Gold and silver prices declined in early trade on Monday (March 16), reflecting pressure from a stronger US dollar and cautious investor sentiment ahead of key global central bank meetings. On the COMEX, gold futures fell $56.70, or 1.12%, to $5,005 per ounce, while silver dropped $1.738, or 2.14%, to $79.605 per ounce. Market participants…
The West Bengal government has announced that it will begin clearing long-pending dearness allowance (DA) arrears for its employees and pensioners starting March 2026. The move is expected to benefit government staff, retired employees, teachers, and workers of grant-in-aid institutions across the state. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the payments will be made in accordance…
Gold and silver prices declined in India on Monday (March 16) as global bullion prices weakened and investors reassessed the outlook for US interest rates amid elevated energy prices and geopolitical tensions. On the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), gold futures dropped ₹1,339 from the opening levels to ₹1.57 lakh per 10 grams, down 0.84% from…
Airport lounge access benefits on several credit and debit cards in India are set to change from April 2026, as banks revise reward structures and the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) updates rules for certain RuPay debit cards. The changes will affect both debit cardholders and some credit card users, with banks either discontinuing…
Asset management company Franklin Templeton said its Franklin India Money Market Fund has crossed ₹3,800 crore in assets under management (AUM) as the scheme completed 24 years of operations. Launched as an open-ended debt scheme, the fund invests in short-term money market instruments such as certificates of deposit (CDs), commercial papers (CPs), Treasury bills and…
Paytm has introduced a built-in calculator within its payment screen that allows users to add multiple amounts and confirm the total before completing a transaction. The feature enables users to calculate the final payable amount directly within the app while making a payment, removing the need to switch to a separate calculator application. The total…
HSBC Mutual Fund has launched its first exchange-traded fund (ETF) offerings in India with the introduction of the HSBC Gold ETF and the HSBC Gold ETF Fund of Fund, both aimed at providing investors exposure to gold through market-linked instruments. The new fund offer (NFO) for HSBC Gold ETF will remain open from March 16…
Health insurance coverage for Ayush treatments has formally moved closer to parity with modern medicine in recent years, but practical challenges in claim approvals and reimbursement continue to remain, according to Rajiv Vasudevan, founder and managing director of Apollo AyurVAID. Vasudevan said regulatory changes by the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) have…
Retail participation in mutual funds through systematic investment plans (SIPs) continued to grow in February 2026 despite heightened market volatility, according to data released by ICRA Analytics. SIP contributions stood at ₹29,845 crore in February 2026, marking a 14.79% increase from ₹25,999 crore in February 2025, reflecting continued participation from retail investors. However, on a…
WSFx Global Pay (GlobalPay) has launched a new prepaid forex card that allows users to switch between multiple currencies through a single card, as outbound travel from India continues to grow. The company said the Smart Switch Forex Card allows travellers to start with a single currency and later switch across up to 30 currencies…
