The Times of India

Indian equity markets closed higher Friday, with the Sensex and Nifty gaining ground. The Reserve Bank of India maintained interest rates and proposed allowing banks to lend to REITs, a move expected to boost the real estate sector. Despite a volatile session, late buying in select stocks, particularly FMCG and private banking, drove the recovery.

Market regulator Sebi is proposing to expand investment options for REITs and InvITs, including allowing them to invest in a wider range of liquid mutual funds. Further, InvITs may be permitted to hold special purpose vehicles post-concession agreements. Changes also aim to harmonize rules for private InvITs and ease borrowing norms, fostering greater business flexibility.

Gold and silver prices plummeted on the MCX Friday, driven by weak global sentiment and a stronger dollar. Silver futures saw a sharp 6% drop, while gold futures fell 2%. International markets showed mixed trends. Increased margin requirements on the MCX added to the volatility, prompting traders to cut positions. Experts advise caution amid high price swings.

What does the RBI monetary policy say on Indias GDP growth and inflation outlook? What does the decision to keep repo rate at 5.25% mean for your loan EMIs, fixed deposit and mutual fund investments? We take a look:

The Reserve Bank of India has maintained the policy repo rate at 5.25%, opting for status quo. While external challenges are mounting, domestic economic conditions remain strong. The central bank has slightly revised upwards its near-term growth and inflation forecasts for the upcoming financial year, signaling a cautious yet optimistic outlook.

Asian markets tumbled Friday, mirroring a US tech stock sell-off fueled by AI investment concerns and economic worries. Silver and bitcoin also experienced significant drops, with bitcoin erasing gains since Trump's election. Rio Tinto shares fell as merger talks with Glencore were abandoned.

Stock market recommendations: According to Bajaj Broking Research, the top stock picks for January 30, 2026 are Lloyds Metals and Energy, and JSW Energy. Heres its view on Nifty and Bank Nifty:

The Indian Rupee saw a slight gain against the US dollar, buoyed by trade deal optimism but tempered by caution ahead of the RBI's monetary policy. Stock markets mirrored this hesitant mood, opening lower as investors await the central bank's decision. Corporate dollar demand and domestic equity weakness also influenced currency movements.

Stock market today: Nifty50 and BSE Sensex, the Indian equity benchmark indices, opened in red ahead of the RBI monetary policy. While Nifty50 opened below 25,600, BSE Sensex was down over 100 points.

Bitcoin has experienced significant losses, dropping over 20% since early 2026 and losing nearly half its value since its October peak. This decline, exacerbated by concerns over Federal Reserve policy and tech sector weakness, has impacted companies holding digital assets and erased gains since Trump's election.

Addressing a press conference after the board meeting, the corporations MD & CEO R Doraiswamy said LIC has decided to go slow on its earlier announced plan of entering the health insurance business, which was announced by his predecessor. For the quarter ended Dec 2025, the corporation reported standalone net profit of Rs 12,958 crore, up 17.2% from Rs 11,056 crore in the corresponding year-ago period.

WILP offers fresh BCA and BSc graduates an opportunity to begin their careers while pursuing a fully sponsored MTech degree. The programme combines academic learning with hands-on industry experience, enabling participants to build practical skills as they enter the workforce. Under the WILP programme, candidates receive a monthly stipend starting at Rs 15,000 in the 1st year, along with a joining bonus of Rs 75,000.

On Thursday, across Asia, the Nikkei index in Japan closed 0.9% lower while the Shanghai Composite in China and sensex in India each closed 0.6% lower. In Europe in late trades, FTSE in the UK was down 0.8% while Dax in Germany was down 1%. In early trades in the US, the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite was down 1.6%, Dow Jones index was down 1.1% and S& was down 1.2%.

JLR, which contributes nearly 80% of TMPVs revenue, was forced to halt production for five weeks until early Oct following the cyberattack. The incident resulted in loss of $228.5 million in July-Sept and prompted the UK govt to step in with a loan guarantee of $2.04 billion to support the luxury carmaker's supply chain.

Advances in GenAI, autonomous agents and AI-assisted coding are forcing a rethink of long-held assumptions about SaaS defensibility, pricing power and growth. Tasks that once required large engineering teams can now be executed faster and at far lower costs, raising concerns that many software products may become easier to replicate and much harder to monetise.

Besides, a new sub-category of deep tech startup has been introduced covering entities working on cutting-edge and breakthrough technologies. The eligibility criteria for such startups has also been broadened with the age limit extended from 10 years to 20 years from the date of incorporation or registration, and the turnover limit increased to Rs 300 crore.

Whats fueling the rise of private credit in the first place is the fact that banks are not being able to fulfil all kinds of requirements, leaving a funding gap for mid-market structured credit, said Dhedhi. Private credit can provide non-dilutive capital that can be tailored to specific needs of each borrower.

Gulf Cooperation Council comprising Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE is a key trade and investment partner for India, with exports of nearly $57 billion and imports of around $122 billion, accounting for over 15% of Indias total global trade. Trade with GCC has grown at an average annual rate of about 15% in the last five years.

The Supreme Court highlighted that the misleading advertisements are not a minor regulatory issue but a direct consumer rights concern inherently connected with the health of people and trust in society

The Indian Rupee opened weaker on Wednesday. This followed a significant gain on Tuesday. The Rupee became the best performing Asian currency. This surge was due to a trade agreement reached between India and the United States. The deal is expected to boost foreign investment. This could further support the Rupee's stability.

Shares of major IT companies, including Infosys, Wipro, HCL Tech and Persistent Systems, slid as much as 6 per cent in early trade. The negative sentiment mirrored weakness on Wall Street, where the technology-heavy benchmark Nasdaq declined 1.4 per cent, erasing nearly $300 billion in market capitalisation across the sector.

Sunetra Pawar has been sworn in as Maharashtra's deputy chief minister, stepping into the role previously held by her husband, Ajit Pawar, following his tragic passing. She will assume his responsibilities, excluding the finance portfolio. This significant political transition occurred after her unanimous election as the NCP legislative party leader.