Basudha Das

India paid 29% more per tonne for imported LPG than pre-war market expectations after the Hormuz strikes, as the energy crisis pushed up cooking-gas costs. The price shock added an estimated $1.1 billion to India’s LPG import bill, while imports fell sharply during the six-month period.

Indian bank loans are growing faster than deposits, putting pressure on lenders to attract and retain funds even as liquidity conditions improve. For customers, the trend could limit sharp cuts in FD rates, while the outlook for loan rates will depend on banks’ funding costs and sustained credit demand.

Bartending is increasingly moving beyond its traditional image in India, emerging as a skilled hospitality career with opportunities in luxury hotels, resorts, cruise liners and international markets. With India’s beverage industry expanding, specialised training in mixology, wines, spirits and beverage management is opening new global career pathways for young Indians.

India’s job market is moving beyond traditional career paths as AI, data and digital technologies create roles around new problems and emerging industries. For young professionals, the opportunity increasingly lies in combining technology with skills from fields such as finance, design, psychology and liberal arts.

The Himalayas are facing increasingly frequent and intense disasters, but experts warn that existing early warning systems are struggling to detect fast-moving and complex hazards. The recent Nepal glacier-triggered flash flood has highlighted gaps in monitoring, data availability and community preparedness.

India’s banking system is facing a sharp liquidity surplus of nearly ₹10 lakh crore, driven partly by strong FCNR-B inflows, which could keep short-term interest rates under pressure. Jefferies expects falling money-market rates and easier liquidity conditions to help banks lower wholesale funding costs, although near-term NIMs may remain under pressure.

A weak start can make a SIP look like a bad investment, but two years may be too short to judge its outcome. The latest CRISP analysis shows how dramatically SIP returns can change when investors extend their holding period from two to five years.

HUFs may see lower tax rates under the default new regime for Tax Year 2026-27, but the benefit comes with a trade-off: several deductions and house-property tax benefits will no longer be available. For families with eligible investments, home loans or property losses, comparing the old and new regimes could be crucial before making tax-saving decisions.

Silver’s 53% correction may have created a more attractive setup than gold, with the metal still facing a structural supply deficit. Monarch PMS says tight physical inventories, rising investment demand and high paper leverage could amplify silver’s next upside move.

Asian gold ETFs attracted US$2 billion in August, their strongest monthly inflow since February, led by China, while India and Japan also recorded positive demand. The surge came amid a broader global revival in gold investment, with global gold-backed ETFs drawing US$18 billion during the month, the second-highest monthly inflow on record.