The Press Editor

Indian equity benchmark indices, the Sensex and Nifty, started the session on a positive note even as global sentiment remains weak amid a rise in Brent crude, a major negative for the economy and markets. Meanwhile, precious metal prices extended their decline on Thursday, with gold slipping to a three-month low and silver plunging nearly 50 per cent from its record high levels at the beginning of this year. While the 30-share BSE Sensex jumped 416.25 points or 0.57 per cent to start the session at 73,665.64, the Nifty added 54.55 points to open at 22,742.20. In the last trading…

New Delhi: Indian Railways has announced relief for passengers planning to travel home during major festivals such as Diwali and Chhath Puja. In view of the surge in passenger demand, Northern Railway and other railway zones have decided to add extra AC coaches to 10 special trains operating on key routes to accommodate more passengers and improve the chances of getting confirmed tickets. Heavy crowds and long waiting lists are common during the festive season, often making it difficult for passengers to secure confirmed reservations. The addition of extra AC coaches is expected to increase seat availability and ease travel…

New Delhi: Businesses and small online sellers could soon find it easier to comply with Goods and Services Tax (GST) requirements, with a fresh set of process reforms expected to take effect from November 1, 2026. The proposed changes include simpler GST registration for small sellers operating through e-commerce platforms, quicker processing of refunds, standardised documentation and a minimum threshold of Rs 10,000 for issuing show-cause notices. An official said on Thursday that the measures approved by the 57th GST Council meeting on October 8 would be introduced in phases. Reforms that can be implemented through administrative measures are expected…