English हिन्दी
Connect with us

Latest business news

Rupee slide against dollar continues, reaching new lows: touches 71 a dollar

Published

on

Rupee slide against dollar continues, reaching new lows: touches 71 a dollar

The Indian rupee continues its downward slide against the dollar, slumping to a fresh record low of 71 against the dollar on Friday, August 31, for the first time ever.

The rupee slipped 26 paise today, reported news agency PTI, on persistent demand for the US currency amid rising crude prices.

Weakness in almost all other Asian peers also gave a boost to the dollar today. Indian rupee was trading at 70.93/94 per dollar and skidded to 71 per dollar in opening deals before recovering slightly on the back of dollar sales by state-run banks, said reports.

At the Interbank Foreign Exchange (Forex) market, the local currency opened lower at 70.95 a dollar and slipped further to hit its lifetime low of 71 from its previous close of 70.74. Forex dealers said besides robust month-end demand for the American currency from oil importers, dollar’s strength against its rival currencies on expectations of rising interest rates amid lingering Sino-US trade tensions, weighed on the domestic currency.

Growing fears about rising inflation and consistent outflow of foreign funds from the domestic equity market also impacted the domestic currency trading today.

“Indian rupee has depreciated around 11 per cent year to date. Higher crude oil prices, demand from defense and oil marketing firms have contributed to the latest bout of weakness. Rupee was overvalued on trade weighted real effective exchange rate. Robust FDI flows in e-commerce companies, healthy forex reserves may limit the downside of the rupee,” said VK Sharma, Head Private Client Group & Capital Market Strategy, HDFC Securities, according to an NDTV report.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) was likely sporadically selling dollars through state-run banks to prevent a sudden sharp fall but traders do not expect any major intervention as the fall has been in line with fundamentals, said Reuters.

On Thursday, the rupee slid by 15 paise to close at 70.74 to the dollar, marking the weakest closing level for the rupee against the US currency.

Meanwhile, domestic market indices opened at a cautious note on Friday, ahead of the release of key GDP (Gross Domestic Product) data scheduled later in the day.

Globally, oil prices slipped slightly after hitting their highest levels in more than a month the previous day on growing evidence of disruptions to crude supply from Iran and Venezuela and after a fall in US inventories.

Asian shares came under renewed pressure today as a report that US President Donald Trump was preparing to step up a trade war with Beijing sent Chinese stocks lower and partially erased gains made in this week’s global rally, NDTV report said.

The rupee has significantly slid in its value over the last few months. The value of the rupee against the dollar has fallen by more than 6 percent since the beginning of 2018, and the fall has gained further momentum in the last few days, hitting life-time lows, said a report on News18 portal.

Most of the world’s currencies are bought and sold based on flexible exchange rates, meaning their prices fluctuate based on the supply and demand in the foreign exchange market. A high demand for a currency or a shortage in its supply will cause an increase in price, explained News18.

One of the primary reasons linked to the fall is the US Federal Reserve being expected to tighten its monetary policy stance further in the coming months by taking steps towards slowing down the growth in US money supply.

A slowdown in US money supply growth affects the value of rupee in two ways. Firstly, interest rates in the US will begin to rise as the Fed’s demand for various assets begins to drop. This causes a rush among investors to sell their assets in other parts of the world and invest the money in the US, where they could earn higher returns. The consequent flow of capital from the emerging markets to the US increases selling pressure on emerging market currencies and buying pressure on the dollar.

Secondly, as the Fed begins to tighten money supply, the availability of dollars in the global market is likely to turn scarce, compared to other currencies.

Both these factors increase demand for dollar and raise the price at which it is bought using other currencies.

Impact of falling rupee:

The weakening rupee will make crude oil, fertilisers, medicines and iron ore, which India imports in large quantities, costlier.

These are not items of daily consumption, but they impact an individual’s finances indirectly and lead to overall price rise: costlier crude oil will lead to rise in petrol and diesel prices (see below); pulses and oil, which account for a large part of India’s imports, will also be affected; students who have taken loans to fund their foreign degrees will also bear the brunt. Education loans are usually in rupees, but as students pay their expenses in a foreign currency, the cost of education and stay will increase. Transport of goods, automobile prices and items using imported parts will all become expensive.

Petrol and diesel prices shoot up, Diesel crosses Rs.70/litre mark for the first time in Delhi

Fuel prices shot up again on Friday and, with a surge of 28 paise per litre, diesel is selling above the 70-mark for the first time in Delhi at Rs 70.21 per litre, said a report in the India Today.

For Mumbai and Kolkata, diesel has increased to Rs 74.54 per litre and Rs 73.06 per litre.

Petrol prices have gone up by around 21 paise per litre to Rs 78.52 in Delhi, Rs 81.44 in Kolkata and Rs 85.93 in Mumbai.

India News

Bank holiday today: Are banks open or closed on June 29? Here’s what RBI calendar says

Banks in Himachal Pradesh and Mizoram will remain closed on June 29, 2026, due to regional holidays, while banking operations will continue normally in most other states.

Published

on

Bank Holidays

As June comes to an end, many customers are wondering whether banks across the country are open on June 29, 2026. According to the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) holiday calendar, bank operations will not be affected nationwide, but branches in some states will remain closed due to local holidays.

Banks closed in these states on June 29

Banks will remain shut in Himachal Pradesh on Monday, June 29, on account of Sant Guru Kabir Jayanti. In addition, bank branches in Mizoram will remain closed to observe Remna Ni, a regional public holiday.

However, bank branches in most other states and Union Territories are expected to function normally as June 29 is not a nationwide banking holiday.

Will online banking services remain available?

Even when physical branches remain closed, customers can continue using digital banking facilities. Services such as internet banking, mobile banking, UPI transactions, ATM withdrawals and cash deposits at ATMs will remain operational.

Customers planning to visit a bank branch are advised to check with their local branch beforehand, as holiday schedules may vary depending on the state and local observances.

Continue Reading

India News

Union Budget 2026 highlights: Nirmala Sitharaman Raises Capex to Rs 12.2 Lakh Cr, West Bengal Gets Major Allocation

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is presenting the Union Budget 2026 in Parliament today. Follow this space for live updates, key announcements, and policy insights.

Published

on

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman arrives to present Union Budget 2026

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will shortly present the Union Budget 2026 in the Lok Sabha, marking her ninth consecutive Budget. The annual financial statement is expected to outline the government’s policy priorities, reform agenda and spending plans for the coming year. Stay tuned for live updates, key announcements and immediate reactions as the Budget speech unfolds.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tabled her ninth Union Budget today, beginning her speech at 11 am.

Nirmala Sitharaman is set to present her ninth Union Budget today, with the finance minister scheduled to begin her speech at 11 am.

Budget 2026 live updates: Presenting the Union Budget for 2026–27, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the occasion coincided with Magh Purnima and the birth anniversary of Guru Ravidas. She noted that over the past 12 years, India’s economic journey has been defined by stability, fiscal discipline, sustained growth and moderate inflation.

The budgeted fiscal deficit for fiscal 2026 is estimated at 4.4 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP)

Planned capital expenditure this fiscal year Rs 11.2 lakh crore

Rare earth corrdiors in Odisha and Kerala

Hi-tech tool rooms to be set up by PSUs

Construction equipment scheme to be launched

Container manufacturing scheme for Rs 10,000 crore over 5 years

Rs 10,000 crore SME Growth Fund

Semi-conductor mission to get Rs 40,000 crore

Rs 12.2 lakh crores for infrastructure development

Dedicated RITES to repurpose land of Central PSUs

20 new waterways over next 5 years to be connected

7 high-speed corridors on rail

High-level committee on banking for next phase of Viksit Bharat

Capital expenditure hike of to ₹12.2 lakh crore in Budget 2026, with West Bengal receiving a significant share of allocations.

Mahatma Gandhi Gram Swaraj Initiative aimed at boosting the khadi, handloom, and handicrafts sectors.

High-speed rail corridors: Mumbai-Pune, Pune-Bengaluru, Hyderabad-Bengaluru, Chennai-Bengaluru, Delhi-Varanasi, Varanasi-Siliguri, Pune-Hyderabad

Five university campuses to be established near industrial corridors

Lakpati Didi program expanded in Budget 2026 to reach more beneficiaries across India.

Fiscal deficit for FY26 revised to 4.4%; Budget Estimate for FY27 set at 4.3%.

TCS on overseas tour packages cut to 2% to ease travel costs

Tax holiday to foreign companies that provide cloud services by setting up data centres in India till 2047

17 cancer drugs exempted from import duties

Continue Reading

India News

Union budget 2026 to be presented on Sunday with special trading session

The Union Budget 2026 will be presented on a Sunday for the first time in over two decades, with NSE and BSE announcing special trading sessions for the day.

Published

on

Nirmala Sitharaman

For the first time in more than two decades, the Union Budget will be presented on a Sunday. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is scheduled to table the Union Budget for 2026 in the Lok Sabha on February 1 at 11 am, even as the day is usually observed as a holiday for government offices and financial markets.

February 1 falls on a Sunday this year, raising questions about market operations and investor response. To ensure uninterrupted trading and immediate market reaction to budget announcements, stock exchanges have announced special arrangements for the day.

Markets to remain open on budget day

Both the National Stock Exchange and the Bombay Stock Exchange have confirmed that markets will remain open on February 1. The NSE has announced a special trading session, with the pre-open market scheduled from 9 am to 9:08 am, followed by normal trading hours from 9:15 am to 3:30 pm.

The BSE has also declared the day a special trading day, with regular market hours applicable. Trading is expected to continue across equity, derivatives, and futures and options segments.

What the Sunday budget means for investors

A weekend budget presentation is seen as offering certain advantages for market participants. With trading active on the same day, investors will be able to respond to policy announcements immediately rather than waiting for the next working day.

The Sunday timing also gives investors, analysts, and financial institutions additional time to go through detailed proposals, including tax changes, fiscal deficit targets, and sector-wise allocations. The extended window for analysis may help reduce sharp, headline-driven reactions and encourage more informed decision-making.

With fewer competing developments on a non-working day, budget announcements are also expected to receive more focused attention from markets and stakeholders.

Parliamentary schedule and key milestones

The Economic Survey is expected to be tabled on January 29, ahead of the budget presentation. The Budget Session of Parliament began on January 28 with the President’s address to a joint sitting of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

The upcoming budget will mark Nirmala Sitharaman’s ninth consecutive Union Budget. It will also be India’s 80th budget since Independence. Since 2017, Union Budgets have been presented at 11 am on February 1, following a timing change introduced during the tenure of former finance minister Arun Jaitley.

Continue Reading

Trending

© Copyright 2022 APNLIVE.com