The Economic Times

Gold prices saw a dip on April 27, 2026. Leading jewellery brands like Tanishq, Kalyan Jewellers, Joyalukkas, and Malabar Gold & Diamonds reported lower rates. The India Bullion and Jewellers Association also confirmed the decline. Consumers can check updated rates for 18k, 22k, and 24k gold across major cities. This offers a potential buying opportunity for gold enthusiasts.

Bandhan Small Cap Fund has delivered the highest CAGR since its inception on February 25, 2020. The fund generated a CAGR of 28.79% and managed AUM of Rs 20,129 crore as of March 2026.

ET Wealth Reader's Query: I am the only earning member of my family. My company has given me a bonus of Rs 2 lakh this year (after deducting TDS), which has been credited to my salary account. If I gift this amount to my wife and she puts it in a fixed deposit, will the interest earned be taxed in my hands or hers?

HSBC Mutual Fund introduces RedHex SIF, a new specialized investment fund in India. This offering provides investors with focused strategies and portfolio flexibility. It operates within the familiar mutual fund structure, emphasizing transparency and governance. RedHex SIF targets experienced, institutional, and HNI investors with a minimum investment of Rs 10 lakh.

Over the past decade, silver has outshone gold, equities, bonds, and real estate to become the best-performing asset class, driven by strong long-term returns and favourable supply-demand dynamics.

Rising healthcare costs necessitate enhanced coverage beyond base policies. Super top-up plans offer this crucial protection, acting as an add-on to existing insurance. A detailed comparison of plans from Care, HDFC Ergo, Aditya Birla, ICICI Lombard, and Niva Bupa helps policyholders choose the best fit for their needs and budget.

Investors often over-diversify with too many mutual funds, leading to duplication and management issues. A viewer's portfolio of 15 funds was analyzed, revealing significant overlap. Experts recommend reducing to 5-6 high-quality schemes aligned with goals and risk, while also addressing the corpus shortfall.

New Income Tax Rules, 2026, effective April 1, 2026, mandate PAN for several high-value transactions. Form 97 replaces Form 60, but its use is significantly reduced. Transactions like purchasing motor vehicles over Rs 5 lakh, opening demat accounts, and investing in mutual funds above Rs 50,000 now require a PAN.

Non-resident Indians can now get credit cards in India. These cards offer benefits for spending both in India and abroad. Several banks like ICICI, IDFC FIRST, Kotak, and Axis Bank provide options. Features include reward points, lounge access, and waivers on fuel and foreign transactions. Applicants need to provide specific documents for approval.

Rule 144 is simply 2 Rule 72. Just as Rule 72 estimates doubling time, Rule 144 estimates quadrupling time.

The Reserve Bank of India has set the premature redemption price for Sovereign Gold Bond SGB 2020-21 Series-I. Investors can redeem these bonds from April 28, 2026. The redemption price is fixed at Rs 15,124 per unit. This offers investors a substantial return of nearly 230% on their initial investment, excluding interest.

International funds have delivered up to 50% returns in one year, supported by a global tech rally, rupee depreciation, and strong earnings. But with fresh subscriptions halted due to RBIs overseas investment limits, experts say investors should stay invested, rebalance if allocation has risen sharply, and avoid chasing short-term returns.

While income proof is often perceived as mandatory for credit cards in India, it's not always the case. Banks consider various factors beyond salary, including credit score and repayment history. Secured credit cards against fixed deposits offer an accessible route for those without traditional income proof, enabling them to build a credit profile.

Bosses often pressure employees to work on off-days for targets, but Indian labour laws protect your right to rest. Employees generally cannot be forced to work on Sundays or public holidays without consent or compensation. Documenting such requests is crucial for enforcing your rights and seeking compensation.

Alternative assets like REITs and InvITs have surpassed traditional investments. These instruments offer attractive returns and tax efficiency. Investors are increasingly drawn to these assets for predictable cash flows. The market cap of these listed entities provides ample diversification opportunities. Investors can anticipate strong internal rates of return over a four-year holding period.

Health insurance coverage has grown significantly in India. However, patients continue to pay most hospitalisation bills themselves. Rural patients spent about 95% of costs from their own pockets. Urban patients also paid a large portion. Hospitalisation costs have nearly doubled. The number of hospitalisations per 1,000 people remains steady.

Gold prices edged up on April 27, 2026, across major Indian jewellers. Geopolitical factors like US-Iran tensions and a strong US dollar influenced the yellow metal's rates. Treasury yields also played a role in the price movement. Analysts suggest gold may remain rangebound without a significant geopolitical development. Jewellery brands like Tanishq and Kalyan Jewellers reported slight price adjustments.

Global gold demand as ETF inflows and bar and coin buying surged, shifting consumption away from jewellery. Rising prices curbed discretionary purchases, while investment demand strengthened globally and in India amid geopolitical uncertainty, diversification needs, and sustained central bank accumulation.

A joint report by EY and FICCI suggests lowering the GST on luxury hotel rooms to 9%. This move aims to make India a more competitive tourist destination. The report highlights that current taxes and costs make India appear expensive compared to countries like Thailand. Reducing the tax could attract more international visitors and boost the tourism sector.

Despite a challenging FY26, marked by volatility and weak benchmark returns, eleven mutual funds across categories consistently outperformed, delivering superior risk-adjusted returns and showcasing resilience through changing market conditions and trends.

Railway Board writes that the zone-wise annual MoU targets for manpower rationalisation (redistribution+surrender) Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for the year 202627 have been conveyed to the Efficiency and Research (E&R) Directorate for inclusion in annual performance agreements (MoUs).

Federation of National Postal Organisations's (FNPO) memorandum included issues related to postal assistants, sorting assistants, postmen, mail guards, civil wing, admin offices, accounts, marketing executives, systems administrators, development officers (PLI), among others. Here are the key demands of FNPO from the 8th Pay Commission.

Contract workers often seek permanent jobs after long service. Indian courts examine if contractor arrangements are genuine or a ploy to avoid obligations. Key factors include control, hiring, and payment. While continuity of workers under different contractors can raise questions, it is not always decisive. Legal outcomes vary based on the specific facts of each case.

Tata Mutual Fund has launched the Titanium Equity Long-Short Fund under its Titanium SIF platform, offering a dynamic long-short equity strategy with net exposure ranging from -25% to 100%. Aimed at high-risk investors, the NFO is open until May 11.

Hyderabad gold rate today 24k, 22k, 18k: As per the latest trends in the city, the price of 24 karat gold was between Rs 15,443-15,906 per gram levels while 22 karat gold was largely priced between Rs 14,155 to Rs 14,643 per gram.

Investing a Rs 2 crore corpus effectively requires prioritising goals and building a strategic, inflation-adjusted allocation across equity, debt, gold and cash to fund a childs overseas education, future marriage, retirement and emergency needs.

Investors are reassessing investment choices due to rising fixed deposit rates and market fluctuations. Experts advise maintaining a long-term equity strategy for aggressive investors, even with short-term volatility. The decision between FDs and debt funds depends on liquidity needs and tax brackets. Diversification within equity portfolios is also recommended for wealth creation.

Bank of India Small Cap Fund leads five-year returns with a 30.83% CAGR. The fund shows strong performance across various periods, driven by disciplined stock selection and focus on business fundamentals. Experts highlight sector exposure and India's growth themes. However, concerns about current valuations and sustainability of high returns exist. Investors should consider risk tolerance and long-term goals before investing.

Silver and gold ETFs saw gains of up to 3% on Monday, despite a lower opening for bullion prices on MCX. Rising crude oil prices fueled inflation concerns, reinforcing expectations of prolonged high interest rates. Experts suggest this consolidation phase offers an attractive window for long-term investors to accumulate precious metals.

Gilt funds are being recommended to aggressive debt investors for potential double-digit returns during anticipated RBI interest rate cuts. These funds invest in government securities, offering no credit risk but high sensitivity to interest rate changes. Investors should have a long-term horizon and be informed about economic cycles to benefit from these volatile, yet potentially rewarding, schemes.

Sukanya Samriddhi Account interest rate: The Sukanya Samriddhi Account (SSA) currently offers an 8.2% annual interest rate, compounded annually, with revisions occurring quarterly. This government-backed scheme allows parents to invest for their daughter's long-term financial future, with contributions required for 15 years and a maturity term of 21 years.

An Indian airline has been ordered to pay Rs 1.19 lakh to passengers for losing checked-in baggage containing sacred items and costly clothes. The Jammu and Kashmir consumer commission awarded Rs 89,000 in compensation for the lost items, plus Rs 20,000 for mental agony and Rs 10,000 for litigation fees.

The primary rule to follow is: do not make rash and immediate decisions. Take time to consider what you have inherited and how to use it in a way that enriches your life. By all means, include your family in your decisionmaking process. But do not allow them to influence your decisions against your own best interests.

From phonics to piano, music to drama, activity classes for pre-schoolers are growing fastand so is the cost of raising a well-rounded child.

If you spot discrepancies in your EPS contributions, take immediate corrective measures or face rejection in EPF withdrawal or transfer claims later.

Steady performance signals a resilient approach geared for long-term wealth creation.

Deloitte Indias Aakash Sharma & Suchintan Chatterjee talk to Yasmin Hussain on insurance dark patterns.

When you invest in a passive fund, you are giving up the chances of getting the alpha, i.e. outperformance of your fund over the benchmark. An active fund can generate alpha even after expenses. But in a passive fund, you are protecting yourself against underperformance.

Alternative Investment Funds have delivered an average alpha of 9% over the Sensex, but most of that exists only in valuations, not in cash returned to investors. Heres what to look out for before you commit a crore.

Brilliant students often get stuck in careers, while average performers thrive. This happens because intelligence is an engine, not a driver; overconfidence creates blind spots; and the prestige trap limits careful choices. Recognizing signs like Sunday dread and a drained feeling signals a need for a career switch.

If you are confused by personal finance terms, jargon and calculations, heres a series to simplify and deconstruct these for you. In the 100th part of this series, Riju Mehta explains the difference between these two types of business expenses.