Economy

Over 77% of 880.5 metric tonnes gold reserves held domestically: RBI

Central bank increases domestic share of gold reserves to 77.23% in FY26, with holdings rising to 680 MT even as overall forex reserves and gold value expand

India's oil trade deficit rises despite softer crude prices: Crisil

Rating agency flags divergence between global and domestic oil demand trends as imports outpace exports, putting pressure on India's overall trade balance

India to soon notify eased FDI norms for firms with 10% China stake: Report

However, the relaxed FDI rules will not apply to entities registered in China/Hong Kong or other countries sharing land borders with India

Bank credit growth slows to 14.88% in first half of April: RBI data

Bank credit stood at ₹214 lakh crore in the fortnight ended April 15, as compared to ₹218 lakh crore during the preceding 15-day period ended March 31

Rural women drive rise in India's workforce, but gender gaps persist: NSO

Female labour force participation rises to 40% by 2025, led by rural women, but persistent wage gaps, unpaid work burden, and agriculture dependence highlight structural challenges

NBFCs return to banks for loans as bond yields stay elevated

Bank credit to NBFCs rises sharply as shadow lenders shift funding sources amid high bond yields, supported by regulatory easing and improved banking liquidity

India's April gold imports seen down 57% to 15 tonnes, near 30-year low

In 2017, when India adopted the IGST, gold-importing banks were exempted from paying the 3% levy

ECL shift may hit banks' CET-1, raise credit costs in initial years: Report

RBI's new expected credit loss framework may lower CET-1 ratios and increase provisioning in early years, though banks are likely to absorb the impact over time

FDI in India may cross $90 billion in FY26 on strong inflows: DPIIT Secy

Reform measures, free trade agreements and fast-growing economic growth are helping the country to attract healthy investments

Iran conflict creates two-speed diesel market across Asian economies

Asia typically sources most of its diesel from plants within the region, which in turn rely on flows of crude from West Asia for a substantial share of their input

Cars, ACs cheaper but food prices inched up after GST cuts: Bank of Baroda

GST rate cuts have sharply lowered prices of cars and appliances, but rising input costs have limited relief for food and personal care items, Bank of Baroda analysis shows

OMCs may face LPG under-recovery of around ₹80,000 crore in FY27: Icra

State-run oil firms may face steep LPG under-recoveries in FY27 due to high global prices and supply disruptions, with broader cost pressures seen across energy-linked sectors

EPFO to launch Aadhaar-based portal to unlock dormant PF accounts

EPFO will launch an Aadhaar-based portal, E-PRAAPTI, to help members access inactive PF accounts, retrieve unclaimed balances, and streamline account activation

Expedite reforms instead of salvaging near-term growth: Finance ministry

Finance ministry's Monthly Economic Review urges India to prioritise fiscal stability and reforms over short-term growth amid risks from the West Asia crisis

Rare Earth Corridor gains momentum as Andhra targets ₹50,000 cr investment

State plans integrated rare earth ecosystem with mining, processing and manufacturing as India seeks to reduce dependence on China for strategic minerals

Exports see healthy rise in April despite West Asia challenges: Goyal

Goyal also said that free trade agreements finalised by India would give a huge boost to the domestic industry

Rupee hits record closing low at 94.85 as crude surge pressures currency

The rupee fell to a record closing low of 94.85 per dollar, pressured by rising crude prices, foreign outflows and a stronger US dollar

Trade split on cotton duty cut; risks flagged for farmers, CCI

As industry seeks lower cotton import duty amid rising prices, sections of trade warn it could hurt farmers, trigger distress selling, and lead to losses for the Cotton Corporation of India

India plans 62 new vessels with Rs 51,383 crore investment in FY27

India plans to add 62 vessels with Rs 51,383 crore investment this year to strengthen maritime capacity and ensure resilience amid global supply disruptions

RBI caps unsecured lending, tightens housing loan norms for UCBs

RBI has issued revised lending norms for urban co-operative banks, capping unsecured loans and tightening housing loan rules to strengthen risk management practices