Despite a substantial increase in the coverage of health insurance or finance schemes, which only cover inpatient treatment, between 2017-18 and 2025, out-of-pocket expenditure by patients and their families still accounts for almost all of the spending on hospitalisation. This was revealed in the latest household consumption survey on health conducted by the National Statistical […]
Summer travel gets dearer on conflict, weak rupee
Chennai: Summer vacations for Indians to exotic destinations have been disrupted as the West Asia conflict and a weakening rupee have pushed overseas tour package costs up by about 20%, offsetting the Centre’s cut in Tax Collected at Source (TCS) on such packages to 2% from 20% and 5%.The conflict has also led to a […]
‘No room for complacency’ – The Times of India
Mumbai: Veteran banker Uday Kotak cautioned that India’s foreign exchange reserves remain strong but leave “very little room for complacency”, as large foreign capital flows expose the economy to risks from global volatility. At the ET Awards, Kotak said India has received around $1.5 trillion in foreign capital through FPI and FDI, which creates vulnerability […]
India’s wheat outlook: Production stable despite challenges, says government
India’s wheat output for the 2025–26 crop year is expected to remain steady despite weather disruptions, the agriculture ministry said on Sunday, even as an industry estimate suggested lower production. The ministry said that the crop is “stable and resilient despite localised damage” caused by unseasonal rainfall and hailstorms. It described the season as “mixed […]
Gold and silver outlook: Where are precious metals headed this week? Analysts answer
Precious metals gold and silver could remain under pressure in a holiday-shortened trading week as markets react to developments around US-Iran peace talks, movements in crude oil prices and key global central bank policy decisions, analysts said. According to analysts, sentiment in precious metals is expected to be shaped largely by geopolitical and macroeconomic triggers […]
Dialling back time: Why US kids are ditching smartphones for a $100 landline
What if children picked up a ringing phone instead of a smartphone after school? This might sound strange, given the 21st centuary, the era of digital and smart devices. However, it is becoming a reality in some homes and schools, as a landline-style device called the Tin Can gains popularity among families trying to cut […]
Stock market outlook: Middle East developments, earnings and oil prices in focus this week
A mix of global tensions, corporate earnings and key economic cues is set to shape stock market movement in the coming week, which will be shorter due to a market holiday on Friday for Maharashtra Day.Developments in the Middle East, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz, remain at the centre of investor attention, with their […]
India, New Zealand to lock in FTA next week: Here’s what it may have in store for New Delhi
India and New Zealand are set to sign their long-pending Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on Monday at Bharat Mandapam, in the presence of Union commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal and New Zealand’s minister for trade and investment Todd McClay. The agreement, finalised in December 2025 after negotiations that began in March the same year, […]
Market recap: Rs 2 lakh crore wiped out from 7 of top-10 firms; TCS biggest laggard
Dalal Street ended the week in red, dragging down the valuations of several heavyweight companies, erasing more than Rs 2 lakh crore from seven of India’s ten most-valued firms. Tata Consultancy Services and Reliance Industries accounted for the largest share of this decline as the broader market remained under pressure.The slide in stock prices mirrored […]
Rent to relatives under lens as new HRA disclosure kicks in | Mumbai News
Mumbai: Salaried taxpayers claiming House Rent Allowance (HRA) under the Income-Tax (I-T) Act, face tighter disclosure norms from April 1, 2026, with the introduction of a new declaration format: Form 124 which replaces the earlier Form 12BB and requires additional details to curb misuse.Employees are required to submit this form to their employers for the […]