Markets

Ninth Budget for Nirmala Sitharaman, One Short of Morarji Desai’s Record Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Union Budget in Parliament on Sunday, February 1, marking the first time the annual Budget will be tabled on a Sunday. The announcement was made by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.This will be Sitharaman’s ninth Union Budget presentation, placing her one short of the record held by former finance minister Morarji Desai, who presented 10 budgets during his tenure.Budget Session to Begin on January 28 The Budget Session of Parliament will commence on January 28, with President Droupadi Murmu addressing members of both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha assembled in the Lok Sabha chamber.Following the President’s...

Institutional Participation Remains Firm in December Quarter One 97 Communications Ltd, the parent company of Paytm, continued to see sustained institutional participation during the December quarter of FY26, reflecting ongoing confidence in its long-term growth outlook and improving business fundamentals.Foreign Portfolio Investors emerged as the key incremental buyers in the quarter. Category I FPIs increased their shareholding to 25.33 per cent in Q3 FY26 from 23.01 per cent in the previous quarter, supported by the company’s inclusion in the MSCI Global Standard Index in November 2025.FDI Holding Moderates After Block Deal Foreign Direct Investment shareholding declined sequentially to 25.18 per cent in Q3 FY26 from 27.44 per...

Mumbai Trading Session Overview The Indian rupee recovered from intraday lows and closed marginally stronger against the US dollar on Monday, supported by weakness in the American currency and a decline in global crude oil prices. Improved sentiment in domestic equities also aided the recovery, although ongoing geopolitical uncertainty limited sharper gains.Intraday Currency Movement In the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee opened at 90.23 against the US dollar. During the session, it strengthened to an intraday high of 90.13 but also touched a low of 90.25. The domestic currency finally settled at 90.17, marking a gain of 1 paisa from the previous close.In the previous session on Friday, the rupee had weakened sharply...

Focus on Accessibility, Security, and Accountability in India’s AI Growth Trai Chairperson Anil Kumar Lahoti on Monday underlined the need for resilient artificial intelligence infrastructure and strong self-regulation to proactively mitigate risks and ensure systems remain secure, accountable, and adaptable to disruptions.Speaking at a pre-summit event organised by NASSCOM ahead of the AI Impact Summit, Lahoti said the way AI infrastructure is designed and deployed will determine whether the benefits of the technology remain limited to a few or are widely distributed across regions and sectors.Self-Regulation Seen as Key to Risk Mitigation Lahoti emphasised that maintaining resiliency in AI infrastructure requires safeguards and...

India’s mobile phone manufacturing sector is on track to post a significant milestone in the current financial year, with total production expected to reach USD 75 billion and exports projected to exceed USD 30 billion by the end of FY26.Strong Momentum in Electronics Manufacturing The electronics industry has continued to deliver robust growth, with total electronics production reaching USD 133 billion in 2025, alongside a sharp expansion in exports. The mobile phone segment has remained a central pillar of this growth, supported by sustained capacity expansion and rising global demand for India-made devices.Mobile Phone PLI Nears Completion The Production Linked Incentive scheme for mobile phones, which continues through FY26, is...

Headline Inflation Moves Up but Stays Below Tolerance Band India’s retail inflation edged up to a three-month high of 1.33 per cent in December, driven largely by higher prices of select food items. Despite the uptick, inflation remained below the lower tolerance level set by the Reserve Bank of India.The Consumer Price Index based headline inflation stood at 0.71 per cent in November, compared with 1.44 per cent in September. In December last year, headline inflation had printed at 5.22 per cent.Food Inflation Remains in Deflation for Seventh Month Food inflation continued to stay in negative territory for the seventh consecutive month, registering (-) 2.71 per cent in December. However, the overall rise in headline inflation was...

Markets Extend Losses in Late Morning Trade Indian equity benchmarks continued to trade under pressure on Monday, with losses deepening by late morning amid persistent foreign fund outflows, global uncertainty and cautious investor positioning.At around 11:40 am IST, the BSE Sensex was trading at 82,910.00, down 666.24 points or 0.80 percent. The NSE Nifty slipped to 25,485.85, declining 197.45 points or 0.77 percent.Heavyweight Stocks Lead the Decline Selling pressure remained concentrated in key index heavyweights. Stocks such as Bharat Electronics, Larsen & Toubro, Eternal, Power Grid, Adani Ports, Infosys, Reliance Industries and Bajaj Finance continued to weigh on benchmark indices.In contrast, select stocks such as Hindustan...

Gold prices witnessed heightened volatility in global markets on January 12, with the precious metal briefly surging to a new lifetime high on the Comex before easing from peak levels as early trade progressed.Early Surge Pushes Gold to All Time High Spot gold recorded a sharp rally in the early hours, touching an all time high of $4,610.5 per ounce on the Comex at around 1:05 am GMT. The surge, however, was short lived, with prices retreating swiftly to $4,580.60 per ounce by 2:28 am GMT. Despite the pullback, gold was still trading 1.77 percent higher compared with its previous close, indicating continued underlying strength.MCX Gold Holds Firm in Domestic Market In India, gold futures showed marginal gains in the previous trading...

Gold continues to hold a unique and powerful position in India’s financial system, combining economic scale with deep cultural relevance. With India’s GDP estimated at around $4.18 trillion, the value of gold held by Indian households, estimated at nearly $4 trillion at current prices, stands almost on par with the country’s annual economic output. Few assets exert such influence across savings behaviour, external balances, and policy formulation.As expectations build ahead of the Union Budget 2026, gold policy appears to be entering a phase of relative stability, with market participants anticipating rationalisation rather than aggressive intervention.Gold Policy at an Inflection Point For decades, gold has served Indian households...

Mumbai, January 11, 2026 – WSIF has introduced its Equity Long-Short Fund, an open-ended investment strategy designed to generate long-term capital appreciation through a diversified portfolio of listed equities and equity-related instruments, while also using limited short exposure through derivatives to manage downside risk across market cycles. Investment Objective and Strategy Overview The WSIF Equity Long-Short Fund aims to deliver sustained capital growth by combining long-only equity investments with selective short positions. The strategy allows participation in rising markets while seeking to cushion volatility during market corrections through tactical derivative positioning. The portfolio primarily focuses on fundamentally...

Mumbai, January 11, 2026 – NSE Clearing Limited has announced a revision in the settlement schedule for the debt segment following the declaration of January 15, 2026 as a settlement holiday on account of Municipal Corporation elections in Maharashtra. As a result, settlements that were originally scheduled around the holiday have been deferred, and the revised settlement calendar will apply for affected trade dates in mid-January. Revised Debt Segment Settlement ScheduleDebt Settlement NumberTrade DateRevised Settlement DateI-202601014-Jan-202616-Jan-20262-202600914-Jan-202616-Jan-20262-202601016-Jan-202619-Jan-2026The adjustment ensures continuity in clearing and settlement operations despite the election-related...

Live Verification and Location Tracking Made Mandatory India has introduced a tougher compliance framework for cryptocurrency exchanges, tightening Anti Money Laundering and Know Your Customer requirements to curb illegal activity in the digital asset ecosystem. The updated norms significantly expand onboarding checks and ongoing monitoring obligations for exchanges operating in the country.Under the revised framework, cryptocurrency platforms are classified as Virtual Digital Asset service providers and are required to move beyond basic document uploads during customer onboarding.Live Selfie Checks and Geographical Data Capture A key change is the mandatory use of live selfie verification. Users must complete a real time photo...

Mumbai, January 11, 2026: With markets preparing for a fresh trading week, investor focus on Sunday is firmly on a packed board meeting calendar scheduled for Monday, January 12, when several listed companies across IT, financial services, manufacturing, infrastructure, and consumer segments are set to consider December quarter financial results, interim dividends, and fund-raising proposals.Results-Focused Board Meetings Anand Rathi Wealth Limited has informed exchanges that its board will consider and take on record the unaudited standalone and consolidated financial results for the third quarter and nine months ended December 31, 2025, following a review by the audit committee.GTPL Hathway Limited will place before its board the...

Benchmark Indices End the Week Sharply Lower The combined market capitalisation of seven of the ten most valued listed companies declined by Rs 3,63,412.18 crore over the past week, reflecting sustained weakness in domestic equities. The broader market mood remained cautious as selling pressure dominated most large cap counters.During the week, the BSE benchmark index fell by 2,185.77 points, marking a decline of 2.54 percent and underscoring the bearish undertone across sectors.Reliance Industries Leads Valuation Losses Among the major laggards, Reliance Industries recorded the sharpest erosion in market value. The company’s valuation dropped by Rs 1,58,532.91 crore to Rs 19,96,445.69 crore, retaining its position as the most...

New Delhi, January 11, 2026 – Signatureglobal (India) Limited reported mixed operational performance for the third quarter and nine months ended FY26, marked by a moderation in pre-sales volumes, improved collections momentum, higher sales realisations, and an increase in net debt. Operational Highlights During Q3 FY26, the company recorded pre-sales of ₹20.2 billion, lower than ₹27.7 billion in Q3 FY25. On a nine-month basis, 9M FY26 pre-sales stood at ₹66.8 billion, compared with ₹86.7 billion in the corresponding period last year. Despite the decline in volumes, average sales realisation improved sharply. For 9M FY26, realisation increased to ₹15,182 per sq. ft., up from ₹12,457 per sq. ft. in FY25, driven by higher contribution from...

Mumbai, January 10, 2026: India’s capital markets are witnessing a decisive shift toward scale-driven growth anchored in technology adoption, investor trust, and operational efficiency, with participation expanding rapidly across equities, derivatives, funds, and debt instruments.Addressing market participants at a major industry convention, **Securities and Exchange Board of India Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey highlighted how India’s financial markets have transitioned into a digitally mature ecosystem while maintaining focus on resilience and investor protection.Investor Base and Capital Formation Expand Sharply India’s investor universe has grown more than threefold in recent years, with the number of unique market participants...

Sharp Recovery in Silver After Steep Previous Losses Silver prices staged a strong rebound in the national capital on Friday, rising by Rs 6,500 to Rs 2,50,000 per kilogram. The recovery followed a sharp fall in the previous session, when silver had dropped by Rs 12,500, or nearly 5 percent, to Rs 2,43,500 per kilogram amid profit booking. Earlier in the week, the white metal had touched a record high of Rs 2,56,000 per kilogram.Gold Prices Rise on Renewed Safe-Haven Demand Gold prices also moved higher, with 99.9 percent purity gold advancing by Rs 1,200 to Rs 1,41,700 per 10 grams, inclusive of all taxes. In the previous session, gold had settled at Rs 1,40,500 per 10 grams. The uptick reflects renewed demand for safe-haven assets...

High-Level Discussions Held in Brussels as Negotiations Enter Crucial Phase India and the European Union on Friday held detailed discussions in Brussels on the proposed Free Trade Agreement, reaffirming their commitment to a rules-based trading framework and a modern economic partnership that protects the interests of farmers and micro, small and medium enterprises.Ministerial Engagements Focus on Mutually Beneficial Trade Pact Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal is on a two-day official visit to the EU headquarters, where he held high-level talks with EU Trade and Economic Security Commissioner Maros Sefcovic to advance negotiations on the long-pending agreement.During the dialogue, both sides reviewed key areas of the...

Mumbai, January 9, 2026 (IST) – Octaware Technologies Limited witnessed a significant change in promoter ownership after promoter Mohammed Aslam Qudratullah Khan completed an off-market sale of 12.48 lakh equity shares on January 6, 2026. The transaction resulted in a sharp reduction in his shareholding in the company. Transaction Snapshot The promoter disposed of 12,48,000 equity shares through an off-market transfer, altering the ownership structure while the company’s paid-up equity capital remained unchanged. Promoter Holding – Before and AfterParticularsNumber of SharesStake (%)Holding before sale19,65,22454.73Shares sold12,48,00034.76Holding after sale7,17,22419.98Deal DetailsParameterDetailsMode of...

Benchmarks Slip After Brief Rebound Indian equity benchmarks opened Friday on a cautious note, with frontline indices slipping into the red amid sustained foreign fund outflows and renewed concerns around potential tariff actions by the United States.After witnessing a brief rebound in early trade, the BSE Sensex declined by 78.84 points to 84,102.12. The broader NSE Nifty also eased, slipping 21.50 points to 25,850.85.Heavyweights Under Pressure Selling pressure was visible across select index heavyweights. Stocks such as ICICI Bank, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles, NTPC, Adani Ports, Sun Pharma, and Trent were among the notable laggards on the Sensex.On the other hand, selective buying supported counters such as Eternal, HCL...