Business

Prices of consumer electronics such as air conditioners, refrigerators, washing machines, televisions and smartphones are set to rise again by the end of April, marking the third round of increases in four months amid sustained cost pressures on key inputs.Industry executives, cited by ET, said elevated prices of crude-linked derivatives like plastics, along with a…

As the weekend approaches, many customers often check whether banks are open or closed on Saturday for pending financial work.So customers should know, that this Saturday, April 18, 2026, bank branches are open across India as it is the third Saturday of the month.Under the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) holiday structure, banks are closed…

The Cabinet on Saturday approved a 2 per cent increase in Dearness Allowance (DA) for Central government employees, as per sources.This comes amid wider demands from employee bodies for major changes in pay structure under the proposed 8th Pay Commission.In its memorandum, the National Council-Joint Consultative Machinery (NC-JCM) has sought a higher fitment factor of…

Iran is planning to tighten its grip over the Strait of Hormuz with new transit fees to regulate ship movement through the route. However, the country has ruled out charging any “traditional fees” on ships passing through it.Ebrahim Rezaei, spokesman for Iran’s National Security Committee told Al Jazeera that a law is being drafted to…

The United States decided to extend the sanctions waiver on Russian oil, offering temporary relief to countries purchasing crude from Moscow as the world grapples with tight energy supplies. The US treasury department on Friday issued a fresh licence allowing the purchase of Russian oil and petroleum products that had already been loaded onto ships…

The US administration has decided to extend a narrow window for global buyers to purchase Russian oil shipments already at sea, despite earlier indications that such relief would not continue.Late Friday, the US Treasury Department published a new licence granting a roughly month-long waiver, which allows nations to buy Russian oil and petroleum products loaded…

Wall Street benchmarks closed at record highs on Friday, as easing geopolitical tensions in West Asia fuelled a broad risk rally across global markets, sending equities higher and oil lower.The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite notched their third straight record closes, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average posted its strongest finish since late February. Gains…

New Delhi: Aiming to eliminate bulk transportation of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) through roads by 2030, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) has initiated the bidding process for new pipeline infrastructure connecting refineries, import terminals and bottling plants.The regulator Friday said that the proposed pipelines are designed to connect key supply sources, including…

MUMBAI: The opening of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most important shipping channels in the world for the flow of crude oil and natural gas, led to a global rally in stocks on Friday evening. This also overshadowed the muted trading witnessed during the early part of the day in all of Asia…

MUMBAI: UltraTech Cement will cross 200 million tonnes of capacity after commissioning three grinding units totalling 8.7 million tonnes on Friday, cementing the Aditya Birla Group company’s position as the world’s largest cement producer outside China, with capacity nearly double that of the United States and exceeding the whole of the European Union. The milestone…