The Economic Times

Morningstar announced 2026 India award winners, honouring top-performing mutual funds and asset managers. Parag Parikh Flexi Cap Fund and Edelweiss Asset Management led, alongside category winners across equity and debt segments for consistent risk-adjusted returns.

SBI Card is changing its popular Cashback SBI Card benefits from April 1, 2026. Online spending cashback is capped at Rs 2,000, and offline spending cashback is also capped at Rs 2,000.

Punjab National Bank is warning account holders with inoperative accounts to complete their KYC by April 15, 2026. Failure to do so will result in account closure on or after April 16, 2026. An inoperative account is one with no customer-initiated transactions for over two years.

Insurance complaints are rising, with claim disposal delays topping the list. Data from IRDAI shows a significant increase in policyholder grievances over the past three financial years. The Finance Ministry revealed these figures in Parliament. Steps are being taken to address mis-selling and ensure timely claim settlements for policyholders across India, the Finance Ministry claims.

JioBlackRock Mutual Fund revealed its top stock picks for February. The fund house holds significant stakes in HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank. Reliance Industries, Bharti Airtel, and State Bank of India also feature prominently. Other key holdings include Larsen & Toubro, Infosys, ITC, Vedanta, and IOCL. This portfolio offers a glimpse into the new entrant's investment strategy.

10 companies in the NSE large-cap segment reported December 2025 quarterly profits that were at least 15% higher than their previous peak profits over the past ten quarters.

Mutual funds injected over Rs 1,482 crore into six IPOs during February, with Fractal Analytics receiving the largest share at Rs 983.88 crore. Clean Max Enviro Energy Solutions and Aye Finance also saw significant investments, totaling Rs 229.93 crore and Rs 142.13 crore, respectively.

Banks can auction homes for home loan defaults. Borrowers facing this can approach the Debt Recovery Tribunal within 45 days of the bank's action. This tribunal can review the bank's measures. If violations are found, the tribunal can restore property possession to the borrower. Timely action is crucial for homeowners.

A 28-year-old investor's mutual fund portfolio, valued at Rs 2.64 lakh, was found to have overlapping schemes. Market expert Pankaj Mathpal advised restructuring the portfolio to avoid duplication and enhance diversification for achieving a Rs 1.5 crore goal in 15 years.

ET Wealth Reader's Query: A relative had a joint demat account with his wife, though all the investments were made by him. He had no children and had made three of his nephews nominees and mentioned that in his registered will too. After his death, his wife replaced the nominees with her sisters son. Is this valid?

The government has provided an update on EPFO 3.0 reforms. Key developments include faster claim settlements and an expanded subscriber base. The Centralised Pension Payment System is now fully adopted by all EPFO field offices. Auto claim settlement for claims up to Rs 5 lakh has significantly improved efficiency.

The Reserve Bank of India has set the premature redemption price for Sovereign Gold Bond SGB 2019-20 Series-IV. This bond series, due for redemption on March 17, 2026, will be redeemed at Rs 15,814 per unit.

Flexi cap mutual funds are attracting significant investor money for seven months straight. This trend shows strong investor interest in the category. Experts advise against chasing performance and suggest focusing on long-term financial goals. Flexi cap funds offer flexibility for fund managers to navigate market conditions. Investors should continue SIPs for diversified equity exposure.

Gold and silver ETFs saw a sharp rise on Tuesday as Middle East tensions drove investors toward safe havens. Silver ETFs led gains, while gold funds rose 13%. Experts caution that volatility may persist ahead of the Fed meeting but advise long-term investors to use dips to accumulate and maintain disciplined allocations.

Value investors buy such stocks and wait for the market to discover these stocks. When the discovery happens, the stock prices will go up, and value investors make money. It may sound simple. But it is not very easy to execute. The market may take very long to discover these stocks and it may test your patience.

Equity investors can save income tax on long-term capital gains. A strategy called tax-harvesting involves selling equity investments before March 31, 2026. This allows investors to book gains up to Rs 1.25 lakh tax-free each financial year. After booking profits, investors can repurchase the same assets to remain invested.

The Kerala High Court refused to quash an FIR against an excise inspector accused of accepting liquor bottles as a bribe for issuing transport permits. The court found that the recovery of liquor bottles established a prima facie case of corruption, dismissing claims of rivalry and procedural objections. The investigation into the alleged illegal gratification will now proceed.

Sebi has formed a working group to review mutual fund distributor regulations and address overlaps with investment advisers. The regulator is also developing a common advertisement code and a digital platform, Sebi Setu, for investment advisers. A standardized penalty structure and simplified NISM module are also planned, amidst concerns over a decline in registered investment advisers.

Active equity mutual funds have failed to beat their benchmark indices over the past year. This underperformance has revived the debate on shifting investments to low-cost passive funds. Large-cap, flexi-cap, multicap, midcap, and smallcap funds all lagged their respective benchmarks. Despite this, wealth managers advise against completely abandoning active funds.

Sebi has set up a working group to review regulations for mutual fund distributors and investment advisers, address overlaps, curb unregulated finfluencers, and strengthen compliance, transparency, and investor protection in Indias advisory ecosystem.

Central government employees are eagerly awaiting the Dearness Allowance (DA) hike for January 2026. The government typically announces these increases around major festivals. Past trends suggest an announcement could be made anytime now until early April. The DA hike is calculated based on inflation and impacts employee salaries.

GSTN has issued a new advisory for GSTR-3B filings. Starting February 2026, taxpayers must confirm the 'Tax Liability Breakup, As Applicable' section. This feature auto-populates based on previous period supplies. Taxpayers need to save this breakup before filing. GSTN acknowledges feedback and is working on a resolution for cases without prior period liabilities.

The government has reiterated its stance on the minimum EPS pension, currently set at Rs 1,000 per month, emphasizing the need for fund sustainability. In line with a Supreme Court ruling, an online system has been established for eligible members to opt for higher pension contributions, with a three-month deadline to deposit dues after receiving a demand letter.

Bank holidays are set to vary across Indian states in March 2026. Several states will observe closures on March 19 for festivals like Gudi Padwa, Ugadi, and Telugu New Year. Customers should verify bank opening status in their respective regions. Other March holidays include Holi and Mahavir Jayanti, impacting banking services.

Indian stock markets experienced a strong rebound today. The Sensex surged over 900 points, while the Nifty also saw significant gains. This recovery was largely driven by major banking and financial stocks. Experts suggest this was a short-covering rally after a sharp correction. While markets showed resilience, volatility remains a concern. Investors are watching key levels for future direction.

REC Limited announced a fourth interim dividend of Rs 3.20 per share, with the record date set for March 20. The dividend will be paid on or before April 14. This marks the companys 45th dividend since 2008, with a 12-month equity payout of Rs 20 per share.

The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) has announced major changes to the National Pension System (NPS). The regulator has reclassified the existing corporate sector model and updated the charge structure for Points of Presence (PoPs). The revised structure came into effect on January 1, 2026, streamlining the way different entities participate in the NPS framework.

Indian stock markets rebounded sharply on Monday, snapping a three-session losing streak with Sensex and Nifty closing significantly higher. Despite volatile trading, value-buying emerged after last week's selloff. Geopolitical tensions and persistent FII selling continue to influence market sentiment, while the rupee remains near all-time lows.

GSTN has resolved a long-standing issue where taxpayers faced double GST payments when filing appeals. The new GST DRC-03A form now allows payments made under protest via Form GST DRC-03 to be correctly adjusted against demand IDs. This ensures that pre-deposit amounts are accurately calculated, preventing taxpayers from having to pay the same GST amount twice.

Amid geopolitical tensions and stock market volatility, gold prices have seen fluctuations. As of March 16, 2026, 22k gold rates at major retailers like Tanishq, Malabar Gold & Diamonds, Joyalukkas, and Kalyan Jewellers are around Rs 14,590-Rs 14,630 per gram. IBJA rates also show a decline from March 13.

Paytm shares jumped on Monday after rival PhonePe paused its IPO plans, easing near-term competition in digital payments. PhonePe cited geopolitical uncertainty and volatile global markets for deferring its listing. The move reflects broader market caution, with fintech firms reevaluating IPO timing and valuations amid heightened investor uncertainty and equity market volatility.

Corporate and investment banks are losing ground to non-bank financial institutions. Clients demand faster, more transparent, and responsive services. Banks struggle with outdated systems and limited AI adoption. Innovation efforts are not yielding expected revenue or cost savings.

SIP contributions continued to grow despite market volatility, reflecting sustained retail investor confidence. Contributions rose 14.79% year-on-year to Rs 29,845 crore in February 2026, according to ICRA Analytics, although inflows dipped slightly from January. SIP accounts and assets under management remained robust despite mark-to-market corrections in equity markets.

An analysis of the BSE Mid-Cap Index shows that both FIIs and retail investors increased their stakes in 12 stocks during the December quarter. However, market volatility has weighed on returns, with 11 of these companies delivering negative performance over the past three months and some stocks declining by up to 40%.

Fino Payments Bank shares tumbled over 19% to a record low after a report said some online gaming transactions linked to the lender may attract scrutiny from the Enforcement Directorate. The bank later clarified it is not under any ED investigation and is cooperating with DGGI Hyderabad in an ongoing GST-related probe.

Central government employees and pensioners await the 8th Pay Commission's recommendations, with AITUC advocating for implementation from January 1, 2026, to ensure no loss of arrears. Past trends show governments often backdate pay revisions, and AITUC also calls for the restoration of the Old Pension Scheme and improved benefits for pensioners.

Under the new tax regime, income tax slabs are the same for all taxpayers. There is no separate tax treatment based on age, meaning individuals below 60 years, senior citizens (60+) and super senior citizens (80+) all follow the same tax slab structure.