decision, where expectations are muted.
Non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) such as Bajaj Finance, Shriram Finance, Muthoot Finance, and IIFL Finance have regained their growth momentum after losing market share to banks in the post-Covid period. The growth surge is being led by diversified lenders and gold-loan companies while development-finance institutions such as Power Finance Corporation (PFC), REC, and Housing & Urban Development Corporation (Hudco) continue to grow at a slower pace.
While gold continues to provide safety after its strong 2025 rally, well-chosen real estate investments held with a long-term view remain attractive.
From the 30-Sensex firms, Eternal declined by 4.02 per cent, followed by Bajaj Finance (3.88 per cent), Sun Pharma, InterGlobe Aviation, Trent, Asian Paints, Mahindra & Mahindra and Bajaj Finserv. HDFC Bank emerged as the only gainer from the pack.
'The world is heading into a period of serious problems, and gold and silver are among the few ways to protect oneself.'
The gold and silver holdings of domestic mutual funds (MFs) crossed the Rs 1 trillion mark for the first time in September, powered by a blistering commodity rally that lifted precious metal prices and drew fresh inflows into dedicated MF schemes.
Rising for the sixth consecutive session, gold prices rallied Rs 1,000 to hit yet another record high of Rs 105,670 per 10 grams in the national capital on Monday, lifted by expectations of a rate cut by the US Federal Reserve this month and robust demand in overseas markets.
Sometimes, the most powerful Budgets whisper and the wisest investors listen, notes Ramalingam Kalirajan.
'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.'
The demand from India and China may fall.
The BSE Sensex has been one of the top-performing areas of investment in the past 40 years, consistently delivering double-digit returns in rupee terms, beating assets such as global equities, precious metals, and fixed income.
Retail inflation rose to a three-month high of 1.33 per cent in December 2025 mainly due to higher prices of kitchen essentials, including vegetables and protein-rich items.
For both polishing unit operators and diamond merchants, the US is still the biggest export destination: Three in every 10 diamonds polished in India end up in American stores.
Realme has rolled out its latest premium offerings in the Indian market with the debut of the Realme 16 Pro and Realme 16 Pro+.
After a rally in gold that led to the international prices zooming to $1030 an ounce, will gold price reverse direction based on Wednesday's price level of $940?
'An asset must generate income. Equities yield dividends, bonds pay coupons, deposits give interest, and real estate earns rent.' 'Gold, silver, and even Bitcoin produce no income, they merely store value. So, they should not be compared to productive assets.'
The relation between a regulator and its regulated entities is collaborative and not adversarial with the common objective of maintaining the stability and credibility of the financial system. However, the action on regulated entities like penalties and business restrictions are the last resort, Reserve Bank of India (RBI)'s governor Sanjay Malhotra said on Friday.
'The frenzy for gold is primarily due to the uncertainty surrounding the tariff war.'
With the price of gold entering a strong bull run, gold-loan non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) are under the spotlight, even though their performance is not directly linked to gold price. Muthoot Finance outperformed in the April-June quarter (Q1) of 2025-26 (FY26), with its assets under management (AUM) growing 10 per cent quarter-on-quarter (Q-o-Q) and 42 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y), an improvement of 88 basis points (bps) Q-o-Q in net interest margin (NIM), and a fall in credit cost. Gold AUM rose 40 per cent Y-o-Y and 10 per cent Q-o-Q. The company recorded recoveries of 350 crore, including 100 crore from an asset reconstruction company (ARC), resulting in a 100-bp Q-o-Q yield increase.
Investors must account for currency depreciation in their financial plans and use instruments that can cushion the erosion in purchasing power.
Gold prices are likely to remain under pressure in the coming week as investors await key US macroeconomic data for cues on the Federal Reserve's potential direction on interest rates, which in turn will influence the trajectory for the precious metal, according to analysts. Market sentiment has tilted away from safe-haven assets like gold amid fading geopolitical tensions and improving risk appetite towards riskier assets such as equities, they said.
Overall economic activity continued to hold up in November with demand conditions remaining robust, thanks to strengthening urban demand, but manufacturing and rural demand showed some signs of deceleration even as services remained strong, according to an article on the State of the Economy written by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) officials in the central bank's December bulletin.
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