The Economic Times

CA Nitin Kaushik challenges the advice to buy a home early, arguing that ages 25 to 40 should prioritise asset accumulation. He recommends equity, debt, land, liquidity and secondary income while cautioning that a Rs 1 crore home loan can restrict wealth creation. Kaushik says renting can be rational, land and apartments differ as investments, and side income should fund assets rather than lifestyle expenses.

Taiwan detected Chinese military aircraft and vessels operating near its territory. One Chinese aircraft entered Taiwan's northern Air Defence Identification Zone on Monday. Previously, eleven Chinese aircraft sorties crossed the Taiwan Strait's median line. Eight Chinese navy vessels and two official ships were also detected. These events highlight ongoing tensions and China's territorial claims.

Tragic news shook the film industry as actress Ananya Raj has passed away at 27. Her family revealed that she quietly left this world in her sleep on July fifteenth, 2026, following a long struggle with various health issues. Read on to know more about her journey.

If you are confused by personal finance terms, jargon and calculations, heres a series to simplify and deconstruct these for you. In the 114th part of this series, Riju Mehta explains how personal laws govern marriage, divorce and inheritance for different religions.

Welcome to TrendMap, your guide to the performance of different investment segments. In this edition, we present a 10-year performance tracker of various factor-based investment strategies. The annual returns are ranked for 6 key NSE Factor indices, with a broad-based index, Nifty 500, thrown in for comparison. This map shows that no single-factor strategy consistently outperforms, making a strong case for diversification. By Sameer Bhardwaj.

Trade deals and sourcing shift from China are reviving the sector that investors had written off.

Except for a small number of government colleges of repute, the demand for good quality colleges far outstrips the supply in India. Higher education remains costly and elitist and with the advent of edupreuners, Indian children often study at universities abroad after paying a steep fee or after taking educational loans.

From RSUs to retirement accounts, what returning Indians must settle beforeand afterthey land.

Earning income from futures and options trading or other side hustles? Cumbersome compliance, reconciliation and disclosures mean taxpayers should not wait until 31 August to file.

Luckily, the squeeze phase doesnt last forever. Kids grow up, loans get paid off and people enter peak earning years as they move towards their 50s. And given the increase in surplus during this phase, many people can accelerate retirement contributions meaningfully.

Ageing housing societies that were promised bigger, modern living spaces have seen builders abandon or stall construction for years, with little recourse.

Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz slowed significantly over the weekend. This decline followed attacks on tankers and stalled United States-Iran conflict resolution talks. Commodity vessel transits dropped sharply, with very few ships registered for Sunday. Shipping appeared to grind to a near standstill after UAE reported tanker attacks last week. Iran stated Washington must meet its conditions for shipping to resume.

This year's Independence Day sales have brought impressive growth for brands and retailers, with value sales soaring by up to 25% and volume sales increasing by 5-7%. Such encouraging figures foreshadow a vibrant festive consumption period ahead. Major players like Reliance Retail and Lifestyle have documented remarkable sales performance, while online platforms have also witnessed demand surpassing expectations across diverse product categories.

India's economy likely grew over seven percent in the first quarter of fiscal year twenty twenty seven. Resilient consumption and exports supported this robust economic expansion during the period. Government capital expenditure also played a significant role in driving overall economic activity. High frequency indicators suggest healthy domestic volume growth across sectors. Economists anticipate a slight moderation in growth during subsequent quarters.

Immanuel Kants quote If physical punishment is often repeated, it makes a child stubborn; and if parents punish their children for stubbornness, they often become all the more stubborn on physical punishment looks at the way repeated discipline can affect a childs behaviour, suggesting that punishing stubbornness too often may actually make a child more obstinate. The German philosopher believed education should do more than enforce obedience and should help children gradually develop reason, se

India plans a national sports medicine framework for preventive athlete care. This initiative aims to standardize injury protocols and link medical institutions. The government considers a phased rollout by 2028 for this new system. This framework will improve athlete availability and long-term career sustainability. The proposal supports India's potential 2036 Olympic Games bid.

Prime Minister Modi encouraged MSMEs to utilize India's numerous free trade agreements. These pacts offer significant opportunities for small businesses to expand globally. Exporters believe converting agreements into actual export orders is now the key. India has finalized trade pacts with approximately forty countries since 2014. This expansion aims to increase the global reach of Indian products.

The government is discussing a 50 basis point reduction in interest subvention for Kisan Credit Card loans. This move aims to align subsidies with recent policy rate cuts by the Reserve Bank of India. Banks currently receive a 1.5% subsidy to offer loans at a 7% interest rate. Discussions are preliminary and part of extending the scheme until 2031-32. Farmers repaying promptly will continue to receive additional interest benefits.

Ferrari's first all-electric vehicle sold for forty million dollars at auction. This sale established a new record for the most expensive new car ever sold. The Luce, a tailor-made electric model, faced criticism upon its unveiling in May. Ferrari's share price saw a drop after the initial announcement of the vehicle. The company recently raised its full-year guidance due to strong demand for limited-run models.

Bankers said some lenders now plan to borrow more short-term funds, possibly at a higher rate, to finance the promised leverage to FCNR(B) clients after the Reserve Bank of India advanced the deadline for swap support. These funds will have to be replaced with a long-term loan or bond later, leading to a temporary mismatch between banks' foreign deposits and borrowings.

Goods and services tax cuts offer carmakers a crucial buffer against rising commodity prices. Companies are employing various strategies to minimize product price increases and sustain demand. Internal cost reductions and selective price adjustments help absorb commodity shocks. Automakers are working to further reduce production costs for future resilience. Industry growth is expected to moderate from October onwards.

Draft rules for the SHANTI Act are now public, opening India's nuclear power sector. A single licence will cover building, operating, and decommissioning nuclear plants. Private companies must provide mandatory insurance and financial security for waste management. Foreign reactors require certification from their country of origin or another trusted nation.

Senior representatives of some of the country's largest NBFCs met on August 14 to discuss the issues they intend to raise with the RBI. The lenders will make a formal representation through the Finance Industry Development Council, the industry body representing NBFCs, this week, according to the people.

Blue Dart Express plans a new international cross-border ecommerce delivery product. This initiative aims to capture a larger share of India's growing global trade. The company will initially focus on major ecommerce corridors with strong existing trade flows. Regulatory changes, like the removal of a value cap, support this expansion. Blue Dart expects this new venture to become a meaningful contributor within five years.

Parag Sharma expects the company, India's second-biggest non-bank lender by market value, to sustain 18-20% credit growth annually and maintain 8.5% margins, without having to raise capital every few years to expand its asset base.

Between 2020 and 2025, more than 1,100 society-level redevelopment agreements were recorded in Mumbai, unlocking around 432 acres of land. The financing requirement begins before construction, including society payouts, transit accommodation, premiums and approvals, while banks and NBFCs typically participate later at the construction finance stage.

The financial services landscape is evolving, emphasizing the importance of software and data infrastructures. In India, digital payments are surging, showcasing a strong shift toward online transactions. However, institutions grapple with legacy systems and fragmented data. As global account ownership climbs, theres a pressing need for speed and security in financial systems. The future hinges on leveraging AI and building robust infrastructures for continued growth and innovation.

The Reserve Bank of India has instructed rating agencies to refrain from categorizing it as the regulator overseeing bank deposits. This recent directive raises the possibility that these credit assessment organizations may halt the evaluation of bank deposits entirely. With threats of deposit outflows and potential bank instability stemming from any downgraded ratings, the landscape of retail deposit reactions remains mixed.

In a recent proposal, a parliamentary committee has recommended that hospital room charges not exceed the rates of three-star hotels. The substantial growth of private healthcare as an industry has attracted considerable private equity investment, resulting in valuation spikes and shifts in ownership among hospital chains. However, this raises important questions about the accessibility of healthcare for the average person.

According to the Indian Copyright Act, 1957, the copyright of a film expires 60 years after its release. After the copyright expires, an IP owner loses exclusive rights to the film, which then enters the public domain. This makes the film's IP vulnerable, as anyone can colourise the film.

Amid increasing concerns over food safety and hygiene, Indian malls are ramping up their oversight of restaurant operations. Major mall operators have sent out new warnings to food and beverage tenants, responding to recent enforcement actions by food and drug authorities across various states.

Mahala Ashley Dickerson moved from Alabama to Alaska in 1958 after being drawn to the territory during a vacation. She became the first Black homesteader in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley and, months later, Alaskas first Black woman lawyer. She went on to spend decades fighting racial and gender discrimination and advocating for poor and underprivileged people.

At just 16, Michal Sklar experienced a sudden medical episode that changed something about the way her brain worked. What she noticed in the days that followed was unusual enough to leave her confused, and even after years, the strange effect has not completely disappeared. Today, what began as a frightening experience has become an unexpected part of her daily life and something she has found a way to share with her family.

India reached 460 for 9 after two days of play in Galle. Devdutt Padikkal scored 167, his highest score in Sri Lanka. Dhruv Jurel provided stability with a crucial 51 runs. Rain interruptions limited play, impacting the overall match duration. India remains confident in their bowling attack to secure a result.

There are some diseases that are silent killers meaning, they often do not exhibit symptoms until it is too late. Taking to X, internal medicine expert Dr Priyam Bordoloi explained why kidney diseases scared him the most and five foods that can cause irrepairable damage to your kidneys.

First of its kind in the country, the plant will be developed under HPL's subsidiary Adplus Polymers & Chemicals. The facility is set to house the country's first on-purpose propylene plant based on olefin conversion technology and the country's largest phenol production unit in West Bengal's Haldia.

A video of an 88-year-old woman who is robust and at the peak of health, even at an advanced age, has gone viral on Instagram. In the video she talks about how eating healthy and removing sugar from your diet can help you live long.

Hamas officials were present at some of the meetings between mediators and with Trump's envoy and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and Nickolay Mladenov, Trump's Board of Peace envoy for Gaza, the diplomat said. A senior Israeli official said Kushner and Mladenov were scheduled to meet on Monday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who on August 9 said Trump's latest roadmap for Gaza peace was 'unacceptable'.

A traditional Mexican proverb serves as a critical reminder against complacency in our ever-evolving world. It underscores the importance of seizing opportunities to avoid future regrets and being outpaced by change. By recognizing moments that demand action, we can adapt and thrive amidst the shifting tides of modern life. This timeless wisdom still resonates today, highlighting the necessity of awareness and prompt decision-making in navigating lifes challenges.

Sheeps wool may soon have a surprising medical purpose. Scientists at Kings College London turned wool-derived keratin into a bone regeneration scaffold. In rat skull injuries, the material helped new bone grow with a more organized structure than conventional collagen scaffolds. The finding gives regenerative medicine a sustainable biomaterial from an abundant agricultural resource. It also raises a bigger possibility: waste wool could become a useful tool for future bone repair and tissue engi

Prithviraj Sukumarans I, Nobody is now set for its digital release after its theatrical run earlier this year. The Malayalam thriller follows an ordinary government employee whose routine life takes an unexpected turn after he gets caught up in a serious crime, putting him and his family in a difficult situation. Directed by Nisam Basheer, the film also stars Parvathy Thiruvothu and Hakkim Shajahan in key roles.

In an old interview, pop diva Lady Gaga opened up on a rather unconventional diet she once followed to keep in shape. She also admitted she drank often.

A young immigrant arrived in America at a time when starting over meant leaving behind everything familiar and facing a very uncertain future. What followed was a difficult life far from the cities, shaped by family, survival and the challenges of settling in a new part of the country. Decades later, her own words would offer a rare glimpse into a world that had almost completely disappeared.

Believe it or not, water is not the most hydrating drink you can have. In a recent interview, eminent nutritionist Joy Bauer revealed that water and not milk can do a much better job in keeping you hydrated than water here's why.

The new actions also include replacement of water tanks and strict compliance on regular water quality testing at source and outlet points. There will also be centralised monitoring and accountability, besides scheduled cleaning and maintenance of storage tanks.

Nearly four hundred infrastructure projects have been recommended for approval under the PM GatiShakti initiative. These projects, valued at approximately eighteen lakh crore rupees, aim to boost national connectivity. The Network Planning Group has evaluated these proposals, with many already sanctioned and under implementation. This initiative seeks to integrate infrastructure and reduce overall logistics costs across the country. Experts believe Gati Shakti will enhance business competitivene

Jinny Lu, a once-overlooked pug rescued from South Korea, took home the title of World's Ugliest Dog in a competition that values uniqueness and highlights the importance of adopting pets in need. Having previously placed second, her triumphant win showcases that a dog's worth transcends mere appearances. This event not only celebrates diverse beauty but also advocates for providing every dog with a loving forever home.

Iran's economy shows signs of recovery from recent war impacts. Economic activity is gradually resuming, according to the Iran Chamber of Commerce. Purchasing Managers' Index reports indicate relative improvement in economic conditions. Private sector efforts and government engagement are contributing to this positive trend. Sustaining this recovery requires greater international engagement from Iran.

You do not need to have a crash diet or diet at all to lose weight or maintain a great figure. Taking to Instagram, Bhabhiji Ghar Par Hai star Saumya Tandon revealed five rules she follows without fail to keep slim and look young.