The average long-term US mortgage rate edged higher this week, ending a three-week decline as bond yields rose amid oil-price pressures linked to the war with Iran.The benchmark 30-year fixed mortgage rate increased to 6% from 5.98% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said on Thursday. A year ago, the average rate stood at 6.63%,…
US stock markets fell on Thursday as investors turned cautious after the previous session’s rally, while rising oil prices and geopolitical tensions weighed on sentiment.The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 801 points, or 1.6 per cent, dragged down by losses in stocks such as Caterpillar and Goldman Sachs. The S&P 500 declined 0.9 per cent,…
Maharashtra continues to remain India’s largest state economy in absolute terms, but its economic growth has been the slowest among the country’s four biggest state economies over the past four years, according to official data.The state’s Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) is projected at Rs 42,67,771 crore in 2024-25, the highest among all states, reported…
Rising tensions in West Asia and the possibility of disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz could pose a serious threat to India’s tea exports to key Gulf markets, industry representatives have warned.The Tea Association of India said a large share of the country’s tea shipments to the Persian Gulf region moves through the…
Benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty rebounded sharply on Thursday, rising more than 1 per cent as Indian equities tracked a rally in global markets following recent heavy losses triggered by the conflict in West Asia.Snapping a four-session losing streak, the 30-share BSE Sensex surged 899.71 points or 1.14 per cent to close at 80,015.90. During…
The ongoing conflict in the Middle East could pose short-term challenges for the Indian economy by pushing up oil prices and disrupting trade flows, though the country’s long-term growth trajectory is unlikely to be significantly affected, according to Nagesh Kumar, an external member of the Reserve Bank of India’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC).In an emailed…
As tensions continue to heat up in the Middle East, concerns are raising about disruptions to one of the world’s most critical energy shipping routes, the Strait of Hormuz. Any disruption could significantly affect major oil-importing countries such as India, as the narrow Strait of Hormuz is central to global energy trade. The strait sees…
With March 31, 2026, serving as the definitive cut-off, only those investments and expenditures completed on or before this date qualify for tax benefits. (AI image) As the financial year draws to a close, millions of salaried taxpayers across India enter a decisive phase. What was once a routine process of submitting investment proofs to…
Until these regulations take effect and prove their worth through actual enforcement, your best defence is radical simplicity. For years, I have been writing about how the personal finance system is designed to extract money from ordinary savers rather than serve them. Just a few weeks ago, I discussed a book by John Campbell and…
In the coming week, the 158,000 level is expected to act as a crucial support zone. (AI image) Gold and silver price prediction: Gold prices may rally towards Rs 1.72 lakh and silver prices to Rs 3 lakh, says Abhilash Koikkara, Head – Forex & Commodities, Nuvama Professional Clients Group. MCX Gold Price Outlook On…