Business

Jammu, April 11 The long-awaited Ujh multipurpose project has received approval, marking a major step towards enhancing irrigation capacity in the region while also strengthening infrastructure along the border in the Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said on Saturday.He also announced that the Shahpur Kandi Barrage is nearing completion, while the PNG pipeline is likely to reach Kathua within the next six months, significantly enhancing access to clean energy in the region.The Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office made these key announcements while chairing the meeting of the District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee (DISHA) at the Deputy Commissioner's Office in Kathua...

New Delhi, April 11 – The Centre on Saturday increased excise duties on petroleum products, including high-speed diesel, with immediate effect, according to a notification issued by the Ministry of Finance.The Union government has hiked the export duty or windfall tax on diesel by Rs 34 per litre to Rs 55.5 per litre from Rs 21.5 per litre, with immediate effect.According to the Gazette notification, the Special Additional Excise Duty on high-speed diesel has been raised to Rs 24 per litre.In a separate notification, the Union government also increased the Road and Infrastructure cess on diesel to Rs 36 per litre under provisions of the Finance Act, 2018.The Centre said the revisions were aimed at aligning domestic duties with...

New Delhi, April 11 The government on Saturday increased the export duty, or windfall tax, on diesel to Rs 55.5 per litre and on aviation fuel ATF to Rs 42 per litre.The duty hike will be effective immediately, the finance ministry said in a notification.The government had, on March 26, imposed an export duty of Rs 21.50 per litre on diesel, and Rs 29.5 per litre on Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF). The duties were levied to increase the domestic availability of the fuel amid the war in West Asia.They were also aimed at preventing exporters from taking undue advantage due to price differences, as global crude oil prices had risen since the beginning of the war.On February 28, the United States and Israel launched military strikes...

The Government of India continues to maintain proactive vigilance across critical sectors in light of developing situations in West Asia. Updates provided by key ministries reveal robust measures in place for energy supply, maritime security, and citizen welfare. The focus areas underscore a strategic pivot towards enhancing domestic resource utilization and promoting cleaner fuels.Fortifying Energy Supply and Consumer Awareness The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has issued advisories urging citizens to avoid panic purchasing of petrol, diesel, and LPG. Consumers are strongly advised to rely solely on official sources for accurate information.Authorities are encouraging the immediate adoption of alternate energy sources...

European gas and power markets are set for a dramatic expansion, ending years of trading within a narrow daytime window. The trading hours are permanently set to stretch to 21 hours, a shift that arrives amidst intense market volatility driven by geopolitical tensions.Despite recent ceasefire announcements, European gas contracts remain elevated, trading almost 40% above pre-conflict levels. This backdrop adds significant complexity to the preparations for the longer trading day.Drivers Behind Extended Trading Hours and Market Complexity The market's evolving landscape has necessitated a global structure. Europe's departure from a single energy supplier has deeply embedded the region in global LNG markets. This exposure means prices...

Delhi-NCR Leads Retail Revival as Leasing Activity Soars Retail leasing across shopping malls and high streets in the Delhi-NCR region has seen a significant surge, reportedly climbing by 45 per cent during the January-March period. According to data from Cushman & Wakefield, the total leasing volume reached nearly 6 lakh sq ft for this quarter. This marks a considerable uplift compared to the 0.41 million square feet recorded in the same period the previous year.The data provides a clear split in retail appetite. Shopping malls accounted for 64 per cent of the total leasing volumes. Meanwhile, high streets contributed the remaining 36 per cent, indicating strong sustained demand across both key formats within the NCR market.Sector...

Understanding the Market Hiatus: Trading Suspension Next Week Indian traders and investors should note a significant pause in market activity next week. Trading on both the NSE and the BSE will remain suspended for one full day. This means investors should anticipate only four trading sessions next week.The closure is scheduled for Tuesday, April 14, 2026. This day of suspension is marked for Dr Baba Saheb Bhimrao Ambedkar Jayanti.Specific segments will see varying levels of closure. Trading in the Equity Segment and the Equity Derivative Segment will be completely suspended on Tuesday. Currency Derivatives Segments, NDS-RST, and Tri Party Repo segments will also remain closed that day.However, commodity markets will see a...

In New Delhi, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, on Saturday, called for a comprehensive overhaul of the legal system to meet the demands of a growing economy. He stated that transforming India into a $10 trillion economy cannot be achieved solely through capital or policy, and that the quality of the legal system would be a crucial factor.CJI Kant emphasized the need for predictability, specialization, and a culture of good faith in commercial law to help the country achieve this goal. He highlighted that this requires capital with commitments that unfold over time, and investor confidence is essential.He asserted that mechanisms like mediation would be more effective for India's economic competitiveness than many reforms that...

The precious white metal continues its upward trajectory, fueled by persistent macro uncertainty. Silver registered a significant rally, climbing from ₹ 2,32,600 per kg to ₹ 2,43,300 per kg on April 11, 2026. This marks a substantial weekly gain of ₹ 10,700 per kg, equating to 4.60%.This sharp movement confirms that safe-haven demand remains a dominant factor supporting the silver market. Although the current rate is ₹ 2,43,300 per kg, it remains considerably below the MCX record high established on January 29, 2026.Drivers Fueling Silver's Safe-Haven Rally Market experts attribute the recent upward momentum to evolving global economic cues. The recent ceasefire extension in the US-Iran conflict, for instance, has caused a sharp...

New Delhi, April 11 – India is increasingly signing free trade agreements (FTAs) with economies where trade corridors are already expanding and supply chains are already forming, according to a new report.These FTAs are acting as accelerators of existing economic momentum, the report in Trade Finance Global states.In a fragmented global trading system, this targeted approach appears to be particularly resilient.“While tariff threats become commonplace elsewhere in the world, India is focusing on approaching trade with care and commitment, expanding its services provisions and translating its investment pipelines into new industrial capacity,” writes Anna Mahjar-Barducci.The report states that between the fiscal years 2020-21 and...

New Delhi, April 11 – India has set a major goal to expand its nuclear power capacity to at least 100 GW by 2047, marking the centenary of its independence, as it seeks to strengthen long-term energy security and reduce dependence on fossil fuels, according to a new report.According to a report by Khaleej Times, the country currently operates 24 nuclear reactors with a combined capacity of 8,780 MWe (Megawatt electric), while eight more reactors with a capacity of 6,028 MWe are under construction.Government projections indicate that installed nuclear capacity will rise to around 22 GW by the early 2030s before expanding sharply to meet the 100 GW target.To achieve this more than eleven-fold increase, India is pursuing a...

New Delhi, April 11 – Despite the global slowdown, India remains one of the fastest-growing major economies in the world, with an expected growth rate of 6.6% in FY27. This is primarily due to higher energy prices resulting from the Middle East conflict and disruptions in supply chains, which are weighing on economic activity.According to the latest World Bank economic update, despite significant downside risks stemming from the conflict, the economy's strong macroeconomic fundamentals and policy buffers provide some insulation.Substantial foreign reserves, low inflation, predominantly rupee-denominated public debt, a healthy financial sector, and efforts to diversify trade play a major role in providing resilience against external...

New Delhi, April 11 – American billionaire and investor Ray Dalio has stated that the most critical and consequential phase of the Iran conflict is yet to come, warning that a decisive "final battle" for control of the Strait of Hormuz will determine not just the outcome of the current war, but also the long-term credibility of American power and the stability of the dollar-led financial order that underpins it.The founder of Bridgewater Associates, Dalio, shared an article on X, highlighting that all parties involved understand that the final battle has not yet been fought."Both sides know that the final battle, which will clearly determine which side won and which side lost, is still ahead," he said.He dismissed the prospect of...

Mumbai, April 11: Market breadth indicates that domestic stock indices have crossed an "Extreme Stress Zone" and present a rewarding entry point for investors, with a historical median one-year forward return of over 17.5 per cent, according to a report released on Saturday.The "Extreme Stress Zone" is reached when over 70 per cent of Nifty 500 stocks trade below their 200-day moving average, indicating that fear has overwhelmed fundamentals in the market, according to the Vallum Capital report.The Indian markets are in the "Extreme Stress Zone" or "Capitulation Zone" because over 71.3 per cent of Nifty 500 stocks are trading at this level.The report stated that the recent correction has seen a clear divergence in risk sentiment...

New Delhi, April 11 Digital investment platform 5paisa Capital has closed its ₹468.8 crore rights issue, which was oversubscribed by 1.24 times.The issue, which opened on March 27 and closed on Friday, received bids for approximately 1.93 crore shares against 1.56 crore shares offered, according to stock exchange data.The rights issue was priced at ₹300 per share, with eligible shareholders entitled to subscribe to one rights share for every two equity shares held.Shares of 5paisa Capital closed 1.53 per cent higher at ₹305.11 on the NSE.The allotment date is April 15, 2026, after which the equity shares are expected to be credited to demat accounts on the same day, and listed on the NSE and BSE on April 16, 2026. MUFG Intime...

New Delhi, April 11 – As India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) celebrates its 10th anniversary on Saturday, the government announced that the country now accounts for 49% of global real-time payment transactions.The instant payments system processed 21.70 billion transactions in January 2026 alone, with a total value of Rs 28.33 lakh crore. UPI accounted for 81% of all retail digital transactions in India.The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has hailed UPI as the world's largest real-time payment system by volume, and it was built in under 10 years, according to an official statement.Since its launch, UPI has grown 12,000-fold in volume and over 4,000 times in value. The government stated that UPI's real impact extends beyond...

New Delhi, April 11 – The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) Chairman, Tuhin Kanta Pandey, stated that India continues to be an attractive and compelling destination for global capital, supported by strong macroeconomic fundamentals, a rapidly expanding investor base, and a reform-oriented policy environment.Pandey was speaking at an interactive session – jointly organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Consulate General of India (CGI) – with global investors and venture capital leaders in San Francisco, US.The event brought together industry leaders and members of the Silicon Valley venture capital ecosystem to discuss investment opportunities and the evolving India-US economic partnership...

New Delhi, April 11 The Delhi government on Saturday asked all stakeholders, including the general public, to submit their feedback and comments via email and online platforms within 30 days on the draft Delhi Electric Vehicle (EV) Policy 2026.The draft policy, uploaded on the official website of the Transport Department and applicable until 2030, aims to curb vehicular pollution and promote the adoption of electric vehicles."All stakeholders, including the general public, are invited to submit their feedback/comments within 30 days from the date of publication through the following modes: By email: evpolicy2026@gmail.com and by post: Joint Commissioner (EV), Transport Department, Government of NCT of Delhi, 5/9 Underhill Road...

Mumbai, April 11: Indian equity benchmarks closed in green for the second consecutive week, driven by heavy short covering following the US-Iran ceasefire.Nifty gained 5.89% during the week and added 1.16% on the last trading day, closing at 24,050. The Sensex closed at 77,550, up 918 points or 1.20%, after gaining 5.77% during the week.Both indices showed strong momentum and improved investor confidence.Bank Nifty outperformed the broader market, closing at 55,912, up 1.99% on Friday. It posted a significant weekly gain of 8.47%.On the weekly timeframe, the Bank Nifty index formed a strong bullish candle, suggesting continued strength and potential for further gains if the momentum continues.The index is likely to find...

Seoul, April 11 – The government announced on Saturday that cash assistance for the bottom 70% of income earners will begin being rolled out later this month, as part of efforts to ease the financial strain caused by rising oil prices.The aid will first reach the most vulnerable within that income bracket starting April 27 and expand to the broader eligible group on May 18, according to Yonhap news agency.Approximately 32.5 million people are eligible for the aid, with payments ranging from 100,000 won (US$67.30) to 600,000 won per person, depending on income level and region.The National Assembly passed a 26.2 trillion-won extra budget bill the previous day to address the economic fallout from the ongoing Middle East conflict...