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The draft Income Tax Rules 2026 proposes several updates that strengthen the old tax regime for some salaried taxpayers. It expands cities eligible for higher HRA exemptions, raises children’s education and hostel allowances, and increases meal voucher tax-exempt value. These enhance tax savings for those with high rent and multiple deductions.
Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis AG is exiting India by selling its 70.68% stake in Novartis India to ChrysCapital for ₹1,446 crore. Additionally, an open offer has been announced for an extra 26% stake, valued at ₹552 crore, at a price of ₹860.64 per share. The deal is expected to conclude by year-end, marking its complete exit.
Here are the 22-karat gold prices per 10 grams today in the cities. ★Chennai: ₹1,46,800 ★Mumbai: ₹1,46,000 ★Delhi: ₹1,46,150 ★Kolkata: ₹1,46,000 ★Bangalore: ₹1,46,000 ★HYD: ₹1,46,000 ★Ahmedabad: ₹1,46,050 ★Jaipur: ₹1,46,150 ★Lucknow: ₹1,46,150 ★Vijayawada: ₹1,46,000 ★Nagpur: ₹1,46,000 ★Chandigarh: ₹1,46,150 and ★Bhubaneswar: ₹1,46,000.
Accenture announced that senior leadership promotions now require regular AI tool use. The decision follows 11,000 layoffs and $2 billion in severance. Employees’ AI activity will be tracked via internal platforms. Entry-level staff are exempt for now, but the move signals that AI proficiency is rapidly becoming essential across the IT industry.
Bitcoin has fallen over 45% since its October peak of $126,198. Analyst Peter Schiff warns on X that if it drops below $50,000, it could plunge to $20,000, an 84% fall. Schiff predicts a major US economic crisis, affecting crypto and dollars, while geopolitical tensions and ETF outflows add further pressure.
Piyush Goyal announced that an interim India-US trade agreement may be signed in March and implemented in April. The pact will cut US tariffs on Indian goods to 18%, boost exports in sectors like apparel, leather, gems, and spices, and secure high-tech imports, protecting sensitive industries while creating business opportunities.
Bloomberg reports that Amazon has become the world’s largest company, achieving $717 billion in sales in FY 2025 and surpassing Walmart at $713.2 billion. Growing ten times faster than Walmart over the past decade, Amazon has firmly established its dominant position in the global retail and e-commerce markets.
Indian markets rebounded Friday despite US-Iran tensions. The BSE Sensex rose 317 points to 82,814.71, while Nifty 50 gained 116 points to 25,571. PSU banks and metals led gains. Midcaps advanced, smallcaps slipped, and IT stocks lagged as investors returned after the previous session’s sharp sell-off.
Meta has reduced its annual stock option distribution by about 5% for most employees, as CEO Mark Zuckerberg invests billions in artificial intelligence initiatives. The social media giant, part of Silicon Valley’s competitive AI race, projects 2026 capital expenditures between $115 billion and $135 billion, declining further comment.
In the Hyderabad bullion market today, gold and silver prices showed minor fluctuations. The price of 10 grams of 24-carat gold fell by ₹320 to ₹1,56,170, while 10 grams of 22-carat gold rose by ₹300 to ₹1,43,150. Silver remained steady at ₹2,70,000 per kg. Prices in Telangana and AP remain largely similar, reflecting stability in […]
Food delivery giant Swiggy has discontinued its 10-minute delivery app ‘Snacc’ within a year of launch. Introduced to compete with Zepto and Blinkit, the service failed to generate expected profits. The company said it will now focus on sustainable, long-term ventures. Earlier, Zomato had similarly shut down its ‘Everyday’ service.
Here are the 22-karat gold prices per 10 grams today in the cities. ★Chennai: ₹1,44,200 ★Mumbai: ₹1,43,150 ★Delhi: ₹1,43,300 ★Kolkata: ₹1,43,150 ★Bangalore: ₹1,43,150 ★HYD: ₹1,43,150 ★Ahmedabad: ₹1,43,200 ★Jaipur: ₹1,43,610 ★Lucknow: ₹1,43,610 ★Vijayawada: ₹1,43,460 ★Nagpur: ₹1,43,460 ★Chandigarh: ₹1,43,610 and ★Bhubaneswar: ₹1,43,460.
Domestic stock markets opened slightly lower today amid investor caution over rising US-Iran tensions. The Sensex dipped 225.65 points to 82,272.49, while the Nifty-50 declined 47.80 points to 25,406.55. Bank Nifty also slipped 111.70 points to 60,627.85. The Indian rupee was trading at 90.95 against the dollar, reflecting the global uncertainty.
The Sensex and Nifty opened at fresh record levels in early trade on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. The Sensex started trading today at 83553.59, up at 102.63 points or 0.12%, and the Nifty was at 25752.65, up at 27.25 points or 0.11%. Meanwhile, the Indian rupee was trading today at 90.64 against the dollar.
Bengaluru Airport saw a 38% rise in stem volumes and 64% in tonnage, remaining India’s top perishable export hub for 5 years. International shipments held at 305 MT, led by Singapore, with new destinations including Los Angeles and London Gatwick. Domestically, 2,402 MT of roses were transported, up 79%, driven by Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Jaipur, and Guwahati.