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The Union Ministry of Finance has made moves to enable merchant discount rates on UPI and proposed scrapping the zero MDR provision. We take a look at what this decision could mean for UPI customers.

REITs and REIT mutual funds offer investors exposure to the real estate sector but differ in structure, taxation, and returns. While REITs focus on rental income from properties, REIT funds combine REIT exposure with real estate equities. 

If a similar mutual fund with a proven track record already exists in the market, experts say investors should prefer an established scheme unless the NFO offers a genuinely differentiated strategy that complements their portfolio and investment goals.

Only two value funds have negative alpha, indicating they lag their benchmark indices, while Quant Value Fund and DSP Value Fund record the highest positive alpha. The contrast in alpha was also reflected in return performance, with the positive-alpha funds delivering better returns. 

Finance Ministry has approved an increase in EPF wage ceiling to 25,000 monthly from current 15,000, as per a Moneycontrol report. If approved this would expand coverage to more salaried workers.

F&O trading is treated as non-speculative business income and must be reported under business income in ITR. For AY 2026-27, taxpayers need to disclose F&O turnover and income in dedicated fields in ITR forms. They also need to comply with tax audit and carry-forward rules.

Upon returning to India, the person must compute capital gains from US shares in INR, using the exchange rate from the sale date. No concessions for rupee depreciation apply. Long-term gains are taxed at 12.5%, and disclosure of foreign assets is required for tax purposes.

DA, 7,500 minimum monthly pension, medical facilities Here's what the EPS95 National Agitation Committee is seeking from the government. It has warned of a protest on 5 August if demands are not met. 

SEBI's new GARUDA framework has brought Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) into the spotlight. While the industry has grown rapidly over the past decade, AIFs remain less familiar than mutual funds. Here's how experts explain the investment vehicle, who it is meant for and how SEBI classifies it.

Monsoon damage isn't limited to leaks and flooding. Experts explain what home insurance covers, key exclusions, and why both homeowners and tenants should review their policies.

Despite flexibility in their mandate, flexi-cap funds remain more biased towards large-cap stocks, with 61% allocation. On the other hand, multi-cap funds maintain a more balanced exposure across large, mid, and small-cap segments. 

Although payments for Annapurna Bhandar are generally credited in a phased manner during the first week of the month, many bank accounts have yet to receive the funds

Delhi has approved 100% salary hike for DDMA personnel, including project officers, district project officers, and project coordinators. The first such in 16 years, since the positions were created in 2009. 

A Delhi couple won 15.5 lakh in compensation after Axis Bank lost their original property papers and failed to return them after the closure of their 1.41 crore home loan. The Delhi State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission ruled on the case.

India's largest private sector lenders HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank have both hiked their FCNR (Bank) interest rates this month. Check here for how much fixed deposit interest NRI depositors now get

Passive investing has moved beyond broad-market indices. As sectoral and thematic index funds multiply, experts explain the opportunities, risks and who should actually invest. 

India scrapped insurance commission caps in 2023, but calls to revive them are growing. Evidence suggests transparency, staggered payouts and disclosurenot capsare more effective at curbing mis-selling.

PM VBRY beneficiaries can enable Direct Benefit Transfer by linking their Aadhaar with a bank account through NPCI. This guide explains the eight key steps, offline Aadhaar seeding, and how completing the process helps ensure timely incentive payments.

Small-cap funds dominated one-year SIP returns, with six schemes crossing the 20% mark and four featuring among the top five performers. Bank of India Small Cap Fund topped the list with a 40.05% annualised SIP return.

Income tax refunds for AY 2026-27 may be adjusted against pending tax demands. Taxpayers should verify notices, respond through the e-filing portal, clear valid dues, and dispute incorrect demands to avoid refund delays and compliance issues.

The US Federal Reserve's interest-rate decisions influence currencies, markets and borrowing costs worldwide. Here's how a Fed pause can affect India's economy, investments and your finances.

A Kerala consumer court ordered Federal Bank to pay 1.25 lakh after blocking a customer's international debit card without prior notice. The ruling reinforces that banks must communicate card blocks promptly, especially when customers are travelling abroad.

Gold and silver prices today, 3 August: Check the latest 24K, 22K gold and 999 silver retail rates across Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and other major Indian cities, along with MCX market updates.

8th Pay Commission: Employee unions are seeking annual increments of up to 7%. Illustrative projections show how 3%, 5% and 6% annual increments could significantly increase central government employees' basic pay over five years through compounding.

A redevelopment firm won tax relief after the ITAT ruled its 8 crore tenant compensation provision was not contingent. The order explains when unpaid business liabilities can still be claimed as deductible expenses.

Filed your ITR before the 31 July deadline but spotted an error later? Eligible taxpayers can still revise their return under Section 139(5). Here's who can file a revised ITR, the process and the key documents to verify.

Women, younger borrowers and non-metro regions are driving credit growth in the country. The number of eligible Indians opting for loans has jumped from 34% in 2017 to 74% in 2026.

After years of small and mid-cap outperformance, large caps could be poised for a stronger phase. A new report cites six factors, including improving economic growth, attractive valuations and supportive macro trends, while urging investors to maintain a balanced market-cap approach.

Small-cap funds have emerged as the best-performing equity category in FY27 so far, delivering an average return of 22.31% between 1 April and 31 July. They were followed by mid-cap funds with 17.22%, flexi-cap funds with 14.06%, and large-cap funds with 10.52% returns. 

The eNPS portal does not currently provide a separate capital gains statement for Tier II accounts. Here's how withdrawals may be taxed and what investors need to know.

Income-tax returns: The due date for ITR-1 and 2 passed on 31 July, but taxpayers using ITR-3 and 4 have time to complete their process. Amid the tax season, we explain what invoices and documents employees should retain to support tax-free reimbursements.

With international mutual funds facing investment restrictions due to overseas limits, investors can explore domestic mutual funds with significant foreign equity exposure. A total of 15 equity and hybrid funds have invested in foreign stocks, including two schemes with more than 26% exposure.

Want to check your employees provident fund (EPF) balance, contributions, interest earned or download your passbook? Here's how you can do so using the official EPFO portal, Umang app, SMS, missed call or helpline.

A 100% debt portfolio delivered an average annual return of 6.79% with volatility of 6.38%. However, adding a 10% equity allocation improved returns to 7.99% while reducing volatility to 5.76%, showing that higher equity exposure does not always translate into higher portfolio risk.

The 8th central pay commission (CPC) has closed its window for data submission this week. Here's a look at the latest updates on its group consultations process before the panel makes its recommendations.

Delhi Lakshmi Yojana portal received 33,730+ registrations within 12 hours of its launch on 1 August. The scheme offers eligible women 2,500 per month. Women aged 21-60 years, with annual family income up to 2.5 lakh and meeting other criteria, can apply.

RBI has allowed banks to offer differential interest rates on bulk deposits based on their liquidity risk under the Liquidity Coverage Ratio (LCR) framework. We explain how this impacts customers and if this could affect your fixed deposit rates with banks

Only seven diversified equity mutual funds delivered annualised SIP returns of over 20% in the last 10 years, excluding sectoral and thematic schemes. A 10,000 monthly SIP in these funds grew to as much as 38.8 lakh, with small- and mid-cap funds dominating the rankings.

Multi-asset allocation funds attracted nearly 38,027 crore in H1 2026, about seven times the inflows into balanced advantage funds. The gap was driven by strong gold and silver returns, investor return-chasing behaviour, and fresh fund launches in the multi-asset category. 

Dearness Allowance or DA is a percentage of basic salary, reviewed twice annually, and aimed at offsetting the impact of inflation for government employees and pensioners. Here's a look at all the dearness allowance announcements so far

Financial experts say behavioural biases such as recency bias, loss aversion and FOMO often lead investors to buy after rallies and sell during market corrections. 

Though PPF comes with a lot of benefits, some common mistakes can make you lose key benefits or shrink your final corpus. Here's everything you need to know. 

The July 31 ITR filing deadline has passed, but many taxpayers still have time to file their returns. Here's who must file by August 31, October 31 or November 30 under the revised filing calendar for AY 2026-27.

The deadline for ITR filing has passed, yet a viral claim about a Pune CA earning 12 lakh from nearly 400 clients during this peak tax season has sparked debate.

The Gujarat High Court has held that the Income Tax Department cannot retrospectively apply the expanded powers under Section 55A to reopen old property valuation disputes. The ruling offers clarity for taxpayers involved in legacy capital gains cases.

Portability, a framework designed to benefit policyholders, is increasingly being driven by sales incentives, despite regulations prohibiting it. Consequently, the weakest link becomes the advice provided by the intermediary facilitating the switch, often with little accountability.

Investors face geopolitical risks and inflation pressures, leading to increased focus on fixed-income securities. Experts advise on building diversified bond portfolios across ratings and maturities to limit volatility, sustain income, and achieve financial goals effectively.

Taking a career break allows your EPF account to remain active, continuing to earn interest until you turn 58. You can withdraw up to 75% after unemployment, but tax applies unless you've completed five years of continuous service before withdrawal.

The Telangana High Court has ruled that taxpayers cannot lose Section 54F capital gains exemption solely because a builder delayed completing or registering a home. The judgment says delays beyond the taxpayer's control should not defeat the tax benefit if the investment has already been made.

SCSS provides government-backed safety and regular quarterly income, while Small Finance Bank FDs offer flexibility and competitive rates. Explore a detailed comparison of returns, risk, liquidity and tax advantages before choosing the right retirement investment strategy.