Business

The US Justice Department’s threat to criminally indict Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell has triggered a fresh confrontation between the White House and the central bank, intensifying concerns over the Fed’s independence and the direction of US monetary policy.The subpoenas, served on Friday, relate to Powell’s June testimony on the $2.5 billion renovation of Federal…

Pressure linked to the ‘Sell America’ narrative is unlikely to fade. (AI image) US President Donald Trump’s fresh attack on the Federal Reserve seems to have revived the ‘Sell America’ sentiment in the stock market and strategists and market experts are warning that the selloff may deepen over time if the tiff between the government…

US stocks edged lower on Monday as investors showed signs of unease over a sharp escalation in tensions between the White House and the Federal Reserve, two Washington institutions whose independence markets have traditionally taken for granted. The S&P 500 slipped 0.3 per cent from its record high, while assets that typically benefit during periods…

Net direct tax collection grew about 8.82 per cent to over Rs 18.38 lakh crore in the current fiscal till January 11 due to slower refunds and better corporate tax mop-up.Data released by the Income Tax Department on Monday showed that net corporate tax collection grew 12.4 per cent to over Rs 8.63 lakh crore,…

A year after US President Donald Trump introduced a fresh round of tariffs, the economic fallout has proven uneven, with employment taking a clearer hit than prices. At the time, economists warned that the measures would drive up inflation and push unemployment higher. Data from 2025 suggests those concerns were only partly true. While the…

Reserve Bank of India Deputy Governor Swaminathan J on Friday called for a fundamental shift in banking supervision, stressing that oversight must move from periodic, point-in-time assessments to continuous awareness, as digital risks increasingly redefine financial stability, PTI reported. Speaking at the Third Annual Global Conference of the College of Supervisors on ‘Issues and Challenges…

Budget 2026 should introduce a gold-linked credit line via UPI, enabled for NBFCs. (AI image) By George Alexander MuthootUnion Budget 2026 comes at a critical juncture for India’s growth journey. With political stability, resilient macro fundamentals and strong domestic demand, the government has an opportunity to deepen financial inclusion while accelerating credit-led growth. For the…

Employee Stock Option Plans (ESOPs) have emerged as a critical tool for companies to attract and retain talent. Yet, despite their growing use, especially in multinational group structures, the tax treatment of ESOPs in India continues to be riddled with uncertainty, leading to disputes for both employers and employees.Two areas warrant urgent attention which Budget…

December 2025 CPI inflation: The Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation for the month of December 2025 rose to 1.33% compared to the same month in 2024. This is a rise of 62 basis points from November 2025, and the figure stands at a 3-month high. RBI has an inflation target of 4% with a 2%…

IT services firm HCLTech on Monday reported an 11.2% year-on-year decline in consolidated net profit to Rs 4,076 crore for the October–December quarter of FY26, compared with Rs 4,591 crore in the year-ago period.The Noida-headquartered company, however, posted strong top-line growth, with revenue from operations rising 13.3% to Rs 33,872 crore in the third quarter,…