Author: Aruna Kaim

A significant shift is underway in India’s gig economy as delivery partners and independent contractors increasingly embrace income tax filing. Driven by the prospect of reclaiming Tax Deducted at Source (TDS)—which is typically deducted at 1% on platform payouts—thousands of gig workers whose earnings fall below the taxable threshold are actively filing returns to secure direct cash refunds. Integrating Tax Compliance Into Gig Apps To facilitate this process, major delivery and e-commerce platforms have embedded streamlined, subsidised tax-filing assistance directly into their partner apps: Eternal (Zomato & Blinkit): Facilitated Income Tax Return (ITR) filings for 2.1 lakh delivery partners, resulting…

Artificial intelligence is rapidly crossing a major threshold—shifting from a passive tool that recommends products and services to an active participant capable of executing financial transactions and making purchases on behalf of consumers. This evolution, known as agentic commerce, promises to redefine the boundaries of retail, consumer convenience, and digital payments. The Foundation of Trust: Insights from Global Fintech Fest 2026 At the recent Global Fintech Fest 2026, Visa’s Group Country Manager for India & South Asia, Suresh Sethi, addressed the transformative potential—and structural requirements—of this shift. According to Sethi, the future success and widespread adoption of AI-driven commerce hinges…

Blackstone Inc.’s long-term bet on India did not begin with immediate success. During the global financial crisis, the private equity giant’s early strategy struggled to gain traction. Hampered by a small, undefined local footprint and numbers that simply didn’t add up, the firm came close to abandoning its ambitions in the country. Reflecting on those early hurdles, Blackstone President Jon Gray noted in an interview with Bloomberg Television’s Wall Street Week: “We had sort of a skeleton crew. We didn’t really have a great defined strategy. We couldn’t make the numbers work. So we did basically nothing.” The Strategic Pivot…

A dramatic board meeting at Mumbai’s historic Bombay House has exposed a deep, widening rift at the highest levels of the Tata empire. The 24-hour power struggle pitted Tata Sons Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran against Noel Tata, head of Tata Trusts, laying bare a fierce disagreement over the 158-year-old conglomerate’s leadership tenure and its path toward a landmark public listing. The confrontation came to a head following a decisive regulatory hurdle: the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) rejection of Tata Sons’ petition seeking exemption from rules that mandate public listing for upper-layer non-banking financial companies. The Boardroom Showdown Gathered around the…

The global financial landscape is undergoing a structural shift away from the era of ultra-low interest rates, driven by a powerful collision of two massive capital-absorbing forces: the unprecedented buildout of artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure and soaring government borrowing worldwide. According to a recent report by financial giant Goldman Sachs, public and private sectors are increasingly competing for funding pools, pushing the global cost of capital higher and reshaping borrowing dynamics across major markets. The Corporate AI Capital Crunch The private sector’s relentless race to capture dominance in artificial intelligence has triggered capital expenditure levels rarely seen outside of wartime…

As Berkshire Hathaway enters a historic new chapter following Warren Buffett’s transition from chairman to chairman emeritus, chief executive officer Greg Abel has moved swiftly to reassure shareholders, markets, and employees. Amidst widespread curiosity regarding how the multi-billion-dollar conglomerate will operate without its legendary founder at the helm, Abel emphasized that the foundational culture and ethical framework championed by Buffett for over six decades will remain firmly intact. The preservation of this unique corporate culture is anchored in a carefully structured leadership division. While Greg Abel continues to oversee the day-to-day operational management of Berkshire’s sprawling corporate empire, Warren Buffett’s…

Even in an era dominated by high-speed algorithms, day-trading forums, and short attention spans, Warren Buffett proved that disciplined, long-term patience remains one of the most powerful strategies in finance. Key pillars of his legendary approach include: Methodical Value Hunting: Sticking to the core principle of buying quality businesses when prices are low, stepping back when valuations become overextended, and holding positions through various market cycles. Contrarian Discipline: Following his timeless advice to “be fearful when others are greedy, and greedy when others are fearful,” even when Wall Street chases speculative trends. A Legacy Beyond Wealth: Combining financial acumen with…

The US stock market is currently flashing a rare and significant valuation warning. According to a recent report by Yahoo Finance, the S&P 500’s cyclically adjusted price-to-earnings (CAPE) ratio—which measures market prices against 10 years of inflation-adjusted earnings—has climbed to approximately 41. To put this in historical perspective: The long-term average of the CAPE ratio over the past 155 years sits at 17.8. The only other comparable extreme in history was the ~44 reading reached at the height of the dot-com bubble in 2000. While elevated CAPE readings are generally indicative of weaker long-term returns over the coming years, financial…

European equities closed sharply lower, driven by a broad-based market correction led heavily by the automobile and telecommunication sectors. The pan-European STOXX 600 dropped 1.1% to settle at 635.45 points, erasing nearly all gains made over the preceding two sessions and wrapping up the week with a 0.6% decline. Major regional indices also reflected the downward pressure, with Germany’s DAX falling 1.6% and London’s FTSE 100 dropping 1.5%. Key Drivers of the Market Slump 1. Automotive Sector Stumbles on Volkswagen Warning The autos and parts sector slumped 3.4%, paced by a sharp downturn in Volkswagen. Volkswagen shares suffered their steepest…

When navigating a volatile equity market, separating market hype from fundamental strength requires structured analytical tools. One of the most reliable frameworks for quantitative screening is Stock Reports Plus (powered by Refinitiv), which conducts deep-dive company analyses across more than 4,000 listed stocks. To pinpoint the market’s highest-quality investment opportunities, this quantitative scan looks for companies that achieve a perfect 10-out-of-10 composite score, backed by solid “Strong Buy” or “Buy” consensus recommendations from analysts via the Institutional Brokers’ Estimate System (IBES). How the 10/10 Score is Calculated Stock Reports Plus does not rely on a single metric or gut feeling.…