Think of Singapore, Dubai or even Morocco and their image as world-class financial hubs is matched by the sheer number of global majors making their presence felt in these cities and their special economic zones. The vast breadth and depth of activities around the financial markets is worthy of emulation.In addition, these cities and economic zones also happen to be tax havens or low-tax regions making them all the more attractive for global investors and financial institutions to set up and run operations, ...

Market Performance - The Nifty 100 index has shown no returns since June 27, 2025, while the Midcap 150 index has increased by 1.1% and the Smallcap 250 index has decreased by 9% [1][2] - Since September 27, 2024, the Nifty 100 index has declined by 3.8%, the Midcap 150 index by 1.2%, and the Smallcap 250 index by 12.8% [2][18] Fixed Deposit (FD) Rates - Many banks and small finance banks are offering FD rates between 7% and 7.9%, despite some banks cutting rates following the Reserve Bank of India's repo rate cut [2][18] - Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) banks are offering FD rates above 6.5%, while private banks are providing rates up to 7.85%, and small finance banks are offering the highest rate of 7.9% [6][18] Investor Sentiment - In the current investment climate, capital protection is prioritized, making FD returns appear favorable [8][18] - Investors are favoring safety and guaranteed returns over higher but uncertain returns in volatile markets, leading to a psychological advantage for FD investors [9][18] Asset Allocation and Strategy - FDs are seen as stabilizing portfolios, providing liquidity, and protecting capital during market downturns [13][14] - Long-term investors are advised to maintain a disciplined asset allocation strategy, focusing on rebalancing rather than panic selling during market corrections [16][17]

Apple is reportedly holding discussions with Indian banks and international card networks to launch its payment service in the country. ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank and Axis Bank are among the lenders involved in the talks, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter. According to the report, the iPhone maker is targeting the launch of Apple Pay around the middle of 2026. The schedule may change, but the talks indicate preparations are underway. Apple is also in conversations with Mastercard an ...

The pilot is being implemented by the Puducherry government, the RBI, the Public Financial Management System (PFMS) and Canara BankCurrently being piloted in Puducherry, the Centre plans to expand the initiative to three to four states and UTs, including Chandigarh and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, “soon”Beneficiaries will get digital coupons in their CBDC wallets, which can then be used to redeem the entitled quantity of foodgrains at merchant outletsThe Centre yesterday rolled out a central bank digital currenc ...

A bench comprising justices Dipankar Datta and Augustine George Masih held that there is no statutory bar under the "The Judge is not to innovate at pleasure. He is not a knight errant roaming at will in pursuit of his own ideal of beauty or of goodness," Justice Datta wrote in the opening of the 47-page judgment. "Thus, whilst approving that the IBC is not a recovery proceeding, we negate the contention that CIRP can be prohibited against a guarantor or co-borrower only on that ground."It seems prudent th ...

Group 1 - Apple is in discussions with several Indian banks and global card networks to launch its Apple Pay service in India [1] - The company is negotiating with ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, and Axis Bank, aiming for a service introduction around mid-2026 [1]

Sensex rose 143 points to open at 82,418.78 today, while the Nifty 50 index gained around 74 points to 25,556.30.Top gainers and losersIT stocks, including Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services (UltraTech Cement, Axis Bank, Live EventsDespite the uptrend in stock markets today, analysts advise caution. Ajit Mishra, SVP of Research at Global marketsUS stock markets ended higher on Wednesday after The S&P Software & Services index jumped 2.9%. NVIDIA shares jumped around 3%, while Microsoft shares gained over 2 ...

Equity markets appear poised for their next leg of expansion after nine months of tight consolidation, with the Nifty trading in a narrow 5–6 per cent band amid global uncertainties and earnings recalibrations. According to PL Capital’s latest India Strategy report, the index has weathered a 9–9.5 per cent moderation in FY26–27 EPS estimates, yet underlying corporate performance remains resilient.The base case assumes the Nifty index with a 12-month target of 27,958. In a bullish scenario, a 20x multiple im ...

Nifty Bank index began today’s session with a gap-up at 61,175 versus Tuesday’s close of 61,047. It rose after opening and is now at 61,230, up 0.3 per cent.The advance-decline ratio stands at 10-4 now. Canara Bank (up 1.3 per cent) and ICICI Bank (up 0.8 per cent) are the top gainers.At the other end, AU Small Finance Bank (down 0.7 per cent) and IDFC First Bank (down 0.4 per cent) are the top losers.Nifty Private Bank is up nearly 0.4 per cent and Nifty PSU Bank has gained 0.3 per cent. Therefore, the pri ...

Banking Sector - Caution expressed regarding IDFC First Bank following a fraud episode, indicating a need for thorough system and process checks [1][4] - IDFC First Bank may not recover for one to two quarters, with expectations for the stock to remain range-bound until uncertainties are resolved [1][4] - Possible deposit outflows and near-term growth impact flagged for both IDFC First Bank and AU Small Finance Bank, with a recommendation to avoid AU for now [1][4] - PSU bank returns are cyclical and near peak levels, but they may continue to perform well over the next couple of years [1][4] - Preference reiterated for private sector banks, with confidence in large private lenders such as ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank, particularly due to margin recovery at HDFC Bank [1][4] IT Sector - Negative sentiment around the IT sector is viewed as overdone, with falling valuations creating attractive opportunities for long-term investors [1][4] - Large-cap IT companies trading at 10-15 times earnings are considered compelling, supported by dividend yields of 2-3% [1][4] - The sector has been beaten down due to the artificial intelligence wave, but companies are expected to adapt and use AI as a growth lever [1][4] Cigarette Industry - Government tax tinkering remains a significant overhang for cigarette companies, keeping stocks like ITC largely range-bound and increasingly cyclical [1][4] - While attractive valuations and dividends can make these stocks appealing at lower levels, policy uncertainty limits their potential as long-term compounders [1][4] Market Outlook - Overall market conditions emphasize the importance of valuation discipline and selectivity, with opportunities emerging in beaten-down sectors like IT [1][4] - Investors remain cautious on banks facing governance questions and sectors exposed to policy risks [1][4]