Draft labour rules pave way for higher minimum wages

India new labour code (Image for representation) NEW DELHI: A month after notifying the four new labour codes, Centre on Wednesday released draft rules for their implementation, which lay out how minimum wages will be calculated, fix weekly working hours, set procedures to recognise and verify trade union membership, and provide for the composition of…

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Volatile year tests Dalal Street mettle; metals dazzle

MUMBAI: In 2025, single-digit gains in the sensex and Nifty hid Dalal Street’s efforts to balance local and global factors which left investors jittery at regular intervals. Behind the headline numbers, however, new market darlings emerged, some older ones lost favour with investors, a number of well-known companies went public, IPOs garnered record amounts from…

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‘Tighter bank-NBFC ties, external spillovers key risks’

MUMBAI: The outlook for 2026 blends domestic resilience with rising global uncertainty, according to RBI’s financial stability report (Dec 2025). While India’s macroeconomic fundamentals and banking system remain sound, the report stresses that the economy is exposed to global shocks translating into rupee pressure, and to vulnerabilities created by deeper financial linkages at home. The…

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Stock market outlook 2026: Why did Sensex, Nifty underperform in 2025 & where are indices headed next year? Top things to know

If global markets were running a marathon this year, Indian equities were clearly trailing the pack. While South Korea saw Kospi skyrocketed nearly 76%, Japan’s Nikkei soared over 25%, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng climbed more than 30%, China’s Shanghai Composite posted gains of over 16%. In the west, Wall Street also bagged doubled digit…

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RBI Financial Stability Report: Economy stays resilient, banks remain strong; top points to know on NPAs, unsecured loans and crypto risks

India’s economy continues to expand at a robust pace, supported by strong domestic demand, low inflation and healthy bank balance sheets, even as risks from unsecured lending, fintech exposure, external uncertainties and stablecoins persist, the Reserve Bank of India said in its December 2025 Financial Stability Report (FSR), PTI reported.The report said the domestic financial…

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Energy efficiency push: Star ratings become mandatory for refrigerators, TVs, LPG stoves and more from January 1

Energy-efficiency star labelling will become mandatory for a wider range of appliances, including refrigerators, televisions, LPG gas stoves, cooling towers and chillers, from January 1, as part of the government’s push to curb power consumption.According to a gazette notification issued by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), as reported by PTI, the mandatory star-labelling regime…

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Export push: Govt launches Rs 4,531-cr market access support for exporters; MSMEs, priority sectors in focus

The government on Wednesday launched a Rs 4,531-crore Market Access Support (MAS) scheme to help Indian exporters participate in international fairs, exhibitions and buyer-seller meets, offering a boost at a time when shipments face headwinds from steep US tariffs, PTI reported.The MAS is the first component to be operationalised under the Rs 25,060-crore export promotion…

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Rupee outlook 2026: Why the rupee may stay under stress next year; here’s what experts say

The Indian rupee is set to face sharp and persistent volatility through 2026 as capital outflows, tariff-related trade disruptions and weak foreign investment flows continue to outweigh the country’s strong macroeconomic fundamentals, analysts and official data indicate, PTI reported.Despite steady growth and moderate inflation at home, the currency is unlikely to find a durable floor…

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