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Economists expect RBI to raise repo rate by 25 bps to 5.5%

• SBI economists expect a 25-bps hike, from 5.25% to 5.50%
• The MPC is scheduled to meet from October 5-7
• Higher rates may pressure rate-sensitive Indian sectors, including real estate and automobiles

G7 to release 100 million barrels of oil reserves through IEA

• The co-ordinated release includes frontloaded diesel supplies to stabilise global energy markets
• Lower crude and diesel prices could ease costs for Indian refiners and fuel retailers

G7 agrees to release 100 million barrels of oil and diesel from emergency reserves

• G7 countries agreed to release 100 million barrels of diesel and crude oil
• The release will come from emergency reserves
• More oil supply could ease fuel costs for Indian refiners and oil marketing companies

Irdai plan to help check mis-selling, raise returns

• IRDAI proposed guidelines to reshape commission and expense structures for insurance distribution
• The plan aims to curb mis-selling and raise returns
• Changes to distribution costs and commissions may affect Indian insurers and insurance distributors

Revised green card rules, H-1B visa fee hike, social media vetting forcing Indians to rethink about American dream?

• Tighter US immigration policies include a $100,000 H-1B fee and stricter visa scrutiny
• Tighter US visa rules raise staffing uncertainty for Indian IT services companies

India extends RoDTEP export support till Dec 2026; raises insurance cover to 95% amid West Asia disruption

• RoDTEP export support extended until December 31, 2026
• Insurance risk coverage raised to 95% for eligible shipments amid West Asia disruption
• Export support and higher shipment cover benefit Indian exporters and insurers

A tricky rate hike to consider, but change in RBI’s policy stance unlikely

Apple to Tighten Mac Data Controls in Guard Against AI Agents

Buying new car? Your motor insurance dealer may earn up to 38% commission - what IRDAI's proposed fix means

• IRDAI is scrutinising high commissions on mandatory motor insurance sold through dealers
• Dealer commissions can reach 38%; the regulator is proposing a fix
• Tighter commission rules could affect insurers and auto dealers, including Indian insurance distributors

GSTAT opens online route to club identical GST disputes

• Taxpayers with multiple GSTINs linked to one PAN can select appeals on identical legal questions pending before different benches
• Simpler GST appeals may reduce compliance burdens for Indian businesses

PMEGP may get 5-year extension till 2030-31 with Rs 15,000 crore outlay; govt weighs easier norms

• Government is considering extending PMEGP until 2030-31
• The proposed extension has an estimated Rs 15,000 crore outlay
• A larger PMEGP could support Indian micro-enterprises and employment

GST relief for gaming companies raises hopes across the sector

• Tax authorities took a softer approach in the first four final GST orders after the Supreme Court ruling
• Gaming companies may benefit from lower GST-related uncertainty

West Bengal finance minister calls for scrapping Urban Land Ceiling Act

• Swapan Dasgupta urged organised real-estate players to invest in West Bengal
• He cited land laws and tenancy issues as impediments to the state’s development
• Land-law changes could open development opportunities for Indian real-estate companies active in West Bengal

Bets on an October Fed rate hike fall as US job market cools

• The US added 29,000 jobs last month, below economists’ forecast of 90,000
• The unemployment rate rose to 4.2%

RBI Rate Hike Ahead? SBI Research Flags Inflation, Rupee Risks For October MPC

• SBI Research expects the RBI to begin raising rates in October
• It cites inflation, rupee weakness, global risks and tighter liquidity
• Higher-rate expectations may weigh on Indian borrowers and rate-sensitive stocks

Centre fortifies India’s AI mission with Sovereign Compute Pool amid rising GPU costs

Bonded warehouses may face 24-hour discrepancy reporting, five-year digital records under proposed customs overhaul

• Proposed customs overhaul may require bonded warehouses to report shortages or discrepancies electronically within 24 hours
• Warehouses may also need to keep digital records for five years
• Tighter compliance could raise costs for Indian warehousing and logistics operators

PFRDA appoints Bank of Baroda as pension fund sponsor; bank becomes second PSU lender in business

• PFRDA appointed Bank of Baroda as a pension fund sponsor
• The appointment marks the bank’s entry into the pension fund business
• Pension-fund entry expands Bank of Baroda’s business scope

Earning in dollars? New FEMA rules from October 1: How freelancers and YouTubers need to file EDF declaration with banks

• From 1 October, a new RBI rule changes reporting for service exporters receiving overseas payments

Inflation target should align with advanced economy average of 2%: Patra

• Patra says India’s inflation target should align with the advanced-economy average of 2%
• He says anti-inflationary monetary policy makes the biggest contribution to growth
• A 2% target could affect RBI rate policy and Indian banks, lenders and rate-sensitive stocks

10 years of inflation targeting: How elephant was driven away to the jungle

• India’s inflation-targeting framework has anchored price expectations
• Economists see scope to refine the framework’s mandate
• Inflation-targeting changes could affect rate expectations for Indian banks and rate-sensitive stocks

Govt should have made RBI's 2022 inflation failure report public: Janak Raj

• Janak Raj said the government should have made public the RBI’s 2022 inflation failure report
• He said India is still early in reaping the benefits of flexible inflation targeting
• Inflation-targeting credibility matters for Indian banks and rate-sensitive stocks

MPC external members should be appointed full-time, says Chetan Ghate

• Chetan Ghate said external members of the MPC should be appointed full-time
• He said flexible inflation targeting has established a credible nominal anchor
• MPC appointment and coordination proposals matter to Indian rate expectations and interest-sensitive sectors

Gujarat UCC Bill Gets President's Nod: Marriage, Divorce, Inheritance And Live-In Rules — What Changes Now?

• President Droupadi Murmu approved Gujarat’s Uniform Civil Code Bill, 2026
• The bill establishes a common legal framework for marriage, divorce, inheritance and live-in relationships

Invested in gold, silver, debt or equity ETFs? Check how capital gains tax maths differs across these mutual funds

• Gold, silver, equity and debt ETFs have different capital-gains tax treatment
• Holding period, ETF type and gain size can affect tax due
• Tax treatment affects after-tax returns for Indian ETF investors

India auctions two maiden mineral blocks in J&K for estimated limestone

• India auctioned two maiden mineral blocks in Jammu & Kashmir for estimated limestone
• The Mines Ministry called the auction an important step towards unlocking Jammu & Kashmir’s mineral potential
• New limestone supply may benefit Indian cement producers and mining companies

Mines ministry auctions 2 J&K limestone blocks to spur mineral development

• The Koot-Kapran and Wantrag blocks in Anantnag have estimated limestone resources of 4.75 million tonnes and 10.853 million tonnes, respectively

GOBARdhan eyes 10-fold increase in CBG output: Hardeep Singh Puri

• GOBARdhan aims for a 10-fold increase in CBG output
• The scheme provides capital assistance and guaranteed offtake for renewable fuel made from organic waste
• CBG expansion could benefit Indian biofuel players, including Godavari Biorefineries

Govt preparing new affordable housing policy, expected to come in next six months, says Credai

• A new affordable housing policy is expected within six months
• Credai urged the government to remove the ₹45 lakh per-unit price cap
• A revised affordability definition could affect Indian housing developers and home-finance companies

ASCI issues AI labelling guidelines for ads, rules to take effect in three months

• ASCI guidelines require disclosure of synthetic content when concealing its AI origin could materially affect audience perception
• AI-generated advertising disclosures affect Indian advertisers, agencies and digital platforms

Fed officials give hints on rate decision as markets cut October rate hike odds

• Philip Jefferson and John Williams stressed patience and data dependence
• Markets sharply cut October rate hike odds
• Fed rate expectations can affect foreign flows into Indian equities

Irdai commission cap plan sparks concern among insurance brokers

• Brokers say lower commissions may not make premiums cheaper
• Brokers warn of squeezed servicing economics, consolidation and weaker service
• Commission changes may pressure insurance distributors and affect servicing across India's insurance sector

Tamil Nadu Free Bus Travel: 84 Lakh Women To Benefit As Vijay Expands Scheme

• Tamil Nadu expands free bus travel to 84 lakh women across additional bus services and routes
• Free travel could affect Tamil Nadu transport operators and commercial-vehicle demand

GST Council likely to consider allowing investigating agencies, police to use NATGRID to access GST data

• GST Council may consider allowing NATGRID agencies and police to access GST data

SEBI may keep independent director workshops voluntary

• SEBI may keep independent director workshops voluntary; the first programme is likely after Diwali
• BCAS, NISM and exchanges are working on the framework
• Affects listed companies’ board-governance requirements and compliance costs

Fed may skip October but pull rate hike trigger in December

President Murmu gives assent to Gujarat’s Uniform Civil Code

• The law sets common rules for marriage, divorce, succession and live-in relationships
• Scheduled Tribes and protected customary groups are excluded

China fuel export suspension to choke supplies in Asia

• China's oil-product export restrictions have affected importers in Southeast Asia and Australia
• Singapore has seen a significant drop in supplies
• Tighter regional fuel supply could lift costs for Indian oil refiners and fuel consumers

Trump plays with a critical lifeline that keeps global economy going

• A potential US diesel export ban could remove about 1.2 million barrels a day from global supply
• Tighter fuel markets could raise costs for Indian refiners and transport companies

​​​​​​​India’s semiconductor strategy needs to move beyond chip packaging, says Rajeev Chandrasekhar

Govt absorbing up to Rs 2,700 per urea bag as global costs rise to Rs 3,000: Nirmala Sitharaman

• The Centre absorbs up to Rs 2,700 per urea bag as global costs rise to Rs 3,000
• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the subsidy supports farmers
• Higher subsidy costs affect government finances and Indian fertiliser companies

Pharma, textiles, EVs seek GST fix for duty inversions

MPC internal members must think independently of RBI: Ashima Goyal

• Ashima Goyal says MPC members should think independently of the RBI
• The inflation-targeting band gives the MPC flexibility to look through temporary food inflation
• MPC independence and its approach to food inflation matter to rate-sensitive Indian stocks and banks

GST collections may look stronger than they are: What rate re-labelling is hiding

• GST rate changes since September 2025 simplified the tax structure
• Revenue reclassification may be masking weaker underlying revenue

EXCLUSIVE: OPEC+ delays oil capacity review after Iran war disrupts expansion plans, sources say

Commerce Minister Goyal defends India against U.S. forced labour and excess capacity investigations

• Goyal defended India against U.S. forced-labour and excess-capacity investigations
• The U.S. has already imposed a 10% forced-labour tariff on imports from India
• The tariff and investigations expose Indian exporters to higher trade costs and uncertainty

West Bengal finance minister says Urban Land Act has to go

• Swapan Dasgupta called for repealing the Urban Land Ceiling Act to support development in West Bengal
• Developers said the law creates challenges in acquiring large parcels of land
• Repeal could ease land assembly for West Bengal property developers

RBI consolidates existing guidelines on credit facilities for SC/ST borrowers

• RBI issued a Master Circular consolidating existing guidelines on bank credit facilities for SC/ST borrowers
• The guidelines cover lending and loan processing
• Banks must follow consolidated credit guidance for SC/ST borrowers

Standard Chartered joins major banks in betting on December ECB rate hike

Government extends RoDTEP export tax refund scheme by three months till December 31

• Government extended the RoDTEP scheme until December 31, 2026, to support exporters amid challenges
• Export-oriented Indian manufacturers retain tax refunds, supporting exporters’ margins

'Best practices require publication of RBI letter on inflation target miss'

• Core inflation helps assess persistent inflationary pressures and the likelihood of second-order effects
• Inflation assessment can influence RBI rate decisions, affecting Indian banks and rate-sensitive stocks

Department of Commerce extends RELIEF program timelines to support exporters facing geopolitical risks

• Department of Commerce extended timelines under Component II of RELIEF to support exporters facing geopolitical risks
• More time under RELIEF may aid Indian exporters facing disrupted routes and higher logistics costs

India’s FDI treaties fell from 73 to 8: What happened after the 2016 Model BIT?

• India’s investment treaties in force fell from 73 in 2015 to eight by 2021
• Economist Surjit Bhalla called for a rethink of the treaty approach
• A stronger treaty framework could support FDI inflows and benefit Indian infrastructure and manufacturing

New rules for ATMs, UPI, NPS, and LPG: 5 big October 2026 money changes to impact your finances and banking

• New financial rules take effect from October 1; UPI MDR charges begin October 15 for certain transactions
• Payment rule changes may affect UPI providers, banks and SBI Cards

Trump weighs diesel export ban; Macron rallies G7 leaders over surging energy prices — inside transatlantic energy clash

• Macron plans a G7 leaders’ call on surging fuel prices as the US pressures allies to release diesel stocks
• Oil price swings affect Indian oil marketing companies and fuel consumers

Russia will consider partial lifting of diesel export ban in case of overproduction, Novak says

CBAM can help India build a greener, competitive export sector

Mint Explainer | Why state-owned BSNL is wary of Trai's proposed service quality rules

• BSNL warns proposed TRAI service-quality rules could raise compliance costs and financial disincentives
• Tighter rules may raise compliance burdens for telecom operators, including listed Indian carriers

PPF rate unchanged at 7.1%: What investors need to know this quarter

• Small-savings rates are unchanged for the third quarter; PPF remains at 7.1%

DA news: Telangana Cabinet approves release of two pending instalments — when will remaining arrears be cleared?

• Telangana Cabinet approved two pending DA instalments for employees and pensioners
• The release adds ₹2,500 crore annually to the state’s spending
• Higher state spending may support Telangana-linked consumption businesses, while increasing fiscal outlays