Market Outlook - Strong domestic institutional investor (DII) flows are welcomed, and concerns about "too much money chasing too few stocks" are considered premature ahead of a broader market rally in 2026 [10] - Equity investing is cyclical, with phases of inflows and pauses repeating over time, and investors should only worry after markets have delivered meaningful gains [10][2] Investment Strategy - Preference for businesses with year-to-year earnings visibility rather than those dependent on long-duration government programmes, particularly in sectors like railways and defence [3][4] - Avoidance of original equipment manufacturers in the automobile sector, with a focus on auto ancillary plays instead [8] Sector Insights - Consumption growth is best captured through new-age platform companies rather than traditional consumer staples, with growth driven by channel shifts [7][10] - Digital payment platforms such as PhonePe and Paytm exemplify the trend of rapid penetration-led growth due to consumer migration from offline to digital channels [10] Financial Sector Performance - Non-bank lenders have delivered strong returns in 2025, with companies like Bajaj Finance, Cholamandalam Investment, and Shriram Finance significantly outperforming [10] - Among banks, State Bank of India, HDFC Bank, and Axis Bank have performed reasonably well, while ICICI Bank has seen relative underperformance due to management succession concerns [10]

Market Performance - Equity benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty increased nearly 1 percent on the final trading session of 2025, following days of range-bound trading due to sustained buying by domestic institutional investors [1] - The BSE Sensex rose by 545.52 points, or 0.64 percent, closing at 85,220.60, with an intraday high of 85,437.17, marking a surge of 762.09 points, or 0.90 percent [3] - The NSE Nifty climbed 190.75 points, or 0.74 percent, finishing at 26,129.60 after four consecutive days of decline [3] Yearly Performance - In 2025, the Sensex experienced a rally of 7,081.59 points, or 9 percent, while the Nifty increased by 2,484.8 points, or 10.50 percent [6] - The Indian equity markets concluded the year positively, with a bullish sentiment while respecting key resistance levels [6] Sector Performance - Among the 30 Sensex firms, Tata Steel, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Reliance Industries, Axis Bank, Titan, and Trent were the top gainers [4] - Conversely, Tata Consultancy Services, Tech Mahindra, Infosys, Bajaj Finance, and Sun Pharma were identified as laggards [4] Investor Activity - Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) sold equities worth ₹3,844.02 crore, while Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) purchased stocks worth ₹6,159.81 crore [8] - The session reflected a gradual improvement in risk appetite driven by short covering and selective buying rather than aggressive new positions [7]

Core Viewpoint - The fixed deposit (FD) rates have been reduced significantly due to the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) repo rate cuts, and the outlook for 2026 suggests that rates may remain stable or trend slightly lower rather than increase sharply [1][5][10] Group 1: FD Rate Changes and Influences - In 2025, banks and small finance banks (SFBs) cut FD interest rates multiple times following a total repo rate cut of 125 basis points by the RBI [9][10] - The last repo rate cut occurred in December 2025, when the RBI reduced the rate by 25 basis points [1][10] - The transmission of these rate cuts into FD rates takes time, and the full impact of previous cuts is still unfolding, which may take months to years [2][10] Group 2: Future Expectations for FD Rates - Swapnil Aggarwal, Director at VSRK Capital, anticipates that FD rates in 2026 are more likely to remain stable or trend slightly lower, contingent on controlled inflation and a more accommodative monetary policy [5][6] - A significant resurgence in inflation or unexpected economic stress is deemed unlikely to lead to a sharp increase in FD rates, suggesting a stable-to-soft outlook for deposit rates [6][10] Group 3: Investment Strategies Amidst Rate Changes - Investors may consider reallocating a portion of their savings to high-quality debt funds if FD rates decline, as these funds can benefit from falling yields [7][8] - Conversely, during rising rate periods, it is advisable to maintain short-term FDs to allow gradual reinvestment at higher rates as they become available [8][9] - Diversification across FDs, debt funds, and hybrid funds is recommended to manage risk while optimizing returns [9][10] Group 4: Current FD Rates at Major Banks - The highest FD rates at major banks include Bandhan Bank at 7.2%, RBL Bank at 7.2%, and IDFC FIRST Bank at 7% for specific tenures [3][4]

Public sector banks’ (PSBs’) employee count grew for the first time in five years while private sector banks’ staff strength saw a decline in 2024-25 (FY25), according to latest data released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).Image used for representational purpose only. Photograph: Ajay Verma/ReutersThe employee count of state-owned lenders rose 0.22 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) to 757,641 at the end of March 31, 2025 from 756,015 in FY24.On the other hand, private banks recorded a 0.86 per cent drop in ...

Group 1 - The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has declared a bank holiday on 31 December for all banks in Manipur and Mizoram due to local festivals [1][2] - Banks in Manipur are closed for Imoinu Iratpa, while those in Mizoram are closed for New Year's Eve celebrations [2] - Other regions in India will not observe a bank holiday on this date, with banks remaining open in those states and Union Territories [3] Group 2 - The next bank holiday will occur on 1 January 2026, affecting multiple states for New Year's Day and Gaan-Ngai [4] - A total of 16 bank holidays are scheduled for January 2026, with specific dates and reasons outlined for each holiday [5][7] - Some holidays in January will coincide with weekends, including the second and fourth Saturdays and all four Sundays [6]

Core Insights - Rediff.com India has received final authorization from the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) for a Third-Party Application Provider (TPAP) license, allowing the launch of its digital payments service, RediffPay [1] - The company aims to introduce India's first UPI app focused on financial wellness, promoting saving, investing, and responsible credit usage [2] Group 1: Service Features - RediffPay will offer core UPI functions along with access to financial products such as equities, mutual funds, fixed deposits, and recurring deposits, as well as credit options for consumers and merchants [4] - Users can make merchant payments of up to ₹1,00,000 ($1,113.34) per day and withdraw up to ₹10,000 in cash using pre-approved credit lines under NPCI's framework [5] Group 2: Strategic Goals - The company aims to enhance financial inclusion and provide simple, intuitive digital payment experiences across India, shifting the perception of UPI from mere spending to saving and investing [3][5] - RediffPay plans to integrate merchant credit needs into its UPI offering, targeting a diverse range of merchants across the country [5] Group 3: Partnerships and Ownership - Axis Bank will serve as the payment system provider (PSP) for RediffPay [6] - Infibeam Avenues, which owns Rediff.com India and increased its ownership to 82% in 2024, aims to leverage its fintech expertise to create a user-friendly platform for secure digital payments [6]

Market Overview - Stock markets ended marginally lower amid thin year-end trading, influenced by persistent foreign fund outflows and a muted trend in global equities [1] - The 30-share BSE Sensex fell for the fifth consecutive day, decreasing by 20.46 points or 0.02% to settle at 84,675.08, with a daily high of 84,806.99 and a low of 84,470.94, resulting in a fluctuation of 336.05 points [2] - The 50-share NSE Nifty ended flat, slipping 3.25 points or 0.01% to 25,938.85 [3] Sector Performance - Among the 30-Sensex firms, the biggest laggards included Eternal, Infosys, Asian Paints, UltraTech Cement, Bajaj Finance, HCL Tech, and Titan [3] - Conversely, Tata Steel, Mahindra & Mahindra, Bajaj Finserv, and Axis Bank were noted as the biggest gainers [3] Foreign Investment Trends - Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) sold equities worth Rs 2,759.89 crore, while Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) purchased stocks worth Rs 2,643.85 crore, indicating a net outflow from foreign investors [4] Commodity Prices - Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, increased by 0.47% to $62.23 per barrel [4]

Market Overview - Stock markets ended marginally lower amid thin year-end trading, influenced by persistent foreign fund outflows and a muted trend in global equities [1] - The 30-share BSE Sensex fell for the fifth consecutive day, decreasing by 20.46 points or 0.02 percent to settle at 84,675.08, with a daily high of 84,806.99 and a low of 84,470.94, resulting in a fluctuation of 336.05 points [1] - The 50-share NSE Nifty slipped 3.25 points or 0.01 percent to close at 25,938.85 [1] Sector Performance - Among the 30-Sensex firms, major laggards included Eternal, Infosys, Asian Paints, UltraTech Cement, Bajaj Finance, HCL Tech, and Titan [2] - Conversely, Tata Steel, Mahindra & Mahindra, Bajaj Finserv, and Axis Bank were identified as the biggest gainers [2] Foreign and Domestic Investment - Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) sold equities worth ₹2,759.89 crore, while Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) purchased stocks worth ₹2,643.85 crore [3] - The trading activity indicates a net outflow from foreign investors and a slight net inflow from domestic investors [3] Global Market Context - In Asian markets, Hong Kong's Hang Seng index closed positively, while South Korea's Kospi, Japan's Nikkei 225, and Shanghai's SSE Composite index ended lower [2] - European markets were trading marginally higher, while US markets closed lower on the previous day [2]

Pricing and Discounts - The OnePlus 15 is currently listed at ₹72,999, reduced from its original price of ₹76,999, across Amazon, Flipkart, and Croma [1] - Buyers can avail an instant discount of ₹4,000 using select HDFC Bank or Axis Bank credit cards, further lowering the price [1] - Exchange benefits can reach up to ₹44,450 depending on the old smartphone's model and condition, making the effective price potentially drop to around ₹40,000 [1] Design and Display - The OnePlus 15 adopts a flatter, iPhone-style design first seen in the OnePlus 13s [2] - It features a 6.78-inch LTPO AMOLED display with 1.5K resolution, peak brightness of 1,800 nits, and a 165Hz refresh rate [2][3] Performance and Hardware - The device is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor and Adreno 840 GPU [5] - It supports up to 16GB of LPDDR5x Ultra+ RAM and up to 512GB of UFS 4.1 storage [5] - A dedicated touch response chip enables a 3,200Hz sampling rate, and a separate Wi-Fi chip enhances network stability and range [6] Software and Updates - The OnePlus 15 runs on OxygenOS 16 based on Android 16, featuring several AI-powered functionalities [7] - OnePlus has committed to providing four years of Android OS updates and six years of security patches [8] Camera and Battery - The smartphone includes a triple 50MP rear camera setup with a Sony IMX906 primary sensor, a 50MP ultra-wide camera, and a 50MP periscope telephoto lens [9] - It features a 32MP front camera with autofocus [9] - The device is equipped with a 7,300mAh dual-cell battery, supporting 120W SUPERVOOC fast charging and 50W AIRVOOC wireless charging [10]

Group 1 - Banks in several parts of India, including major banks like State Bank of India, HDFC Bank, and ICICI Bank, are closed today, December 26, due to Christmas celebrations as decided by the Reserve Bank of India [1][2] - In states like Mizoram, Meghalaya, and Nagaland, banks are closed for at least three days for Christmas, with Nagaland observing a six-day closure starting December 23 [2] - There are a total of 14 bank holidays in December, in addition to weekends, with banks following regional and national holidays according to the RBI bank holiday calendar [3] Group 2 - On national holidays such as Christmas, all banks across India remain shut [4] - ATM services and online banking options like NEFT, IMPS, and RTGS are available 24/7 during bank holidays for cash withdrawals and money transfers [5] - Upcoming bank holidays include closures on December 27 for the fourth Saturday, December 28 for Sunday, and specific closures in Meghalaya and Manipur for local observances [6]