Business News

Hong Kong's Hang Seng index was up around 4 per cent. However, the Indian stock markets remained closed on Thursday due to the public holiday of Shri Mahavir Jayanti.

Jio Financial Services introduces digital loans against mutual funds and shares, offering loans up to Rs 1 crore at competitive rates. The JioFinance app provides a fully digital process for secured lending, allowing customers to leverage investments without selling them.

he RBI slashed the repo rate to 6.0% amid rising global trade tensions and downgraded India’s FY26 growth forecast. Inflation remains stable, while global uncertainty prompts the central bank to support a slowing economy.
 

The demand for 2 days off a week for bank employees is currently up in the air. The Union Finance Ministry has indicated that this proposal is unlikely to be implemented even in 2025-26 because it may disrupt banking operations.

Gold prices in key Saudi Arabian cities such as Dammam, Jeddah, and Riyadh tend to mirror international market trends. With global gold prices climbing to around $1800 per ounce, Saudi markets have also experienced a significant upward surge in gold rates.
 

Over the past few weeks, gold prices in Qatar—including major cities like Doha and Wakra—have been on the rise. This upward trend aligns with global market movements, driven by expectations that the US Federal Reserve may ease the pace of interest rate hikes.
 

As of today, the gold prices in the United Arab Emirates are as follows: AED 367 per gram for 24-karat gold, AED 340 per gram for 22-karat gold, and AED 278.20 per gram for 18-karat gold (also referred to as 999 gold).
 

The central government has increased the dearness allowance for central employees and dearness relief for pensioners by 2%. As a result, the dearness allowance has increased from 53% to 55% from January 2025. Government employees are about to hit the jackpot again in a few days.

Amitabh Kant highlights India's leadership in digital payments, accounting for 50% of global transactions. He credits India's open-source digital infrastructure and startup ecosystem for driving innovation and rapid economic growth.

Suhel Seth strongly backs Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal's criticism of Indian startups, calling most of them a "racket" and slamming founders for prioritising personal wealth over innovation.