Gold demand outlook: Import duty hike may reduce India’s demand by 50-60 tonnes in 2026; WGC flags impact

India’s gold demand is likely to decline by 50-60 tonnes in calendar year 2026, or about 10 per cent lower than the previous year, following the recent increase in import duty, according to the World Gold Council (WGC), PTI reported. In its India gold market update, WGC said: “Looking at 2026 as a whole, we … Read more

India’s tryst with oil shocks: How crude prices shaped economy and policy in last five decades

Every major oil shock has left a mark on India, sometimes through inflation, sometimes through foreign exchange pressure, and occasionally through wider economic change. The country’s 1991 balance-of-payments crisis unfolded against a backdrop of rising oil prices. High crude costs later pushed difficult conversations around subsidies, fuel deregulation and energy security. More recently, shifts in … Read more

Khosla and Desai come to the Musk-Altman party

Vinod Khosla; Anand Desai TOI correspondent from Washington: If the dotcom era gave investors dreams of effortless millions and the crypto boom offered visions of digital billions, the coming IPOs of SpaceX and OpenAI – likely in June and September respectively – promise something more intoxicating: trillion-dollar fantasies wrapped in Silicon Valley superlatives. One company … Read more

Will the US Federal Reserve hike rates again? Governor Chris Waller joins hawkish camp

US Federal Reserve Governor Chris Waller has joined a growing group of policymakers calling for the central bank to signal that its next move may not necessarily be an interest rate cut as inflation pressures remain elevated, AFP reported.The comments come as the US economy continues to grapple with stubborn price pressures, with consumer inflation … Read more

India blocks China’s WTO panel bid over solar support measures, dispute set for next stage

India has blocked China’s request to establish a dispute settlement panel at the World Trade Organization (WTO) in a case challenging New Delhi’s support measures for the solar cells, modules and information technology sectors, PTI reported.China had earlier this month approached the WTO’s dispute settlement body seeking the formation of a panel after bilateral consultations … Read more

AIIB launches $10 billion support facility for countries hit by Middle East conflict, India among key shareholders

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has launched a $10 billion fund facility to support member countries affected by the economic fallout of the ongoing Middle East conflict, PTI reported. India is the second-largest shareholder in the China-led multilateral lender after China.The Beijing-headquartered bank said the newly launched Energy, Food Security and Economic Resilience Facility … Read more

RBI announces record Rs 2.87 lakh crore dividend payout to Centre, surplus transfer rises again

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Friday announced a record dividend payout of Rs 2.87 lakh crore to the government for FY26, providing additional fiscal space amid evolving global and geopolitical challenges, PTI reported. The decision on the surplus transfer was taken at the 623rd meeting of the RBI Central Board of Directors chaired … Read more

SBI Mutual Fund raises Bandhan Bank bet, stake crosses 5% mark after fresh share purchase

SBI Mutual Fund has increased its holding in private sector lender Bandhan Bank, with its stake crossing the 5 per cent threshold following an additional purchase of shares from the open market, PTI reported.In a regulatory filing, Bandhan Bank said the final holding of SBI Mutual Fund, through its various schemes, stood at 8,12,46,734 shares … Read more

Hormuz crisis: Venezuela becomes India’s third-largest crude oil supplier in May

Venezuela has emerged as India’s third-largest crude oil supplier so far in May, overtaking Saudi Arabia and the United States, as Indian refiners increased purchases of cheaper heavy crude amid disruptions linked to the ongoing West Asia conflict.The South American nation supplied around 417,000 barrels per day (bpd) to India this month, sharply higher than … Read more