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Business / The Times of India
India's robust 8.2% GDP growth in the July-September quarter, a testament to the government's reform agenda and business-friendly policies, solidifies its standing as the world's fastest-growing major economy. This impressive expansion, driven by strong public investment, services, industrial output, and consumption, refutes earlier doubts and signals continued economic momentum.
Indian companies anticipate a 5-10% rise in wage bills due to new labour codes, impacting benefits like gratuity and overtime. Labour-intensive sectors and MSMEs face the steepest increases. While employers may see higher costs, employees are set to gain as wages cannot be reduced. The government expects compliance burdens to offset employer expenses.
Zerodha CEO Nithin Kamath cautioned retail investors against speculative behavior in India's unlisted market, fueled by the current IPO boom. He highlighted inflated prices, high commissions, and the risk of IPO prices falling below pre-IPO purchase prices, leading to immediate losses. Kamath also warned about the regulatory ambiguity and potential for total losses in cryptocurrency derivatives.
Luxury homes in India's top seven cities saw a significant 40% price appreciation between 2022 and 2025, far outpacing the 26% rise in affordable housing. Delhi-NCR led the luxury segment with a remarkable 72% increase, while mid- and premium-segment homes grew by 39%.
Air India confirms its flight operations remain intact with no cancellations despite a mandatory software and hardware realignment for Airbus A320 family aircraft worldwide. While some minor delays or reschedules may occur, the airline's engineering teams are working diligently to complete the task, having already updated over 40% of the affected fleet. Normal operations are expected to resume soon.
India's Black Friday-to-Cyber Monday sales are experiencing a significant surge, with retailers reporting a 20-25% increase compared to last year. Brands extended promotions early, indicating sustained consumer demand beyond Diwali. This week-long event is fostering planned, premium purchases across various categories, boosting sales momentum.
This wedding season, plain and lightweight gold jewelry in various karats is gaining popularity as couples prioritize investment and resale value amidst rising gold prices. Jewellers report a significant shift towards gold over diamond pieces, with buyers opting for lower karat options due to affordability and lower making charges.
Airbus has issued an urgent global alert for its A320-family aircraft due to a software flaw potentially affected by intense solar radiation. This directive follows a JetBlue incident where a jet unexpectedly pitched downward. India will ground over 350 jets for a quick fix, with global operations facing potential short-term disruptions.
India anticipates a trade deal with the US this year, aiming to resolve tariff issues for its exporters. Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal highlighted that while a full bilateral agreement will take longer, this framework deal is a crucial first step. Meanwhile, India is actively pursuing trade pacts with around 50 countries and blocs globally.
The RBI has urged microfinance institutions to move beyond basic access and focus on long-term income stability and formal credit pathways for borrowers. Deputy Governor Swaminathan J emphasized responsible conduct, highlighting five key priorities including household-level credit decisions and tech-enabled underwriting.
The Reserve Bank of India has undertaken a massive overhaul, consolidating over seven decades of regulations into 244 master directions. This significant move eliminates 9,446 circulars, simplifying compliance for lenders and enhancing ease of doing business. The reform aims to clarify rules, including a new digital banking directive requiring explicit consent and transaction alerts.
The National Spot Exchange NSEL fiasco is nearing its end. NCLT Mumbai approved a Rs 1,950-crore settlement between NSEL, its promoter 63 Moons, and traders. This marks the final settlement round. Traders with smaller dues received full payment earlier. Those with larger outstanding amounts will now receive approximately 42% of their dues, pending for over 12 years.
India's economy is projected to grow at 7% or higher this financial year, surpassing the $4 trillion mark. This upward revision, exceeding previous estimates, is driven by strong performance in agriculture, manufacturing, and services, bolstered by healthy demand, low inflation, and tax cuts. Improved price dynamics and tax reforms are expected to boost disposable incomes, supporting consumption and private investment.
Gold loans are surprisingly leading retail credit growth, soaring 128.5% year-on-year. This surge, partly due to reclassification, now forms a significant portion of personal loans. While housing and vehicle loans also saw healthy increases, unsecured lending grew at a slower pace, indicating a shift towards secured borrowing in the retail credit landscape.
India's economy surged by 8.2% in the July-September quarter, driven by a strong manufacturing rebound and robust services activity. This marks the fastest expansion in six quarters, with domestic demand fueling production ahead of the festival season. Economists now anticipate full-year growth to exceed 7%, bolstered by pro-growth policies and reforms.
India's economy surged by 8.2% in the July-September quarter, marking a six-quarter high and positioning it as the world's fastest-growing major economy. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman attributed this robust growth to sustained fiscal consolidation, targeted public investment, and impactful reforms that have boosted productivity and ease of doing business.
The Adani Group aims to reduce its consolidated debt to Rs 1 lakh crore by 2030, focusing on minimizing reliance on fresh capital for its expansion. The conglomerate plans to invest Rs 1.5 lakh crore annually in new assets over the next six years. The group also expressed interest in acquiring distressed Sahara Group assets, provided legal hurdles are resolved.
Black Friday remains the unofficial start of the US holiday shopping season, drawing significant in-store traffic despite a dip in consumer confidence. Shoppers are more selective and deal-focused, yet continue to spend on seasonal moments, creating a halo effect for retailers. Online spending is also showing strong growth, indicating continued consumer engagement with holiday shopping.
The Reserve Bank has concluded a massive six-month overhaul, clearing out 5,673 outdated circulars and consolidating over 3,800 into 244 master directions. This significant regulatory streamlining, involving 9,446 circulars in total, aims to simplify compliance for businesses and reduce costs. The move, driven by a focus on ease of doing business, also introduces seven new directions for digital banking.
India's economy is set for robust growth exceeding 7% this fiscal, with the GDP projected to surpass $4 trillion in FY26. Strong second-quarter performance, driven by manufacturing and services, fuels this optimism. Stable inflation and ongoing reforms are enhancing competitiveness, paving the way for increased private investment and sustained economic momentum.
Indias GDP has grown at a robust 8.2% in the second quarter. Why has the real GDP growth been more than expected and whats the outlook for the coming quarters? Why are economists pointing to the narrowing gap between nominal and real GDP growth? We explore:
Wall Street saw modest gains on Friday, concluding November's trading on a shortened schedule. The S&P 500, Dow, and Nasdaq all edged higher. Coinbase surged as Bitcoin surpassed $92,000. Major tech stocks like Alphabet and Micron advanced, while Oracle saw a dip. European markets also posted mild gains, with traders anticipating eurozone inflation data.
Canada's economy rebounded with a stronger-than-expected 2.6% year-on-year growth in Q3 2025, driven by an improved trade balance and increased government spending. This recovery, exceeding analyst forecasts, was bolstered by declining imports and a surge in federal outlays, particularly on military hardware, as Prime Minister Mark Carney prioritizes defense upgrades.
India's fiscal deficit reached 52.6% of the full-year target by October 2025, a notable increase from last year's 46.5%. Total expenditure touched Rs 26.25 lakh crore, with significant portions allocated to interest payments and subsidies. Government revenue collection is at 51.5% of estimates, indicating a widening gap that warrants attention.
India aims to finalize the initial phase of its Bilateral Trade Agreement with the US by year-end, with commerce secretary Rajesh Agarwal expressing optimism despite global trade shifts. Negotiations have advanced significantly, though last-minute hurdles remain a possibility. Discussions are also progressing on an immediate Framework Trade Deal to address US tariffs on Indian goods.
India's economy surged past expectations, posting an impressive 8.2% real GDP growth in the second quarter of FY 2025-26, the highest in six quarters. This robust performance solidifies India's position as the world's fastest-growing major economy, driven by strong secondary and tertiary sector contributions. Private consumption also showed a healthy uptick.
India's new labour codes have drastically cut jail-bound offences to just six, down from 87, with 16 now compoundable. This reform aims to simplify compliance for businesses while bolstering worker protections. The government consolidated 29 laws into four codes, emphasizing decriminalization and rationalized penalties, fostering a more facilitative regulatory environment.
As markets rally, investors face six behavioural traps that can derail wealth. Overconfidence, panic selling after gains, FOMO-driven entries, succumbing to tips, ignoring diversification, and using borrowed money are highlighted. Prudent investors maintain discipline, stick to strategy, and avoid impulsive decisions to safeguard their long-term financial future.
Reliance Industries' shares hit a new 52-week high after Jefferies reiterated its Buy rating, citing strong double-digit growth across its digital, energy, and retail businesses. The brokerage highlighted tailwinds from festive demand, expanding FMCG operations, and firm refining margins, projecting significant upside for the stock.
India is actively pursuing free trade agreements with key global players like the US and EU, alongside around 50 other nations and blocs. Commerce minister Piyush Goyal highlighted the strategic importance of rusted partners amid rising global trade risks. Discussions are progressing with the GCC, New Zealand, and Israel, while talks with Canada are set to resume.
Gold and silver prices surged in futures trade on Friday, buoyed by positive global sentiment and increased expectations of a US Federal Reserve rate cut next month. City-wise, gold prices showed mixed trends, with Delhi and Chennai experiencing gains while Noida, Mumbai, and Kolkata saw slight declines.
China's Envision Group is considering a $34 million battery manufacturing plant in India, aiming to support the nation's renewable energy integration. The proposed facility would assemble battery systems, utilizing Chinese-sourced cells while developing local racks and software. This move comes as India faces storage shortages, hindering its renewable energy expansion and grid stability.
Gold price prediction today: Gold prices are showing a bullish bias, trading steady near 1,25,540. Technical indicators suggest a buy-on-dips strategy around 1,25,500, with support at 1,25,350 and resistance at 1,25,850. Investors are advised to maintain a stop-loss below 1,25,250 for potential upside targets.
Stock market recommendations: Indian markets surged for a third week, with Nifty hitting an all-time high driven by global optimism and hopes for rate cuts. Bajaj Broking Research highlights JSW Steel and JSW Energy as top picks for November 28, 2025.
Asian markets traded narrowly, concluding a strong week for global equities as expectations for a US Federal Reserve rate cut next month grew. While some Asian indices dipped, others edged higher, with focus shifting to upcoming US economic data and the Fed's policy path. The yen saw fluctuations amid inflation data, while oil prices climbed.
India's economy enters the second half of FY26 on a stable footing, supported by contained inflation, resilient domestic demand, and supportive policies. While global uncertainties pose risks to exports and capital flows, strong public capital expenditure and firming rural and urban demand are expected to maintain growth momentum.
Byju's founder Byju Raveendran is preparing to file a $2.5 billion damages claim in a US court, presenting new evidence to counter allegations of diverting $533 million in 'alpha funds'. He contests a recent $1 billion default ruling, asserting the funds were accounted for and used for acquisitions. Raveendran seeks to correct the court's premature damages determination.
Sensex and Nifty hit record highs on Thursday, driven by Wall Street's rally, US and Indian rate cut hopes, and strong domestic fund buying. Despite touching intraday peaks, profit-taking led to a modest closing gain for both indices. The rally was primarily led by large-cap stocks, with domestic funds playing a crucial role.
The Income Tax Department has launched a fresh campaign targeting individuals with undeclared overseas assets and income. Around 25,000 high-risk cases will be initially contacted via SMS and email. This initiative aims to encourage taxpayers to review and revise their returns by December 31 to avoid significant penalties under the Black Money Act.
The European Central Bank's October meeting minutes indicate interest rates are currently appropriate, with potential for cuts in 2026. While inflation is near the 2% target, concerns about slowing wage growth and eurozone momentum prompt openness to future easing. The ECB remains vigilant about the economy's ability to sustain the target.

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