The Economic Times

The Orissa High Court upheld a mother's right to evict her son and daughter-in-law from her self-acquired house. The court ruled that property solely in a woman's name is her absolute property, as per Section 14 of the Hindu Succession Act, unless joint family funding is clearly proven. The son's claim of joint ownership failed due to lack of evidence.

Mutual funds boosted their cash reserves by Rs 3,544 crore in February 2026, reaching a total of Rs 2.09 lakh crore. This marks a slight increase in cash as a percentage of total assets under management. Several large fund houses, including SBI Mutual Fund and PPFAS Mutual Fund, hold significant cash positions.

Metal stocks, once among 2025s top performers, have slipped up to 15% since the IranIsrael/US conflict began on February 27. Despite showing resilience versus other sectors, high valuations and global risk-off sentiment are weighing on the space, leaving metals vulnerable to a deeper correction amid elevated macro uncertainty.

In a letter written to Ranjana Desai, chairperson, 8th Pay Commission, KV Ramesh, secretary general, IRTSA, wrote that stakeholders should be allowed to submit responses offline and the commission should also include questions related to more allowances, pension and pensioner rights, new classification of Group A, B and C employees, among others.

The 8th Pay Commission has extended the deadline for submitting responses to its 18-point questionnaire to March 31, 2026. Central government employees, pensioners, and unions are invited to provide feedback on pay, pension, and employment conditions.

ETMutualFunds has identified top flexicap mutual funds. Selections were based on rolling returns, consistency, risk, and asset size. Funds like Parag Parikh Flexi Cap Fund and HDFC Flexi Cap Fund showed strong performance. These funds suit moderate investors with a five to seven-year horizon for wealth creation.

Edelweiss Mutual Fund has been named Asset Manager of the Year at the Morningstar awards for the second year running. This marks a significant achievement for the fund house. Radhika Gupta, MD and CEO, credited the investment team's discipline and consistency. The award recognizes long-term wealth creation. Other funds from Edelweiss also received accolades in their categories.

Airlines must now offer at least 60% of flight seats free of charge, ensuring fairer access for all passengers. New DGCA rules also mandate families sit together, allow sports equipment and pets, and improve communication of passenger rights in regional languages.

Silver and gold ETFs fell nearly 4% on Wednesday, tracking a mild decline in MCX prices as investors turned cautious ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserves policy decision. Uncertainty around the Middle East conflict and interest rate outlook weighed on sentiment. The near-term trajectory for gold will depend on the Feds guidance on rate cuts versus a prolonged pause.

The Supreme Court quashed criminal charges against a father-in-law in a 498A case, citing the divorce decree obtained by his son and ex-wife. The court emphasized that continuing proceedings after the marriage has ended serves no legitimate purpose, prolongs bitterness, and burdens the justice system. This decision highlights the court's use of Article 142 powers to ensure complete justice.

If you are bothered about the uncertainties and volatility in the market, you can consider investing in aggressive hybrid mutual funds. Mutual fund advisors typically recommend aggressive hybrid fund schemes to conservative equity investors to create wealth to achieve their long-term financial goals.

As FY27 approaches, experts recommend flexicap and multi-cap funds for equity investments, alongside gold ETFs for hedging and silver ETFs for tactical allocation. They advise a multi-asset approach, emphasizing large-cap funds for core portfolios and cautioning against over-concentration in mid- and small-cap segments due to current market conditions.

Securing the lowest home loan interest rate is crucial for significant long-term savings, with rates influenced by credit score, LTV, and income. Public and private sector banks offer varying rates on loans above Rs 75 lakhs. Tax benefits include deductions on interest and principal repayment.

India has no legal limit on gold ownership, provided its source is declared income. While CBDT offers seizure guidelines for specific gold jewellery quantities during searches, exceeding these limits isn't illegal if the origin is explained. Documentation like bills, inheritance papers, or gift records is crucial for proving legitimacy, especially for coins and bars.

Amidst geopolitical uncertainty and market volatility, financial planners recommend cautious investors opt for hybrid funds. These schemes blend equity for growth and debt for stability, managing volatility and providing a smoother investment journey. Hybrid funds offer automatic asset allocation, ensuring disciplined portfolio management without investor intervention.

India's insurance regulator, IRDAI, met with industry leaders to discuss the new Public Insurance Registry and Bima Sugam platform. This digital infrastructure aims to boost transparency and consumer protection. The initiative will consolidate insurance data, reduce information gaps, and improve fraud detection. It will cover the entire insurance process from policy to claims, enhancing regulatory oversight and promoting insurance inclusion.

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.