President Trump announced a deal where the U.S. would acquire a 10% stake in Intel, following a meeting with CEO Lip-Bu Tan. This move comes after Trump demanded Tan's resignation over ties to Chinese firms, resulting in a $10 billion investment. The federal backing aims to revive Intel's struggling foundry business amidst turnaround efforts.

Sebi chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey on Friday cautioned the mutual fund industry that beyond market-linked investment risks, operational risks such as fraudulent redemptions by impersonators pose a growing threat to investor confidence.

Rate-sensitive stocks rallied on Friday after U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell hinted that an interest-rate cut could be on the table in September, citing a shifting balance of risks.

Marking its 30th Foundation Day, AMFI announced initiatives to deepen financial literacy, expand investor education through campaigns, trains, and partnerships, strengthen Indias retirement ecosystem, train one lakh postmen, and nurture youth financial awareness via nationwide essay competitions.

Nodding toward significant changes in the economic landscape over the last five years, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Friday announced an updated operating framework for the U.S. central bank that reflects the return of higher inflation pressures and reduced prospect of near zero short-term interest rates.

Income from online real money games like Dream 11 and Rummy is taxable, necessitating ITR filing. Even small winnings are subject to a 30% tax rate, and TDS is deducted by gaming platforms. Failure to report such income can lead to tax notices and potential prosecution, emphasizing the importance of compliance.

To secure a child's future foreign education, initiating early investments through a step-up SIP is crucial. Starting with a monthly SIP of Rs 20,413 and increasing it by 8% annually over 18 years, targeting 12% returns, can help accumulate Rs 2.41 crore. But if you delay investment by just 3 years, the overall cost may rise by nearly 17%.

The Reserve Bank of India has released details regarding the premature redemption of Sovereign Gold Bond tranches from October 2025 to March 2026. SGBs offer the dual benefit of gold price appreciation and a fixed annual interest of 2.5%, paid semi-annually.

The Karnataka government has announced a 50% rebate (waiver) on pending traffic penalties beginning on August 21, 2025, in an effort to ease the burden on the public and expedite the settlement of pending traffic infraction cases throughout the state.

Seven top flexi cap mutual funds, including Parag Parikh, HDFC, UTI, PGIM India, Aditya Birla Sun Life, SBI, and Canara Robeco, have been shortlisted based on rolling returns, consistency, and risk. Investors with a 57 year horizon can consider these schemes to build wealth over the long term.

Six mutual fund NFOs are open for subscription, including two FoFs, two domestic FoFs, one ETF, and one index fund. Investors can choose from options like gold, multi-asset, and index strategies, with closing dates between August 25 and September 4.

In July 2025, B30 locations contributed 18% of mutual fund assets, rising 3% MoM and 21% YoY. These investors prefer equities (76.55%) over debt. Retail investment dominates B30, with 26.92% direct, while institutional assets concentrate in T30 cities. HNIs favor direct investments, accounting for 28.61% of their holdings.

To finalise online ITR filing, verifying your income tax return is essential. Taxpayers can add and pre-validate their bank account details on the income tax portal to receive a tax refund. Multiple accounts can be validated and nominated for refunds. It's important to keep contact details updated to avoid issues with revalidation.

As numerous new schemes emerge, 35 equity mutual funds in India have marked 25 years. These include ELSS, large and mid-cap, large-cap, flexi-cap, mid-cap, value, contra, multi-cap, and small-cap funds. SBI Long Term Equity Fund, launched in 1993, delivered a 16.36% CAGR, while HDFC ELSS Tax Saver posted the highest at 23.24% since 1996.

Indian stock markets experienced a downturn on Friday, halting a six-day rally. The Sensex and Nifty both declined, influenced by investor caution ahead of Jerome Powell's Jackson Hole speech and concerns over impending U.S. tariffs on Indian goods. Profit-taking after the recent surge and continued selling pressure from foreign institutional investors also contributed to the market's decline.

Finfluencer Avadhut Sathe, known for his unconventional trading lessons, has come under SEBIs scanner after a search-and-seizure operation at his Karjat academy on August 20, as part of the regulators crackdown on unlicensed financial influencers.

Six equity mutual funds posted the highest up capture ratios above 135 in three years, led by Bandhan Small Cap, Invesco mid- and small-cap schemes, JM Value, Bank of India Flexi Cap, and Motilal Oswal ELSS. Others recorded ratios between 12.45134.95.

Consumption-themed mutual funds have shown strong returns, averaging 12.28% in the last six months, with some funds reaching 18%. Proposed GST rate cuts are expected to further boost demand across sectors like FMCG and consumer durables. However, experts advise a balanced approach, suggesting diversified equity funds may offer better long-term exposure compared to these narrow thematic plays.

Mutual fund advisors say banking & PSU debt schemes are relatively safe because these schemes invest only in bonds and papers of banks and public sector companies. Since most of these entities are government-backed, they dont have the credit risk.

FinPal, a software engineer, explained on X how online portals instantly validate credit card numbers using the Luhn Algorithm and apply bank-specific offers through the BIN system. The first digit identifies the card network, while the initial 6-8 digits reveal the issuing bank and card type. RBI guidelines address unsolicited cards, activation criteria, and interest charges on partial payments.

Asian equities showed mixed performance as US stocks and bonds declined, driven by reduced expectations for imminent Federal Reserve rate cuts. Attention is now focused on Jerome Powell's upcoming speech at the Jackson Hole symposium, with markets anticipating potential signals on future policy shifts. Meanwhile, the Justice Department is considering investigating Fed Governor Lisa Cook.

Aikyam Capital has launched the Aikyam India Discovery Fund (AIDF), a GIFT City-domiciled, USD-denominated Category III AIF offering tax-efficient access to Indias equity markets. Targeting NRIs and global investors, AIDF invests in top mutual funds and ETFs with dynamic allocation, delivering transparency, governance, and long-term exposure to Indias growth story.

Mid cap funds delivered up to 28% annualised returns in three years, with Motilal Oswal, Invesco India, HDFC, Nippon India, and Kotak Nifty Midcap 50 ETF leading performance, per ETWealth.

The Labour Ministry has recently announced that the Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) can now use Aadhaar authentication to verify the identity of beneficiaries.

In volatile markets, investors need adaptable funds for steady portfolios. Axis Flexi Cap Fund offers a solution by investing across market capitalizations, focusing on growth-oriented firms and diverse sectors like healthcare and financial services. Managed by a skilled team, it aims to mitigate risk and capture long-term growth opportunities, making it suitable for investors seeking capital appreciation.

Indias mutual fund industry AAUM grew 19.01% YoY in July 2025, with Mizoram and Nagaland showing the fastest growth. Maharashtra led overall contribution, while equity-oriented schemes dominated at 54.56%, highlighting sustained investor preference for growth-focused funds across states.

SBI Mutual Fund has launched the SBI Dynamic Asset Allocation Active FoF, an open-ended fund-of-fund scheme investing in actively managed equity and debt mutual funds. The NFO runs from August 25 to September 8, with a minimum investment of Rs 5,000. The fund, managed by Nidhi Chawla (equity) and Ardhendu Bhattacharya (debt), offers diversified, risk-managed exposure and SIP options.

Over the past decade, several equity mutual funds have rewarded SIP investors with strong annualised returns. Quant Small Cap Fund leads with 24.5%, followed by Nippon India, Motilal Oswal, Invesco India and Nippon Growth midcap funds.

Chartered Accountants highlight a critical issue with tax rules. Rule 114E(2) causes duplicate reporting for joint account holders. This leads to unnecessary tax notices, especially for non-filers. Experts suggest reviewing AIS/TIS and reporting income correctly. Taxpayers should maintain records of investments. The current system needs a fix to avoid penalizing joint holders, particularly senior citizens.

Eight equity mutual funds, led by Quant Small Cap, delivered over 20% CAGR in both five and seven years. Others like Motilal Oswal and Nippon India also featured prominently in ETMutualFunds analysis.

European equities were little changed on Thursday as investors awaited updates from the Federal Reserve's Jackson Hole symposium for clues on the path of monetary policy.

Due to heavy rains and public disruptions, the CBIC has extended the GSTR-3B filing deadline for July 2025 to August 27, 2025. This extension applies to registered businesses in Mumbai City, Mumbai Suburban, Thane, Raigad, and Palghar districts of Maharashtra. Form GSTR-3B is a simplified summary return for declaring GST liabilities, required for all normal and casual taxpayers.

AMFI is collaborating with India Post to train one lakh postmen as mutual fund distributors, aiming to double the investor base. The initiative will initially focus on Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Meghalaya, targeting 20,000 new distributors in the first year. This expansion seeks to increase mutual fund penetration in smaller towns and rural areas, leveraging India Post's extensive network.

A surge in derivatives trading, which has also been driven by retail investors, has prompted the Securities and Exchange Board of India to limit the number of contract expiries and increase lot sizes to make such trades more expensive.

Swiggy's shares jumped 5.5% following optimistic forecasts for its food delivery and quick commerce sectors. DAM Capital projects a 28% revenue CAGR and profitability by FY28, driven by Instamart's growth. Market share recovery and inclusion in the MSCI Global Standard Index further boosted investor confidence in Swiggy's potential.