Sunday, December 21

Business

Gold and Silver Prices Dip After Record Highs Amid Wedding Season
Business

Gold and Silver Prices Dip After Record Highs Amid Wedding Season

Gold and silver have been on a remarkable upward trajectory this year, showing their best performance in 46 years. Gold has surged by nearly 60%, while silver has delivered over 100% returns. On Monday, silver hit an all-time high, making headlines across markets. However, prices of both precious metals slipped in trading today. Gold Prices Today Gold, which closed at ₹1,30,652 per 10 grams for the February 5 delivery in the previous session, opened at ₹1,30,110. In early trades, prices touched a low of ₹1,29,597 and a high of ₹1,30,778. By 3:00 PM, gold was trading at ₹1,29,615, down ₹1,037 or 0.79%. This year, gold has seen gains in 10 out of the last 11 months, positioning it for the fourth-best annual performance in the last 100 years. Historically, gold outperformed similarly...
Stocks to Watch: V2 Retail, IEX Among Picks Signaling Uptrend
Business

Stocks to Watch: V2 Retail, IEX Among Picks Signaling Uptrend

New Delhi: After hitting record highs, the Indian stock market ended Monday with a mild correction. Profit-taking and capital outflows by foreign institutional investors (FIIs) pulled both major indices slightly lower. The BSE Sensex fell 64.77 points (0.08%) to close at 85,641.90, while the NSE Nifty slipped 27.20 points (0.10%) to finish at 26,175.75. During the session, Sensex had climbed as much as 452.35 points to a record high of 86,159.02, and Nifty touched an intraday peak of 26,325.80. Gainers and LosersAmong Sensex constituents, Bajaj Finance, Sun Pharma, Trent, Mahindra & Mahindra, State Bank of India, and Bajaj Finserv saw losses. On the other hand, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles, Maruti Suzuki, Bharat Electronics, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Adani Ports, and HCL Tech ended ...
SEBI Makes Gifting Mutual Fund Units Easier for Investors
Business

SEBI Makes Gifting Mutual Fund Units Easier for Investors

New Delhi: The number of investors in mutual funds is rising rapidly, and the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has now made it significantly easier to gift mutual fund (MF) units. Previously, investors had to sell their units and pay taxes before transferring them to family members or others. With the recent regulatory change, units can now be directly transferred without selling. According to SEBI’s updated rules, both Demat and Statement of Account (SOA) units can be gifted or transferred. This applies to transfers via wills, inheritance, or addition/removal of joint holders. Earlier, only Demat units could be transferred, while SOA units required selling, which triggered capital gains tax. Key Benefits for InvestorsTax experts highlight that this change removes a majo...
GDP Strong, But Industrial Output Hits 13-Month Low: Here’s Why
Business

GDP Strong, But Industrial Output Hits 13-Month Low: Here’s Why

New Delhi: India’s GDP grew at a robust 8.2% in the second quarter, yet industrial production in October has fallen to a 13-month low. According to the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) rose only 0.4% compared to the same month last year, significantly down from October last year’s 3.7% and September’s 4.6% growth. Weak performance in mining, power, and manufacturing sectors contributed heavily to the slowdown. Manufacturing grew just 1.8%, compared to 4.4% a year ago. Mining output declined by 1.8%, while electricity production dropped 6.9%, compared to a 2% increase last year. Consumer durables such as TVs and refrigerators saw a 0.5% contraction, while consumer non-durables fell 4.4%. For the current financial year up to Oct...
From Bengaluru to Microsoft and Google, Now Leading AI at Apple: Who is Amar Subramanyam
Business

From Bengaluru to Microsoft and Google, Now Leading AI at Apple: Who is Amar Subramanyam

New Delhi: Apple, the American tech giant behind the iPhone, has made a major leadership change in its Artificial Intelligence (AI) division. The company has appointed Indian-origin researcher Amar Subramanyam as the new Vice President of AI. Subramanyam brings with him a wealth of experience, having previously served as Corporate VP of AI at Microsoft and spent 16 years at Google. At Google, he led the engineering of the Gemini Assistant, one of the company’s flagship AI projects. At Apple, he succeeds John Giannandrea and will report directly to Software Chief Craig Federighi. In his new role, Subramanyam will oversee key AI initiatives, including Apple Foundation Models, Machine Learning Research, and AI Safety & Evaluation. Apple stated that his deep expertise in AI and his a...
Bank of Maharashtra OFS: Government Offers Opportunity to Buy Shares at Attractive Prices
Business

Bank of Maharashtra OFS: Government Offers Opportunity to Buy Shares at Attractive Prices

New Delhi: Investors now have a chance to buy shares of Bank of Maharashtra (BOM) at attractive prices as the government plans to divest up to 6% of its stake in the public sector bank. The Offer for Sale (OFS) opened today, December 2, 2025, for non-retail investors, while retail investors can participate starting tomorrow, December 3. Details of the OfferThe OFS is being managed under the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM), part of the Finance Ministry. DIPAM Secretary Arunesh Chawla stated, “The OFS in Bank of Maharashtra has opened today for non-retail investors. Retail investors can submit their bids on Wednesday, December 3. The government is offering 5% equity for sale, with an additional 1% available under the green shoe option.” Share Pricing and Ex...
Mehli Mistry Steps Down from Tata’s Small Animal Hospital Trust: What About Ratan Tata’s Dream
Business

Mehli Mistry Steps Down from Tata’s Small Animal Hospital Trust: What About Ratan Tata’s Dream

New Delhi: Prominent businessman Mehli Mistry, a close associate of the late Ratan Tata, has resigned from the board of the Small Animal Hospital Trust (SAHT). The Mumbai-based trust runs India’s largest specialty hospital for pets, a project that was a long-cherished dream of Ratan Tata. The hospital was established after Tata struggled to find proper healthcare for his injured dog, prompting him to create the facility. In his resignation, Mistry stated, “Since I am no longer associated with the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust (SDTT) and Sir Ratan Tata Trust (SRTT), I cannot provide funding to the Small Animal Hospital Trust. I also do not wish to request funds from a trust I am not connected with, and therefore I resign with immediate effect.” In October, Mistry’s tenure as trustee in SDTT and...
Why Did LIC Invest in Adani Group? Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Responds
Business

Why Did LIC Invest in Adani Group? Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Responds

New Delhi: The opposition has repeatedly questioned the government over LIC’s investments in the Adani Group, especially after Hindustan Hindenburg Research reports led to a sharp fall in Adani shares. Recent media reports, including one from The Washington Post, suggested that government officials may have encouraged LIC to invest in the group. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, however, clarified the government’s position on Monday. She stated that the Ministry of Finance does not issue any advice or directives to LIC regarding its investment decisions. She emphasized that LIC’s investments in the Adani Group were made strictly according to established Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). LIC, India’s largest institutional investor, has made investment decisions over the years b...
Meesho IPO to Open Tomorrow; Grey Market Shows Strong Demand
Business

Meesho IPO to Open Tomorrow; Grey Market Shows Strong Demand

Here’s a polished, newspaper-ready English version of your Meesho IPO article: Mumbai: E-commerce platform Meesho’s highly anticipated IPO opens tomorrow, December 3, 2025. Even before the formal launch, the IPO has created a buzz in the grey market, signaling strong investor interest. The IPO’s upper price band has been set at ₹111 per share, and the current Grey Market Premium (GMP) stands at 40.54%, indicating robust demand. What is GMP?The Grey Market Premium reflects an unofficial market where shares are traded before listing. A strong GMP suggests high investor enthusiasm and potential for a positive listing, though it does not guarantee price gains. Currently, Meesho’s GMP of ₹45 per share (40.54%) shows considerable pre-IPO demand. IPO DetailsMeesho’s IPO will rema...
8th Pay Commission: Government Rejects Employees’ Demand for DA Merger
Business

8th Pay Commission: Government Rejects Employees’ Demand for DA Merger

New Delhi: The central government has formally constituted the 8th Pay Commission. Following this, central employee organizations have renewed their demand to merge the Dearness Allowance (DA) with the basic salary. Currently, the DA stands at 58%, having crossed the 50% mark as early as January 2024. Several employee unions have urged that the DA be merged into the basic pay, a move that would increase the overall salary structure. However, the Ministry of Finance has clarified that there is no proposal under consideration for such a merger. Responding to a question from MP Anand Bhadoria in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Finance, Pankaj Chaudhary, stated that the government has no plan to merge the DA with basic pay at present. The DA continues to be revised twice a year. Und...