Analysts predict that the ongoing conflict in West Asia, crude oil price fluctuations, and the US Federal Reserve's interest rate decision will significantly influence the Indian equity market this week.
Since this is a long-term investment, investors must do their homework and choose a fund manager carefully.
The Reserve Bank is unlikely to ease the benchmark policy rate during 2024 given the uncertainty over food inflation, State Bank of India (SBI) chairman C S Setty has said. The US Federal Reserve's first cut in interest rates in more than four years is expected soon, triggering central banks in other economies to follow suit. "On the rate front, a lot of central banks are taking independent calls.
The central bank is yet to consider actions such as a rate hike or mobilising dollar inflows from non-resident Indians to boost forex reserves as it cannot afford to continue with them for long when the rupee's internationalisation tops its agenda, explains Tamal Bandyopadhyay.
The RBI is likely to reduce the key interest rate by 25 basis points this week after keeping it on hold for two years, complementing the Union Budget initiatives to push consumption-led demand, though the sliding rupee continues to be a concern. As the retail inflation has remained within the Reserve Bank's comfort zone (less than 6 per cent) for most of the year, the central bank can take rate action to boost growth hit by sluggish consumption, opined experts.
Amul and Mother Dairy, India's largest dairy product retailers, have increased milk prices by Rs 2 per litre, marking the second such hike in 13 months. This move is expected to intensify inflationary pressures, already fuelled by global conflicts, and will impact household budgets across the country.
India's wholesale price inflation (WPI) increased for the fourth consecutive month in February, reaching 2.13 per cent, primarily due to rising prices of food and manufactured goods, according to government data.
The Indian banking system's net liquidity surplus has reached a four-year high of Rs 4.57 trillion, driven by maturing government securities, with further maturities expected to push the surplus to around 5 trillion.
Several IPL captains are under pressure after their teams' disappointing performances this season. Axar Patel, Ajinkya Rahane, and Rishabh Pant face uncertainty as their franchises evaluate leadership roles and team strategies for future seasons.
Tata Motors' MD and CEO, Girish Wagh, has identified rising diesel prices as the most significant threat to India's commercial vehicle (CV) industry recovery, despite the sector recently surpassing its pre-FY19 wholesale peak. Diesel costs account for 25-50% of a truck operator's total cost of ownership, making any increase a critical concern for fleet economics.
The Indian rupee saw a significant appreciation against the US dollar following President Trump's suspension of military strikes against Iran and the Reserve Bank of India's decision to maintain its key interest rate. Market sentiment was further buoyed by positive comments from the RBI regarding the health of the banking sector.
Jewellery majors Titan Company and Kalyan Jewellers reported robust Q4 FY26 results, with Titan's consolidated revenue surging 81 per cent year-on-year, largely propelled by a sixfold increase in bullion and digital gold sales. Despite strong top-line growth, Titan's gross and operating profit margins faced pressure due to the higher share of lower-margin gold products and increased marketing expenditure.
Investors with a 6 to 12 month horizon may consider them. They should align their holding period with the fund's maturity profile and prefer schemes with a lower expense ratio.
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.
TVS Motor Company is strategically positioned for sustained outperformance in the domestic two-wheeler industry, propelled by increasing market share in scooters, premium motorcycles, electric vehicles (EVs), and robust export growth, according to analysts.
It seems odd to criticise a country for delivering growth rates in standards of living and consumption that have been perhaps the fastest, longest, and most broad-based (affecting hundreds of millions of people) in history, points out Arvind Subramanian.
Nottingham Trent University is offering partially funded study opportunities at its UK campuses to global undergraduate and postgraduate students.
Punjab Kings co-owner Mohit Burman anticipates a significant increase in the next IPL media rights cycle, potentially reaching 20-30 per cent, driven by recent high-value franchise acquisitions and the league's consistent engagement.
A Delhi court has convicted Congress MLA Rajendra Bharti and a former bank employee in a case involving cheating and forgery of bank records to illegally obtain interest payments.
A Delhi court sentenced Madhya Pradesh Congress MLA Rajendra Bharti and a former bank employee to three years' imprisonment each in a cheating case involving the forging of bank records to obtain illegal interest payments between 1998 and 2011.
Ravichandran Ashwin defends Hardik Pandya's captaincy of the Mumbai Indians, stating that blaming him for the team's poor performance is unfair as the entire team failed to perform. Ashwin also highlights the social media scrutiny Hardik faced upon replacing Rohit Sharma as captain and raises concerns about Hardik's physical fitness affecting his batting.
Madhya Pradesh Congress MLA Rajendra Bharti has been disqualified from the state legislative assembly after being convicted in a bank fraud case involving the tampering of bank records. The disqualification has sparked a political row, with the Congress party alleging a violation of democratic process.
Madhya Pradesh Congress MLA Rajendra Bharti has been disqualified from the state legislative assembly after being convicted in a bank fraud case involving the tampering of bank records to secure illegal interest payments.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Sanjay Malhotra, and Deputy Governors Poonam Gupta, T Rabi Sankar, Swaminathan J, and S C Murmu on Friday addressed issues during the post-policy media interaction.
The government on Friday raised interest rates on most post office saving schemes by up to 0.7 per cent for the April-June 2023 quarter in line with the firming of interest rates in the economy. While the interest rates for popular PPF and savings deposits have been retained at 7.1 per cent and 4 per cent, respectively, there has been an increase between 0.1 per cent and 0.7 per cent in other saving schemes, a finance ministry statement said. The highest increase was in the interest rate of the National Savings Certificate (NSC), which will now attract 7.7 per cent, up from 7 per cent, for the April 1 to June 30, 2023 period.
Shares of Avenue Supermarts, operator of DMart, fell 5.2 per cent after reporting mixed Q4 FY26 results, with brokerages offering divergent 'sell', 'buy', and 'hold' ratings based on factors like valuation, competitive intensity, and store expansion strategies.
India's wholesale price inflation surged to 3.88 per cent in March, marking the fifth consecutive monthly increase, primarily driven by a sharp rise in crude petroleum, natural gas, and manufactured items amidst the West Asia crisis.
'The stabilisation of interest rates followed by reduction is going to happen over the next year.'
India should not stay on the margins of this initiative. There should be a serious debate about what would be in India's best interests asserts former foreign secretary Shyam Saran.
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.
The three day MPC meeting began on Monday and the decision will be announced on Wednesday by RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das.
History is rarely decided by who has the biggest weapons, but by who has the better process. The same rule applies to investing, says Ramalingam Kalirajan.
The measures announced by it risk backfiring, disrupting the foreign exchange market, and intensifying the very pressures they seek to contain, with broader consequences for the economy points out Rajeswari Sengupta.
Zero-coupon bonds suit investors with long-term goals such as retirement or education planning.
Bank lending to companies is expected to go up in the coming quarters because the difference in interest rates between corporate bonds and bank loans has narrowed. In addition, recent policy reforms by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), including allowing domestic banks to do acquisition financing, are expected to give further support to corporate lending, analysts said.
Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) is largely bullish among analysts following its Q4FY26 results, driven by strong SUV demand, a robust product pipeline, and improving growth visibility across segments, despite near-term margin pressures from rising commodity costs and potential weakness in the tractor cycle.
A BJP politician in Bhadohi, Uttar Pradesh, has filed a police complaint alleging he was defrauded of 50 lakh in a land deal. Police have registered a case and are investigating the matter.
Mitchell Starc dismissed Riyan Parag, Donovan Ferreira and Ravi Singh in the space of four deliveries before removing Dasun Shanaka to trigger a stunning middle-order collapse and restrict Rajasthan Royals to 193 for 8.
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries' acquisition of US-based Organon & Co. for $11.75 billion, the largest overseas acquisition by an Indian pharma company, has been met with mixed reactions from brokerages, who see strategic entry into women's health and biosimilars but also flag potential integration challenges and debt concerns.
With duties at 15%, GST at 3%, and making charges running as high as 20% -- the gap between a smart purchase and a careless one can easily be Rs 30,000 to Rs 50,000 on every Rs 1 lakh invested. And most of that gap is entirely avoidable. Ramalingam Kalirajan explains the math.