Business

Mumbai, Nov 8 (IANS) National Stock Exchange (NSE) Managing Director and CEO Ashish Kumar Chauhan has cautioned investors against chasing quick returns, acting on unsolicited stock recommendations and trading in futures and options (F&O) without adequate knowledge, stressing the need for discipline and a long-term approach to investing.

In a conversation with NDTV Profit, Chauhan said investors should focus on staying invested for three to five years or even a decade rather than attempting to make instant profits through frequent buying and selling of stocks.

"Investment means being patient and investing for the long run and not buying in the morning and selling in the afternoon," he said, warning investors against making decisions based on television discussions, market rumours or speculative news.

Emphasising the risks associated with derivatives trading, Chauhan said investors should enter the F&O segment only if they understand how it works and have the necessary knowledge to manage the associated risks. He cautioned that uninformed participation in derivatives could expose investors to substantial losses.

He also advised investors to exercise caution while deploying their money in the stock market, warning against borrowing funds for investments or taking risks beyond their financial capacity.

For investors who lack the time or expertise to track market movements, companies and economic developments, Chauhan recommended mutual funds and professional investment services, including fund managers, financial advisers and portfolio managers.

Drawing a comparison with healthcare, he said people generally consult doctors rather than attempting to treat themselves without the required expertise. Similarly, investors should seek professional guidance instead of making uninformed investment decisions.

Chauhan also cautioned that market fluctuations are inevitable and investors should not allow short-term volatility or speculative impulses to influence their investment strategies. He said a long-term investment approach could help investors achieve better returns than several alternative investment avenues, provided they remain mindful of market risks.

The discussion also covered the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI) and its potential implications for Indian markets, particularly India's emergence as an investment destination amid the technology-led transformation.

Drawing parallels with the internet boom of the late 1990s, Chauhan said the current AI-driven investment cycle shares similarities with the dot-com boom of 1998-2000.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Nov 8 (IANS) Traders across the country celebrated Diwali by worshipping traditional account books alongside iPads, laptops, computers, mobile phones and other digital devices, reflecting the growing adoption of technology in India's trading community while preserving age-old customs.

The initiative, encouraged by the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) for several years, highlights the changing face of Indian commerce, where traditional business practices are increasingly making way for digital tools without losing their cultural significance.

On the occasion, traders performed Lakshmi-Ganesh puja at their business establishments across cities, towns and villages, seeking prosperity, business growth and economic well-being.

CAIT also organised a special Diwali puja at the residence of its Secretary General and Chandni Chowk MP Praveen Khandelwal in the national capital. Several prominent trade leaders and representatives of business organisations participated in the ceremony.

Acharya Pandit Pramod Shastri performed the Vedic rituals, while the venue was decorated with flowers, rose petals and earthen lamps. A large artistic depiction of a traditional Indian trader holding a computer symbolised the transformation taking place in the country's business sector.

The idols of Lord Ganesha and Goddess Mahalakshmi were ceremonially anointed with Panchamrit. Traders also worshipped Lord Hanuman, revered as Sankatmochan, as a symbolic expression of their resolve to protect traditional Indian businesses amid the growing influence of global retail corporations following the opening up of the retail sector to foreign direct investment (FDI).

Speaking on the occasion, Khandelwal said Diwali represented a unique confluence of Indian culture, faith, tradition and economic prosperity, describing it as not only an important festival of Sanatan Dharma but also the country's biggest economic celebration.

He said the worship of digital devices alongside traditional account books reflected how Indian traders were embracing modern technology while remaining connected to their cultural roots.

Khandelwal also said Indian-made products witnessed strong demand during this year's Diwali season, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal to promote Swadeshi and purchase domestically manufactured goods receiving an encouraging response from consumers.

Earthen lamps, decorative items, textiles, handicrafts, sweets, toys, household products and traditional gifts made in India recorded strong demand, providing support to domestic manufacturers, artisans, small businesses and women entrepreneurs, he added.

Emphasising the importance of the Vocal for Local campaign, Khandelwal said it was gradually emerging as a national economic movement rather than remaining merely a slogan.

He said purchasing Indian-made products helps strengthen domestic manufacturing, generate employment and support local artisans and entrepreneurs, while contributing to the country's economic growth.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Nov 8 (IANS) As the market prepares to usher in Samvat 2083 on Sunday, investors will once again participate in the special one-hour Muhurat trading session, traditionally considered an auspicious occasion to begin new investments and seek financial prosperity.

Previously, the Indian stock market has recorded gains in eight of the last 10 Muhurat trading sessions. Both the benchmark Nifty and Sensex witnessed losses in 2016 and 2017 but remained in positive territory in each of the subsequent eight sessions, with gains generally staying below 1 per cent.

The BSE and NSE will conduct the special trading session from 2:20 pm to 3:30 pm on November 8. The session marks the beginning of the new Hindu financial year and coincides with Diwali celebrations.

Historical data show that the Nifty declined 0.14 per cent in the 2016 Muhurat trading session and 0.63 per cent in 2017. However, the index reversed the trend in 2018, registering a gain of 0.7 per cent. It subsequently advanced 0.37 per cent in 2019, 0.47 per cent in 2020 and 0.5 per cent in 2021.

The benchmark recorded a stronger gain of 1 per cent in 2022, followed by an increase of 0.5 per cent in 2023 and 0.4 per cent in 2024. In the latest Muhurat trading session in 2025, the Nifty edged up around 0.1 per cent.

During the 2025 session, the Sensex and Nifty opened on a positive note and initially climbed to their respective 52-week highs at the time. However, both indices gave up most of their early gains as trading progressed and eventually settled with modest advances.

The Sensex gained 63 points, or approximately 0.07 per cent, to close at 84,426, while the Nifty advanced 25 points, or around 0.1 per cent, to settle at 25,868.

The Sensex also recorded positive returns in eight of the last 10 Muhurat trading sessions. The index declined 0.04 per cent in 2016 and 0.59 per cent in 2017 before registering gains in the following eight years.

The Sensex advanced 0.7 per cent in 2018, 0.49 per cent in 2019 and 0.45 per cent in 2020. It gained 0.5 per cent in 2021, followed by a stronger rise of 0.87 per cent in 2022. The index subsequently climbed 0.54 per cent in 2023 and 0.42 per cent in 2024 before ending the 2025 session with a gain of approximately 0.07 per cent.

--IANS

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Seoul, Nov 8 (IANS) The personal information of some 39,000 customers and employees has been leaked from Mirae Asset Securities Co., the country's leading brokerage house, the securities firm said.

According to Mirae Asset Securities, the account numbers of some 3,800 customers and the personal information of over 35,000 current and former employees, as well as contractors, were leaked, reports Yonhap news agency.

The South Korean brokerage said unauthorised external access occurred Wednesday and Thursday, targeting its mobile web phone authentication login service and internal system, respectively.

The leaked non-customer, corporate data included names, employee ID numbers, email addresses, mobile phone numbers and passwords.

Mirae Asset said it immediately blocked the affected access routes after detecting suspicious activity from external IP addresses and activated its emergency response system.

The company also said it reported the incident to the Financial Services Commission, the Financial Supervisory Service and the Personal Information Protection Commission.

The data breach came days after its sister companies, including Mirae Asset Life Insurance, suffered similar data leaks.

The data breach at Mirae Asset Securities is the latest in a series of data leaks in the financial sector.

According to the Financial Services Commission, more than 470,000 personal data records have been leaked from 37 companies across the financial sector over the past month, with the amount of funds stolen estimated at 1 billion won (US$745,000).

Since September 30, when the first data leak was detected, a total of 40 data leak incidents have been reported at 37 companies, including four commercial banks, five financial investment firms, three insurance firms and five savings banks, according to the regulator.

Meanwhile, Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, said that hackers used fake job interviews and an internal artificial intelligence (AI) tool in a cyberattack that resulted in the theft of more than US$6 billion in digital assets last week.

The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) has attributed the theft to North Korea, identifying the incident to a North Korean hacking group it calls TraderTraitor, a name previously tied to other cryptocurrency thefts.

—IANS

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Mumbai, Nov 8 (IANS) The Indian stock markets were set for the special Muhurat trading session on Sunday from 2.20 pm to 3.30 pm, marking the start of Samvat 2083 on the back of an extraordinary seven-session rally.

The Indian market enters Samvat 2083 in a position of genuine strength.

Across the last 10 Muhurat sessions from 2016 to 2025, the Nifty and Sensex have closed higher in eight of them, declining only in 2016 and 2017, with the Nifty rising in every single Muhurat session since 2018.

“The tone into today’s session remains constructive. The Nifty 50 has decisively broken out of its prior consolidation range, closing well above the psychological 25,000 mark,” said analysts.

Global investors remain cautious amid uncertainty surrounding the AI trade, while domestic investors remain confident, consistently stepping in to buy on every market dip.

Friday’s close saw the Nifty 50 reclaim 25,000 for the first time since February, settling around 25,030 (+2.01 per cent), while the Sensex surged 1,718 points (+2.17 per cent) around 81,028, the strongest weekly performance for both indices since February 2021.

According to market experts, investors and traders should adopt a cautious, stock-specific approach during the Muhurat trading session.

The special Diwali trading session is traditionally considered auspicious for initiating investments and reviewing financial portfolios.

However, the market experts cautioned against making impulsive decisions driven by festive sentiment, recommending that investors focus on fundamentals, valuations, and long-term financial goals.

Meanwhile, long-term investors can use the occasion to review asset allocation and selectively accumulate fundamentally strong stocks and short-term traders should monitor technical levels and global cues before taking positions, they added.

For Samvat 2083, the experts favours banking and financial services, capital markets, manufacturing, global outsourcing and exports, consumption and digital businesses.

—IANS

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New Delhi, Nov 8 (IANS) Rose petals, raspberry tart, red velvet cake, and vanilla custard. It sounds like a patisserie menu, but these are the tasting notes of a whisky, bringing a distinctly indulgent expression to the festive season.

The art of festive indulgence

Diwali has always been a festival of indulgence. It is the time of year when restraint takes a backseat, mithai boxes make their way into homes, festive tables become elaborate spreads, and gifting is as much about the experience as the present itself. The festival feels deeply sensory: the fragrance of roses, the richness of kaju katli, the sweetness of traditional desserts, the shimmer of silk, and the warmth of a home filled with celebration.

Now, imagine capturing some of that feeling in a glass of whisky.

It might sound like an unusual proposition, particularly in a category traditionally associated with notes of oak, smoke, spice, caramel and peat. Yet, the world of premium whisky is increasingly inviting drinkers to look beyond conventional tasting vocabulary. And few flavour descriptions sound quite as indulgent as those associated with Rampur Barrel Blush.

Rose petals, red velvet cake, raspberry tart, vanilla custard and dark berries. The descriptors seem more at home on a dessert menu than in a whisky tasting room. There is an unmistakable sense of richness and sweetness in the language, evoking the kind of flavours one might associate with a luxurious dessert platter. But this is whisky, with its own complexity and character.

The result is an interesting proposition for the festive season: a whisky experience that speaks to the Indian palate's long-standing appreciation for layered, aromatic and richly textured flavours.

A different kind of indulgence

For generations, Indian celebrations have revolved around food and flavour. From rose-infused sweets and saffron-laced desserts to berry-rich preserves and caramelised delicacies, indulgence has always had a distinctly sensory dimension.

Barrel Blush offers an interesting point of connection between this familiar world of flavours and the evolving universe of premium Indian whisky. Its tasting profile, with references to florals, red fruits, vanilla and darker berry notes, brings a different vocabulary to the whisky conversation.

It also challenges the assumption that whisky appreciation must always be expressed through a familiar set of descriptors. A dram can be discussed in the language of desserts, patisserie and confectionery without losing the complexity that makes whisky an experience in its own right.

For consumers exploring premium spirits, this makes for an intriguing discovery. It is not simply about what a whisky tastes like, but how its aromas and flavour associations create an experience that is memorable.

And what better time to explore that sense of indulgence than Diwali?

When the bottle becomes the gift

Festive gifting has evolved considerably. Consumers are increasingly looking for presents that offer more than utility or familiarity. Presentation, craftsmanship, provenance, and the experience of unwrapping something distinctive have become important parts of the gifting equation.

This is where Barrel Blush has another interesting story to tell.

The whisky comes dressed in a custom embroidered silk pouch, giving the bottle an identity that extends beyond its contents. Silk has long held a special place in Indian celebrations and gifting traditions. It represents craftsmanship, elegance and a certain timelessness that makes it particularly appropriate for the festive season.

The embroidered pouch brings these associations into a contemporary luxury setting. Instead of requiring elaborate additional packaging, the bottle arrives with a presentation that feels considered and celebratory in itself.

It is a small but meaningful shift in how premium spirits can participate in festive gifting. The gift is not just what is inside the bottle; the bottle, its presentation and the experience of receiving it all become part of the occasion.

For someone looking to move beyond the predictable festive hamper, this offers a rather different expression of luxury.

A journey of 10,000 kilometres, ending in a glass

There is another layer to the Barrel Blush story, and it begins far from India.

The Shiraz casks used for its finishing journey travel more than 10,000 kilometres from Australia to India. It is a fascinating detail in a category where maturation and cask influence are central to the final character of the spirit.

The journey of a cask is rarely the most visible part of a whisky's story, yet it can be among the most interesting. Different cask types and their previous contents contribute distinct dimensions to a spirit's development, influencing the aromas, flavours and character that eventually emerge in the glass.

In Barrel Blush's case, the Australian Shiraz casks add an international dimension to an Indian whisky narrative. It is a meeting of geographies, craftsmanship and flavour traditions, with the final expression finding its identity in India.

There is something particularly compelling about this exchange. An Indian single malt draws on a journey that spans continents, bringing together the character of the spirit and the influence of cask finishing in a way that makes the story as interesting as the pour itself.

The new language of festive luxury

The premium spirits conversation in India is changing. As consumers become more exploratory and the country's single malt category continues to attract attention, the idea of luxury is also expanding.

It is no longer defined only by age statements, provenance or price points. Distinctive flavour profiles, craftsmanship, presentation and the stories behind a bottle are increasingly becoming part of the experience.

Barrel Blush sits at an interesting intersection of these ideas. Its dessert-inspired tasting vocabulary makes it an unusual conversation starter, its Shiraz cask journey adds an element of international provenance, and its embroidered silk presentation gives it an unmistakably festive personality.

Perhaps that is what makes it particularly suited to Diwali. The festival is, after all, about bringing together different elements of indulgence – flavour, colour, craftsmanship, hospitality and celebration.

And while a box of mithai will always have its place on the festive table, there is room for a different kind of indulgence to accompany the celebrations.

One that arrives wrapped in silk, carries a story across 10,000 kilometres, and offers tasting notes that sound almost too tempting to drink.

This Diwali, perhaps the most interesting thing about a whisky is that it might just remind you of dessert.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Nov 7 (IANS) India’s largest private lender, HDFC Bank, has increased interest rates on select fixed deposits (FDs) below Rs 3 crore by up to 50 basis points (bps) with the revised rates.

Following the revision, general customers can earn interest of up to 6.60 per cent, while senior citizens can get a maximum rate of 7.20 per cent, depending on the deposit tenure.

For general customers, rates on deposits of 61 days to six months have been raised by 50 bps to 4.75 per cent.

Rates on deposits of six months and one day to nine months have increased by 15 bps to 5.65 per cent, while those for nine months and one day to less than one year have risen to 5.90 per cent from 5.75 per cent.

The bank has also raised rates on select longer-term deposits.

FDs with tenures of 18 months and one day to two years will now fetch 6.50 per cent, against 6.45 per cent earlier.

Rates on deposits of two years and one day to three years have been increased to 6.55 per cent from 6.45 per cent.

For deposits of three years and one day to five years, rates have been raised to 6.60 per cent.

The biggest increase for general customers is on deposits of five years and one day to 10 years, where the rate has risen by 45 bps to 6.60 per cent from 6.15 per cent.

For senior citizens, rates on deposits of 61 days to six months have been increased by 50 bps to 5.25 per cent. The highest rate of 7.20 per cent is available on deposits of three years and one day to five years.

Rates on senior citizen deposits of five years and one day to 10 years have increased to 7.10 per cent from 6.65 per cent. However, the rates came into effect from November 4.

Additionally, other lenders -- including ICICI Bank, Punjab National Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank and Axis Bank -- have also revised rates on select FDs in recent months.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Nov 7 (IANS) Government-owned downstream oil majors—Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum-- have directed petrol pumps nationwide to check their underground storage tanks and fuel dispensing nozzles for water contamination every two to eight hours, depending on the weather conditions, to ensure that the quality of ethanol-blended petrol (E20) is maintained.

The three public sector oil companies presently operate close to a lakh petrol pumps across the country.

Most retail outlets of Indian Oil Corporation and Hindustan Petroleum are expected to carry out mandatory checks every two to four hours, while Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) has introduced testing after every eight hours.

The increased monitoring is being undertaken as ethanol comes in the category of hygroscopic liquids that easily absorb moisture from the surroundings. When E20 petrol comes into contact with water, the ethanol separates from petrol and forms a distinct water-ethanol layer at the bottom of the storage tank. This process is known as phase separation, a senior Indian Oil official said.

Ethanol-blended petrol absorbs the most water and moisture during hot, humid, and monsoon weather conditions. During the monsoon season or in coastal regions, high ambient moisture drastically increases how fast the blend takes in water.

Dealers have been asked to use alcohol-resistant water-finding paste to detect water ingress in storage tanks.

The Marketing Discipline Guidelines for the oil sector hold both fuel retailers and dealers responsible for ensuring that contaminated fuel is not sold to consumers. While oil companies are responsible for ensuring ethanol is blended in petrol according to government-prescribed limits, dealers must ensure that the right quality of fuel reaches consumers.

As of April 1, 2026, IOC operated 42,818 petrol pumps, BPCL 25,323 and HPCL 25,098. Private companies operated another 9,784 outlets, according to government data.

Meanwhile, India’s ethanol blending program continues its strong momentum with cumulative ethanol receipts reaching 987 crore litres by the end of September 2026, driven heavily by grain-based feedstocks, according to the latest data released by the All India Distillers’ Association (AIDA).

Grain-based feedstocks accounted for 705 crore litres, representing 71.4 per cent of cumulative ethanol receipts under Ethanol Supply Year (ESY) 2025-26. Total receipts by oil marketing companies stand at 987 crore litres against a total contracted allocation of 1,197 crore litres, achieving an overall supply fulfilment rate of 82.5 per cent.

The September figures demonstrate the rapidly strengthening role of grain-based feedstocks in providing steady, scalable fuel supplies. Maize continues to be the single largest feedstock contributor, accounting for 413 crore litres (over 41 per cent of total receipts), followed by surplus FCI rice at 222 crore litres and damaged foodgrains at 70 crore litres, according to an AIDA statement.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Nov 7 (IANS) The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has proposed tighter documentation requirements for agricultural loans and changes to priority sector lending (PSL) calculations with implications for treatment of certain trade-credit exposures.

The report said the proposals in the draft Reserve Bank of India (Priority Sector Lending – Targets and Classification) Directions, 2026 aim to strengthen oversight of agricultural lending and comments on the draft are invited until November 26.

The proposals include stricter verification of gold-backed agricultural loans with banks maintaining details such as the location of land under cultivation, crops grown and hypothecation of crops, wherever applicable.

Further, the proposal envisages a change in manner of banks accounting for trade bills discounted under letters of credit (LCs) while calculating their priority sector lending obligations.

Banks must ensure that the sanctioned loan amount is based on the applicable scale of finance and a proper assessment of the credit requirements for the agricultural activity, rather than solely on the type or value of collateral.

Further, banks must maintain records of field visits by officials to oversee the end use of loans. Banks must maintain alternative verifiable documents in case of landless agricultural labourers and sharecroppers without land records or lease deeds, to establish their eligibility for PSL classification.

“Bank loans extended for agricultural activities do not become ineligible for priority sector classification merely because the underlying collateral is in the form of gold jewellery or ornaments,” the draft said.

Bills purchased, discounted or negotiated by banks under letters of credit should not be excluded from ‘bank credit in India’ while calculating net bank credit (NBC) and adjusted net bank credit (ANBC) for PSL purposes, the draft said.

Banks can treat these exposures as interbank exposures for the limited purposes of exposure and capital adequacy calculations, rather than excluding them from the PSL calculation.

—IANS

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New Delhi, Nov 7 (IANS) The National Stock Exchange (NSE) will overhaul the Closing Auction Session (CAS) in the equity cash segment and revise trading modalities in the equity derivatives segment from December 7.

The changes follow a review by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) of the closing auction session, market timings and settlement methodology for derivatives contracts.

Under the revised framework, the duration of CAS will be reduced to 10 minutes, while the methodology for determining closing prices of eligible stocks will also be changed.

Moreover, trading hours in the equity derivatives segment will be extended to 3:45 pm.

According to the NSE, CAS will continue to apply to securities for which derivatives contracts are available on any exchange.

However, CAS will not apply to such securities on the ex-date of a scheme of arrangement.

The reference price for securities covered under CAS will be determined using the volume-weighted average price (VWAP) of trades executed between 3:15 pm and 3:30 pm.

The applicable price band during CAS will be set at plus or minus 3 per cent of the reference price of the security.

Earlier in October, SEBI issued the final CAS framework with retaining the 30-minute VWAP methodology for determining expiry-day settlement prices of index and stock derivatives.

The market regulator had revised CAS timings and operational rules in the equity cash market.

Under SEBI’s framework, CAS will run from 3:30 pm to 3:40 pm on all trading days. It will begin with a one-minute reference-price calculation and transition period, followed by a phase allowing limit and market orders.

According to the exchange, only limit orders will be permitted in the subsequent phase.

The session will close randomly between 3:38 pm and 3:40 pm, followed by order matching.

--IANS

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