Business & Economy

Tensions between the United States and Iran have escalated sharply, with reports suggesting that an American strike on Iran could occur within hours. In a significant military move, the US has redirected its USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group from the South China Sea toward the Middle East. Several countries, including India, have advised their citizens to leave Iran immediately amid the growing crisis. The strike group, led by the USS Abraham Lincoln, comprises multiple destroyers, submarines, and support vessels. The USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72), one of the world’s largest and most powerful warships, was built in the 1980s at a cost of approximately $2.24 billion. Adjusted for today’s value, this amounts to around $6.8 billion, excluding decades of maintenance and upgrades. I...

The stock market remained closed today in Maharashtra due to municipal elections, sparking a heated discussion online after Zerodha CEO Nitin Kamath questioned the rationale behind the holiday. Kamath, in a social media post, expressed concern over the closure, noting that the Indian markets still have a long way to go in gaining global investor confidence. Initially, January 15 was designated as a settlement holiday, but last week, the exchanges issued a revised circular confirming that trading would remain completely suspended across all segments. In his post on X (formerly Twitter), Kamath asked why a local body election warranted a market-wide shutdown. He argued that markets are interconnected globally, and closing them for a municipal election reflected poor planning. Quotin...

New Delhi: Ever wondered how Indian Railways sets train fares? The answer, according to the railways, is a closely guarded trade secret. The railways recently cited this reasoning while responding to a Right to Information (RTI) request, which sought detailed information about fare calculations for different classes of passenger trains. The Central Information Commission (CIC) upheld the railways’ position and dismissed the petition. The applicant had requested information on how base fares are calculated, the factors influencing dynamic pricing, and how timing or seasonal changes affect ticket costs. This online petition had been filed on January 25, 2024. Railway’s StandThe railways clarified that fares vary across classes based on the facilities provided. According to the Central ...

New Delhi: Voting began today for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, India’s richest municipal body. With 1,700 candidates contesting, the city saw several prominent personalities—including Akshay Kumar, Saina Malhotra, and Sachin Tendulkar—casting their votes. While BMC elections always attract national attention, the municipality’s budget remains the biggest reason for the spotlight. For the 2025-26 financial year, BMC presented a record budget of ₹74,427 crore, which is not only the largest for a municipal corporation in India but also exceeds the entire budgets of several states. To put this in perspective: Goa: ₹28,162 crore Arunachal Pradesh: ₹39,842 crore Himachal Pradesh: ₹58,514 crore Sikkim: ₹16,196 crore Tripura: ₹31,412 crore Among ot...

Mumbai: A strategic investment made just before the COVID-19 pandemic has turned out to be a golden move for investors. ICICI Prudential India’s Opportunity Fund, launched on January 15, 2019, has delivered an annualized return of over 21%, turning a ₹10 lakh investment into ₹37.76 lakh in seven years. For context, if the same amount had been invested in the scheme’s benchmark, Nifty 500 TRI, it would have grown to ₹28.05 lakh, registering a 15.97% annualized return. The fund has recorded 13% annual return in the past year, 23% over three years, and 27% over five years, proving its resilience and strong performance even amid market uncertainties. About the SchemeThe ICICI Prudential India Opportunity Fund is an open-ended equity scheme that focuses on special situations. It follows a...

New Delhi: The Indian two-wheeler market continues to rev up, with sales crossing 2 crore units last year. According to data from the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), this marks a 5% growth over 2024’s 1.9 crore units, though still slightly below the record 2.1 crore units in 2018. Exports of two-wheelers surged by 24.2%, reaching a record 49.4 lakh units, driven by recovering demand in Africa, strong sales in South Asia, and rising motorcycle demand globally. Top PerformersAmong manufacturers, Hero MotoCorp maintained its lead as India’s largest two-wheeler maker, with sales rising 2% to 57.5 lakh units. Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India followed closely with a 2% increase to 54 lakh units. However, TVS Motor emerged as the biggest gainer, recording a 15.7% jump...

New Delhi: Luxury car enthusiasts in India have reason to celebrate. German automaker Mercedes-Benz is set to begin local assembly of its ultra-luxury GLS Maybach SUV in India, making the vehicle ₹42 lakh more affordable for Indian buyers. India Becomes Exclusive Assembly Hub Outside the U.S.India will become the only country outside the United States to locally assemble the GLS Maybach. Currently, the SUV is imported from Mercedes-Benz’s Tuscaloosa plant in Alabama, USA. According to Santosh Iyer, MD & CEO of Mercedes-Benz India, India has emerged as one of the top five global markets for the Maybach brand in 2025. Price AdvantageWith local assembly, the GLS Maybach’s price in India will drop to ₹2.75 crore, compared to the current ₹3.17 crore. Iyer clarified that this move will...

New Delhi: Lending a credit card to a friend may seem like a small favor, but what if that trust is misused? Imagine giving your friend your credit card to fill up petrol, only to later find that it was used to purchase an expensive flight ticket. Such situations can be financially and emotionally jarring, but swift action can help contain the damage. Understand the StakesA credit card is more than a plastic card—it records your spending, borrowing history, and impacts your future creditworthiness. Any misuse, even by a friend, can affect your financial standing. Acting quickly is crucial to avoid long-term consequences. Immediate Action: Freeze Your CardThe first step is not to wait for your friend to explain or reimburse you. Log in to your bank’s app or website and use the “Freeze...

New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh has secured the fourth position in India’s Export Preparedness Index (EPI) 2024, released by the NITI Aayog on Wednesday. The ranking evaluates states on key parameters such as export infrastructure, business ecosystem, policy and governance, and export performance. Among the larger states, Maharashtra topped the list, followed by Tamil Nadu at second place and Gujarat in third. After Uttar Pradesh, the next positions went to Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Punjab. In the smaller states category, Uttarakhand emerged as the leader, with Jammu & Kashmir, Nagaland, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, and Tripura following. NITI Aayog InsightsDuring the launch, BVR Subramanyam, CEO of NITI Aayog, highlighted the importance of a robust export ecosyste...

New Delhi: After two months of negative readings, wholesale inflation in India has turned positive again, reaching an eight-month high in December. Rising prices of food items and manufactured goods contributed to the uptick, according to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The Wholesale Price Index (WPI)-based inflation stood at 0.83% in December 2025, compared to 2.57% in December 2024. In the previous months, inflation had remained negative, at -1.02% in October and -0.32% in November. The ministry attributed the December increase primarily to higher prices of minerals, machinery, textiles, and manufactured food products. Food and Non-Food Inflation Trends Food inflation rose to -0.43% in December, up from -4.16% in November, with wholesale prices of grains, pulses, and ...