Benchmark stock indices Sensex and Nifty dived sharply by nearly 2 per cent on Sunday after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman proposed a hike in the Securities Transaction Tax (STT) on derivatives. Reversing the early gains, the 30-share BSE Sensex plunged sharply by 2,370.36 points or 2.88 per cent to slide below the 80,000-mark at 79,899.42 in afternoon trade as the finance minister announced a hike in STT on futures contracts to 0.05 per cent from the current 0.02 per cent.
rediffGURU Vipul Bhavsar answers readers' personal income tax queries.
'Mark Mobius's life was dedicated to investing.'
A key demand is to reduce the dividend distribution tax on listed firms.
rediffGURU T S Khurana answers readers' personal income tax queries
Shares of auto component major, Samvardhana Motherson International, has gained 11.5 per cent on the bourses after the company approved the qualified institutions placement (QIP) issue and announced the calculation methodology for its compulsorily convertible debentures, or CCDs, into equity shares. Analysts cite strong investor response to the issue that has kept the sentiment positive for the stock. Brokerages, however, have a mixed view on the outlook for the auto parts supplier.
'Long-term investors seeking sustainable gains from resilient, fundamentally strong companies may go for these funds.'
Ask rediffGURU and tax expert Mihir Tanna your income tax-related questions.
rediffGURU T S Khurana answers readers' personal income tax queries
The proposals outlined in Budget 2026-27 represent a carefully crafted, multi-year strategy designed to strengthen India's big bets on the path to Viksit Bharat 2047, says Sameer Gupta.
Ask rediffGURU and PF, MF and insurance expert Purshotam Lal your mutual fund, insurance and personal finance-related questions.
Deferred payment plans may come with a cost, which may not be immediately visible.
Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) faced a challenging fourth quarter, with its energy business experiencing significant headwinds, leading to overall muted results and prompting analysts to adjust their outlook, even as consumer segments like Jio and retail demonstrated robust growth.
After the rationalisation and categorisation of mutual fund schemes undertaken by the Sebi in October 2017, overnight funds have emerged as a distinct category.
Zero-coupon bonds suit investors with long-term goals such as retirement or education planning.
The Indian rupee experienced a significant surge against the US dollar following the Reserve Bank of India's measures to restrict banks from onshore forward markets. Despite this, the rupee remains under pressure from foreign capital outflows, a strong dollar, and rising crude oil prices.
10 stocks from the Nifty 200 index that offer good growth potential and scope to deliver decent returns from current levels, based on brokerage estimates.
A systematic withdrawal plan doesn't drain wealth, poor planning does. Ramalingam Kalirajan explains the truth behind systematic withdrawal plans
'Even if India is attractive, FPIs currently lack the funds to invest, as money is being redirected to the US.'
The Shree Ram Twistex IPO enters Day 3 with strong investor interest. Check latest GMP, subscription status, price band, company fundamentals, and expert review to decide whether to apply.
From the Sensex pack, Asian Paints, ICICI Bank, PowerGrid, Larsen & Toubro, Bajaj Finserv, Bharti Airtel, Sun Pharmaceuticals, Maruti Suzuki India, Axis Bank, UltraTech Cement and HCL Technologies were the only gainers. On the other hand, Eternal, Tata Motors' commercial vehicles arm, Mahindra & Mahindra, Tata Steel, Bharat Electronics Ltd, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles, Trent, Tata Consultancy Services, Hindustan Unilever, and Infosys were among the laggards.
rediffGURU Yogendra Arora answers readers' personal income tax queries.
Debt mutual funds are likely to be stripped of the long-term tax benefit if they invest less than 35 per cent of their assets in equities. Such mutual funds will attract short term capital gains tax. The government is likely to make such a proposal in the form of an amendment to the Finance Bill 2023 in the Parliament, sources said.
'Stick to the known quality names, avoid short term thinking and don't be in a hurry to book profits on your winners.'
Ravi Singhal explains how a taxpayer can go about reducing her/his tax liability if they suffer losses while investing or trading in the stock market.
This exercise allows investors to realign their portfolios with changing market conditions and evolving personal objectives.
'The March correction was clearly due to the war and with prospects of that coming to a conclusion, there is a natural rally.'
When you sell your property, you would be liable to pay capital gains tax.
New investors should not allow themselves to fall prey to FOMO and rush headlong into gold.
The market capitalisation of BSE-listed companies eroded by Rs 9,40,581.75 crore to Rs 4,50,61,658.60 crore (USD 4.90 trillion) in a single day.
The recent correction suggests that while precious metals hedge geopolitical tension and inflation, they are not immune to sharp short-term corrections and profit-booking.
rediffGURU Vipul Bhavsar answers readers' personal income tax queries.
Foreign investors fled Indian equities in 2025 at a scale never seen before, pulling out a record Rs 1.6 lakh crore (USD 18 billion) as volatile currency movements, global trade tensions, especially potential US tariffs, and stretched valuations eroded risk appetite, though flows are expected to turn sustainably positive in 2026.
Investors have often been left scratching their heads over why a company's stock fails to move despite delivering beating earnings results, only to see the stock fall. According to theory, beating earnings should translate to higher stock prices, but in today's interconnected world, stock prices do not depend on the numbers.
West Asia conflict triggers sharp sell-off in Indian markets, with realty, banking and auto stocks leading losses amid energy shock fears.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday announced an increase in the Securities Transaction Tax (STT) on Futures and Options trade with a view to discouraging small investors from speculative trading in derivatives, which led to a sharp decline in the stock market.
Many individuals filing tax returns declare zero tax liability. They accounted for two-thirds of the total individual returns filed.
If the shares are purchased for investment, then it would be treated as a capital asset and taxed as capital gains.
But if the shares are bought and sold in a short duration repeatedly, then it would be taxed as business income, explains Amit Gupta.
'Within the BJP, Samrat Chowdhury confronts a party full of senior leaders with their own factional networks, caste calculations and career ambitions; many of whom may regard his elevation as a product of central convenience rather than organic merit.'
The surge has come alongside a decline in average issue sizes and more muted listing-day returns compared with last year.
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