Business

New Delhi: The Indian rupee plunged past the 90-mark against the US dollar on Wednesday, marking a historic low and making it Asia’s worst-performing major currency this year. While the sharp depreciation poses challenges for several sectors, it also offers opportunities for others. Here’s a detailed look at who stands to lose and who could gain. Reasons Behind the Rupee SlideThe rupee’s decline is driven by multiple factors: heavy foreign capital outflows, a widening trade deficit, delays in the India-US trade deal, and global geopolitical and economic uncertainties. Foreign investors have withdrawn over $17 billion from Indian markets this year. Meanwhile, India’s trade deficit surged to a record $41.7 billion in October, up from $32.2 billion in September, putting additional pressure...

New Delhi: Following recent GST reforms, the government is now set to update India’s major economic indicators, including GDP calculations. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman informed Parliament that from 27 February, the base year for GDP computation will change to 2022-23, replacing the long-standing 2011-12 base year. This update aims to make national accounts more reflective of current economic realities. Why the Change?The current base year, 2011-12, has been in use for over a decade. Updating it will provide a more accurate representation of India’s economic activities, capturing recent structural and sectoral changes in the economy. The announcement follows an IMF report that assigned a “C” grade to India’s national accounts data. Minister Sitharaman clarified that this grading ...

New Delhi: In a world where many possess resources but fail to utilize them effectively, some individuals harness their potential to achieve extraordinary success. Dheeraj Verma, a farmer from Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh, is one such inspiring example. A television clip introducing hydroponics farming transformed his approach to agriculture, helping him generate substantial income in a remarkably short period. From Traditional Farming to HydroponicsFor over 13 years, Dheeraj Verma, a BSc graduate, cultivated strawberries using conventional farming methods on five acres of land. This method was labor-intensive, costly, and challenged by weeds, requiring significant manpower and inputs such as mulching and drip irrigation. Just removing weeds from one acre alone cost around ₹50,000. The t...

New Delhi: The stock market witnessed another day of decline today, but small-cap stock Spice Lounge Food Works bucked the trend by hitting the upper circuit limit. Over the past year, this stock has delivered an astonishing 900% return to its investors, making it one of the most talked-about multibagger stocks in the market. Stock Performance Amid Market Volatility On the BSE, Spice Lounge Food Works shares surged 5% to ₹50.47, even after enduring a seven-day consecutive decline that saw the stock fall by 15%. However, in the past month alone, the stock has soared over 130%, highlighting a strong recovery. The stock’s 52-week high stands at ₹72.20, recorded on 24 November 2025, while its 52-week low was ₹5.32 on 10 December 2024. This dramatic rise has rewarded investors with exc...

New Delhi: The stock market witnessed another day of decline today, but small-cap stock Spice Lounge Food Works bucked the trend by hitting the upper circuit limit. Over the past year, this stock has delivered an astonishing 900% return to its investors, making it one of the most talked-about multibagger stocks in the market. Stock Performance Amid Market Volatility On the BSE, Spice Lounge Food Works shares surged 5% to ₹50.47, even after enduring a seven-day consecutive decline that saw the stock fall by 15%. However, in the past month alone, the stock has soared over 130%, highlighting a strong recovery. The stock’s 52-week high stands at ₹72.20, recorded on 24 November 2025, while its 52-week low was ₹5.32 on 10 December 2024. This dramatic rise has rewarded investors with exc...

New Delhi: Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to visit India on a two-day official trip starting 4 December. Amid diplomatic and business discussions, global attention has also turned to the enigmatic fortune of the 73-year-old leader, who is considered one of the world’s wealthiest politicians. Official Income vs. Hidden Wealth According to reports by The Week, Putin officially earns $140,000 per year (around ₹1.26 crore). His declared assets include a modest 800-square-foot apartment, a trailer, and three cars. However, experts believe this only scratches the surface, as much of his wealth is reportedly hidden. Estimated Net Worth Speculation suggests Putin’s net worth could reach $200 billion (approx. ₹18,000 billion), according to Bill Browder, a prominent foreign inve...

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...

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 ...

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...

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...