Business

New Delhi, March 31 – Analysts say that the outlook for Indian markets in the next fiscal year remains optimistic, provided geopolitical tensions subside and crude oil prices stabilize, even though domestic equities ended FY26 on a bearish note, with the Sensex falling by 7%.In 2025-26, the BSE benchmark fell by 5,467.37 points, or 7%, and the NSE Nifty dropped by 1,187.95 points, or 5%.According to an expert, this year was characterized by global macroeconomic uncertainty, persistent geopolitical tensions, high crude prices, and aggressive outflows from Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs), which collectively limited upside momentum.Since the conflict in West Asia began, markets have been under significant pressure, creating...

Brookfield India REIT Appoints Shashank Jain as CEO and Managing Director New Delhi, March 31: Brookfield India Real Estate Trust has announced the appointment of Shashank Jain as the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of its manager, Brookprop Management Services Pvt Ltd.Alok Aggarwal will continue in his role as CEO and MD until June 30, after which Shashank Jain will assume charge from July 1. The appointment was approved by the board in a regulatory filing on Tuesday, with Jain also being appointed as an additional director under the category of Managing Director.Jain joins Brookfield India REIT from PwC India, where he served as the Co-Head of the deals practice and previously led the transaction services practice...

New Delhi, March 31 The Ministry of Defence signed a ₹1,950 crore contract with state-run Bharat Electronics Limited on Tuesday for the procurement of two mountain radars and related infrastructure for the Indian Air Force.The installation and commissioning of these radars will enhance the country's air defense and strengthen national security, the ministry said, adding that the procurement will also reduce reliance on foreign equipment."The Ministry of Defence has signed a major capital acquisition contract with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) for the procurement of two mountain radars, including associated equipment and required infrastructure for the Indian Air Force, at a cost of approximately ₹1,950 crore," an official...

New Delhi, March 31 The state-owned Central Bank of India announced on Tuesday that it has received a demand notice of ₹296.08 crore from the Income Tax Department for a shortfall in tax payments for the fiscal year 2025."The bank has received an assessment order under Section 143(3) read with Section 144B of the Income Tax Act, 1961, dated March 28, 2026, from the Assessment Unit of the Income Tax Department, along with a demand advising the bank to pay an amount of ₹296.08 crore as tax liability for the Assessment Year 2024-25," Central Bank of India said in a regulatory filing.The bank is currently challenging these orders in the appropriate forum, arguing against any disallowances or additions made in the order within the...

New Delhi, March 31: Road users across India will no longer be able to pay toll fees in cash from April 1 as the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) switches to a fully digital payment system.As a major step towards modernizing highway travel, NHAI will implement a complete ban on cash payments at toll plazas across the country.Starting April 1, commuters will only be able to pay toll charges through digital modes such as FASTag or UPI.The move aims to improve efficiency and bring more transparency to toll collection on national highways and expressways.Officials believe that a fully digital system will help vehicles pass through toll plazas faster, reducing long queues and saving travel time.With the removal of cash...

New Delhi, March 31 The government has notified the Finance Act 2026, paving the way for changes in tax provisions.This Act implements the financial proposals of the central government for 2026-27, a gazette notification dated March 30 issued by the Ministry of Law and Justice said."The following Act of Parliament received the assent of the President on March 30, 2026, and is hereby published for general information," it said.Last week, Parliament approved the Finance Bill 2026 with the Rajya Sabha returning it to the Lok Sabha with a voice vote, completing the budgetary exercise for the next fiscal year starting April 1.The Lok Sabha had passed the bill on March 25, along with 32 amendments.The Rajya Sabha returned the bill...

New Delhi, March 31 – With the fiscal year 2026 set to end on Tuesday, investors are preparing for several reforms, including revised Securities Transaction Tax (STT) rules that will come into effect from April 1.Many brokers, traders, and demat account holders are concerned about the sharp increase in STT on futures and options (F&O) trades, following revisions announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Union Budget for FY26-27. She had also proposed a significant increase in charges on options.The STT on futures has been raised from 0.02% to 0.05%.Similarly, the STT on options premium and exercise has been increased from the current rates of 0.10% and 0.125%, respectively, to 0.15%.According to experts, the...

New Delhi, March 31 The Income Tax department has notified all income tax return forms for the assessment year (AY) 2026-27.While ITR forms 1-4, filed by small and medium taxpayers, were notified on March 30, ITR forms 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7, as well as ITR-U (for filing updated returns), were notified on Tuesday.With the ITR (income tax return) notification, individuals, businesses, and other entities can start filing I-T returns for the income earned in the financial year 2025-26.The last date for filing ITR for individuals and those who do not have to get their accounts audited is July 31.ITR Form 1 (Sahaj) and ITR Form 4 (Sugam) are simpler forms that cater to a large number of small and medium taxpayers.Sahaj can be filed by a...

New Delhi, March 31: In a significant boost to India's push for self-reliance in defense manufacturing, the Ministry of Defence signed a major capital acquisition contract with Bharat Electronics Limited on Tuesday for the procurement of two advanced Mountain Radars for the Indian Air Force.The deal, valued at approximately ₹1,950 crore, was formalized in the national capital in the presence of senior officials from both sides."To strengthen India's indigenous defense capabilities under 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' and 'Make-in-India', the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has inked a major capital acquisition contract with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) for the procurement of two Mountain Radars, including associated equipment and required...

New Delhi, March 31 Zetwerk Manufacturing has filed preliminary documents with the market regulator, Sebi, through a confidential channel for an initial public offering (IPO) to raise between ₹4,000 crore and ₹5,000 crore.The proposed offering is expected to include a fresh issuance of equity shares and an offer for sale (OFS) by existing shareholders, with details on the size and valuation to be finalized through the book-building process, according to people familiar with the development.The manufacturing marketplace counts investors such as Khosla Ventures, Baillie Gifford, Rakesh Gangwal, Accel, Peak XV, and Lightspeed among its backers.In a public notice on Tuesday, Zetwerk said it has filed "the pre-filed draft red herring...

New Delhi, March 31: The government stated on Tuesday that a target of 4.15 crore houses had been allocated under Phases I and II of the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana–Gramin, with 3.90 crore houses sanctioned and 2.99 crore completed.A cumulative fund transfer of Rs 4,03,886 crore has been made to ensure timely resources for construction and beneficiary support across states. The scheme is on track to reach a cumulative target of 4.95 crore houses by 2029, an official statement said.The beneficiary-led scheme has been strengthened through geo-tagging of houses with time and date-stamped photographs. This digital record allows real-time monitoring of progress and ensures that houses are built according to guidelines.Furthermore...

New Delhi, March 31 – India’s alternative investment industry is poised for significant expansion, with total assets under management (AUM) expected to reach around $276 billion by 2030, up from $152 billion in December 2025, according to a new report released on Tuesday.The CareEdge Ratings report highlighted that this momentum is likely to continue, driven by increasing domestic wealth, improved financial awareness, and a supportive regulatory environment.The report noted that India is on track to become the world's third-largest economy by 2028, making it an attractive destination for both domestic and global investors.Between 2025 and 2030, the alternative investment industry is expected to grow at a compound annual growth...

New Delhi, March 31 Texmaco Rail & Engineering Ltd announced on Tuesday that it had secured a contract worth over ₹421 crore from JSW Group companies for the supply of freight wagon rakes.The order also reflects the growing participation of private players in rail logistics, driven by Indian Railways' policy initiatives to improve freight movement efficiency and reduce logistics costs.The wagons are designed to support high-capacity container transport and are expected to improve logistics efficiency across industrial supply chains, particularly for the movement of containerized cargo."This order from JSW Group companies further strengthens Texmaco's long-standing role in supporting India's expanding private freight wagon...

Dubai, March 31 Dubai has introduced a series of economic measures, including incentives worth AED 1 billion, for the next three to six months to help businesses and individuals overcome financial difficulties.The Executive Council of Dubai, in a meeting chaired by Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, has approved a series of initiatives and strategies, empowering individuals and society, promoting trade and investment, enhancing measures for assessing economic performance, and safeguarding the workforce.This move comes at a time when countries around the world are facing supply chain challenges due to disruptions in international trade triggered by the ongoing war in West Asia involving the US, Israel, and...

New Delhi, March 31 – Gold loans have emerged as the leading segment in India's retail credit market, accounting for 36 per cent of loan volumes and approximately 40 per cent by value, driven by rising gold prices and increasing consumer preference for secured borrowing, a report said on Tuesday.The TransUnion CIBIL report showed that this surge has been supported by a sharp increase in ticket sizes, with the average gold loan amount rising significantly over the past two years to around Rs 1.9 lakh in the December 2025 quarter.The report also noted that the consumer market indicator (CMI) – a major gauge of credit market health – rose to 102 in the December 2025 quarter, up from 97 a year ago and 100 in the preceding September...

New Delhi, March 31: India's demand for mobile data continues to grow rapidly, with the average monthly consumption per user exceeding 31 GB in 2025 – representing a compound annual growth rate of 18 per cent over the past five years, according to a new report released on Tuesday.The latest edition of the Mobile Broadband Index, released by Nokia, highlighted how the increasing adoption of 5G and the growing use of data-intensive applications are driving this growth across the country.The report noted that Indians are consuming more data than ever before, fueled by services such as 4K video streaming, cloud gaming, and AI-based applications.Total mobile data traffic in India crossed 27 exabytes per month in 2025. Of this, 5G alone...

Cosmic PV Power Files for ₹640 Crore IPO Solar module manufacturer Cosmic PV Power Ltd has submitted draft papers to the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) to raise ₹640 crore through an Initial Public Offering (IPO).IPO Composition and Proceeds The IPO includes a fresh issue of equity shares worth up to ₹540 crore and an Offer For Sale (OFS) of shares valued up to ₹100 crore by existing shareholders. The total issue size is ₹640 crore. The company intends to use the proceeds from the fresh issue to establish a greenfield manufacturing facility in Narmadapuram, Madhya Pradesh, and for general corporate purposes.Company Overview and Growth Cosmic PV Power is engaged in the manufacturing of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules...

Finolex Cables Stock Plummets Despite Strong Financial Performance Mumbai, March 31 – Shares of Finolex Cables Limited have experienced a significant decline in value, falling by 15.14 per cent over the last month, despite reporting one of its strongest financial performances in recent times.Recent Stock Performance The stock has faced pressure across multiple timeframes. Over the past week, shares decreased by Rs 33.10, representing a 4.09 per cent decline. In the last two weeks, the drop widened to Rs 69.05, translating to an 8.17 per cent decrease. Over the past month, the stock has fallen by Rs 138.45, resulting in a 15.14 per cent decline.On a year-to-date (YTD) basis, the decline is relatively limited at 1.34 per cent, though...

Seoul, March 31 – The South Korean currency plummeted sharply to a 17-year low against the US dollar on Tuesday, as the escalating Middle East conflict fueled fears of further disruptions to global oil supplies and broader economic impacts.The won was quoted at 1,530.1 won per dollar, down 14.4 won from the previous session, extending its losing streak to a fifth consecutive day, according to the Yonhap news agency.The level on Tuesday marked the lowest since March 9, 2009, on a closing basis, when the won hit 1,549 as the country grappled with the global financial crisis."We are closely monitoring the market, as foreign investors have been selling local stocks heavily," Yoon Kyung-soo, director general of the Bank of Korea's...

New Delhi, March 31 The government has cancelled the auction of 11 critical and strategic mineral blocks which were put up for sale in the sixth round due to poor investor response and a lack of qualified bidders.This development comes as a setback to the government's efforts to increase domestic exploration and production of critical minerals amid global supply chain disruptions.In a notice announcing the cancellation, the mines ministry said that the auction process for 5 mineral blocks was cancelled as no bids were received.The notice further stated that the auction process for the remaining five mineral blocks was also cancelled as there were fewer than three technically qualified bidders.Additionally, the auction process...