Budget Express 2026

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HomeAuthorShishir asthana

Shishir Asthana

Principal Analyst, Research

Moneycontrol

Is silver's record rally running out of steam?

BUSINESS

Is silver's record rally running out of steam?

Silver's explosive 250% rally has pushed it to record highs, but signs of demand destruction and institutional profit-taking suggest the historic surge may be losing momentum.

Why Japan’s yen intervention could rattle global markets

BUSINESS

Why Japan’s yen intervention could rattle global markets

Japan's yen has pulled back from critical levels after intervention warnings, but analysts warn the relief may be temporary as underlying pressures persist.

‘Sell America’ is back in the market: Global confidence in US wavers

BUSINESS

‘Sell America’ is back in the market: Global confidence in US wavers

From Greenland to the Fed, Trump's actions trigger a global "Sell America" panic, forcing Wall Street to confront the cost of political instability.

Smallcaps, midcaps, IPOs stumbled in 2025, yet retail investors keep the faith

BUSINESS

Smallcaps, midcaps, IPOs stumbled in 2025, yet retail investors keep the faith

Even as midcaps, smallcaps, and IPOs lost their way through 2025, Indian retail investors poured record amounts into these segments—a paradox revealing extraordinary conviction amid widespread losses

Is copper the new gold?

BUSINESS

Is copper the new gold?

Copper's record-breaking price surge, driven by severe supply constraints, tariff-induced hoarding, and structural demand from electrification and AI, is fundamentally challenging its traditional role and valuation in global markets

The Venezuela Strike: Stable oil supply, but heightened global uncertainty

BUSINESS

The Venezuela Strike: Stable oil supply, but heightened global uncertainty

Despite the dramatic U.S. military capture of Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela's marginal oil production—under 1% of global supply—ensures stable near-term flows, yet escalating geopolitical risks could inject lasting uncertainty into energy and financial markets.

After historic 2025 gains, which precious metals still have room to run?

BUSINESS

After historic 2025 gains, which precious metals still have room to run?

The precious metals rally of 2025 demonstrates that despite being grouped together, each metal follows its own narrative

From floor trading to algorithms: India’s stockbroker rules get a 21st-century makeover

BUSINESS

From floor trading to algorithms: India’s stockbroker rules get a 21st-century makeover

The comprehensive overhaul represents SEBI's commitment to maintaining a regulatory framework that evolves with market realities

A case for restoring derivatives trading in Indian agricultural commodities

BUSINESS

A case for restoring derivatives trading in Indian agricultural commodities

The practice of banning commodities trading damages more than just immediate stakeholders—it undermines the credibility and trustworthiness of Indian exchanges and markets

Chart of the Day | The IPO illusion

BUSINESS

Chart of the Day | The IPO illusion

44% of recent IPOs trade below the issue price—but that means 56% trade above it. Some of those winners have multiplied investor wealth several times over

Ghost Malls: An opportunity hiding in plain sight

BUSINESS

Ghost Malls: An opportunity hiding in plain sight

From the United States to China and India, once-thriving shopping centres now stand empty—but these "ghost malls" may represent billions in untapped redevelopment potential

How the AI boom could trigger an energy crisis

BUSINESS

How the AI boom could trigger an energy crisis

AI's explosive growth is driving an unprecedented energy crisis, with data centres projected to consume up to 20% of global electricity by 2035 as tech giants scramble for nuclear solutions.

Japan bond crisis – Calm before the storm?

BUSINESS

Japan bond crisis – Calm before the storm?

As the yen carry trade unwinds, foreign investors withdraw funds from riskier emerging markets. An appreciating yen and portfolio outflows have already put downward pressure on the rupee

Unpacking the cash market surge

BUSINESS

Unpacking the cash market surge

SEBI’s restrictions on options trading triggered an unexpected boom in India's cash market, with delivery volumes surging as traders sought new opportunities

Is the Nifty rally built on sand?

BUSINESS

Is the Nifty rally built on sand?

The Nifty50's approach to record highs masks troubling weakness in the broader Indian market, where just six stocks are driving the rally while hundreds languish below key technical levels.

Why India's stock lending mechanism remains a failed experiment

BUSINESS

Why India's stock lending mechanism remains a failed experiment

Despite being introduced nearly two decades ago, India's securities lending and borrowing scheme has failed to gain meaningful traction due to prohibitive margin requirements, high costs, and inflexible rules, prompting SEBI to plan its first major overhaul in nearly two decades

Why brokers are demanding Bank Nifty's return

BUSINESS

Why brokers are demanding Bank Nifty's return

SEBI's crackdown on weekly options has triggered a revenue crisis across Indian brokerages and exchanges, with 26 lakh active clients exiting in the September quarter alone—prompting desperate appeals to restore Bank Nifty trading

SEBI's fee revolution -- Investors cheer, AMCs flinch

BUSINESS

SEBI's fee revolution -- Investors cheer, AMCs flinch

SEBI's proposed mutual fund fee cuts promise to save retail investors thousands annually, but AMCs and brokers are bracing for a profit squeeze that could reshape India's fund industry.

Trading halts: Exchanges pay fines, traders pay the price

BUSINESS

Trading halts: Exchanges pay fines, traders pay the price

Trading halts cost Indian exchanges crores in penalties, yet the traders who actually lost money remain empty-handed

Following the Smart Money: What Q3 VC funding reveals about AI dominance, India's innovation gap

BUSINESS

Following the Smart Money: What Q3 VC funding reveals about AI dominance, India's innovation gap

Following venture capital flows is like reading a map of the future, and right now, all roads lead to artificial intelligence

Chart of the Day: Buy in Muhurat trading, sell at year-end

BUSINESS

Chart of the Day: Buy in Muhurat trading, sell at year-end

A decade of data reveals why India's stock market has turned Diwali-to-year-end into a predictable bull run

Navigating New Waters: The impact of port fees on global trade politics

BUSINESS

Navigating New Waters: The impact of port fees on global trade politics

The US-China trade war just went maritime: new port fees are reshaping global shipping routes and driving up costs worldwide

Gold hits $4,000: Ray Dalio, Jeffrey Gundlach push for 15-25% portfolio allocation

BUSINESS

Gold hits $4,000: Ray Dalio, Jeffrey Gundlach push for 15-25% portfolio allocation

Gold shatters the $4,000 barrier amid global uncertainty, with experts predicting further gains as investors flee traditional assets for the safety of the precious metal

Chart of the Day | India missing out on the emerging markets party

MARKETS

Chart of the Day | India missing out on the emerging markets party

Emerging markets hit four-year highs, but foreign investors are on a selling spree in India and its market is lagging far behind the global rally

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