Business

As finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman prepares to present the Union Budget 2026 on February 1, defence spending is expected to remain a key focus amid rising geopolitical uncertainty and sustained emphasis on military modernisation. Defence outlay shows steady rise Over the last five years, India’s defence expenditure has followed a clear upward trajectory. Spending rose…

The India–European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA) will be credit positive for India, helping attract foreign investment, strengthen manufacturing and improve export competitiveness in labour-intensive sectors, Moody’s Ratings said on Wednesday.India and the EU announced the conclusion of negotiations for the long-pending FTA earlier this week, describing it as the “mother of all deals”. Under…

Though cotton anchors India’s agrarian economy, yet faces a critical paradox. (AI image) By Dr. M. RamasamiCotton occupies a critical place in India’s agricultural and industrial economy. It supports millions of farm households, feeds a globally competitive textile sector, and remains one of the country’s most widely cultivated commercial crops. Yet, despite this significance, cotton…

Gold and silver prices continued to scale lifetime highs on Wednesday, lifted by safe have demand amid ongoing geopolitical tensions. The precious metals continued to reach record levels on the Multi-Commodity Exchange(MCX) as the white metal nears the Rs 4 lakh mark and gold jumps 3%.The momentum comes just ahead of the US Federal Reserve’s…

The Court was confronted with a conflict between two values competing with each other: the right to privacy in marriage, and the right to a fair trial. (AI image) In an important decision issued on 14 July 2025, the Supreme Court has put an end to a longstanding legal debate on the admissibility of secretly…

File photo (Picture credit: AP) Asian shares were mixed on Wednesday, tracking a muted lead from Wall Street after the S&P 500 edged to a fresh record, while the US dollar continued to weaken ahead of a key interest rate decision by the Federal Reserve.Markets are focused on the Fed’s policy announcement later in the…

Gold price prediction today: Gold and silver prices are likely to hit fresh highs in the coming days, says Maneesh Sharma, AVP – Commodities & Currencies, Anand Rathi Shares and Stock Brokers. He shares his outlook for gold and silver prices in the coming days: Source link

New Delhi: It’s advantage Mercedes, BMW and Audi. The FTA will reduce import tariffs for cars that cost upwards of Rs 25 lakh from EU from a high of 110% to 30% in the first year, to 10% in 10 years, with a quota of 2.5 lakh vehicles annually.Tesla, however, will have to wait for…

Mumbai: Hindalco Industries is doubling down on Odisha as it scales up its aluminium ambitions. The metals flagship of the Aditya Birla Group will invest Rs 37,000 crore in the eastern state, marking one of its largest capacity additions in recent times. The company plans to expand its aluminium smelter facility in Sambalpur and set…

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday took part in the customary halwa ceremony, signalling the final phase of preparations for the Union Budget 2026-27, which is scheduled to be presented in the Lok Sabha on February 1. The ritual was held at North Block on Raisina Hill, the former headquarters of the finance ministry, as…