Election Financial News

Respondents to the March CNBC Fed Survey have raised the risk of recession to the highest level in six months, cut their growth forecast for 2025 and raised their inflation outlook.

Rabri Devi on Tuesday turned up at the office of the Enforcement Directorate here, following a summons issued by the agency in connection with its probe into the land-for-jobs scam. The RJD leader reached the ED's Bank Road office along with her eldest daughter Misa Bharti, the Lok Sabha MP from Patliputra, who is also named as an accused in the case.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Mark Carney, sworn in as the 24th Prime Minister of Canada on Friday, is a newbie in the world of politics. But then, so was the late Manmohan Singh, till former Prime Minister Narasimha Rao made him our finance minister in 1991.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC), a 35-year-old New York congresswoman, could become the Democratic Party's candidate for the 2028 US elections after she has recently gained popularity as she might best represent the Democratic voters, according to the Axios reporter Alex Isenstadt, reported The Wrap.

Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL), calls for the creation of an independent committee, comprising the Prime Minister, Leader of Opposition, and Chief Justice of India, to appoint the CAG. The petitioner argued that the current selection process undermines the independence of the CAG. Advocate Prashant Bhushan claimed that the CAG's independence has diminished in recent years, pointing to a decline in reports and audits, especially in states ruled by the BJP.

Narendra Modi is expected to visit the RSS headquarters in Nagpur at the end of this month, a development that will be closely watched in political circles. His visit is scheduled for March 30, the first day of the Hindu calendar.

Cameron Brandt, Director of Research, EPFR Global, says it is now the turn of US equity funds to see something of a reversion to the mean. The free pass they got in the immediate aftermath of Donald Trump's election, if not revoked, is certainly being scrutinised. The past 10 days have not been terrible for emerging markets. There has been a pickup of flows into dedicated Europe and Japan equity funds. In India, valuations are starting to get to levels where people will be comfortable again and maybe even see an upside. The last time we spoke, there was only bad news for emerging markets like India. When do you think there will be only good news for emerging markets like India? Cameron Brandt: It is certainly not quite as gloomy for emerging markets as when we last talked. But the emerging markets that are doing best at the moment are the ones perceived as being geared to Europe. We have had a fairly bumpy period, but it is Europe that has been catching the attention and flows. That said, the reallocation away from emerging markets definitely seems to be slowing. It has not stopped, but there are certainly points of life in the general universe and it is now the turn of US equity funds to see something of a reversion to the mean.

Labour government will on Monday set out details of how it plans to slash red tape to boost business, as it struggles to deliver growth nine months after winning power. Chancellor Rachel Reeves' shake-up comes after Prime Minister Keir Starmer took aim at the nation's «flabby state», sparking anger from unions who called on him to avoid the «incendiary rhetoric» of Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) in the US. The finance ministry said regulators would be summoned to the prime minister's Downing Street office on Monday to hear Reeves announce her «action plan to deliver on the pledge to cut the administrative cost of regulation on business by a quarter». The «radical» plan would cut «costly red tape» such as the «hundreds of pages of guidance on protecting bat habitats which goes far beyond legal requirements», said a statement, referring to the £100 million ($130 million) spent on a bat tunnel by the company building Britain's new high-speed HS2 train line. The tunnel has become a lightning rod for criticism of the planning system, with the Prime Minister describing it as «absurd».

Lars Staack decided to play it safe and invest his retirement savings in S&P 500 index funds, which are diversified and carry lower risk than owning individual stocks. It was a strategy that brought him peace of mind for more than two decades — until President Donald Trump was elected in November. As he reviewed Trump's comments in support of sweeping tariffs, Staack, 62, who retired two years ago, became increasingly uneasy about the savings he planned to use for the rest of his retirement.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. United Breweries Ltd., one of India’s largest beer makers, is betting on its premium brands like Kingfisher Ultra to drive growth even as rising taxes in key states, including Telangana, Karnataka, and Rajasthan, threaten to offset a potential boost from a prolonged summer. After disruptions during the general elections last fiscal impacted production and shipments across the sector, an early and longer summer this year is “going to be more helpful as it will lead to more consumption from a macro standpoint", said Vivek Gupta, managing director and CEO of Dutch parent Heineken-controlled United Breweries.

EPIC — from commitments made in court to the legal amendments required and the political opposition that is bound to follow. First is the question of the 66.23 crore Aadhaar numbers already collected by the poll panel until 2023. Shared voluntarily by EPIC holders, the 12-digit Aadhaar numbers have been «seeded» against Voter ID cards but the two databases have not been linked till date.

«It is a fact that the party's independent strength and influence have not grown… And that's primarily been due to the erosion in our base of support in West Bengal and Tripura, two of the strong states that we have,» Karat said in an interview with PTI. «So, the focus of our forthcoming party congress is how we strengthen the party,» the CPI(M) interim coordinator added. The CPI(M) had 43 MPs in the 14th Lok Sabha from 2004 to 2009. Its tally declined to 16 in 2009, nine in 2014 and three in 2019. The party won four seats in the Lok Sabha in the 2024 elections. In state assemblies, the CPI(M)-led Left Front was defeated by the TMC in West Bengal in 2011 after being in power for 34 years. It was defeated by the BJP in Tripura — which the CPI(M)-led coalition had governed since 1993 — in 2018.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. President Trump has launched an unprecedented challenge to a geopolitical order that has prevailed for decades. One potential victim: the U.S.

Barron Trump, the youngest son of Donald Trump and Melania Trump, proved crucial to US President's 2024 election campaign, offering insight to the Republican nominee to gain the youth vote. He notably suggested podcast media appearances for his father and helped him with his stage presence and manners, although the two are said to have had quite an interesting relationship. The forthcoming book Revenge: The Inside Story of Trump's Return to Power by Axios reporter Alex Isenstadt reveals how co-campaign managers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita dedicated extensive efforts to securing Trump's strong debate performance. ALSO READ: 'The hardest thing has been...': NASA's Sunita Williams reveals what she’ll miss about space after returning to Earth

Nitin Gadkari delivered a powerful message about equality and his refusal to engage in caste-based politics at the Convocation ceremony of the Central India Group of Institutions in Nagpur on Saturday. The BJP leader noted that a person's worth should be judged by their qualities, not their caste, religion, language, or gender. «A person is not known by their caste, sect, religion, language or sex, but only by their qualities. That is why we will not discriminate against anyone based on caste, sect, religion, language, or sex,» he stated, reiterating the importance of fairness and equality in society. Despite the fact that caste often plays a significant role in Indian politics, Gadkari remained firm in his stance, vowing not to engage in caste-based politics, even if it cost him votes. He noted that he avoids discussing religion and caste in public discourse, as he believes people value «service to society» above all else.

Chief Election Commissioner and an election commissioner last month, needless questions are being raised on whether they were the right individuals for these offices because the Chief Justice of India was not on the selection committee. Argument being that the CJI's exclusion has rendered the selection one-sided as the Leader of Opposition is in the obvious minority. This logic is spurious. Article 324 (2) of the Constitution that outlines the composition and appointment of the CEC and ECs reads as follows: «The Election Commission shall consist of the chief election commissioner and such number of other election commissioners, if any, as the President may from time to time fix and the appointment of the chief election commissioner and other election commissioners shall, subject to the provisions of any law made in that behalf by Parliament, be made by the President.» The President has been appointing the CEC and ECs on the advice of the executive, that is the government of the day. Parliament has not enacted any law to amend this process. The LoP's inclusion in the selection committee for the appointment of any regulatory position started with the Right to Information Act, 2005. Under this law, the President appoints central information commissioners on the recommendation of not the executive but a selection committee comprising the Prime Minister, a minister nominated by him and the LoP in the Lok Sabha. In state information commissions, the governor makes the appointment on the recommendation of a committee comprising the chief minister, a minister and the LoP of the state assembly.

Meanwhile, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker plans a trip to New Hampshire—a critical early primary state—fueling speculation about his ambitions. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz recently visited Iowa, engaging with Democrats frustrated by Trump-era policies and congressional inaction, signaling his national aspirations despite Iowa’s diminished role in the primary calendar. Though no official campaigns exist, potential contenders are leaving deliberate clues. Operatives and donors dissect travel schedules, policy speeches, and fundraising appearances for hints of presidential intent. New Hampshire Democratic Chair Raymond Buckley notes that early outreach—like Pritzker’s planned visit—resonates with activists eager to shift focus beyond Trump’s divisive legacy. However, challenges loom: The Democratic National Committee won’t finalize early primary states until 2026, complicating strategy. Meanwhile, midterm elections in 2026 remain the immediate priority, even as whispers about 2028 grow louder.

This comes amid a heightened political debate, particularly after the Trinamool Congress raised concerns about duplicate EPIC entries in West Bengal. The EC has already announced plans to eliminate duplicate voter entries within three months. However, the move to link Aadhaar with EPIC is a significant and likely contentious step forward. Currently, the Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021, allows electoral officers to request voters' Aadhaar numbers, but it remains voluntary and is complicated by legal and privacy concerns. The EC has successfully entered a significant number of Aadhaar numbers into its database voluntarily but has been unable to fully integrate the two systems due to privacy concerns. Despite this, the EC has consistently advocated for Aadhaar seeding as a tool to prevent duplication in the electoral roll. In 2017, the EC even filed an application in the Supreme Court to continue linking Aadhaar with voter IDs, emphasizing its role in ensuring a clean and accurate electoral roll.

Left and democratic forces" against both the TMC and the BJP, party leader Prakash Karat has said. He added that no discussions had been held on whether the Left Front and the Congress would contest the assembly polls, due in 2026, in an alliance. In an interview with PTI, the CPI(M) interim coordinator stressed that the party losing ground in West Bengal was a major reason behind its declining electoral strength. The CPI(M) is focusing on working among the rural poor to regain its traditional support base, Karat said. Asked about the party's standing in West Bengal, which the CPI(M)-led Left Front governed for 34 years between 1977 and 2011 before losing to the TMC, the veteran leader highlighted the recent mobilisations of youngsters, including during the protests against the RG Kar rape and murder incident. «I am not talking only about our party but all Left and progressive forces (that) came out in large numbers, mobilising the youth also in a big way,» Karat told PTI.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Yashwant Sinha’s tenure as finance minister is remarkable, particularly because of the nature of the equation he had with his prime minister. Remember that Sinha first became the finance minister under the Chandra Shekhar government in November 1990.

Donald Trump delivered what sounded like one of his typical meandering, grievance-laden campaign speeches on Friday, but it was where he did it — inside the U.S. Department of Justice — that mattered. The appearance marked Trump's clearest exertion yet of personal control over the country's federal law enforcement apparatus, which is normally run by appointees who keep at least an arm's length from the president to avoid the appearance that politics are governing prosecutorial decisions. Trump, instead, embraced the notion of the agency as his own personal tool of vengeance. «As the chief law enforcement officer in our country, I will insist upon and demand full and complete accountability for the wrongs and abuses that have occurred,» Trump told the audience, with Attorney General Pam Bondi (who is technically the country's chief law enforcement officer) and FBI Director Kash Patel in the audience. One of Trump's favorite campaign songs, «YMCA,» played after he wrapped up his nearly hourlong address inside the department's ceremonial Great Hall. Here's a look at what Trump said, what the reality is and the significance of his words.