'Healthcare costs in India rise by 10 to 14% annually, causing treatment costs to double roughly every 5-7 years.'
India emerged reasonably well from 2025. But now, the oil shock and war-related supply disruptions have again driven funds out of India and significantly weakened the rupee, points out Ajay Chhibber.
The Indian rupee is highly vulnerable among Asian currencies, with Barclays and MUFG warning of a potential depreciation towards 100/$ if the West Asia conflict persists, driven by widening current account deficits and elevated crude oil prices.
RIS Steady Life Cycle begins with an equity allocation of 35 per cent at age 60, which gradually reduces. Between ages 75 and 85, it remains constant at 10 per cent.
Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) have withdrawn Rs 27,048 crore from Indian equities so far in May, bringing the total outflows for 2026 to Rs 2.2 lakh crore, driven by global macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainties.
Indian benchmark equity indices, Sensex and Nifty, closed marginally higher, breaking a four-day losing streak, despite elevated crude oil prices and ongoing geopolitical uncertainties. The market saw a temporary pause in panic selling, though cautious sentiment persists.
Petrol and diesel prices have been increased by Rs 3 per litre each, marking the first hike in over four years, as state-run fuel retailers pass on some of the impact from surging global crude prices, which have been exacerbated by the Iran war.
India's services sector growth reached a five-month high in April, with the HSBC India Services PMI Business Activity Index rising to 58.8, primarily driven by robust domestic demand and a shift from international to local suppliers amidst the West Asia crisis.
Compared with a year ago, the effective cost of studying abroad for Indian students has increased by roughly 10%-12% due to currency depreciation and rising living costs.
'Economic activity appears to have peaked in the second quarter of FY26, with industrial output, exports, and business confidence all softening from October 2025.'
Earlier, most investors counted on traditional options like fixed deposits, gold, or property. But in 2026, you will have access to a much wider range of opportunities across different markets and sectors.
'Markets never fully lose hope. But an important shift could come if the Strait remains closed -- moving from high prices to no prices.'
Wholesale price inflation extended upward momentum for the second straight month, recording at 0.83 per cent in December 2025, driven by an uptick in prices of food, non-food articles, and manufactured items on a month-on-month basis, government data showed on Wednesday. Wholesale Price Index (WPI)-based inflation returned to positive in December, after witnessing a deflationary trend in the previous two months.
A Thane resident was defrauded of Rs 93.30 lakh after being enticed into a forex trading scheme by two individuals, who have since been booked by the police.
ITC reported a 6.1 per cent year-on-year growth in its consolidated adjusted net profit from continuing operations, reaching ~5,469.74 crore in the January-March quarter (Q4FY26), primarily fuelled by strong performances in its cigarettes and non-cigarette fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) businesses.
Delhi Police have arrested three individuals involved in a black-marketing racket selling IPL match tickets at inflated prices. The accused were caught selling complimentary passes and regular tickets near Delhi Gate.
India's manufacturing sector experienced a mild recovery in April, with the HSBC India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) rising to 54.7 from 53.9 in March. However, inflationary pressures intensified, with input costs increasing at the fastest pace since August 2022, largely attributed to the Middle East conflict.
Crude oil prices surged over 3% in futures trade after US President Donald Trump expressed doubts about the Iran ceasefire, reigniting fears of supply disruptions from West Asia and pushing Brent crude above USD 107 per barrel.
Indian benchmark stock indices, Sensex and Nifty, closed nearly 1 per cent lower due to surging crude oil prices, weak global market trends, and significant foreign fund outflows, with geopolitical tensions and inflation concerns further dampening investor sentiment.
'Once the market decides it wants to go up, it goes up -- no amount of bad news can really hold it back.'
"There is a sharp jump that we have seen in bookings of EVs... The jump, at least in our case, in just two months, it is about 2 to 2.5 times of what it used to be"
'With inflationary pressures now at elevated levels and the adverse cost environment persisting, the company has to pass on a portion of the increased costs to the market, while continuing to ensure that the impact on customers is kept to the minimum extent possible.'
Titan will continue investments, even as it notes it is too early to assess how customer sentiment and store footfalls will be impacted by the Prime Minister's appeal to reduce gold consumption and the recent hike in import duty.
BJP witnessed steady growth in crorepati MLAs between 2016 and 2026.
This is the time for India to plan forward fully, with the goal of Atmanirbharata, and energy security. The Persian Gulf is no longer a reliable source, points out Rajeev Srinivasan.
Moody's Ratings has reduced India's GDP growth forecast for 2026 to 6 per cent, citing subdued private consumption, capital formation, and industrial activity due to higher energy costs and global uncertainties.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the latest fuel hike, saying mehangai manav has struck again and he has just one job of making promises during elections and attacking people's pockets at other times.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for gifting 'Melody' toffees to Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, calling it a 'gimmick' while India faces an 'economic storm'. He accused Modi of prioritising public relations over addressing the struggles of farmers, labourers, and youth, a sentiment echoed by other Congress leaders.
'It has always been viewed as a hedge against inflation.'
Police in Lucknow have arrested four people for allegedly using ChatGPT and graphic design software to create and sell fake IPL tickets outside the Ekana Stadium.
"Our strategy has always been to focus on volume-led penetration growth," said Manish Tiwary, chairman and managing director, Nestle India.
'... with the rest split between mid and smallcaps, as valuations are becoming more attractive across segments.'
Sensex gains over 400 points while Nifty trades above 23,800 amid strong IT sector buying.
Net investments into equity mutual fund schemes in India remained elevated at approximately 38,440 crore in April, despite a slight dip from March's high and a 3% month-on-month decline in Systematic Investment Plan (SIP) inflows.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Sanjay Malhotra stated that preventing second-round effects of supply shocks, where inflation expectations rise due to prolonged disruptions, is the primary role of monetary policy. He also defended the RBI's foreign exchange market interventions, asserting it did not commit to an 'indefensible peg'.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the BJP of attempting to illegally include voters from outside the state in West Bengal's electoral rolls, alleging a coordinated effort to interfere with democratic rights.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has opted to keep its key interest rates unchanged at 5.25%, anticipating a global economic recovery following a ceasefire in the US/Israel-Iran conflict, despite ongoing inflationary pressures and currency fluctuations.
A 49-year-old man has been arrested in Bengaluru for allegedly selling IPL match tickets illegally at inflated prices outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Dabur India's shares rose 3.7 per cent after reporting in-line Q4FY26 results, driven by a healthy 10 per cent growth in its India business, despite some analysts remaining cautious about future execution.
Maruti Suzuki India's shares gained over 2.5 per cent after a strong March-quarter performance, with analysts maintaining a positive medium-term outlook driven by buoyant domestic market volumes, capacity expansion, and export growth, despite anticipated near-term margin pressures from higher commodity prices and startup costs.
