Business

Gold has maintained its strong momentum in 2026, as investors increasingly favour safety and capital protection over pursuing higher-risk returns. Ongoing global uncertainty, geopolitical tensions, and worries about economic growth have continued to enhance the appeal of the yellow metal. Silver has also performed well, ranking as the second-best asset class this year. However, the…

Oil prices extended their rally on Monday, climbing nearly 2% as stalled peace talks between the United States and Iran and continued disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz kept global supply under pressure.Brent crude futures rose $2.16, or 2.05%, to $107.49 a barrel, the highest since April 7, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) gained…

Despite a substantial increase in the coverage of health insurance or finance schemes, which only cover inpatient treatment, between 2017-18 and 2025, out-of-pocket expenditure by patients and their families still accounts for almost all of the spending on hospitalisation. This was revealed in the latest household consumption survey on health conducted by the National Statistical…

Union minister Piyush Goyal Agra: The free trade agreement (FTA) with New Zealand, scheduled to be signed on Monday, will provide huge opportunities for domestic firms, including leather exporters from the city of the Taj Mahal, commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal said Sunday. Goyal is here with the visiting New Zealand’s trade and investment…

Chennai: Summer vacations for Indians to exotic destinations have been disrupted as the West Asia conflict and a weakening rupee have pushed overseas tour package costs up by about 20%, offsetting the Centre’s cut in Tax Collected at Source (TCS) on such packages to 2% from 20% and 5%.The conflict has also led to a…

Precious metals gold and silver could remain under pressure in a holiday-shortened trading week as markets react to developments around US-Iran peace talks, movements in crude oil prices and key global central bank policy decisions, analysts said. According to analysts, sentiment in precious metals is expected to be shaped largely by geopolitical and macroeconomic triggers…

What if children picked up a ringing phone instead of a smartphone after school? This might sound strange, given the 21st centuary, the era of digital and smart devices. However, it is becoming a reality in some homes and schools, as a landline-style device called the Tin Can gains popularity among families trying to cut…

India’s wheat output for the 2025–26 crop year is expected to remain steady despite weather disruptions, the agriculture ministry said on Sunday, even as an industry estimate suggested lower production. The ministry said that the crop is “stable and resilient despite localised damage” caused by unseasonal rainfall and hailstorms. It described the season as “mixed…

A mix of global tensions, corporate earnings and key economic cues is set to shape stock market movement in the coming week, which will be shorter due to a market holiday on Friday for Maharashtra Day.Developments in the Middle East, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz, remain at the centre of investor attention, with their…

India and New Zealand are set to sign their long-pending Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on Monday at Bharat Mandapam, in the presence of Union commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal and New Zealand’s minister for trade and investment Todd McClay. The agreement, finalised in December 2025 after negotiations that began in March the same year,…