Business

Prices of consumer electronics such as air conditioners, refrigerators, washing machines, televisions and smartphones are set to rise again by the end of April, marking the third round of increases in four months amid sustained cost pressures on key inputs.Industry executives, cited by ET, said elevated prices of crude-linked derivatives like plastics, along with a … Read more

As the weekend approaches, many customers often check whether banks are open or closed on Saturday for pending financial work.So customers should know, that this Saturday, April 18, 2026, bank branches are open across India as it is the third Saturday of the month.Under the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) holiday structure, banks are closed … Read more

The Cabinet on Saturday approved a 2 per cent increase in Dearness Allowance (DA) for Central government employees, as per sources.This comes amid wider demands from employee bodies for major changes in pay structure under the proposed 8th Pay Commission.In its memorandum, the National Council-Joint Consultative Machinery (NC-JCM) has sought a higher fitment factor of … Read more

Iran is planning to tighten its grip over the Strait of Hormuz with new transit fees to regulate ship movement through the route. However, the country has ruled out charging any “traditional fees” on ships passing through it.Ebrahim Rezaei, spokesman for Iran’s National Security Committee told Al Jazeera that a law is being drafted to … Read more

Wall Street benchmarks closed at record highs on Friday, as easing geopolitical tensions in West Asia fuelled a broad risk rally across global markets, sending equities higher and oil lower.The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite notched their third straight record closes, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average posted its strongest finish since late February. Gains … Read more

The US administration has decided to extend a narrow window for global buyers to purchase Russian oil shipments already at sea, despite earlier indications that such relief would not continue.Late Friday, the US Treasury Department published a new licence granting a roughly month-long waiver, which allows nations to buy Russian oil and petroleum products loaded … Read more

MUMBAI: Vijay Singh, a former Indian defence secretary whose eligibility as a trustee has come under legal challenge, absented himself from the board meeting of the Bai Hirabai Jamsetji Tata Navsari Charitable Institution on Friday, the latest sign of an intensifying governance dispute within India’s most powerful philanthropic network.The challenge was brought by Mehli Mistry, … Read more

NEW DELHI: Indian oil companies, fertiliser importers and exporters are cheering the opening of the Strait of Hormuz for global commercial vessels.There are 41 India-bound ships, both Indian and foreign-flagged, loaded with cargo, including crude, LPG, LNG and fertiliser, that are waiting to cross the narrow channel, where Iran has blocked normal movement since Feb … Read more

India is rapidly strengthening its position in global electronics trade, now supplying about 40 per cent of the smartphones imported by the United States that were previously sourced from China.According to a recent report by McKinsey & Company, cited by ANI, the United States has been actively diversifying its import sources and has replaced about … Read more

Crude oil prices plunged more than 10% on Friday after US President Donald Trump and Iran announced that the Strait of Hormuz is fully open again for oil tankers carrying crude from the Persian Gulf to customers worldwide, easing fears of supply disruptions.The sharp drop in oil prices lifted global markets, with US stocks rallying … Read more