COST Financial News

RuPaul's Drag Race — Season 16 – TV season, has gained optimistic reviews from critics and fans alike since its debut on January 5th, 2024. It is a reality TV show that is Emmy nominated where as many as 14 drag queens are competing for America's Next Drag Superstar title as well as the grand reward of $200,000.

As the real estate sector continues to flourish, driven by the increasing interest of buyers, investors, and developers, it has become vital to focus on sustainable construction practices. Real estate is one of the country’s fastest-growing sectors, with enormous infrastructural developments under progress and the interest of investors for the remarkable returns and security that the sector offers. The real estate sector in our country has been witnessing unprecedented growth fuelled by urbanisation, population growth, and economic development.

Navigating the decision between investing in mutual funds and prepaying a home loan requires careful consideration of various factors, including financial goals, risk tolerance, and prevailing economic conditions. While there’s no one-size-fits-all answer, understanding the merits and drawbacks of each option can help you make an informed decision that aligns with your circumstances.

In a move that could significantly impact insurance consumers in India, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has proposed to extend the free-look period from 15 days to 30 days. This proposed rule aims to provide policyholders with more time to review their insurance policies thoroughly before committing to them. But what exactly is the free-look period, and how is this extension going to impact consumers?

By Kamil Khan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone of the Gurugram Metro project on February 16. The Haryana government had approved the formation of the Gurugram Metro Rail Ltd, which shall be jointly owned by the Haryana government and the Government of India, to execute the metro extension project early this year.

PE investor Nordic Capital has signed an agreement to acquire a majority share in Zafin, a provider of SaaS core modernisation and transformation solutions for financial institutions. The investment is made in close partnership with Zafin’s founders and management, who will reinvest in the company alongside Nordic Capital, the company said in a statement.

A parliamentary panel has suggested introducing a composite licence for insurance companies which will enable them to offer both life and non-life insurance products. Saikat Neogi explains how it will give insurers economies of scale and benefit customers at the same time

With affordable housing losing its sheen in the past couple of years, top property realtors believe that intervention from government, in terms of subsidy schemes for borrowers or reduction in interest cost for land acquisition is the only way to revive interest in it.

DY Chandrachud on Saturday inaugurated a newly constructed arbitration centre in Allahabad High Court, he also launched a book 'Courts of Uttar Pradesh. Speaking at the inauguration the CJI said the Prayagraj arbitration centre is not dependent either on financing or support from the Allahabd High Court. «The idea of having an arbitration centre called Prayagraj arbitration centre is to truly indicate that this is the centre of arbitration that is not dependent either on financing or support from the High Court… By creating this venue, we want to create a process of arbitration which is efficient in terms of cost, timeline… If arbitration takes time as long as a suit takes in court then why people will go for arbitration» said CJI DY Chandrachud. The Chief Justice also spoke on the key role played by technology in the judiciary.

The multi-billion dollar opportunity in India’s push for solar energy is also a lucrative opportunity for the wires and cables industry. “The long-term outlook is promising, given the increasing adoption of solar energy in residential and commercial sectors. We anticipate sustained growth as demand for specialized wiring solutions rises,” says Rajesh Jain, CFO, RR Kabel. In this interview with ET Markets, Jain also talks about the Q3 numbers and company outlook. Edited excerpts

Hyderabad region has witnessed a 1 per cent annual fall in registrations of residential properties in January to 5,411 units, according to Knight Frank. As many as 5,454 housing units were registered in January 2023 across the Hyderabad residential market, which includes four districts namely Hyderabad, Medchal-Malkajgiri, Rangareddy and Sangareddy. The data covers transactions of both primary (first sale) and secondary (resale) markets. As per the data compiled by real estate consultant Knight Frank India, the total value of properties registered during January stood at Rs 3,279 crore, which is 24 per cent higher year-on-year, indicating a movement towards sale of higher value homes.

local governance is undergoing a paradigm shift. The shift is being driven by the increasing power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data analytics. Local governments, which till now had been associated with bureaucratic hurdles and slow processes, are slowly embracing tech startups as partners in this transformative journey. This article explores how AI and data analytics, delivered through the agility and passion for innovation of tech startups, are paving the way for a more efficient, citizen-centric, and responsive local governance model. Let us first look at some of the challenges that traditional models of governance face. Local governments often struggle to extract meaningful insights from vast amounts of data because of limited resources and expertise. Further, manual processes and siloed operations lead to slow response times and frustration for citizens. Most importantly, traditional communication channels fail to effectively engage citizens in decision-making processes, which defies the very idea of democracy, i.e. governance of the people, by the people, and for the people.

Power Grid Corporation (POWERGRID) expects «no impact» from proposed changes in Operation & Maintenance (O&M) charges norms by Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC), a top company official said. The official said the company was in discussion with the regulator. Draft regulations suggest altering the prior 75:25 (sub-station vs transmission line) O&M cost distribution to 65:35 ratio, increasing transmission line charges while decreasing substation charges. Chairman and Managing Director Ravindra Kumar Tyagi claimed «net impact is almost zero,» with overall O&M charges maintained.

India on a long-term basis has great growth potential. It's a very appealing market. Therefore, we will try to seek various opportunities and if we can find another opportunity that would replace this type of plan," said Totoki.

Bitcoin miner stocks are outpacing the price of Bitcoin, which hit its highest level since 2021 as the cryptocurrency goes mainstream with the recent approval of a Bitcoin Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF).

TORONTO — The high cost of not having enough money is being brought into focus by a class-action lawsuit at one of the country’s largest banks.

January is usually a pretty quiet month for homebuying. Not so this year as sales have surged well ahead of the spring home hunting season.

STARTECK, a leading company, announced their Q3 FY24 results on 14 Feb, 2024. The topline saw a notable increase of 9.26% compared to the same quarter last year.

Fineotex Chemical, a leading chemical company, announced their Q3 FY24 results on 14 Feb, 2024. The company witnessed a significant increase in revenue and profit compared to the same quarter last year. The topline increased by 26.75% YoY, showcasing the company's growth.

World Trade Organization (WTO) to lower the cost of cross-border remittances for promoting international trade. In a submission made on Tuesday, New Delhi said one of the means to achieve cheaper, faster and more transparent and accessible cross-border payments including remittances is «promoting interoperability and interlinkages of digital payment infrastructures including fast payment systems». «Cost of remittance is an issue we have been raising. There is also a Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) on this,» said an official.