Personal Finance / The Economic Times
Quess Corp reported a 3% year-on-year revenue increase to 3,832 crore in Q2FY26, with EBITDA reaching a record 77 crore, up 11%. Growth was primarily driven by the General Staffing segment, which added 21,000 employees, and strong performance in Professional Staffing, particularly in the GCC segment.
Markets regulator Sebi's plan to rationalise brokerage limits aims to make investing more cost-efficient and transparent, ensuring investors pay only for the value they receive and not twice for the same services, according to industry experts.
ITR deadlines extended: The Central Board of Direct Taxes has extended the income tax return filing deadline for certain assessees to December 10, 2025. The deadline for furnishing audit reports for the previous year 2024-25 is now November 10, 2025. High Courts in Punjab & Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh had previously directed the extension for tax audit cases deadline.
PB Fintech, parent of Policybazaar and Paisabazaar, reported a 165% YoY surge in Q2 FY26 profit to Rs 135 crore, driven by 40% premium growth, better operational efficiency, and improved margins. Renewal revenues and new business lines also strengthened performance.
SBI Card is implementing new fees effective November 1, 2025. Users will face a 1% charge on education payments made via third-party apps, though direct payments to institutions remain free. Additionally, a 1% fee will apply to wallet loads exceeding Rs 1,000.
A candidate missed his government job joining date due to being in judicial custody. He was denied the position for not responding within 30 days. The Punjab and Haryana High Court intervened, ruling that procedural delays should not deny a job opportunity. The court directed the government to issue an appointment letter, allowing him to join.
Five pension funds earned top consistency ratings in the latest screener. ICICI Prudential, HDFC, Axis, Birla Sun Life, and DSP Tier 1 schemes stood out for stable performance and strong asset management.
Parents of deceased government employees must now submit individual life certificates annually to receive enhanced family pensions. This new rule aims to prevent overpayments by ensuring accurate records of both parents' survival. The clarification follows instances where pensions continued at higher rates even after one parent's death.
Sharpe ratio measures the excess return earned over the risk-free rate per unit of risk, expressed through standard deviation.
Shares of SAIL surged 8.2% to a 52-week high of Rs 143.20 ahead of its Q2FY26 results, buoyed by optimism in metal stocks. Analysts highlighted strong technical indicators and bullish momentum, with traders eyeing targets of Rs 145150. The stock has gained 24% in 2025 and 317% over five years.
Six equity mutual funds have outperformed peers, multiplying investors SIP investments by over 1.8x in five years. Motilal Oswal Midcap Fund topped the list with 1.95x returns, followed by Bandhan Small Cap, Invesco India Midcap, and others delivering strong SIP wealth creation over the same period.
The Punjab & Haryana High Court and the Himachal Pradesh High Court have extended the income tax return filing deadline for tax audit cases. The new deadline is November 30, 2025. This follows a similar order from the Gujarat High Court. Tax professionals are urging the CBDT to issue a nationwide circular.
While both are crucial metrics for evaluating mutual fund investments, they serve different purposes and cater to distinct investor needs. Here's a breakdown of what NAV and iNAV are and why they matter.
From understanding the perfect timing to mastering different prepayment strategies that can save you lakhs in interest, here's everything you need to know about turning loan prepayment from a confusing maze into your fastest route to financial freedom.
India's first INR-settled crypto F&O trading platform brings institutional-grade options to retail investors without the complexity or capital barriers.
Sebi has proposed a significant overhaul of mutual fund fee structures, aiming to simplify rules, enhance transparency, and reduce investor costs. Key changes include removing an additional 5 basis points charge and tightening brokerage limits, with public comments invited until November 17.
Silver Exchange-Traded Funds have tumbled up to 28% from recent highs. Experts suggest this drop is due to profit booking and narrowing premiums over Net Asset Value. While long-term fundamentals remain strong, investors are advised to approach buying gradually through Systematic Investment Plans.
When you apply for a loan, the lender makes two primary checks: your credit history and score and your income. If either of these doesnt meet the lenders minimum requirements, then the loan application will not move forward. Most banks will lend only if your score is above a certain threshold. So long as that criterion is met, your application will not be rejected.
A taxpayer successfully challenged the tax department's classification of an Rs 8 lakh cash deposit as presumptive business income. The ITAT Delhi ruled that this issue was outside the scope of the limited scrutiny, providing relief to the individual. The tribunal's decision emphasized that tax authorities must adhere to the defined scope of scrutiny assessments.
An airline has been ordered to pay compensation for misleading passengers. The Maharashtra State Commission ruled the airline used a 'dark pattern' by not disclosing free seat availability. Passengers were made to pay extra for pre-booking seats. This practice violated consumer rights and constituted an unfair trade practice. The commission upheld a district commission's order for refund and compensation.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urged Japan to grant the BOJ autonomy to raise rates, highlighting global concerns over yen weakness and signalling potential policy shifts in Japans post-Abenomics era.
Key financial rule changes are set to take effect in November 2025, impacting bank customers, credit cardholders, and central government employees. These updates include multiple nominations for bank accounts, revised SBI Card fees, and an extended deadline for switching from NPS to UPS for central government employees.
On the sidelines of the Global Fintech Fest 2025, Lavani Agarwal, Vice President and Head of Marketing and Communications, South Asia at Mastercard, spoke about the companys trilemma, the relevance of the influencer economy, and AI-driven MarTech.
Asian markets opened higher today. Investors are optimistic about artificial intelligence driving profits for tech giants. Bets on a Federal Reserve interest rate cut are also boosting sentiment. Major tech companies are set to report earnings, with investors watching for continued investment in computing infrastructure. The yen gained as US Treasury Secretary commented on Bank of Japan policy.
The Indian government is planning to sell a stake worth $1-1.5 billion in Life Insurance Corp (LIC) by year-end to increase its public float to 10%. Roadshows are expected soon to gauge investor demand for the sale, which will be conducted in multiple tranches to avoid impacting the stock price.
Securities and Exchange Board of India has eased mutual fund unit transfers. Investors can now gift units or add joint holders without a demat account. This facility is available for most schemes, excluding ETFs and certain solution-oriented funds. Transfers are processed via registrars and transfer agents. Both parties need valid KYC and folios.
India's capital markets regulator has proposed significant changes to mutual fund fee structures, aiming for greater transparency and cost efficiency for investors. These proposals include reducing expense ratios for equity mutual funds and excluding statutory levies from total expense ratio limits. The move seeks to ensure investors benefit more from the industry's economies of scale.
Sebi has proposed a major overhaul of Indias mutual fund fee structure to simplify charges, boost transparency, and reduce investor costs. The regulator plans to remove additional expenses, tighten brokerage limits, and exclude statutory levies from the overall expense ratio cap.
The Union Cabinet has approved the Terms of Reference (TOR) for the 8th Central Pay Commission, a body tasked with reviewing salaries, allowances, and pensions for central government employees and pensioners. The commission will submit its recommendations within 18 months. The TOR outlines the basic scope of their review, including pay structures, benefits, and retirement schemes.
Are mutual funds considered capital assets? Can these be gifted without attracting any capital gains tax? My mutual funds are held in a statement of account, not demat account.
ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund has resumed subscriptions for its Silver ETF Fund of Fund starting October 28, 2025. This follows a temporary suspension due to significant price increases in Indian silver markets above global benchmarks. Other fund houses have also reopened subscriptions for their silver ETFs.
Nine equity mutual fund schemes outperformed their benchmarks with an up capture ratio above 120 over five years. Top performers included Bandhan, Invesco, and HDFC Small Cap Funds, reflecting strong returns during bullish markets and consistent benchmark-beating performance.
Groww Mutual Fund has launched two passive schemes Groww Nifty Midcap 150 Index Fund and Groww Nifty Midcap 150 ETF both tracking the Nifty Midcap 150 Index (TRI). Managed by Shashi Kumar, Nikhil Satam, and Aakash Chauhan, the funds aim to replicate the indexs performance. The NFOs close on November 11, 2025.
In 2025 so far, 233 equity mutual funds have delivered positive returns, with 14 posting double-digit gains. ICICI Pru Large & Mid Cap Fund led with 13.77%, followed by ICICI Pru Focused Equity Fund at 13.29%. SBI Focused Fund, HDFC ELSS Tax Saver, and Parag Parikh Flexi Cap also featured among the top-performing equity schemes this year.
The Department of Pension and Pensioners' Welfare has re-issued rules for settling claims. If a deceased government servant had two wives, the family pension will be divided equally between them. This applies to all central government departments. The department also stressed due diligence in handling such cases.
Five smallcap mutual funds have delivered negative returns over the past three years, with losses ranging from 14% to 17%, highlighting the segments volatility amid changing market conditions.
HDFC Bank has placed two senior executives on gardening leave as part of an internal probe into alleged mis-selling of Credit Suisses Additional Tier 1 (AT1) bonds, according to Bloomberg. The action follows customer complaints that they were not fully informed about the risks of the high-yield securities, which were written off after Credit Suisses merger with UBS in 2023.
A high school teacher's plea for salary arrears from an honorary appointment period was dismissed by the Gauhati High Court. The court ruled that the teacher accepted the honorary terms and the subsequent regularization order, effective prospectively, was not challenged. This decision upholds the principle that benefits are granted from the date of regularisation.

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