The Economic Times

Eligible Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) members can withdraw up to 75% of their EPF balance for illness-related expenses after completing 12 months of EPF membership.

After the MDR charge announcement on certain merchant UPI transactions, many UPI users are thinking whether they should shift from the UPI to a debit card or a credit card for daily transactions.

8th Pay Commission news: Bharat Pensioners' Samaj has urged the Centre and 8th Pay Commission to reduce the restoration period for commuted pension from 15 to 11 years. The demand follows the Himachal Pradesh High Courts September 16 judgment, which called for examination under changed actuarial conditions. BPS seeks a fresh actuarial review and reforms.

Five equity mutual funds delivered annualised SIP returns of over 19% over 10 years, led by Quant Small Cap at 24.2%. Nippon India Small Cap, Invesco India Mid Cap, Quant ELSS Tax Saver and Union Small Cap also posted strong returns.

While an expensive home is nothing less than an achievement, you must remember that the house in which you live produces no rent at all. Appreciation may increase your estate, but it does not pay this months grocery bill and the cost of that Sony PlayStation you wanted to gift to your grandchild. So, there are some questions that you need to ask for a well-planned retirement.

Helios Flexi Cap Fund reshuffled its portfolio in August, cutting exposure to HDFC Bank, Reliance Industries and other holdings while adding to Swiggy, Paytm and several other stocks. The fund also exited five stocks and added two new names. Its portfolio stood at 68 stocks across 26 sectors during the month.

Five smallcap mutual funds delivered annualised returns above 17% over three years as of September 16, 2026. Investors should consider risk appetite, investment horizon and financial goals rather than returns alone.

The Union Cabinet approved raising the EPF wage ceiling to Rs 25,000. This change impacts mandatory PF contributions for employers and employees. Actual PF contributions depend on an employee's defined wage structure. Employers must bear their increased PF share as a statutory cost. This enhancement aims to strengthen long-term retirement savings and social security.

The railway employees' new pension guidelines have been announced, slated for implementation in 2026. These provisions classify both death and disability incidents into four specific categories. Notably, Categories B and D are set to receive enhanced pension benefits under this framework. Additionally, the family pension rates differ considerably according to the deceased employee's category, with added protections against any delays in payments and supplementary allowances for caregivers.

Due to delay in getting delivery of the flat, homebuyer says he faced difficulties as he paid both home loan EMI and rent, TSRERA orders Rs 5.04 lakh compensation to homebuyer and also rejects debris charge imposition by builder.

Gold rate today: Lets have a look at the latest 22k gold rates at Malabar Gold & Diamonds, Joyalukkas, Kalyan Jewellers and Tanishq in New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Trivandrum and Bengaluru. Also see the updated indicative rates of 24k, 22k, 20k, 18k and 14k gold and 999-purity silver at the IBJA today.

Abakkus Mutual Fund, led by Sunil Singhania, has received SEBI approval to launch its Specialised Investment Fund (SIF) platform under the brand name Fokkus. Approved on 28 August 2026, the platform will offer differentiated equity, debt, and hybrid investment strategies.

Employee with Rs 14.42 lakh salary pays Rs 4.53 lakh income tax in Belgium and asks for credit under the India-Belgium DTAA; Income Tax Dept denied it as no Form 67 was filed; ITAT Bangalore orders relief for him.

ET Wealth Reader's Query: My sister and I received Rs 37 lakh each from the sale of agricultural land in our native place. She has gifted her Rs 37 lakh to me. Will she have to pay capital gains tax on the gift to me?

The Finance Ministry is advising bank employees to refrain from a planned three-day strike initiated by the United Forum of Bank Unions. In response, the Department of Financial Services has sought additional security from the Home Ministry.

Tenant receives Rs 1.38 crore permanent alternate accommodation, gets Section 56(2)(x) tax notice; ITAT Mumbai gives relief; know why. This judgement was given by Vikram Singh Yadav, the Accountant Member along with Siddhartha Nautiyal, the Judicial Member of ITAT Mumbai.

Top five Specialised Investment Funds delivered up to 15.21% returns over the three-month period from 1 June 2026 to 31 August 2026. According to data from SIF360, QSIF Equity Ex-Top 100 Long-Short Fund led performance across all SIF strategies, followed by QSIF Active Asset Allocator Long-Short Fund.

An insurer's attempt to deny a Rs 1 crore accidental death claim based on alleged income inflation backfired. The consumer commission ruled that insurers must prove deliberate misrepresentation, not just suspicion, influenced policy issuance. This landmark decision emphasizes the need for concrete evidence over mere allegations when repudiating claims.

HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund recorded an impressive 25% return in the last year, surpassing its category average across various time frames. The robust performance is primarily due to heightened demand for generic drugs and recent FDA approvals. Investors are advised to steer clear of merely chasing past successes and instead focus on a sustainable long-term strategy.

Bitcoin pulled back to about $85,500 after a surge of 13% in four days, supported by broader risk-asset gains, ETF inflows, bullish options positioning, and corporate buying. Analysts debate whether momentum reflects renewed conviction or short covering. Despite improved sentiment, elevated oil prices, Treasury yields, and competition from AI investments remain significant headwinds.

8th Pay Commission news: The 8th Pay Commissions report submission and implementation timeline will determine employees arrears. For Level 68 employees, potential arrears depend on the fitment factor and implementation delay. A Level 8 employee may receive nearly Rs 18 lakh for a 24-month delay under a 2.57 fitment factor. However, these are estimates based on basic-pay increases, and actual arrears will depend on the notified recommendations.

EPS pension calculator: Employees Pension Scheme members can retire early from age fifty. Deferred retirement allows for increased pension amounts after age fifty-eight. An employee with twenty-five years of service and a pensionable salary of twenty-five thousand rupees receives a pension. Early retirement at age fifty reduces the monthly pension significantly. Deferring retirement by two years increases the monthly pension amount.

Earlier in October 2025, 13 types of partial withdrawal provisions were merged into one unified and simplified framework. Prior to the simplification of norms, an EPF member was allowed to withdraw only the employee contribution and interest ranging from 50-100%.

Equity mutual fund participation is broadening across India, particularly among women and investors in B30 locations. Womens equity allocation rose from 40% in 2020 to 65% in 2025, while B30 equity AUM reached 65.9% in July 2026. Despite market corrections, equity AUM, folios and inflows continued growing, indicating wider investor participation.

The PFRDA has unveiled comprehensive operational guidelines for the NPS Swasthya health cover. These guidelines specify minimum contributions, premium costs, and rules for partial withdrawals. NPS Swasthya supports family floater policies for subscribers, their spouses, and children.

Largecap stocks saw heavy mutual fund selling in August, with ICICI Bank, Infosys, Eternal, Tech Mahindra and PFC among the top five stocks by net outflows, according to Dolat Capital.

Missed the ITR filing deadline? Don't panic! You might still claim your TDS refund. Learn about filing belated returns, potential fees, interest, and the crucial condonation process if even that window has passed. Understand the implications for carry-forward losses and deductions. Avoid common mistakes to ensure your refund is processed smoothly.

Today, gold prices saw a minor drop among leading Indian jewellery retailers. Lets have a look at the latest 22k gold rates at Malabar Gold & Diamonds, Joyalukkas, Kalyan Jewellers and Tanishq in New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Trivandrum and Bengaluru. Also see the updated indicative rates of 24k, 22k, 20k, 18k and 14k gold and 999-purity silver at the IBJA today.

A major disruption in banking services is anticipated as the United Forum of Bank Unions has announced a three-day strike at the end of September 2026. This action will halt operations in bank branches, resulting in an extended closure from September 26 to 30.

The BSE Sensex has experienced a notable drop, raising concerns among investors. Financial analysts recommend avoiding attempts to time the market and encourage maintaining systematic investment plans (SIPs). For those with a long-term outlook, gradually increasing equity allocations is advisable. Additionally, rebalancing portfolios during market corrections is an effective strategy for achieving target asset allocations. Flexi-cap and multi-cap funds may provide a level of stability for fresh

On September 21, 2026, banks in few states will be closed today in observance of the Janmotsav of Srimanta Sankardeva and the Samadhi of Sree Narayana Guru. Meanwhile, banking operations will continue as normal in other parts of India.

Cutting through money jargon, one topic at a time. This week Abhinav Kaulexplains what portfolio overlap is, why it quietly builds up in your mutual fund holdings.

Indian stock markets have languished with nearly two years of stagnant returns since late 2024. This lengthy phase of sideways trading serves as a necessary time correction rather than merely a decline in prices. Historical trends indicate that similar corrections have often extended much longer and deeper. Investors should exercise patience, persist with their SIP strategies, and recognize that moderating valuations and recovering earnings may herald promising future opportunities.

India is witnessing a surge in investment commitments under its ambitious semiconductor policy, with both global and domestic players pledging billions. Major firms such as Applied Materials and Lam Research are gearing up for noteworthy investments, while Micron Technology is set to initiate local testing and assembly of millions of chips. Meanwhile, Tata Group is enhancing its semiconductor supply chain through innovative partnerships.

Manish Jain, Country Managing Director, Experian India, discusses the growing demand for gold loans, the lower risk of over-leveraging with enhanced regulation, and the future relevance of credit scores, in a conversation with Riju Mehta.

UltraTech Cement's breakthrough venture, Ultravolt, is set to disrupt India's wires and cables sector, heightening concerns for existing giants like Polycab India and KEI Industries, who are already seeing their stock values dip. With ambitions to secure a top-two market position within five years through bold tactics, Ultravolt's entry will primarily affect the residential market. Yet, the long-term outlook for the industry remains positive due to ongoing structural demand.

The internet and AI have made financial information more accessible than ever. However, access to information is not the same as acting upon it to your benefit. Professional fund management, meanwhile, puts a process between emotions and decisions.

People generally get rich because of concentration, relentless pursuit of one thing, and the confidence to go all-in when most others would hesitate. On the other hand, managing a large pool of existing wealth requires something diametrically opposite diversification, instead of concentration.

The insurance advisory platform, Ditto Insurance, compares insurers on two key metrics: three-year average claim settlement ratio (by policy count) and number of complaints per 10,000 claims. Prospective buyers also need to take into account an insurers scale, track record, product portfolio and hospital network, among other factors.

Many Indian investors mistakenly believe they diversify their portfolios by adding foreign countries. However, numerous global indices often revolve around similar technology narratives, particularly in semiconductors. To achieve real diversification, investors must grasp the fundamental earnings drivers. Exploring Europe and Japan can unveil distinct economic pathways, offering a refreshing contrast. A thorough assessment of concentration risks and market dynamics is vital when engaging in inte

The introduction of a 0.02% merchant discount rate will impact specific mutual fund and broking transaction payments. One-time investments in mutual funds and broker wallet replenishments will be subject to this fee, while recurring mutual fund SIPs via UPI AutoPay will remain exempt. Discount brokers engaging in high-value trades will experience the greatest repercussions from these modifications, and their clients could ultimately face increased costs.