Business

New Delhi: The Indian government has set an ambitious goal to make India a developed nation by 2047. In 2025, several key economic reforms were implemented to pave the way for sustainable growth, including GST 2.0, income tax relief, and the Labour Code. Experts suggest that continuing this reform momentum will be critical in the upcoming year. Income Tax and GST ReformsThe government announced significant income tax relief in the Budget, including exemptions for annual earnings up to ₹12 lakh, aimed at boosting consumption. On 15 August, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled GST 2.0 reforms, followed by the implementation of reduced GST rates in September. Limiting GST to 5% and 18% resulted in record Diwali sales exceeding ₹6 lakh crore and streamlined the GST registration process. ...

New Delhi: Train travel across India has become more expensive starting today. The Ministry of Railways has officially announced a hike in fares for long-distance passenger trains, effective immediately. Local trains and short-distance commuters remain unaffected by this change. Details of the Fare HikeFor journeys over 215 kilometers in the ordinary class, fares will increase by 1 paisa per kilometer. For example, a 500-kilometer non-AC journey will now cost an additional ₹10. AC and non-AC coaches of mail and express trains will see an increase of 2 paisa per kilometer. This marks the second fare hike in 2025, following the July revision. The fare adjustment is expected to generate an additional ₹600 crore in revenue for the current financial year. Local trains, monthly season tick...

New Delhi: With UPI payments growing rapidly across India, incidents of users being misled by “dark patterns” or hidden charges have also surged. To tackle this, the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has introduced stringent measures to monitor recurring charges and give users better control over their subscriptions. The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) auto-pay feature can now be tracked more effectively. NPCI has launched a centralized portal — upiphelp.npci.org.in — enabling users to view and manage all their UPI auto-pay settings in one place. This initiative targets e-commerce platforms that previously trapped users in auto-pay subscriptions, making it difficult to track or cancel recurring payments. The move follows an NPCI circular issued on 7 October 2025. All UPI...

New Delhi: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued a stern warning to companies operating in the food and beverage sector. The regulator emphasized that beverages made from herbs and plant-based infusions should not be labeled as “tea” unless they are prepared from the actual tea plant, Camellia sinensis. In its directive released on Wednesday, FSSAI highlighted that many companies are selling products under names like “Rooibos Tea,” “Herbal Tea,” and “Flower Tea,” even though none of these products are derived from the tea plant. The authority clarified that such labeling is misleading and provides incorrect information to consumers. The directive applies to e-commerce platforms, manufacturers, packagers, marketers, and traders involved in producing, sell...

Former Chief Economic Adviser (CEA) Arvind Subramanian has clarified that his resignation was not due to any friction with the government but simply the natural conclusion of his tenure. While acknowledging some ideological differences, he stressed that they were not the reason for stepping down. Subramanian shared these insights during a discussion on his book, A Sixth of Humanity. Ten Messages a Day to Arun JaitleyReflecting on the GST rollout, Subramanian revealed the intensity of his involvement: “During GST implementation, I would message Arun Jaitley ten times a day, urging him that the 28% slab should never exist. I recommended a simpler structure with a small 6-8% slab, a 15-16% slab, and a higher 40% slab only for sin goods like tobacco and cigarettes.” He expressed disappoi...

In January 2023, U.S.-based short-selling firm Hindenburg Research published a report accusing the Adani Group of accounting irregularities and market manipulation. While the allegations led to a sharp decline in Adani’s stock prices, the group consistently denied the claims. Since then, the conglomerate has successfully executed 33 acquisitions worth nearly ₹80,000 crore ($9.6 billion), signaling robust capital availability and strategic expansion. Focus on Core BusinessesThe acquisitions primarily targeted Adani Group’s core sectors. Market data and company sources reveal that the largest deals were in ports (₹28,145 crore), followed by cement (₹24,710 crore) and power (₹12,251 crore). Emerging businesses accounted for ₹3,927 crore, and transmission and distribution for ₹2,544 crore. ...

Gold prices have witnessed a remarkable surge this year, climbing over 70%, marking the metal’s best performance since 1979. The bullish trend has analysts and investors closely watching the market, with expectations of further gains in 2026. At the start of the year, gold futures were trading around $2,640 per ounce, and they have now crossed $4,500 per ounce. Analysts at J.P. Morgan Chase project that gold prices could exceed $5,000 per ounce by the end of 2026. Last year, gold futures saw a 27% increase, setting the stage for this historic rally. Record Gains Amid Global UncertaintyIn New York, gold futures have risen approximately 71% in 2025, the largest annual increase in the past 46 years. The last time gold experienced such a significant surge was during the late 1970s, under...

India’s housing market has witnessed a notable slowdown in Q4 2025, with sales across the country’s nine major cities dropping 16% year-on-year (YoY). New launches also fell 10% during the same period, according to a report by NSE-listed real estate analytics firm PropEquity. Only Delhi-NCR and Navi Mumbai recorded growth in both sales and new launches, on both annual (YoY) and quarterly (QoQ) bases. Sales Decline Across Most CitiesDuring the fourth quarter, housing sales in the top nine cities fell to 98,019 units, marking the lowest quarterly sales since Q3 2021. Apart from Delhi-NCR (up 4%) and Navi Mumbai (up 13%), the remaining seven cities witnessed a decline of up to 31%. On a quarterly basis, sales dropped 2% QoQ. Why the Drop Despite the Festival Season?PropEquity Founder &a...

Italy has achieved a remarkable feat in the global apple market, surpassing both the United States and China to become the world’s largest apple exporter. The reopening of the Suez Canal has further boosted its trade, giving Italian apples an edge in international markets. According to the Italian Agricultural Research Institute (Ismea), Italy now accounts for 16% of the global apple export market, compared to the U.S. at 14% and China at 13%. Other notable exporters include New Zealand, Chile, South Africa, Poland, France, the Netherlands, and Turkey. In the 2025/26 marketing year, Italy exported over 1 million tons of apples, marking a 24% increase over last year. Germany remains the largest buyer, with Italy holding a 30% share of the market in terms of value. Exports to Germany r...

New Delhi: While the BSE Sensex has climbed roughly 9% since last Christmas, a select group of 12 stocks has delivered exceptional returns ranging from 100% to 518%, turning investors into substantial winners. These high-performing companies have a market capitalization of over ₹3,000 crore and witness a minimum daily trading volume of 5,000 shares. Top Performers Cupid: Leading the pack, its stock soared from ₹77 to ₹473, delivering a staggering 518% return in just one year. CIAN Agro Industries & Infrastructure: Gained 181%, rising from ₹519 to ₹1,458. Apollo Micro Systems: Provided 176% returns, climbing from ₹95 to ₹263. GRM Overseas: Up 161%, from ₹63 to ₹166. Lumax Auto Technologies: Surged 146%, from ₹631 to ₹1,551. Larsen & Toubro Finance: Rose 119%, f...