Against the backdrop of global challenges and heightened uncertainty, the Survey has backed reforms, including regulatory entities, and called for “creating a cadre of professionals”, who are adept in regulatory design and implementation, to improve the ease of doing business.“Policy reforms do matter. Process reforms arguably more so. Processes define the interaction between govt and […]
Red flags over sustainability of unconditional cash transfers
Make Up 50% Of Rural Monthly Consumption New Delhi: Unconditional cash transfers (UCT) by state govts now account for nearly half of the monthly per capita consumption expenditure among the rural population, raising concerns about fiscal sustainability and medium-term growth, especially when there is no complementary investment skilling and human capital, Economic Survey said.It said […]
Budget 2026 for agriculture: The opportunity to strengthen India’s crop protection backbone
The intent around the proposed Pesticides Management Bill, 2025 marks a significant move as it aims to align India’s regulatory framework with contemporary realities. (AI image) By Susheel KumarIndian agriculture stands at an important inflection point. On the one hand, the country speaks with confidence of becoming a global food powerhouse, a trusted supplier to […]
IT sector faces AI-era uncertainties as global model power concentrates, says Economic Survey
The Economic Survey has cautioned that India’s entry into the artificial intelligence era comes with “looming uncertainties” and structural asymmetries that could reshape labour markets and pose fundamental questions for the future of the Indian IT sector, even as the country seeks to harness AI-driven productivity gains.The Survey flagged the growing concentration of market power […]
India should prioritise trade opportunities over tariffs, says World Bank chief Ajay Banga
World Bank Group President Ajay Banga (Photo-AP) India should “think less” about tariffs and focus more on opportunities to expand trade, World Bank Group President Ajay Banga said on Thursday, as geopolitical tensions continue to cloud the global trade outlook.Interacting with media during a visit to the Central Tool Room and Training Centre (CTTC) in […]
Microsoft stock plunges 12.3%, drags Wall Street lower-here’s what driving the fall
Microsoft led a pullback on Wall Street on Thursday, with US stocks retreating from record levels after the tech heavyweight logged its steepest single-day fall in years, weighing on broader market sentiment. While gold prices also reversed sharply after a blistering run, reflecting a broader cooling of risk appetite across global markets.Microsoft sank 12.3% despite […]
Rupee ends at record low of 91.99 against dollar amid foreign outflows, global risk aversion
The rupee settled at its all-time closing low of 91.99 against the US dollar on Wednesday, weighed down by persistent foreign fund selling and risk-off sentiment in global markets, even as softer crude prices and a weaker dollar offered limited relief, PTI reported. At the interbank foreign exchange, the domestic unit opened at 91.95 and […]
US Markets today: Stocks hover near records as Big Tech earnings diverge; gold extends blistering rally
US stocks were largely directionless on Thursday, trading close to record highs as investors sifted through mixed earnings from some of Wall Street’s most influential companies, while gold surged further in an extraordinary safe-haven rally.The S&P 500 edged up by less than 0.1% and hovered near its all-time high set earlier this week. The Dow […]
Tariff war, AI bubble: Crisis worse than 2008 looming? Economic Survey explains what India should do
India’s strongest macroeconomic performance in decades has collided with a global system that no longer rewards macroeconomic success. (AI image) Economic Survey 2025-26: India stands tall in the global economic order – as the world’s fastest growing major economy that is exhibiting resilience in the face of global economic turmoil and Donald Trump’s tariff threat. […]
Budget 2026: Can LTCG rules be made simpler for ordinary taxpayers? What experts have to say
As more Indians participate in a widening range of investments, from financial instruments to property, the question of how gains are taxed is becoming increasingly relevant to middle-class taxpayers too. Whether it is selling shares after a market rally, redeeming mutual fund units, or transferring a house or plot of land, long-term capital gains or […]