The Economic Times

Ace investor Ashish Kacholia exited BEW Engineering entirely through a bulk deal, amid prolonged stock underperformance and declining prices, raising concerns about the companys near-term outlook despite its niche presence in pharmaceutical equipment manufacturing and past listing gains.

Seven stocks from the BSE 500 index slipped to their 52-week lows. A 52-week low marks the lowest level a stock has traded at over the past year, and is closely tracked by traders and investors to gauge valuations and potential future price trends.

Canara Robeco Large and Mid Cap Fund, a large and midcap fund managed by Canara Robeco Mutual Fund, turned a Rs 10,000 monthly SIP to Rs 1,97,34,611, delivering an XIRR of 16.89% in nearly 21 years since its inception.

Tenants ordered to vacate a dilapidated building in Varanasi can seek compensation or rehousing after demolition. The Allahabad High Court ruled that public safety, prioritized by municipal demolition notices, overrides tenancy rights. Tenants must pursue relief through separate legal proceedings after vacating.

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.