Gold extended its record-breaking run to breach the Rs 1.5 lakh per 10-gram mark in futures trade on Tuesday, while silver surged to a lifetime high of Rs 3.27 lakh per kg as investors rushed to safe-haven assets amid mounting global tensions. On the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), gold futures for February delivery climbed Rs 6,861, or 4.7 per cent, to record Rs 1,52,500 per 10 grams after settling at Rs 1,45,639 per 10 grams in the previous session.
India was being evaluated for a potential weight of around 1 per cent in the index, an allocation that could have translated into $25 billion of inflows, spread over roughly 10 months.
Fund managers advise conservative investors to cap midcap exposure at 10 to 15 per cent of their equity portfolio.
The "huge mountain of debt" in developed economies and the risk of a possible unravelling is a matter of concern for India, Union Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting, Electronics & Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Wednesday, pointing to the recent spike in Japanese bond yields.
Silver prices surged on Monday to breach the record Rs 3 lakh-per-kg mark in futures trade for the first time, riding on strong investor demand and positive global trends.
'A breakout above 158,000 to 160,000 could trigger the next leg higher toward 165,000 to 170,000.'
Ask rediffGURU Reetika Sharma your insurance, mutual fund and personal finance-related questions.
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From the 30-Sensex firms, Tata Steel, Asian Paints, Trent, State Bank of India, Hindustan Unilever, UltraTech Cement, ICICI Bank and Bharti Airtel were among the gainers. On the other hand, Infosys, Bajaj Finance, Bharat Electronics, Larsen & Toubro and HDFC Bank were the laggards.
'Stay invested but progressively reduce risk. Beyond a point, the objective should shift from maximising returns to avoiding unpleasant surprises.'
Cognizant reported a significant increase in net income for the December quarter, driven by AI efficiencies and strong performance in the financial services sector. The company also announced a major deal and provided guidance for the upcoming year.
Largecap equity funds remain suitable for conservative and moderate risk-taking investors seeking relatively stable returns.
This is the second-worst performance by the pack during this period over the last five years since CY20.
The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has recently approved procurement proposals worth Rs 79,000 crore across three services and it has cleared AoN (Acceptance of Necessity) of Rs 3.3 trillion in financial year 2026 (FY26).
According to the Economic Survey 2026, the appropriate stance for 2026 is therefore one of strategic sobriety rather than defensive pessimism.
For a team that once struggled for basic infrastructure, the T20 World Cup is being viewed as a defining leap rather than just another appearance for Nepal.
From the 30-Sensex firms, Maruti, Power Grid, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles, HDFC Bank, Asian Paints and Tata Steel were among the biggest laggards. However, Titan, HCL Tech, Tech Mahindra, Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services were among the gainers.
Tech Mahindra, HCL Tech, State Bank of India, UltraTech Cement and HDFC Bank were also among the gainers. In contrast, Eternal, Asian Paints, Bharat Electronics, Sun Pharma and Maruti were among the laggards.
While Q2FY26 is expected to be mildly disappointing for the hospital sector, there's a lot of investor optimism for the future. This comes after a favourable revision in rates for Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) procedures, as well as expectations of rising occupancy and growth in average revenue per operating bed (ARPOB).
The first day of the year 2026 was positive for the debt market with foreign investors buying a net domestic debt of Rs 7,524 crore, the highest single-day inflow since May 29 last year.
Macroeconomic data announcements, global trends and trading activity of foreign investors would be major driving factors for market movement this week, analysts said. Unabated capital infusion by domestic institutional investors have supported the positive trend in the stock market last week, traders said.
The Congress party has strongly criticized the Union Budget, calling it 'lacklustre' and 'disappointing,' claiming it fails to address the needs of farmers, unemployed youth, and other key sectors.
From the 30-Sensex firms, NTPC, ICICI Bank, Adani Ports, Bharti Airtel, Sun Pharma and Bajaj Finance were among the biggest laggards. However, Asian Paints, HCL Tech, Bharat Electronics and Reliance Industries were among the gainers.
rediffGURU Vipul Bhavsar answers readers' personal income tax queries.
Restoring weighted tax deductions and adopting a petty patents regime can foster firm-level innovative activity critical for competitiveness, points out Nagesh Kumar.
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.
Shares of Bharat Coking Coal Ltd on Monday made a bumper stock market debut and ended with a premium of nearly 77 per cent, commanding a market valuation of Rs 18,935 crore. The stock was listed at Rs 45.21, a steep premium of 96.56 per cent from the issue price of Rs 23 on the BSE.
The rupee witnessed its worst single-day decline in around two months since November 21, 2025, due to demand for dollars among importers, said dealers. The maturing short positions in the non-deliverable forwards market further weighed on the local currency.
'New investors should enter gradually and stay cautious.' 'Silver is a structural multi-year story, but timing matters in a high-volatility metal.'
Mutual fund industry extended its bull run in 2025, adding a staggering Rs 14 lakh crore to its asset base and pushing total AUM to a record Rs 81 lakh crore by November, powered by surge in retail participation and record SIP inflows. Venkat Chalasani, chief executive officer of AMFI, told PTI that the industry's outlook remains positive, with steady SIP inflows continuing to offset foreign portfolio investor outflows and strengthening market resilience.
'The first time India has seen two consecutive blockbuster IPO years.'
This exercise allows investors to realign their portfolios with changing market conditions and evolving personal objectives.
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.
'We believe the truth is in the middle, and that India is at an important crossroads.'
India's market regulator has found that Bank of America shared confidential details ahead of a 2024 block trade and later misled regulators during the investigation.
Dabur's business update for Q3FY26 indicated mid-single digit consolidated revenue growth. The guidance is that growth in operating and net profits will beat revenue growth. In the domestic business, home and personal care (HPC) revenue grew in double digits, while healthcare is likely to post a sequential growth in low-single digits.
'We expect modest returns in 2026 versus the steep gains seen over the past few years.'
Budget 2026 sticks to fiscal discipline, shuns populist measures despite five key state elections coming up, but ends up rattling stock markets with a higher transaction tax on derivatives trading.
From the 30-Sensex firms, Trent, Larsen & Toubro, Reliance Industries, InterGlobe Aviation, Maruti, ITC, Adani Ports and Bharat Electronics were among the biggest laggards. In contrast, Eternal, ICICI Bank, Tech Mahindra, State Bank of India and Tata Consultancy Services were among the gainers.
The biggest risk for investors isn't the market, but their own minds, biases and emotions often lead to poor financial choices.