Mumbai: Gold loans have expanded fourfold since March 2022, and their share in the retail credit portfolio is now second only to housing loans at Rs 16.8 lakh crore. However, despite the growth the business is disproportionately concentrated in South India with three states accounting for over 50% of all gold loans.According to the Gold…
MUMBAI: Govt’s shift to drone-based land mapping has lifted rural credit flows, with sanctioned loan amounts rising 23% after residential plots were converted into verifiable collateral under the SVAMITVA scheme, according to an April 2026 working paper published by the economic advisory council to the Prime Minister.The move replaces informal land demarcation with legally recognised,…
NEW DELHI: The Indian economy is seen to be relatively better placed to face the impact of the West Asia crisis, two global agencies said on Tuesday.The International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) latest World Economic Outlook revised upwards India’s growth projection for the current fiscal year to 6.5%, against 6.2% estimated earlier, citing the strong momentum…
One 97 Communications Ltd, which operates the Paytm brand, has become a majority Indian-owned and controlled company after domestic investors raised their stake to 50.3% as of March-end 2026, PTI reported.The shift marks a structural change in ownership for the fintech firm, with domestic shareholding rising steadily in recent quarters, reflecting growing investor confidence.Domestic institutional…
Oil prices declined sharply on Tuesday as hopes of renewed talks between the US and Iran eased concerns over prolonged supply disruptions, even as underlying risks to global energy flows remained elevated. Brent crude futures fell $3.93, or 3.96%, to $95.43 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude dropped $6.60, or 6.66%, to…
Gold prices traded higher in the domestic futures market on Tuesday, tracking firm global cues and improved sentiment amid easing dollar pressure and hopes of renewed geopolitical talks.On the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), gold futures for the June 2026 contract rose Rs 1,981, or 1.30%, to Rs 1,54,053 per 10 grams. The contract touched a…
Wall Street extended its gains on Tuesday, with investors stepping back into equities amid fresh signals that diplomatic efforts could ease tensions in the Middle East, even as corporate earnings remained in sharp focus.The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 227.05 points, or 0.47%, to 48,445.30, while the S&P 500 gained 32.09 points, or 0.47%, to…
Russia’s oil and fuel export revenues rebounded in March, recovering from February’s lows as global prices surged amid the Iran war, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).Russia’s revenues from crude oil and refined products rose in March after falling to their lowest level since the start of the Ukraine conflict in 2022 in February,…
On the sidelines of the IMF and World Bank spring meetings, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said Pakistan remains capable of meeting its debt obligations. (AI image) With its finances severely strained, Pakistan is scrambling for options to replace the $3.5 billion facility from the United Arab Emirates and stabilise its foreign exchange reserves. The country…
Trump has warned that any ship in international waters that had paid transit fees to Iran could be intercepted. (AI image) The Donald Trump administration has implemented a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz amid the US-Iran ceasefire even as peace talks have failed. What does this blockade of the crucial Strait of Hormuz by…