Business

BHIM App Introduces Biometric Authentication for UPI Payments Up to Rs 5,000 NPCI Subsidiary Rolls Out Fingerprint and Face Unlock Feature New Delhi, March 24: NPCI BHIM Services Limited (NBSL), a wholly owned subsidiary of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), has introduced a biometric authentication feature for UPI payments on the BHIM Payments App.The newly launched feature enables users to approve transactions of up to Rs 5,000 using their smartphone’s fingerprint or facial recognition, aiming to make digital payments faster and more convenient.No Need for UPI PIN in Small Transactions With this update, users will no longer need to enter their UPI PIN for every low-value transaction. The move is expected to reduce...

Indian Railways Approves ₹647.58 Crore Projects in Gujarat and Bihar New Delhi, March 24, 2026 – Indian Railways on Tuesday approved two key infrastructure projects worth ₹647.58 crore in Gujarat and Bihar to enhance connectivity, reduce congestion, and improve operational efficiency.According to the Ministry of Railways, the projects include a Rail Over Rail (RoR) flyover at Kosamba (Gujarat) and a rail bypass at Bhagalpur (Bihar).In Gujarat, a ₹344.38 crore project has been approved for constructing a Rail Over Rail flyover to provide seamless connectivity to the 9.20 km Kosamba–Umrapada gauge conversion section under the Western Railway. The section runs along the Mumbai–Vadodara main line and is currently undergoing gauge...

Indian Markets Likely to Recover as Crude Oil Pressure Eases: Report New Delhi, March 24, 2026 – Indian equity markets are likely to witness a smart recovery as the pressure from crude oil prices eases and price-to-earnings (P/E) premiums moderate, according to a report by Emkay Global Financial Services.The report projects that the Indian rupee could strengthen towards Rs 91 per US dollar, while the 10-year government bond yield may ease to around 6.65% from the current 6.83%, with normalization expected over the next two to three months.However, the outlook remains sensitive to global crude oil prices. The report noted that an average Brent crude price of $80 per barrel in FY27 could reduce India’s GDP growth to 6.6%, while...

OZi Raises $6.2 Million in Series A to Expand Quick-Commerce for Kids’ Products New Delhi, March 24, 2026 – OZi, a quick-commerce platform focused on baby and kids’ products, has raised USD 6.2 million (around Rs 58 crore) in a Series A funding round led by RTP Global, with participation from existing investors Blume Ventures, Huddle Ventures, and Zeropearl VC.The latest funding follows OZi’s USD 3.3 million seed round raised in October 2025, which was led by Blume Ventures.The round also saw participation from prominent angel investors, including Kishore Biyani and founders from startups such as Unacademy, Mosaic Wellness, Livspace, Vetic, Magicpin, Spinny, Pristyn Care, and Handpicked.According to the company, the fresh capital...

Raajmarg InvIT Debuts Strong, Units Jump 8% on Listing Day New Delhi, March 24, 2026 – Units of Raajmarg Infra Investment Trust, sponsored by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), made a strong market debut on Tuesday, rising 8% over the issue price.On the BSE, the units listed at Rs 108, compared to the issue price of Rs 100, marking an 8% premium. On the NSE, the units began trading at Rs 107, registering a 7% gain.The company’s market capitalization stood at approximately Rs 6,375.60 crore following the listing.The Rs 6,000 crore IPO of Raajmarg InvIT, which was open from March 11 to March 13, received a strong response from investors, being subscribed 13.74 times. The price band for the issue was Rs 99–100 per unit...

Gold Futures Extend Losses in Domestic Market New Delhi, March 24 Gold prices continued their downward trend on Tuesday, declining by Rs 2,260 to Rs 1.37 lakh per 10 grams in futures trading, marking the fifth consecutive session of losses amid ongoing uncertainty surrounding geopolitical developments in West Asia.On the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), gold futures for April delivery fell by Rs 2,260, or 1.62 per cent, to Rs 1,37,000 per 10 grams.Sharp Volatility Seen in Previous Session The precious metal has witnessed significant volatility in recent sessions. On Monday, gold prices had plunged by Rs 14,897, or 10.3 per cent, touching an intraday low of Rs 1,29,595 per 10 grams before partially recovering to settle at Rs 1,39,260...

Tata Power Signs Supplementary PPA for Mundra Plant with GUVNL, Plans Agreements with Other States Agreement Aims to Address Losses from Mundra Plant Suspension New Delhi, March 24 Tata Power on Tuesday announced that its subsidiary, Coastal Gujarat Power Ltd (CGPL), has signed a supplementary power purchase agreement (PPA) with Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Ltd (GUVNL) for its Mundra power plant.The development was disclosed in a regulatory filing, where the company stated that similar agreements will also be executed with Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Punjab, and Haryana.Expansion of PPAs Across Multiple States “With reference to the temporary suspension of company operations of its units located at Mundra, we hereby inform you that the...

GSP Crop Science Shares List at Premium, Gain Over 13% in Early Trade Stock Debuts Above Issue Price on BSE and NSE New Delhi, March 24 Shares of agrochemical company GSP Crop Science Ltd made a positive stock market debut on Tuesday, listing at a premium over its issue price of Rs 320.On the BSE, the stock opened at Rs 332.30, marking a gain of 3.84 per cent compared to the issue price. The momentum continued in early trade, with the stock rising further by 13.21 per cent to touch Rs 362.30.At the NSE, the shares were listed at Rs 328, reflecting a premium of 2.5 per cent.Market Capitalisation and IPO Details Following the listing, GSP Crop Science’s market capitalisation stood at Rs 1,535.12 crore.The company’s Rs 400 crore...

Gold and Silver Prices Fall Sharply as Easing West Asia Tensions Weigh on Safe-Haven Demand Precious Metals Decline Across MCX and Global Markets Mumbai, March 24: Gold and silver prices witnessed a sharp decline on Tuesday, as easing tensions in West Asia reduced demand for safe-haven assets following signals of a temporary pause in potential US military action targeting Iran’s energy infrastructure.On the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), gold futures (April 2) dropped by as much as ₹2,576, or करीब 2%, hitting an intra-day low of ₹1,36,684 per 10 grams by 10:40 am. The contract was last seen trading at ₹1,37,100, down ₹2,160 or 1.5%.Silver futures (May 5) also recorded a steep fall, plunging 4.73% or ₹10,667 to ₹2,14,500 per kg...

Kalpataru Projects Secures ₹4,439 Crore Orders in Global T&D Projects Orders Span India, Africa, and Sweden in Transmission and Distribution Segment New Delhi, March 24: Kalpataru Projects International Ltd (KPIL) on Thursday announced that it, along with its subsidiaries, has secured new orders worth approximately ₹4,439 crore in its transmission and distribution (T&D) business.The orders include a 400kV transmission line project along with associated substations in Africa. Additionally, the company has received multiple transmission line project orders within India, as well as a substation project in Sweden, according to an official company statement.Order Wins Include Confirmations and Contract Finalisations KPIL stated that...

ACME Solar Expands BESS Capacity with 155 MW Commissioning in Rajasthan Total Battery Storage Capacity Reaches 297.67 MW Across SPVs New Delhi, March 24: ACME Solar Holdings on Tuesday announced the commissioning of an additional 155 MW and 470.25 MWh of Battery Energy Storage System capacity through its subsidiaries, marking a significant expansion in its energy storage portfolio.Following this development, the company’s total commissioned BESS capacity has increased to 297.67 MW and 951.74 MWh. This forms part of its broader plan to establish 835 MW and 3,114.64 MWh of BESS capacity across its special purpose vehicles.Rajasthan Projects to Operate on Merchant Basis The newly commissioned BESS facilities are located in Rajasthan...

India PMI Data March 2026: Growth Slows Amid Middle East Tensions and Rising Cost Pressures Composite PMI Signals Moderation in Private Sector Output New Delhi, March 24: India’s private sector growth lost momentum in March as manufacturing and services activity moderated amid geopolitical tensions and rising cost pressures, according to HSBC’s Flash India PMI data released on Tuesday.The Composite PMI Output Index, which tracks month on month changes across manufacturing and services, stood at 56.5 in March. While the index remained in expansion territory, it indicated a slowdown in the pace of growth compared to previous months.Weak Domestic Demand Weighs on New Orders The data highlighted a notable softening in domestic demand...

Himachal Pradesh Debt Hits Record Rs 41,173 Crore in FY26 Amid Rising Fiscal Pressure Government Borrowings Surge While Debt Liability Continues Upward Trend Shimla, March 24: The Himachal Pradesh government raised loans worth Rs 41,173 crore in the financial year 2025-26, marking its highest-ever borrowing, according to revised budget estimates. During the same period, the state repaid loans amounting to Rs 32,004 crore.For the upcoming financial year 2026-27, the budget has made a provision of Rs 11,965 crore for fresh borrowings, indicating continued reliance on debt to manage fiscal requirements.Debt Burden Crosses Rs 1 Lakh Crore Mark The state's total debt liability stood at Rs 1,03,994 crore in 2025-26 and is projected to...

HDFC Bank Appoints External Law Firms to Review Atanu Chakraborty’s Resignation Board Moves to Strengthen Governance Oversight Mumbai, March 24: HDFC Bank has announced that its Board has approved the appointment of external law firms, both domestic and international, to review the resignation letter of former part-time Chairman and Independent Director Atanu Chakraborty.The decision was taken during a Board meeting held on March 23. According to an exchange filing, the appointed law firms have been tasked with examining Chakraborty’s resignation letter and submitting their findings within a reasonable timeframe.The bank described the move as a proactive step aimed at reinforcing transparency and strengthening corporate governance...

Suzlon Secures 100 MW Wind Energy Project from GAIL, Expands PSU Portfolio in FY26 Project to Support GAIL’s Petrochemical Plant in Maharashtra New Delhi, March 24: Suzlon Group on Tuesday announced that it has secured a 100 MW wind energy project from Gas Authority of India Ltd (GAIL), marking another significant addition to its order book in the public sector segment.The power generated from the project will be used to support the decarbonization of GAIL’s upcoming petrochemical plant located in Nandurbar, Maharashtra.Fourth PSU Order for Suzlon in FY26 This order represents Suzlon’s fourth project win from a Public Sector Undertaking in the financial year 2025 to 2026, underlining its growing presence and execution strength in...

India Tightens Surveillance on Unauthorized Sale of GLP-1 Weight Loss Drugs Government Cracks Down on Unregulated Distribution Channels New Delhi, March 24: The government has stepped up regulatory surveillance following growing concerns over the emergence of multiple generic variants of GLP-1-based weight loss drugs in the Indian market. Authorities are targeting the unauthorized sale and promotion of these drugs across the pharmaceutical supply chain.According to the Health Ministry, the Drugs Controller of India has intensified monitoring efforts to ensure ethical practices in the distribution and use of GLP-1 weight loss medications.Concerns Over Online and Retail Availability Regulators have flagged the increasing availability...

Sensex, Nifty Rebound Sharply in Early Trade as Global Markets Rally on Iran De-escalation Signals Indian Equity Markets Open Strong After Previous Session Losses Mumbai, March 24: Benchmark equity indices Sensex and Nifty staged a sharp rebound in early trading on Tuesday, tracking a broad-based rally in global markets after the United States signaled a temporary pause in strikes targeting Iranian energy infrastructure.The 30-share BSE Sensex surged 1,516 points to 74,212.47 in early trade, while the NSE Nifty climbed 386.95 points to 22,899.60, recovering from steep losses recorded in the previous session.Key Gainers and Laggards on Sensex Among Sensex constituents, InterGlobe Aviation, Asian Paints, Eternal, Adani Ports, Trent...

Crude Oil Prices Surge Over 4% Amid Renewed Middle East Tensions New Delhi, March 24: Global crude oil prices surged more than 4 percent in early trade on Tuesday, as market sentiment turned volatile despite a temporary pause in US military action against Iran’s energy infrastructure.Brent and WTI Extend Gains in Early Trade Brent crude climbed to around $104 per barrel, marking an increase of about 4 percent. Meanwhile, US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) rose 4.39 percent to $92 as of 9:30 am.The latest spike follows a sharp correction in the previous session, when oil prices had dropped over 10 percent after US President Donald Trump announced a five-day pause on planned strikes and संकेत progress in discussions with Iranian...

Rupee Falls 20 Paise to 93.73 Against US Dollar Amid Strong Greenback and Oil Price Concerns Currency Weakens in Early Trade on Global Cues Mumbai, March 24: The Indian rupee declined by 20 paise to trade at 93.73 against the US dollar in early trading on Tuesday, pressured by a stronger greenback and elevated global crude oil prices despite ongoing geopolitical developments.At the interbank foreign exchange market, the domestic currency opened at 93.66 before slipping further to 93.73, compared to its previous close.Iran US Developments Add to Market Uncertainty Market sentiment remained cautious after US President Donald Trump stated that negotiations were underway with Iran. He said the United States was in talks with a...

Indian Rupee Opens Higher Against US Dollar After Temporary Easing of Geopolitical Tensions Rupee Recovers From Record Low Amid Pause in US Strikes on Iran New Delhi, March 24: The Indian rupee opened stronger against the US dollar on Tuesday, recovering from its previous session’s record low after the United States announced a temporary pause in strikes on Iranian power and energy infrastructure.The domestic currency was trading at ₹93.64 per dollar in early trade, compared to its record closing level of ₹93.98 in the previous session.Market Reacts Cautiously to Temporary De-escalation Market sentiment saw a mild improvement after US President Donald Trump confirmed a five-day pause in military action, stating that the United...