Business

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 ...

New Delhi: The US dollar, long the world’s dominant currency, is showing signs of weakening, sparking concern among economists and investors. According to an NPR report, the dollar fell more than 9% in 2025—the worst annual performance since 2017—reflecting a turbulent year for the US economy and signaling continued uncertainty in 2026. Some American experts have gone so far as to claim that the United States is becoming “a relative of Bangladesh” in terms of currency strength. Dollar Faces Further PressureThe report indicates that the dollar could slide further as the Federal Reserve may continue lowering interest rates—a move that generally reduces a currency’s value. While some aspects of the US economy could provide partial support, the market anticipates ongoing volatility. Despite...

New Delhi: What if the empty packet of chips you throw away could make someone a millionaire? That’s exactly what Anish Malpani did. In just one week, the 36-year-old entrepreneur generated ₹11 lakh by transforming discarded chips packets into trendy sunglasses, while simultaneously creating income opportunities for marginalized communities. The Journey from Corporate to CauseAnish Malpani, a BBA graduate from the University of Texas, had a successful job in the United States. But a visit to Mumbai’s Deonar dumping grounds, where impoverished workers struggled to survive amid piles of plastic waste, changed his life. He returned to India with a mission: to create a business that would benefit both the environment and society. He identified a major problem—multi-layered plastic (MLP),...

New Delhi: The Indian stock market will remain closed today, January 15, 2026, with no trading activity on both the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and National Stock Exchange (NSE). The exchanges issued official circulars confirming the trading holiday, which coincides with the municipal elections in Maharashtra. According to BSE, trading in equity, equity derivatives, commodity derivatives, and electronic gold receipts will not take place today. Additionally, equity derivatives contracts originally scheduled to expire on January 15 will now expire a day earlier, on January 14, 2026. NSE also updated its prior notification, declaring a trading holiday in both capital market and F&O segments. Reason for the HolidayWhile initially both exchanges had announced only a settlement holiday...

Indian stock markets fell for the second consecutive day today, reflecting continued volatility amid mixed trading sentiments. The markets opened with a slight decline in the morning, showed brief recovery, but slipped again in the afternoon session. At 2:30 PM, the BSE Sensex dropped 371.96 points, or 0.44%, to 83,255.73, while the NSE Nifty 50 fell 109.55 points, or 0.43%, to 25,622.75. In the past seven trading days, the markets have recorded declines on six occasions, indicating sustained pressure on investors. Among Sensex stocks, Tata Steel, NTPC, Axis Bank, Ultratech Cement, and Bharat Electronics saw gains, while TCS, Asian Paints, Sun Pharma, and HUL dropped up to 2%. In broader markets, the Nifty Midcap 100 fell 0.46%, and the Nifty Smallcap Index declined 0.82%. Sectorally...