Business

New Delhi: The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has approved major changes to the rules governing mutual funds, aiming to reduce investor costs and increase transparency. The overhaul, part of SEBI’s “clean-up drive,” has reduced the regulatory book from 162 pages to 88 pages, simplifying compliance for fund houses. Key Changes in Expense Ratio and ChargesSEBI has revised the expense ratio framework and brokerage limits for mutual funds. Tuhin Kant Pandey, SEBI Chairman, stated that government taxes like STT (Securities Transaction Tax), GST, CTT, and stamp duty will now be excluded from the expense ratio and treated as a separate Base Expense Ratio. Previously, only GST on management fees was excluded, while other taxes counted toward the limit. This separation ensures cle...

New Delhi: The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) has introduced significant changes to the National Pension System (NPS) to make it more attractive and flexible for subscribers. The maximum age for staying invested in NPS has been increased from 75 to 85 years, and a loan facility against NPS accounts has also been introduced. Here’s a detailed look at the new rules. Stay Invested Until 85Subscribers can now continue in the NPS scheme up to the age of 85, allowing them to grow their retirement corpus for a longer period. Lower Annuity RequirementPreviously, retirees with a corpus exceeding ₹5 lakh had to use at least 40% of their funds to buy an annuity. The new rules reduce this limit to just 20%, giving subscribers more flexibility and immediate cash access....

New Delhi: Satish Sanpal’s journey is nothing short of cinematic. Hailing from the narrow lanes of Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh, he has risen to become the owner of a massive ₹8,000 crore business empire, residing in Dubai’s iconic Burj Khalifa. Remarkably, he achieved all this despite completing only up to the 8th grade. Early Struggles: At just 15, Satish started a small grocery store with ₹50,000 provided by his mother. Despite investing nearly ₹80,000 in total, the venture failed within two years. Far from being disheartened, this early setback taught him valuable lessons about resilience and ambition. By the age of 20, Satish took a bold step, moving to Dubai in search of greater opportunities. Foundation of ANAX Holdings: In Dubai, Satish worked tirelessly, initially connec...

Mumbai: Dalal Street witnessed a soft session on Wednesday as both major indices ended lower amid continuous selling pressure from foreign investors. The BSE Sensex fell 120.21 points, closing at 84,559.65, while the NSE Nifty dropped 41.55 points to finish at 25,818.55—its lowest level in a week. Market Snapshot:During trading, the Sensex touched a low of 84,415.98, down 263.88 points at one stage. Among Sensex constituents, Trent saw the steepest fall of 1.61%, followed by HDFC Bank, Adani Ports, ICICI Bank, Bajaj Finserv, Bharat Electronics, Titan, and Asian Paints. On the upside, State Bank of India rose 1.51%, while Infosys, Axis Bank, and Maruti Suzuki also gained. Stocks Showing Buying Interest:Investors are showing strong buying interest in several stocks, including India Cem...

American President Donald Trump’s real estate empire is rapidly expanding in India, turning the country into one of its largest markets outside the United States. Partnering with prominent Indian developers, the Trump Organization is set to launch several new projects in the coming years, making India a key hub for its global business strategy. Trump’s India Investment Known for his unpredictable statements, Trump recently called India “a remarkable country” and Prime Minister Narendra Modi “a great friend.” The remarks come amid ongoing diplomatic negotiations and trade discussions between the two countries. While tariff disputes have kept tensions high, Trump’s real estate investments in India tell a different story—one of growth and opportunity. For the Trump Organization, Indi...

The New Year 2026 brings good news for millions of gas consumers across India. The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) has announced a tariff reduction, which will result in a 2–3 rupees per unit decrease in CNG and domestic PNG prices starting January 1, 2026. This reduction is expected to directly benefit both households and the transportation sector. PNGRB member A.K. Tiwari explained that the price cut is primarily due to a simplification in the gas distribution tariff structure. Earlier, gas rates were calculated across three distance-based zones—up to 200 km, 200–1200 km, and above 1200 km. Under the new system, this has been reduced to two zones, with Zone-1 rates rationalized at ₹54 per unit, compared to the previous ₹80–107. This streamlined pricing will be appli...

Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) has delivered good news for its 44 lakh investors. According to brokerage firm Morgan Stanley, the effects of the company’s $80 billion investments will begin to show in 2026, with positive results expected across all major businesses – energy, consumer, and telecom – for the first time. Morgan Stanley has maintained an “overweight” rating on Reliance shares, setting a target price of ₹1,847, nearly 20% higher than the current market price of ₹1,541.80 per share, which closed flat in the previous session. Quarterly Gains Expected Across Segments Reliance, which is undergoing its fourth major transformation in 30 years, is expected to see its share price rise quarterly in 2026: Q1: Refining business to show strong growth. Q2: Telecom ARPU (a...

New Delhi: Silver prices continue their upward momentum, reaching record highs and marking the best performance in 46 years. This year alone, silver has surged nearly 120%, driven by its extensive use in emerging industries such as electric vehicles (EVs), solar energy, and electronics. On the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), silver for March 5 delivery opened at ₹1,99,201 per kg and surged to ₹2,06,111 per kg, up over ₹8,000 from the previous session’s close of ₹1,97,755. By 2:07 PM, silver was trading at ₹2,04,098 per kg, reflecting a 3.35% gain (₹6,629). Experts say that strong demand from rapidly growing industries has pushed silver prices higher, while supply has not increased proportionally. Although minor profit-booking is expected, silver is likely to remain strong in the near...

New Delhi: The Indian Railways has once again revised the rules regarding the preparation of train reservation charts. According to the latest update, the first reservation chart for a train will now be finalized at least 10 hours before departure from the originating station, an increase from the previous 8-hour timeline. Why the Change? For many passengers, securing a confirmed reservation has become a challenge. Often, travelers book tickets in the hope that the chart will confirm their seats, but frequently their tickets remain on the waiting list, forcing them to return home after carrying luggage to the station. Earlier, the chart was prepared 4 hours before departure, causing significant inconvenience. The Railway Board had adjusted this timing in July this year, and now it ha...

New Delhi: E-commerce company Meesho, which recently debuted on the stock market, saw its shares surge to the upper circuit in early trading, climbing nearly 95% above its issue price. The stock hit ₹216.35, with the company’s market capitalization reaching around ₹98,000 crore. UBS has initiated coverage on Meesho with a “Buy” rating, setting a target price of ₹220. The brokerage highlighted Meesho’s asset-light business model, low working capital requirements, and consistent positive cash flow, which distinguish it from many other internet companies. UBS projects strong annual growth of 30% (CAGR) in Net Merchandise Value (NMV) from FY25 to FY30. By FY30, contribution margin and adjusted EBITDA margin (as a percentage of NMV) are expected to rise to 6.8% and 3.2%, respectively. Rob...