The Economic Times News

The Reserve Bank of India might cut the repo rate by 25 basis points in its February meeting, bringing it to 5 per cent. Further easing is possible in early 2026. This outlook is based on current inflation trends and the central bank's policy stance. Market participants will monitor upcoming meetings for further guidance on interest rate movements.

ICICI Bank is introducing new credit card charges effective January-February 2026. A 2% fee will apply to online gaming transactions, and a 1% fee will be levied on transportation spending exceeding Rs 50,000. These changes also impact third-party wallet loads and other credit card features.

Kerala High Court ruled against retrospective higher pension claims for 67 CIAL employees. Despite CIAL offering retrospective contributions with interest, the court emphasized that EPF operates on an accrued investment basis. Employers cannot retrospectively contribute beyond statutory limits to gain benefits not available earlier, upholding the fund's financial sustainability.

Gifts to daughters-in-law are tax-free, but income from these gifts is taxed to parents-in-law due to an outdated clubbing rule. This provision, intended to prevent tax evasion, now unfairly burdens senior citizens and can lead to disputes. Budget 2026 is an opportunity to reform this rule, aligning tax law with modern realities and cultural practices.

Neptune Logitek's stock will list on December 22. Grey market indicators suggest a flat debut. The company's Rs 46.62 crore IPO was subscribed 1.61 times. Neptune Logitek provides integrated logistics solutions. Proceeds will fund truck purchases and debt repayment. Investor sentiment in the SME space remains cautious.

As long as the stock is priced above the 200-day SMA on the daily time frame, it is generally considered to be an overall uptrend.

IndiGo joins the Sensex on December 22, replacing Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles. This comes amidst significant flight cancellations due to new duty rules, impacting operations and leading to brokerages cutting target prices. The airline reported a substantial quarterly loss, though revenue saw a year-on-year increase. Despite recent challenges, shares remain up year-to-date.

If you are confused by personal finance terms, jargon and calculations, heres a series to simplify and deconstruct these for you. In the 82nd part of this series, Riju Mehta explains what this practice means.

Welcome to TrendMap, your quick guide to the performance of different investment segments. In this edition, we present a 10-year performance tracker of various asset classes. The annual returns are ranked for multiple asset classes across equity, debt, precious metals and real estate.

Italy is among Europes most in-demand golden visas, ranking in the top-3 European Union programmes by volume.

Rapidly increasing in both usage and transaction value, credit cards continue to be a prominent mode of cashless spending. Whether youre a first-time or seasoned user, here are some pointers to remember.

The benefit allows you to cancel your trip without citing a reason, but the 24-hour intimation rule could limit its utility.

Aditya Birla Health Insurance CEO, Mayank Bathwal, talks to Riju Mehta about the benefits of the new insurance bill, the need to resolve insurer-hospital conflict through dialogue, and the reasons for the large number of customer complaints in health insurance.

A price fall may look tempting, but Bitcoins new links to macro markets demand a different kind of caution.

Hotels shake off a seasonal lull as rising room rates and demand tailwinds lift the sector outlook.

Investing abroad directly with a foreign broker works best for sophisticated investors who trade sparingly and can hold for the long term.

Students studying abroad and their parents will see budgets stretched, while international travellers can expect last-minute plans and discretionary spending to become 10-15% more expensive.

Lower annuitisation, extended investment timelines and flexible withdrawals have made NPS more investor-friendly.

SEBI has restructured mutual fund expense ratios by introducing Base Expense Ratio (BER) and moving statutory levies like STT, GST and stamp duty outside expense limits.

Land investment in India offers potential outsized gains but carries legal risks including title disputes and zoning issues. Experts recommend thorough legal scrutiny, professional surveys, and treating land as a long-term investment in your portfolio.

ET Wealth Reader's Query: I gifted my wife Rs 10 lakh, which she will report as exempt income in her ITR. If she invests this amount in an FD, the interest earned will be clubbed with my income and shown in my ITR. How should she report this in her return to ensure the interest isnt taxed twice in both our ITRs?

Senior citizens can now earn up to 8% interest on fixed deposits for three-year terms. Jana Small Finance Bank and Utkarsh Small Finance Bank are leading with this attractive rate. Other banks also offer competitive rates for longer tenures. Investors should note TDS rules and the option to submit Form 15H to avoid deductions if eligible.

Kotak Mahindra Bank customers should note a planned system maintenance on December 21, 2025. From 3:30 am to 4:30 am IST, mobile apps, net banking, UPI, and other payment services will be unavailable. ATM transactions below Rs 20,000 will not be affected. Customers are advised to plan their banking activities accordingly to avoid any inconvenience during this period.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court ruled that a driving license remains valid for 30 days post-expiration under the Motor Vehicle Act. This decision prevents insurance companies from reclaiming compensation from drivers whose licenses expired within this statutory grace period, as the license is legally effective during this time. Read more.

Taxpayers are receiving incorrect mismatch alerts from the Income Tax Department. The department's automated systems are misreading capital gains from unlisted share sales as business income. This is causing confusion and stress for those who have filed their returns correctly. The issue stems from how Section 194Q is being interpreted.

Planning a Rs 1.5 crore corpus for a childs overseas education requires more than market returnscurrency risk is key. Experts recommend starting early with equity mutual funds, disciplined SIPs with 22% annual step-ups, and strategic allocation to international funds, combining growth and rupee depreciation protection over a 20-year horizon

Taxpayers face a critical deadline. After December 31, 2025, revised income tax returns cannot be filed if the original return remains unprocessed. This impacts correcting errors and claiming refunds. Options include filing an ITR-U, which has limitations, or a rectification application for apparent mistakes. Proactive steps are advised for unprocessed returns.

While equity arbitrage funds may provide steady tax-efficient returns, a stunning analysis reveals how the government collects far more than investors realize.

Karnataka government has released its official holiday list for 2026, including both general and restricted holidays. This list is crucial for state government employees and institutions in Bengaluru and across the state to plan their schedules. The general holidays encompass national observances and state-specific festivals, while restricted holidays offer flexibility for employees.

Travellers can look forward to many long weekends in 2026. October offers three, while January and September each have two. Plan your trips with these extended breaks. Holidays like Republic Day, Good Friday, Buddh Purnima, Raksha Bandhan, Janmashtami, Ganesh Chaturthi, Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti, Durga Puja, Valmiki Jayanti, Diwali, and Christmas provide opportunities for short getaways.

Ambit Capital has drawn parallels between markets and classical physics, outlining five laws that explain stock price behaviour. From inertia and momentum to mean reversion and valuation resistance, the framework helps investors decode why some stocks outperform while others stagnate, and why rich valuations often cap long-term returns.

Many bank customers remain confused about whether bank branches are open or closed today, Saturday, December 20, 2025, leading to doubts over whether to visit a branch or wait for a weekday

Tata AIA launched Multicap Opportunities Fund and Pension Fund via ULIPs, offering diversified equity exposure linked to the Nifty 500. The funds span large, mid and small caps, allow debt allocation for risk management, and aim wealth creation with cover.

Donating to charities offers tax benefits under Section 80G of the Income Tax Act. The Income Tax Department has clarified rules for these deductions. Taxpayers can claim benefits for donations to eligible institutions. Verification is done through Form 10BD. Different donation categories offer varying deduction limits. Cash donations over two thousand rupees are not eligible.

Indian mutual funds are set to buy more of the shortest maturity instruments as investors increasingly channel savings into sub one-year schemes, spurning longer duration debt including government bonds, fund managers said.

Our lives today are running on autopilot, leaving us with little time to think or reflect on our spending habits. Social media algorithms constantly show us products we may like or have recently searched for, while digital payment methods make shopping feel effortless. We often don't realise how much money we are mindlessly spending until we consciously review our expenses.

SIP inflows remained strong in November 2025, marking the second-highest monthly collection and extending a multi-year streak of robust and consistent investor participation.

The Punjab government has announced its official list of public and restricted holidays for state government offices in 2026. These holidays will be observed across all government offices, boards, corporations, and educational institutions under the state's purview. This annual release ensures clarity for public sector entities and aligns with the varied holiday schedules across Indian states.

The Karnataka Chartered Accountant Association has flagged the Income Tax Department's recent intimations. These emails, concerning mismatches in Annual Information Statements, property deals, and foreign assets, use a threatening tone. The association argues this causes undue stress to genuine taxpayers. They urge the department to adopt a facilitative approach, seeking explanations rather than demanding immediate revisions.

Six mutual funds made a complete exit from nine midcap stocks in November as part of active portfolio reshuffling, according to Nuvama Institutional Equities. Quant Mutual Fund led the sell-off by exiting three stocks, while Kotak Mutual Fund exited two.

DSP Mutual Fund has launched two new passive offeringsDSP Nifty 500 Index Fund and DSP Nifty Next 50 ETFproviding diversified, low-cost access to Indias equity markets. The NFOs aim to help investors build long-term portfolios using transparent, benchmark-linked strategies across market capitalisations.

Edelweiss Mutual Funds Altiva Hybrid Long Short Fund has crossed Rs 1,000 crore in assets under management within months of launch. The milestone reflects strong investor interest in the SIF strategy, which combines equity arbitrage, fixed income and special situations to deliver tax-efficient, consistent returns across market cycles.

Nilesh Shah of Kotak Mutual Fund says equity arbitrage fund taxation mirrors Chanakyas advice of gentle taxation. Despite low-volatility returns, Kotak Equity Arbitrage Fund generated significant government revenue through STCG and transaction charges, with total collections reaching up to 78% of investors net returns in FY25, according to his analysis.

In November, ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund adjusted its portfolio by increasing exposure in 455 stocks, including ITC and Eternal, while reducing stakes in 166 stocks, such as Mazagon Dock and RIL. The fund added 10 new entrants, exited four stocks, and maintained a diversified industry allocation, managing an AUM of Rs 11.41 lakh crore across 272 funds.

Silver ETFs have emerged as top performers in 2025, delivering triple-digit returns on the back of strong industrial demand and a sharp rally in silver prices. Experts advise partial profit-booking after the surge, while maintaining limited long-term exposure through disciplined rebalancing and staggered investments rather than aggressive lump-sum allocations.

Taxation of precious metalbased ETFs and FoFs varies by structure and holding period, with gold and silver ETFs taxed at 12.5% LTCG after one year.

Leasehold property owners in cities like Noida face specific payment systems. While initial agreements often involve a one-time premium, the enforceability of subsequent annual rent increases hinges on the original lease deed's clauses. Rajasthan's attempt to impose new lease rents after allotment was struck down by the High Court. Read more.

PFRDA has introduced significant changes for NPS subscribers, extending the exit age to 85 and increasing the 100% withdrawal limit to Rs 8 lakh. New systematic unit redemption options and corpus slabs streamline withdrawals, offering greater flexibility for government employees upon retirement or in case of death.