US markets today: Wall Street drifts lower as White House–Fed feud unnerves investors; dollar weakens, gold gains

US markets today: Wall Street drifts lower as White House–Fed feud unnerves investors; dollar weakens, gold gains

US stocks edged lower on Monday as investors showed signs of unease over a sharp escalation in tensions between the White House and the Federal Reserve, two Washington institutions whose independence markets have traditionally taken for granted. The S&P 500 slipped 0.3 per cent from its record high, while assets that typically benefit during periods…

Read More
Budget 2026: From savers to investors - Unlocking India’s physical wealth through budget reforms

Budget 2026: From savers to investors – Unlocking India’s physical wealth through budget reforms

Every festive season, India’s cultural affinity for gold expresses itself in strong demand. (AI image) By Navneet MunotIndia is a country of enormous diversity, with languages, customs and beliefs varying widely across regions. Yet one financial habit cuts across income levels and geography. Most households have grown up buying physical gold or silver every year…

Read More
Indian equities outlook: ICICI Prudential flags stable macro backdrop; warns valuations already price in optimism

Indian equities outlook: ICICI Prudential flags stable macro backdrop; warns valuations already price in optimism

The broader macro backdrop for Indian equities remains stable heading into 2026, supported by healthier corporate balance sheets and early signs of an earnings recovery across sectors, according to ICICI Prudential Alternate Investments. However, after a long market upcycle and widespread rerating, much of the optimism on growth and profits is already reflected in stock…

Read More
'Low inflation boost for competitiveness': RBI

‘Low inflation boost for competitiveness’: RBI

MUMBAI: High-frequency indicators in Nov show activity is holding up and demand is robust, even though headline CPI inflation edged up, but stayed below the lower tolerance level.RBI’s state of the economy report, published on Monday, said “benign inflation during the month kept input cost pressures low for firms”, hence “limiting hikes to selling prices…

Read More
Trump’s tariff impact! US trade deficit falls 24% as imports plunged in August; government shutdown delayed data release

Trump’s tariff impact! US trade deficit falls 24% as imports plunged in August; government shutdown delayed data release

The US trade deficit narrowed by about 24 per cent in August as sweeping tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump reduced imports, according to a delayed Commerce Department report released Wednesday. According to Associated Press, citing the report, the trade gap fell to $59.6 billion in August from $78.2 billion in July. Imports declined 5…

Read More