The sweeping changes in Goods and Services Tax (GST) rates announced by the government will come into effect from September 22, the first day of Navratri, Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Saturday, calling it a transformative step for the economy.Speaking at a press conference at the BJP headquarters, Vaishnaw said the rationalisation of rates…
The sweeping GST rate reductions announced this week will bolster consumer spending and benefit sectors such as footwear, quick-service restaurants (QSRs), FMCG, and grocery retail, according to Global financial consultancy Bernstein. In a report, Bernstein flagged a notable shift: the reduction of GST on personal care and household products — including soaps, shampoo, hair oil,…
The Federation of Seed Industry of India (FSII) on Saturday welcomed the GST Council’s decision to slash rates on key agricultural inputs but urged the government to extend similar relief to the seed sector.According to FSII, the reduction of GST on fertiliser raw materials, bio-pesticides, micronutrients and farm machinery will lower input costs and strengthen…
Employment data for August revealed significant weakening in US job market conditions, with unemployment climbing to 4.3%, marking a nearly four-year peak. This development strengthens expectations for a Federal Reserve interest rate reduction this month, according to Reuters.The Friday employment report further disclosed June’s first job losses in four and a half years, raising concerns…
With India’s elderly population projected to reach 21 per cent by 2050, there is growing urgency for a robust retirement savings framework. UN data from 2023 shows that while 43 per cent of Indians were under 25, only 11 per cent were above 60, hinting at the demographic shift ahead. To address this challenge, the…
MUMBAI: Bank of Baroda has classified Reliance Communications (RCom) and former non-executive director Anil Ambani’s loan accounts as ‘fraud’, adding to similar actions by SBI and Bank of India. The move, disclosed by RCom to the BSE and NSE on Sept 4, followed a forensic audit by BDO India LLP that flagged large-scale irregularities. The…
The Finance Ministry has launched a single-use, unidirectional switch option for central government employees who opted for the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) to return to the National Pension System (NPS). The move gives staff and eligible retirees more clarity on their pension choices as the September 30, 2025 deadline approaches.Strict rules for switchingAccording to the…
MUMBAI: The rupee bucked the trend among Asian peers on Friday, slipping to a record low even as most emerging market currencies strengthened against the dollar. It closed at 88.27 after touching an intra-day low of 88.36, weaker than Thursday’s close of 88.15.The fall came amid concerns over US tariffs, while intervention by Reserve Bank…
MUMBAI: The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has raised transaction ceilings on the UPI for use in capital market and other merchant categories, widening the platform’s usage from small-value transfers to higher-value commerce.Peer-to-peer transfers remain capped at Rs 1 lakh, but payments to merchants now carry far higher limits. For capital markets, insurers, government…
File photo: US President Donald Trump (Picture credit: AP) US President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order implementing tariff cuts under an agreement with Japan announced in July, lowering duties on Japanese automobile imports and formalising a $550 billion investment pledge.According to news agency Reuters, the order reduces the tariff on Japanese autos…