The Economic Times

Mid cap schemes invest in mid cap stocks or in stocks of medium-sized companies. As per Sebi norms, the mid cap mutual funds are mandated to invest in companies that are between 101 and 250 in the market capitalisation. These companies can be leaders of tomorrow. Thats what makes them great bets. If these companies live up to the promise, the market will reward the investors handsomely.

Employee associations are advocating for increased House Rent Allowance (HRA) rates for central government employees, aiming to tackle escalating rental prices in metropolitan areas. These suggestions have been forwarded to the 8th Pay Commission for evaluation. If accepted, Level 1-5 employees could see considerable boosts in their monthly HRA. The definitive report from the 8th Pay Commission will ultimately decide the revised HRA rates.

Income Tax Dept sent tax notice for Rs 9.6 lakh EPF interest which employee never received but erroneously shown in ITR as received; he fights and wins case in ITAT Mumbai. This judgement was delivered by Challa Nagendra Prasad, the Judicial Member, and Makarand Vasant Mahadeokar, the Accountant Member of ITAT Mumbai.

Bank holidays in India vary from state to state as they are based on local festivals and occasions. All scheduled and non-scheduled banks will observe public holidays on the second and fourth Saturdays along with Sundays and other regional holidays.

The Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Act, 2026 addresses existing dividend tax discrepancies for unitholders by granting unconditional exemptions. Despite this, the established withholding tax regulations for BTs have not been modified, leading to possible inconsistencies. Non-resident investors may need to submit tax returns to retrieve withheld taxes, highlighting the need for a future alignment of withholding practices with the new exemption framework.

Sebi proposed allowing net fund settlement for mutual fund cash market trades. This move aims to ease temporary liquidity pressures and improve settlement efficiency. Mutual funds can now net purchase and sale funds within the same settlement cycle. Securities settlement will continue on a gross, delivery basis under the new proposal. This change addresses market participant feedback regarding liquidity and operational inefficiencies.

The PFRDA has unveiled ten significant proposals aimed at reforming its Points of Presence rules to enhance the pension service landscape. These updates intend to streamline the onboarding process for subscribers while introducing fresh eligibility standards to include a wider range of entities as Points of Presence. Additionally, an annual fee structure will be implemented, and pension agents will receive a new designation.

Sebi has proposed allowing mutual fund schemes to settle cash-market fund obligations on a net basis for eligible outright transactions. The move could ease temporary liquidity pressures and reduce funding needs, particularly during index rebalancing or large inflows and outflows. Securities will continue to be settled on a gross delivery basis.

Aditya Birla Sun Life Flexi Cap Funds Rs 10,000 monthly SIP grew to Rs 7.25 crore from Rs 33.50 lakh invested since 1998, delivering 17.92% SIP returns and a 20.77% CAGR, outperforming the Nifty 500 TRI with active, flexible portfolio management.

The National Pension System (NPS) and the Employee Provident Fund (EPF) both serve unique purposes for retirement planning. The ultimate financial growth from these investments significantly relies on future market performance, allowing both options to potentially build substantial wealth over time.

ET Alpha Summit 2.0 will bring together leading investment voices to explore how niche alternative assets could shape the next phase of multi-generational wealth creation. The masterclass will examine emerging opportunities, onshoring trends and structural shifts, while weighing return potential against risk, complexity and liquidity.

Five equity mutual funds delivered over 20% annualised SIP returns over the past 10 years. Quant Small Cap led with 24.7%, followed by Nippon India Small Cap at 21.6%, while three midcap funds also crossed the 20% mark.

Jindal Worldwide shares hit a 52-week high and upper circuit after subsidiary Jindal Mobilitric announced plans to expand its retail network to around 100 showrooms by FY28. The EV expansion has driven strong investor interest, with shares gaining 66.28% year-to-date.

A husband and a wife bought a flat jointly for Rs 60 lakh, however, the stamp duty value stood at Rs 94.8 lakh, leading to a difference of Rs 34.8 lakh. The amont was added to the husband's income alone by the tax office, despite him having a lower ownership in the property. ITAT Mumbai has delivered a ruling which could have significant takeaways for property owners.

NRIs can now be nominees for India's small-savings schemes like PPF and NSC, a change from 2023. While they can receive proceeds, repatriation abroad is restricted and subject to FEMA and banking rules, typically requiring crediting to an NRO account first. Understand the nuances before naming an NRI nominee.

Wife accused husband of not providing basic needs and maintenance for their 16-year-old son while he was working abroad. She had initially filed a complaint with the Judicial Magistrate first class in Changanacherry. The husband won the case in Kerala High Court. Read the article to know how.

Choosing the right mutual fund requires more than simply picking schemes with strong past returns. ETMutualFunds has shortlisted 10 funds across five equity categories based on mean rolling returns, consistency, downside risk, outperformance and asset size, while considering investors goals, investment horizon and risk profile.

In an impressive performance, approximately thirty-seven equity mutual funds have surpassed the remarkable milestone of one hundred percent returns. The Motilal Oswal Midcap Fund stands out, boasting gains of one hundred fifty-nine percent. This surge is notably driven by mid and small cap funds, reflecting a broad trend of strong double-digit returns across diverse equity fund categories during this period.

Here are the latest 22k gold jewellery rates from from Malabar Gold & Diamonds, Joyalukkas, Kalyan Jewellers and Tanishq in New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Trivandrum and Bengaluru. Also see the latest 24k , 22k, 20k, 18k and 14k gold prices and the 999-purity silver rate from the Indian Bullion & Jewellers Association (IBJA) today.

The Railway Board has introduced updated regulations aimed at promoting family welfare by facilitating postings for employees with spouses. This initiative allows for couples working within the railways or related government sectors to be stationed together whenever possible. However, the availability of posts and administrative feasibility remain crucial factors influencing these placements.

In a pivotal ruling, India's supreme court has dismissed the regulatory challenges raised by market authorities against the National Stock Exchange. This verdict eliminates a major hurdle for the exchange's initial public offering, addressing previous controversies over co-location and dark fibre allegations. CNBC TV-18 provided coverage of this significant development on Thursday, paving the way for the IPO to proceed.

According to a September report by Religare Broking, these 10 companies across power, mining, finance, IT and energy offered dividend yields ranging from 3.3% to 9.7%.

Gold and silver remain attractive despite recent profit booking, supported by central bank demand and expectations of softer global interest rates. While gold could see further upside, silver is likely to remain more volatile. Heres a look at the outlook for both precious metals and how gold and silver investment products have performed.

International mutual funds have outperformed domestic peers across multiple time horizons, prompting investors to reassess overseas allocations. With some fund houses resuming subscriptions after earlier restrictions, experts recommend staggered investing rather than market timing. They favour international exposure for diversification, currency hedging and access to global sectors, while cautioning against chasing recent returns and recommending disciplined, strategic asset allocation.

Beginning October 1, 2026, State Bank of India will implement a change in its policy regarding free ATM transactions for salary account holders. These customers will be limited to five free withdrawals each month; any transactions beyond that will incur charges.

According to the Sebi mandate, the large cap mutual funds are mandated to invest in top 100 companies by market capitalisation. Large companies fare better in a volatile market as these companies may be market leaders and resilient to downturns. That is why if you are looking for a relatively safer mutual fund category, you should consider investing in large cap funds.

Becoming a loan guarantor creates significant financial and credit obligations for individuals. The guaranteed loan appears on your credit report and affects borrowing capacity. Borrower defaults can negatively impact your credit score and future loan access. Lenders can pursue guarantors directly for the full loan amount. Carefully review all loan and guarantee documents before agreeing to become a guarantor.