BUSINESS

HDFC Bank gets RBI approval to raise stake in IndusInd Bank to 9.5 per cent

HDFC Bank has received RBI approval to raise its stake in IndusInd Bank up to 9.5 per cent. The clearance is subject to compliance with banking, securities and foreign exchange regulations, and bars board representation New Delhi: HDFC Bank has got the Reserve Bank’s nod to hike its stake in another private sector lender, IndusInd Bank, up to 9.5 per cent. “We would like to inform you that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) vide its letter dated December 15, 2025, has accorded its approval to HDFC Bank (applicant) to acquire ‘aggregate holding’ of up to 9.50 per cent of the paid-up share capital or voting rights in IndusInd Bank,” IndusInd Bank said in a regulatory filing. The RBI approval has…

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Unemployment rate falls to seven-month low of 4.7 per cent in November

India’s unemployment rate fell to a seven-month low of 4.7 per cent in November 2025, driven by stronger rural employment and rising female participation, signalling improving labour market conditions despite urban joblessness remaining higher New Delhi: Unemployment Rate (UR) for persons aged 15 years and above declined to a record low of 4.7 per cent in November 2025, compared to 5.2 per cent in the previous month of October 2025. The UR among persons aged 15 and above decreased to 4.7 per cent in November 2025, the lowest level since April 2025, according to the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI). The Ministry further stated that in November 2025, the rural UR fell to a new low of 3.9 per…

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India seeks WTO consultations with EU over ferro-alloy import curbs

India has sought consultations with the European Union at the WTO over safeguard measures imposing import quotas on certain ferro-alloy elements. New Delhi said the curbs would impact Indian exports, even as India and the EU negotiate a free trade agreement New Delhi: India has sought consultations with the European Union under the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) safeguard agreement over the EU’s decision to impose import quotas on certain ferro-alloy elements, used in the iron and steel industry. According to a communication circulated by the World Trade Organisation (WTO), India has a major trade interest in the export of these elements. The imposition of duties under the safeguard measures over a certain quota will impact exports of these items from India to the…

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Stock markets decline in early trade dragged by foreign fund outflows, weak global trends

Indian equities opened lower as Sensex and Nifty fell amid persistent foreign fund outflows, weak global cues and risk-off sentiment. Asian and US markets declined, while select stocks gained. FIIs sold, DIIs supported, limiting deeper downside during early Tuesday trade Mumbai: Benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty declined in early trade on Tuesday as persistent foreign fund outflows and weak global market trends dented investors’ sentiment. The 30-share BSE Sensex declined 363.92 points to 84,849.44 during initial trade. The 50-share NSE Nifty dropped 106.65 points to 25,920.65. From the Sensex firms, Eternal, Axis Bank, HCL Tech, Infosys, Tata Steel, and Bharat Electronics were among the major laggards. However, Bharti Airtel, Asian Paints, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles, and Titan were among the gainers.…

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With $600 bn net worth, Musk moves closer to becoming world’s first trillionaire

Elon Musk has become the first person to cross a $600 billion net worth, driven by rising valuations of SpaceX, Tesla and xAI. The billionaire is now widely seen as moving towards becoming the world’s first trillionaire. New Delhi: Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has taken another step towards becoming the world’s first trillionaire, according to reports. With his company SpaceX reportedly launching a tender offer, valuing the firm at $800 billion, Musk’s net worth has surged by $168 billion to an estimated $677 billion, according to reports. Musk is now the first person ever worth $600 billion or more, reports Forbes. SpaceX is aiming for an initial public offering (IPO) next year that may value the firm at around…

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Equity markets decline in early trade dragged by services, realty stocks, FII outflows

Sensex and Nifty fell in early trade due to losses in services and  realty stocks and continued FII outflows. Despite strong economic indicators and expected earnings growth, volatility persists amid rupee depreciation and global cues ahead of key US inflation and Fed meetings Mumbai: Equity benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty declined in early trade on Monday weighed down by losses in services and realty stocks and sustained foreign fund outflows. The 30-share BSE Sensex dropped 316.52 points, or 0.37 per cent, to 85,395.85 in the morning trade. The 50-share NSE Nifty declined by 106.70 points, or 0.41 per cent, to 26,079.75. From the Sensex firms, Bajaj Finance, Bharat Electronics Ltd, Axis Bank, Bajaj Finserv, Maruti Suzuki India, Asian Paints, Mahindra & Mahindra, NTPC,…

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Rupee falls 16 paise to 90.11 against US dollar in early trade

The rupee weakened to 90.11 per US dollar amid high crude prices and persistent FPI outflows. Strong corporate dollar demand, RBI’s recent rate cut impact, and anticipation of the Fed’s policy decision added pressure, while India–US trade talks begin December 10 Mumbai: The rupee depreciated 16 paise to 90.11 against the US dollar in early trade on Monday, weighed down by elevated crude oil prices and persistent foreign fund outflows. Forex traders said strong dollar demand from corporates, importers and foreign portfolio investors pressurised the rupee. At the interbank foreign exchange, the rupee opened at 90.07 against the US dollar then dropped to 90.11, down 16 paise from its previous close. On Friday, the rupee settled at 89.95 against the US dollar,…

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UIDAI to mandate registration for Aadhaar offline verification entities

UIDAI is set to notify a new rule requiring hotels, event organisers and other entities conducting Aadhaar-based offline verification to register for access to QR code and app-based authentication. The upcoming app aims to enhance privacy, reduce paper use and streamline verification. New Delhi: A new rule to discourage entities like hotels, event organisers, etc, from taking photocopy of Aadhaar cards of customers and storing them in physical form will be published soon, a senior government official said. Such practices are in contravention of the present Aadhaar Act.The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) CEO Bhuvnesh Kumar told PTI that the authority has approved a new rule mandating registration of entities that seek Aadhaar-based verification like hotels, event organisers, etc, to…

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Coking coal imports rise in Oct on winter restocking, general coal shipments decline

In October, overall coal imports fell 3.9% due to surplus domestic supply, while coking coal imports rose 12% driven by winter restocking. Government initiatives like the Coking Coal Mission aim to boost domestic production and reduce reliance on imports New Delhi: Coal imports in October saw a mixed trend with general coal shipments declining while coking coal imports rose. The fall in overall coal imports was on account of availability of surplus coal in the domestic market. Coking coal shipments increased 12 per cent to 5.04 million tonnes (MT) during the month over 4.50 MT a year earlier, driven primarily by winter restocking activities by steel mills. Coking coal is a critical raw material used in steel production. Overall coal imports…

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Mcap of five of top-10 most-valued firms surges Rs 72,285 cr; TCS, Infosys biggest winners

Five of India’s top-10 most valued firms, led by TCS and Infosys, added over ₹72,284 crore in market value last week, while Reliance, HDFC Bank, SBI, L&T and LIC saw declines. TCS gained the most, adding nearly Rs 36,000 crore New Delhi: The combined market valuation of five of the top-10 most valued firms surged by Rs 72,284.74 crore last week, with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and Infosys emerging as the biggest winners. While Bharti Airtel, TCS, ICICI Bank, Infosys and Bajaj Finance were the gainers, Reliance Industries, HDFC Bank, State Bank of India, Larsen & Toubro, and Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) faced erosion from their valuation. Last week, the BSE benchmark eked out a marginal gain of 5.7…

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