Category: News

SEBI Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey said on 17 September 2026 that the regulator will examine stockbrokers’ concerns over the new UPI merchant discount rate on capital market transactions, due to take effect from 15 October 2026.

What Sebi Chairman Said

Speaking on the sidelines of the NaBFID Infrastructure Conclave 2026 in Mumbai on Thursday, Pandey acknowledged that brokers had flagged genuine problems with the new charge structure.

Pandey said Sebi had noted “some important issues raised” and would “look into concerns,” acknowledging the matter needed attention.

His comments came after several brokerage firms, including Zerodha, raised objections in the preceding days over how the new UPI charge would apply to stockbroking transactions.

The New UPI MDR Rule, Explained

A Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) is the fee a bank or payment processor charges each time money moves through UPI. From 15 October 2026, a revised MDR structure applies to select UPI payments across India.

For most merchant payments above ₹2,000, the MDR is 0.4%, capped at ₹300 for transactions of ₹75,000 and above. Capital market transactions get a separate, lower rate.

Payments made toward mutual funds, securities, stockbrokers, dealers and investment advisers will attract an MDR of just 0.02% of the transaction value, with the same ₹300 cap. On a ₹1 lakh transfer, that works out to roughly ₹20. Recurring UPI mandates, such as SIP standing instructions, are exempt entirely.

Transaction Type	MDR Rate	Maximum Cap	Effective Date
General UPI merchant payments (above ₹2,000)	0.4%	₹300 (on ₹75,000 and above)	15 October 2026
Capital market payments (mutual funds, securities, brokers, dealers)	0.02%	₹300	15 October 2026
Recurring UPI mandates (SIPs, standing instructions)	Nil	Not applicable	Not applicable

Why Stockbrokers are Worried

On paper, 0.02% looks negligible. Brokers’ actual complaint is about how often the charge repeats, not its size.

Sebi’s existing rules require brokers to periodically return any client money that has not been used for trades, a practice known as the “client float.” This money moves back to the client’s bank account through UPI as well.

Zerodha co-founder Nithin Kamath flagged the problem in a social media post, noting that the rule forces this movement of money every few months and leaves brokers bearing the cost “without any incremental benefit or revenue.”

In effect, brokers could end up paying MDR twice on the same client funds once when a client adds money and again when unused money is returned without a single trade happening in between. Kamath has suggested a lower transaction cap specifically for broking-related UPI payments.

Payment processing partners working with some brokers have pointed to net banking as an alternative, since it typically carries a flat fee of around ₹8 to ₹12 per transaction, negotiated separately with banks, regardless of transaction size.

What Investors Should Know

For retail investors, nothing changes immediately. The MDR is a cost in the payment chain between brokers and payment processors, not a fee investors are billed directly, though how it plays out after 15 October will depend on what individual brokers decide.

If you invest in stocks, mutual funds or IPOs, you still need a demat account to hold these investments, and funding that account by UPI is exactly the transaction now under debate. SIP payments and other standing instructions stay unaffected, since recurring UPI mandates carry no MDR at all.

Until Sebi clarifies further, it is worth checking your trading platform or broker’s app for any update on how one-time UPI transfers will be handled once the new charge kicks in.

What Happens Next

Pandey’s comments signal that Sebi is open to revisiting the framework, but the regulator has not announced any change so far. NSE managing director and CEO Ashishkumar Chauhan has said the MDR could affect trading volumes routed through UPI in the near term, even as the impact is expected to settle over time.

With the October 15 deadline approaching, the debate now centres on whether capital-market UPI transfers need a revised cap or a specific carve-out before the rule takes effect.

Investments in the securities market are subject to market risks. This article is for informational purposes only and is not investment advice.

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The US Federal Reserve raised its benchmark rate by 25 basis points to 3.75%–4.00% on 16 September 2026, its first hike since 2023. The move rattled global markets and pushed the rupee past ₹96 against the dollar.

What the Fed Decided and Why

The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) raised the federal funds target range by 25 basis points to 3.75%–4.00% at its meeting on 15–16 September 2026. This is the first US rate hike since July 2023, and the vote was unanimous at 12-0.

The Fed had held rates steady at 3.50%–3.75% at its July meeting, with three members dissenting in favour of an immediate hike. Seven weeks later, the rest of the committee agreed.

Fed Chair Kevin Warsh gave three reasons for the hike: inflation was not cooling fast enough, with August headline PCE inflation running near 3.6% and core PCE near 3.2%; the US economy kept strengthening with steady hiring and business investment; and rising energy and commodity costs threatened to spread into broader prices.

The Fed’s Dot Plot Signals More Hikes Ahead

Alongside the rate decision, the Fed released its updated Summary of Economic Projections, commonly called the “dot plot” a chart showing where each policymaker expects rates to be in future years, not a fixed promise.

The dot plot showed the median projected rate holding at 4.1% through the end of both 2026 and 2027. In June, most officials had expected rates to fall to about 3.6% by the end of 2027. That is a meaningful shift: instead of just one hike now, most policymakers see one more hike this year and no rate cuts next year either.

Of the 18 officials who submitted projections, 16 expect at least one more 25 bps hike in 2026. Chair Warsh, as in June, chose not to submit his own projection.

The next Fed meeting is scheduled for 27–28 October 2026, followed by a projection meeting on 8–9 December.

Wall Street’s Reaction: Stocks Fall, Dollar and Yields Rise

US markets reacted more to the “higher for longer” signal than to the hike itself, which had been widely expected. The Dow Jones fell around 1.2%, the S&P 500 slipped about 0.4-0.5%, while the Nasdaq ended the session almost unchanged.

The two-year US Treasury yield, which tracks near-term Fed expectations, jumped toward 4.7%. The ten-year yield, which reflects longer-term growth and inflation expectations, moved close to the psychologically important 5% level.

The US dollar strengthened to a seven-week high after the decision. Gold slipped initially on the stronger dollar before recovering some ground on safe-haven demand, while Brent crude fell more than 2%, also pressured by reports of additional oil supply from Saudi Arabia.

Impact on Indian Markets: Rupee, Sensex and Nifty

For Indian investors, the story reaches home through the currency market first. On 17 September, the rupee weakened past ₹96 per US dollar, as a stronger dollar and firm crude oil prices combined to pressure the currency.

Indian benchmark indices opened lower in early trade, reacting to the global mood, with Nifty IT down around 0.5% on concerns that higher-for-longer US rates could make American companies more cautious about technology spending. Both the Sensex and Nifty recovered as the session progressed, helped by domestic buying and stock-specific activity.

A weaker rupee and firmer crude oil prices matter for India because the country imports the bulk of its oil. Together, they can add pressure to inflation and the current account, even when domestic stock markets hold up on any given day.

Will the RBI Follow the Fed’s Lead in October?

The Reserve Bank of India’s Monetary Policy Committee has kept the repo rate unchanged at 5.25% since its last cut in October 2025, holding steady through five consecutive reviews, including the August 2026 meeting. The RBI’s next policy review is scheduled for 5–7 October 2026, ahead of the Fed’s own October meeting.

A rate hike in the US does not automatically mean the RBI will follow suit. The RBI’s decisions are driven largely by domestic inflation, growth and monsoon-linked food price trends rather than by moves in Washington. Still, a stronger dollar and costlier crude oil add to the list of factors the MPC will weigh in October.

For retail investors tracking these swings across Indian and global markets, having a demat account set up in advance makes it easier to act when opportunities or volatility show up. Many also prefer a reliable online trading platform to watch currency-sensitive stocks, such as IT, oil marketing companies and banks, in real time.

What to Watch Next

The next signals for Indian markets are unlikely to come only from the Fed’s October meeting. Crude oil prices, the rupee’s trajectory, foreign investor flows, and the RBI’s own tone in early October will matter just as much.

Investments in the securities market are subject to market risks. This article is for informational purposes only and is not investment advice.

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India’s merchandise trade deficit shrank to $26.86 billion in August 2026, a five-month low, as goods exports rose 26.12% to $43.81 billion. A sharp fall in gold imports and strong services earnings narrowed the overall gap to $9.41 billion.

Goods Trade Gap Falls to a Five-Month Low

The Department of Commerce released August trade data on Tuesday, 15 September 2026. Merchandise exports, meaning physical goods shipped out of the country, stood at $43.81 billion, up 26.12% from $34.74 billion in August 2025.

Imports grew more slowly, rising to $70.67 billion from $61.96 billion. The difference between the two is the merchandise trade deficit, which came in at $26.86 billion against about $27.2 billion a year earlier.

The bigger shift was month on month. July 2026 had recorded a goods deficit of $31.98 billion, with a heavier import bill of $76.22 billion. August’s gap is the smallest in five months.

In rupee terms, merchandise exports rose 37.59% to ₹4.18 lakh crore from ₹3.04 lakh crore. The gap between the dollar and rupee growth rates reflects the rupee’s depreciation against the dollar over the past year.

August 2026 Trade Data at a Glance

Indicator	August 2026	August 2025
Merchandise exports	$43.81 billion (₹4.18 lakh crore)	$34.74 billion (₹3.04 lakh crore)
Merchandise imports	$70.67 billion	$61.96 billion
Merchandise trade deficit	$26.86 billion	About $27.2 billion
Services exports (estimated)	$38.87 billion (₹3.71 lakh crore)	$31.19 billion (₹2.73 lakh crore)
Services imports (estimated)	$21.42 billion	$15.59 billion
Overall exports	$82.68 billion (₹7.89 lakh crore)	$65.93 billion (₹5.77 lakh crore)
Overall imports	$92.09 billion	$77.55 billion
Overall trade deficit	$9.41 billion	$11.62 billion

Figures are as released by the Department of Commerce on 15 September 2026. Services numbers are provisional estimates and are normally revised in later releases.

A Smaller Gold Bill Did the Heavy Lifting

Gold imports fell to $2.3 billion in August 2026 from $5.4 billion a year earlier, a decline of 57.7%.

Gold is one of India’s largest import items after crude oil. When gold buying slows, the import bill drops and the trade deficit narrows even if nothing else changes.

Crude prices stayed firm through the month. Brent, the global benchmark for crude oil, ranged between $90 and $94 a barrel in August.

Services Trade Pulls the Overall Deficit to $9.41 Billion

India buys more goods than it sells abroad, but sells more services than it buys. IT, software, consulting, travel and financial services earn dollars that offset a large part of the goods gap.

Services exports were estimated at $38.87 billion in August, up 24.61% from $31.19 billion. Services imports rose to $21.42 billion from $15.59 billion.

Adding goods and services together, overall exports reached $82.68 billion, up 25.41% from $65.93 billion. Overall imports were $92.09 billion against $77.55 billion.

That leaves an overall trade deficit of $9.41 billion for August 2026, down from $11.62 billion in August 2025. In rupee terms, total exports are estimated at ₹7.89 lakh crore against ₹5.77 lakh crore.

Engineering Goods, Petroleum and Chemicals Led the Export Push

Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal told reporters that the growth came from a mix of engineering goods, petroleum products, chemicals and textiles. Demand was led by the US, the European Union, BRICS nations and other emerging economies.

Across April to August of FY 2026-27, electronic goods exports rose about 30%, engineering goods more than 20%, organic and inorganic chemicals 14% and marine products more than 14%.

Petroleum product exports climbed to $35.31 billion in that five-month period, from $25.32 billion a year earlier.

Export markets also widened. Shipments to China rose 39%, Singapore more than 97%, South Africa 58% and Malaysia more than 75%. Exports to BRICS countries grew 13.3% to $34.5 billion in the first five months.

Energy and Electronics Keep the Import Bill High

Agrawal said the higher import bill reflects a fast-growing domestic economy, rising energy needs and the inputs that manufacturing requires.

Crude oil imports during April to August 2026-27 rose to $95.57 billion from $78.07 billion a year earlier. Electronic goods imports increased to $66.48 billion from $46.31 billion.

For the five months to August, merchandise exports totalled $215.91 billion and imports about $363 billion. That leaves a cumulative goods trade deficit of roughly $147 billion for the financial year so far.

Why the Trade Deficit Matters to Indian Investors

The trade deficit feeds into the current account deficit, which is the broader measure of India’s money dealings with the rest of the world. A wider gap means more dollars going out than coming in, which tends to weaken the rupee.

A weaker rupee raises the cost of imported crude, electronics and edible oil, and that can push up inflation. A narrower deficit eases some of that pressure and gives the RBI more room on currency management.

The data also separates two sets of listed companies: those that earn in dollars, such as IT services, pharma, engineering and textile exporters, and those that pay in dollars, such as oil marketing companies and electronics assemblers.

Anyone looking to take exposure to these listed sectors needs a demat account, where shares are held in electronic form, along with a trading account to place orders. Monthly trade data is published around the middle of every month, and most online trading platforms carry it alongside CPI inflation and IIP releases.

What to Watch in the Coming Months

One month of data is not a trend. August benefited from an unusually low gold bill, and that comparison will not hold if festival-season buying picks up from October.

Crude prices are the second variable. Brent in the $90 to $94 range already pushed the five-month oil import bill to $95.57 billion, and any further rise would widen the gap again.

September trade data is due in mid-October 2026 and will close out Q2 of FY 2026-27.

Investments in securities are subject to market risks. This article is for information only and is not investment advice.

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The Nifty India Defence index fell for a fifth straight session on Wednesday, 16 September 2026, slipping 0.16% to 9,129.40. The index has now lost 8.69% across those five sessions, giving up its early-September rally.

Wednesday’s Fall Was Smaller, but the Streak Held

The Nifty India Defence index was down 0.16% at 9,129.40 on Wednesday, going by data available around 1:30 PM IST. The drop was far gentler than Tuesday’s, but it was still the fifth losing day in a row.

The selling was also narrower this time. Apollo Micro Systems was the biggest drag, down 5.37%, followed by MTAR Technologies at 3.12% and Axiscades Engineering Technologies at 2.14%.

Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) fell 1.47% and Solar Industries slipped 1.43%. On the other side, Astra Microwave Products rose 2.45% and Bharat Electronics (BEL) gained 1.42%.

Bharat Forge, Cochin Shipyard, BEML and Aequs India also traded higher, though the moves were small.

Stock	Move on 16 September 2026
Apollo Micro Systems	Down 5.37%
MTAR Technologies	Down 3.12%
Axiscades Engineering Technologies	Down 2.14%
Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers	Down 1.47%
Solar Industries India	Down 1.43%
Bharat Electronics (BEL)	Up 1.42%
Astra Microwave Products	Up 2.45%

 

The Fall Started Right After the Index Touched 10,000

The Nifty India Defence index is a basket of listed Indian defence and aerospace companies. It closed at 9,998.70 on 8 September 2026, up 2.5% that day and rising for a fourth straight session.

It crossed the 10,000 mark in intraday trade on 9 September, touching 10,067.20, before slipping into the decline that has run since.

The rally before that came from the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) meeting on 7 September 2026. The DAC cleared capital acquisition proposals worth about ₹1.10 lakh crore, with roughly 98% of the buying earmarked for Indian industry.

Those clearances are called Acceptance of Necessity, or AoN. An AoN is an in-principle approval that lets a purchase move to the next stage. It is not a signed order, and no money has been spent yet.

Solar Industries’ ₹12,951 Crore Omnia Deal Changed the Mood

On 14 September 2026, Solar Industries India said it had signed a definitive agreement to buy 100% of South Africa’s Omnia Holdings through a step-down subsidiary, Solar SA Investments Proprietary Limited.

The all-cash deal is valued at about $1.355 billion, or roughly ₹12,951 crore. The offer works out to 134.5 rand per Omnia share, a premium of about 14.3% to the previous close. Solar expects to close it by mid-2027, subject to regulatory and shareholder approvals.

The company has said the purchase will be funded through internal accruals and long-term debt, with no equity dilution. Omnia, listed in Johannesburg, reported revenue of about $1.41 billion (₹13,307 crore) in FY 2025-26 and makes chemicals for mining, agriculture and explosives.

The market reaction on Tuesday, 15 September, was sharp. Solar Industries first hit a fresh high of ₹22,630 on the BSE, then reversed to trade about 14% lower at ₹19,225 during the session, as investors weighed the size of the cheque, the debt involved and the integration risk.

That single move mattered for the whole index. Sunny Agrawal, deputy vice president of fundamental research at SBI Securities, said in comments reported by Business Standard that BEL, Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) and Solar Industries together carry more than half the index weight, so pressure on those three drags the index down quickly.

The One-Month Damage Is Deeper Than the Index Suggests

The index is down 8.69% in five sessions, but several constituents have fallen much harder over a month.

Bharat Dynamics (BDL) is down 19.12% over 30 days, the steepest fall in the index. Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders has lost 13.79% and Zen Technologies 11.8%. Cochin Shipyard and GRSE have each fallen more than 11%.

Over one year the picture is mixed. The index is still up about 12%. MTAR Technologies has gained 289.41% in that period, Paras Defence and Space Technologies 79.37% and Dynamatic Technologies 72.06%.

Others have gone the other way. Bharat Dynamics is down 29.55% over a year and Cochin Shipyard 27.29%. Investors holding these shares in a demat account, where shares are stored in electronic form, have therefore seen very different outcomes depending on which names they own.

What Happens Next Depends on Orders, Not Headlines

Two things will decide whether this correction settles. The first is how fast the ₹1.10 lakh crore of DAC approvals turn into signed contracts for Indian companies, because AoN clearances do not add to revenue on their own.

The second is Solar Industries. The funding mix for the Omnia purchase, the pace of clearances in South Africa and other jurisdictions, and the debt left on the balance sheet after completion will all be watched.

The longer-term sector view has not shifted as fast as prices. In a report dated 8 September 2026, Jefferies estimated that India’s domestic defence capital expenditure could grow at a 16% compound annual growth rate between FY 2025-26 and FY 2029-30, against about 10% for overall defence capex, putting the domestic opportunity at more than $60 billion (roughly ₹5.7 lakh crore) over four years.

Day-to-day moves in these stocks can be followed on any online trading platform during market hours of 9:15 AM to 3:30 PM IST. Over a longer period, order inflows, execution and margins tend to matter more than a five-day price streak.

Investments in the securities market are subject to market risks. This article is for information only and is not investment advice.

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Paytm shares jumped as much as 7% to a fresh 52-week high on Wednesday after NPCI unveiled a new 0.4% UPI merchant fee, effective from 15 October. Mobikwik and Pine Labs reacted in opposite directions.

Why Paytm, Mobikwik and Pine Labs Moved Today

Digital payment stocks were among the most active names on the BSE and NSE on 16 September 2026. Paytm’s parent, One 97 Communications, rose as much as 7% intraday to touch a fresh 52-week high of around ₹1,855–1,856, against Tuesday’s close of ₹1,730.

The stock could not hold on to the entire gain. By late morning, it had given back most of the move and was trading only around 0.5–1.5% higher, as investors booked profits after the sharp opening rally.

Mobikwik followed a similar pattern. The stock climbed as much as 6% in early trade to near ₹214, but slipped into negative territory by the afternoon, trading around 2% below Tuesday’s close.

Pine Labs moved the other way from the start. The stock fell through the session, at one point down as much as 6–8% to trade near ₹179–186, even as some brokerages raised their price targets on it.

What Is the New UPI MDR Charge

The trigger for all three stocks was a new merchant discount rate (MDR) framework from the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), which runs UPI. NPCI’s circular was dated 15 September, and markets reacted to it on Wednesday.

From 15 October 2026, a 0.4% MDR will apply to person-to-merchant (P2M) UPI payments above ₹2,000. For transactions of ₹75,000 or more, the fee is capped at ₹300.

This charge sits within the payment ecosystem it is split between banks, payment apps and payment service providers. It is not a tax, and it is not charged directly to the customer making the payment.

The government has told banks to ensure merchants do not pass this cost on to shoppers, and UPI app providers have been barred from adding any platform fee of their own.

Which UPI Payments Stay Free

Person-to-person (P2P) transfers, such as sending money to family or friends, remain completely free, regardless of the amount. Small merchant payments and everyday transactions are also protected.

The Finance Ministry has said close to 96% of all P2M transactions will see no change at all, because most everyday purchases fall below the new threshold or the small-merchant exemption.

Transaction Type	MDR Treatment
Person-to-person (P2P) transfers	Free, any amount
Merchant payment (P2M) up to ₹2,000	Free
P2M transaction above ₹2,000	0.4% MDR applies
Transaction of ₹75,000 or more	MDR capped at ₹300
Small merchants (up to ₹1 lakh/month via UPI QR)	Exempt, zero MDR
Railways, telecom, fuel, insurance	Separate flat-rate structure (~₹5/transaction in most cases)
Mutual fund and stock market-linked payments	Lower 0.02% MDR, capped at ₹300

NPCI has said the money collected will be used to strengthen UPI’s infrastructure, cybersecurity and support small-merchant digital payment adoption, rather than to create a profit pool for individual companies.

Why Brokerages Are Split on the Stock Impact

Several brokerages turned more positive on Paytm after the announcement. Jefferies said the notified rate was higher than the 25 basis points it had earlier expected and kept a “Buy” rating on the stock.

Goldman Sachs said the MDR framework could lift Paytm’s FY28 EBITDA estimate by 40–70%, since the announced rate is above the 20–30 basis points it had originally assumed.

Domestic brokerage Emkay Global estimated Paytm could earn close to ₹1,120 crore in UPI MDR revenue by FY28, based on a conservative take-rate assumption, and raised its target price on the stock.

Pine Labs’ fall was harder to explain from the headline numbers alone, since brokerages including Jefferies and Emkay also raised their target prices on the stock and estimated it could earn upwards of ₹150–160 crore in incremental FY28 revenue from the same MDR pool.

Zee Business managing editor Anil Singhvi offered two possible reasons: Paytm’s rally had already priced in some MDR expectations ahead of the official announcement, capping its fresh upside, while the ₹300 cap on high-value transactions was seen as more limiting for Pine Labs’ business mix.

What Investors Should Watch Next

The new framework only takes effect from 15 October 2026, so the actual revenue impact on Paytm, Mobikwik and Pine Labs will depend on how the MDR pool is eventually split between banks, payment apps and acquirers a formula NPCI has not yet finalised in public.

Given how sharply these stocks have swung within a single session, investors tracking them closely often prefer doing so through a reliable trading platform that shows live price and volume movement rather than relying on end-of-day figures alone.

Anyone looking to act on this news will also need an active demat account and trading account, since these are mandatory to buy or sell listed shares such as Paytm, Mobikwik or Pine Labs in the Indian stock market.

For now, the story remains a developing one, with the real test likely to come only after the October rollout and subsequent quarterly disclosures from the companies involved.

Investments in securities markets are subject to market risks. This article is for informational purposes only and is not investment advice.

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Maharashtra Scooters, part of the Bajaj Group, has declared a ₹160 per share interim dividend for FY 2026-27. The record date is 21 September 2026, with the payout reaching shareholders by 13 October 2026.

₹160 Interim Dividend: Record Date and Payment Timeline

The company’s board approved the interim dividend at a meeting held on 15 September 2026. At ₹160 per share on a face value of ₹10, the payout works out to 1,600% of face value.

Shareholders whose names appear in the company’s records on the record date of Monday, 21 September 2026, will qualify for the dividend. Under India’s T+1 settlement cycle, only investors who buy the stock before the ex-dividend date are eligible; purchases made on or after that date will not receive this payout.

The dividend amount is scheduled to be credited to eligible shareholders’ bank accounts on or before Tuesday, 13 October 2026.

Maharashtra Scooters shares closed about 0.5% lower on the day the dividend was announced and are down close to 8.8% so far this calendar year. A dip on the announcement day is not unusual for such stocks, since the coming ex-dividend adjustment is already anticipated by the market.

Why a Small-Cap Company Pays Such a Large Dividend

Maharashtra Scooters no longer manufactures scooters; that business was wound down years ago. Today it operates as an unregistered Core Investment Company (CIC) within the Bajaj Group, meaning it mainly exists to hold shares in other group companies rather than run an operating business.

Its holdings include stakes in Bajaj Auto, Bajaj Finance and Bajaj Holdings & Investment. Since RBI rules require a CIC to keep most of its assets invested in group companies, the dividend and interest income it earns from these holdings gets passed on to its own shareholders through large payouts like this one.

How This Year’s Payout Compares with FY 2025-26

Particulars	FY 2025-26	FY 2026-27 (so far)
Interim dividend	₹160 per share	₹160 per share
Final dividend	₹60 per share	Not yet announced
Total declared	₹220 per share	₹160 per share
Interim record date	22 September 2025	21 September 2026

The ₹160 interim payout matches last year’s interim dividend exactly. Last year’s total for the full year came to ₹220 per share once the ₹60 final dividend was added; whether FY 2026-27 sees a similar final dividend will depend on a later board decision.

Board Also Clears Renewable Energy Foray and Name Change

Alongside the dividend, Maharashtra Scooters is in the middle of a separate corporate exercise: seeking shareholder approval to rename itself Bajaj Nivesh Limited and to add renewable energy generation, covering solar, wind and other sources, as a new object in its Memorandum of Association.

The company has clarified that the renewable energy clause is meant to widen its future scope and will not change its status as an unregistered CIC. Voting on this postal ballot, which opened on 29 August 2026, is set to close on 27 September 2026.

This corporate action follows the company’s June-quarter (Q1 FY27) results, where standalone profit had fallen sharply from a year earlier as dividend income from group holdings dried up for that quarter. Such swings are common for a company whose own earnings depend heavily on when its group companies declare their dividends.

What Shareholders Need to Do Before the Record Date

To receive this dividend, the shares must be held in electronic form by the ex-dividend date. Investors who do not yet have one will need to open a demat account before then, since shares can no longer be held or transacted in physical form.

Dividend income is fully taxable in the hands of shareholders at their applicable income tax slab rate, and TDS will apply as per the Income Tax Act. Investors tracking the stock through the ex-dividend date can follow price movement on an online trading platform, since holding-company stocks typically adjust downward by roughly the dividend amount once shares turn ex-dividend.

Investments in the securities market are subject to market risks. This article is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as investment advice.

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Raymond shares jumped nearly 12% on Tuesday, 15 September 2026, to a 52-week high of ₹1,122 on the NSE, as investors continued to react to a multi-programme aerospace order won by the company’s aerospace subsidiary.

What Happened to Raymond Shares on 15 September

Raymond Limited opened at ₹1,015.60 on the NSE on Tuesday, against Monday’s close of ₹1,002.80.

The stock then ran up to an intraday high of ₹1,122, a gain of close to 12% and its highest level in the past 52 weeks. Several news reports described this as a record high for the stock.

The gains did not hold through the day. By 2:59 PM IST, Raymond was trading at about ₹1,038.60, up roughly 3.6%, after swinging between ₹1,013.80 and ₹1,122.

Volumes were heavy. Combined NSE and BSE turnover crossed 2.2 crore shares during the session.

Raymond share price, 15 September 2026 (NSE)	Value
Previous close	₹1,002.80
Open	₹1,015.60
Day’s low	₹1,013.80
Day’s high (52-week high)	₹1,122.00
Price at 2:59 PM IST	₹1,038.60
52-week low	₹320 (30 March 2026)

What the Aerospace Order Actually Covers

In an announcement dated Friday, 11 September 2026, Raymond said its aerospace subsidiary had secured significant new business from a leading Indian aerospace and defence company. The customer was not named.

The award covers more than 300 part numbers across multiple aircraft applications. A part number is simply the unique code for one specific component, so this means over 300 different types of parts, not 300 pieces.

The work spans precision machining, aerospace castings, structural components and complex assemblies. Annual volumes are expected to exceed 37,000 components.

At expected production rates, the company put the annual business potential at approximately ₹33 crore. Production is set to begin progressively across 2026 and 2027.

Rakesh Tiwary, Group Chief Financial Officer of Raymond, said the win fits the company’s work on product mix, which he called “a core margin lever”. He also said it broadens the customer base into India’s domestic aerospace ecosystem, in a business that has so far been mostly export driven.

Why Tuesday’s High Came Two Sessions After the News

This is worth noting, because the headline number can be misleading. The order was disclosed on Friday, 11 September, and the stock had already surged over 17% that day to close at ₹1,003.

Monday, 14 September, was essentially flat, with the stock closing at ₹1,002.80.

So Tuesday’s spike to ₹1,122 was an extension of an existing move, not the market’s first reaction to the order.

Putting the ₹33 Crore Order in Context

The order’s annual potential of about ₹33 crore is modest next to Raymond’s reported aerospace order book of more than ₹5,960 crore, which the company has said runs across a ten-year horizon.

For scale, Raymond’s aerospace and defence segment alone reported revenue of ₹123 crore in a single quarter, Q1 FY 2026-27, up 40.4% year on year. Total income for that quarter was ₹628 crore, up 13%.

The size of Tuesday’s share price move therefore looks larger than the rupee value of this one order would suggest on its own. The stock has been re-rating for months as Raymond becomes a pure engineering business, following the separate listings of Raymond Lifestyle in September 2024 and Raymond Realty in July 2025.

Investors who want to hold shares like Raymond in their own name need a demat account, which keeps shares in electronic form with NSDL or CDSL. Day to day price moves can be followed through any online trading platform during market hours of 9:15 AM to 3:30 PM IST.

The ₹214.71 Crore Warrant Issue Still Needs Shareholder Approval

Separately, on 8 September 2026, Raymond’s board approved raising up to ₹214.71 crore through a preferential issue of 33,28,686 convertible warrants to Minerva Ventures Fund.

A convertible warrant is a right to buy a share later at a price fixed today. These are priced at ₹645 each, made up of ₹10 face value and a ₹635 premium.

The warrants can be converted into equity shares in one or more tranches within 18 months of allotment. Unconverted warrants lapse after that, and the upfront money paid is forfeited.

If fully converted, Minerva Ventures Fund would hold about 4.35% of Raymond on a fully diluted basis. The issue is subject to shareholder and regulatory approval, and reports indicate an extraordinary general meeting has been called for 3 October 2026.

Note the gap between the ₹645 warrant price and Tuesday’s intraday high of ₹1,122.

What to Watch From Here

• Whether production under the new order actually ramps up across 2026 and 2027 as guided
• The shareholder vote on the Minerva Ventures Fund warrant issue
• Q2 FY 2026-27 results, and whether aerospace and defence revenue keeps growing at 40%
• Any disclosure naming the customer, or firming up contractual minimums

Investments in the securities market are subject to market risks. This article is for information only and is not investment advice.

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PNC Infratech shares hit their 20 per cent lower circuit on 15 September 2026 after NHAI extended a three-year bidding debarment from its road unit, Awadh Expressway, to the parent company itself, wiping out over half the stock’s value from its 52-week high.

NHAI Extends the Debarment to PNC Infratech Itself

PNC Infratech told exchanges on Sunday, 14 September 2026, that it had received a letter from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) dated 11 September 2026. The letter extends the existing debarment of its subsidiary, Awadh Expressway Private Limited, to PNC Infratech in its capacity as the concessionaire’s promoter, for a period of three years.

This is a step up from where things stood in August 2026, when the company had clarified that only Awadh Expressway had received a show-cause notice, and that PNC Infratech itself was not debarred. That changed with the fresh NHAI letter.

As a direct result, PNC Infratech will not be able to bid for any tender floated by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), NHAI, or their executing agencies for three years. The company said it is evaluating legal remedies against the order.

Stock Slips to a Six-Year Low

The stock was locked in the 20 per cent lower circuit at ₹140.40 on the BSE and touched ₹140.32 on the NSE, both fresh 52-week lows and the lowest level the counter has seen since August 2020. Friday’s closing price was ₹175.40.

The fall marks a roughly 57 per cent drop from PNC Infratech’s 52-week high of ₹325.15, hit on 17 September 2025. The stock is down around 21 per cent over the past week and 36 per cent over the past month.

Trading volumes jumped sharply through the morning session, with over 48 lakh equity shares changing hands across the NSE and BSE combined by mid-morning, while pending sell orders piled up on both exchanges. PNC Infratech’s total market capitalisation stood at roughly ₹3,600 crore as of 15 September 2026, according to NSE data.

The Kanpur-Lucknow Slippage Behind the Ban

The root of the issue traces back to the Kanpur-Lucknow Expressway (Package-2), a six-lane project executed by Awadh Expressway on a Hybrid Annuity Mode basis. NHAI inspectors found a stretch of roughly 300 metres near km 64 had slipped, an issue first observed on 26 July 2026.

Following this, NHAI issued show-cause notices proposing a penalty, downgrading of the project’s pavement rating, and debarment proceedings against specific technical staff. It also directed the removal of the project’s site manager in late July 2026. Those steps were disclosed at the time, but the debarment order itself was limited to Awadh Expressway.

PNC Infratech has maintained that the project which had a bid cost of ₹1,513 crore received its provisional and final completion certificates in October 2025 and February 2026 respectively, and is now in a 15-year post-construction maintenance phase under the concession agreement.

The company has said the latest order will not affect its status as a going concern, or disrupt the execution, operation, or maintenance of its existing projects. It has not yet disclosed any financial impact and says it will do so as clarity emerges.

Order Book and Growth Outlook Under Pressure

Brokerage ICICI Securities noted that PNC Infratech’s order book stood at roughly ₹19,100 crore as of the June 2026 quarter (Q1FY27), a trailing twelve-month book-to-bill of about 3.7 times, with 56 per cent of it made up of road contracts. Highway contracts make up 64 per cent of the company’s unexecuted order book, with water, canal, railway and airport work at around 21 per cent and coal mining orders at about 15 per cent.

The brokerage’s view is that while revenue for FY27 and FY28 should stay largely unaffected since existing projects continue, the three-year bidding ban is a setback for order inflow and, in turn, revenue visibility from FY29 onward, unless the company can lean harder on its other segments.

Separately, NHAI’s own project awarding has been sluggish this year. PNC Infratech said in its Q1FY27 earnings call that NHAI awarded only 107 km of highway projects in the June 2026 quarter, with execution moderating to about 640 km, citing a thin award pipeline and ongoing geopolitical tensions. Rating agency CARE Ratings has separately flagged that slower NHAI awarding, combined with rising bitumen prices linked to the West Asia crisis, could slow overall road construction pace to roughly 21-22 km a day across the sector in FY27.

What This Means for Investors Watching the Stock

For retail investors tracking a stock through a sharp move like this, having an active demat account is what actually lets you place a buy or sell order on the NSE or BSE once you’ve decided how to respond. A good online trading platform with live price and volume data also helps in following circuit-hit stocks like PNC Infratech through the session, rather than relying on delayed updates.

PNC Infratech is expected to update the exchanges with further details on the financial impact of the debarment as its legal options play out.

Investments in the securities market are subject to market risks. This article is for informational purposes only and is not investment advice.

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Tata Chemicals and Tata Investment Corporation jumped as much as 20% on the BSE on Tuesday after the RBI rejected Tata Sons’ plea to avoid a stock market listing and, reports said today, filed a caveat in the Bombay High Court over the matter. TCS, Tata Motors PV and other group stocks also gained.

Tata Chemicals, Tata Investment Corp Lead The Rally

Tata Chemicals shares zoomed as much as 20% intraday on the BSE on 15 September 2026, touching around ₹734.90 against Friday’s close of ₹612.45. This pushed the company’s market capitalisation to roughly ₹18,700 crore.

Tata Investment Corporation, an NBFC promoted by Tata Sons, surged as much as 15% intraday to touch around ₹750, according to Business Standard’s reporting. This was one of the sharpest single-day moves for the stock in recent months.

Other Tata Group names joined the rally, though with smaller gains. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) rose about 5% to trade near ₹2,313, taking its market value past ₹8.3 lakh crore. Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles gained around 4–6% to near ₹320, while Tata Technologies added about 4% to trade near ₹789.

Two Shapoorji Pallonji (SP) Group companies that also hold a stake in the Tata Sons story, Afcons Infrastructure and Forbes & Company, hit their own 20% upper circuits on the BSE.

Stock	Approx. Move (Intraday)	Approx. Price Today
Tata Chemicals	Up to 20%	₹734.90
Tata Investment Corporation	Up to 15%	₹750
Tata Consultancy Services	About 5%	₹2,313
Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles	4–6%	₹320
Tata Technologies	About 4%	₹789
Afcons Infrastructure & Forbes & Co (SP Group)	20% (upper circuit)	–

The broader market was far calmer. The Sensex opened around 0.4–0.8% higher near 75,100–75,370 levels, meaning the Tata Group rally stood out sharply against the rest of the index.

RBI Rejects Deregistration, Then Moves To Court Today

The rally traces back to a letter dated 11 September 2026, in which the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) told Tata Sons that its application to surrender its registration as a Core Investment Company (CIC) “could not be acceded to.” A CIC is a type of non-banking financial company (NBFC) that mainly holds shares in group companies rather than lending directly to the public.

Tata Sons was placed in the RBI’s “upper-layer” NBFC category back in 2022. Entities in this category, above a certain asset size, are required to list on the stock exchanges. Tata Sons had applied to exit this category entirely to sidestep the listing requirement; the RBI’s rejection removes that route.

What is genuinely new today, and is driving Tuesday’s fresh burst of buying, is a Reuters report that the RBI has pre-emptively filed a caveat in the Bombay High Court. This is a legal filing that ensures the central bank gets a hearing if anyone challenges its decision or seeks a stay on it in court. It signals the RBI expects the matter to be contested and wants to be heard before any order is passed.

Why A Listing Would Matter To Shareholders

Tata Sons is a more than century-old, privately held company with standalone assets of about ₹1.75 lakh crore as of March 2025. It holds large stakes in listed group firms, including roughly 71.7% of TCS, 68.5% of Tata Investment Corporation, and 42.2% of Tata Elxsi.

A listing could unlock value for companies that themselves hold stakes in Tata Sons. Tata Chemicals, for instance, owns about 2.5% of Tata Sons. Brokerage ICICI Securities has pegged this stake’s rough value at ₹10,000–15,000 crore, a figure close to Tata Chemicals’ own current market capitalisation, which is part of why the stock reacted so strongly.

ICICI Securities also flagged that it expects “a prolonged legal battle” ahead, even as it believes the stock could stay in positive territory in the near term.

Tata Trusts And Shapoorji Pallonji Remain Split

The two largest shareholders in Tata Sons disagree on the way forward. Tata Trusts, led by the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and Sir Ratan Tata Trust, holds about 66% of Tata Sons and has resisted a public listing, wary of diluting its control over the group.

The Shapoorji Pallonji (SP) Group, which holds around 18.4–18.5%, has long favoured a listing as a way to monetise its stake and ease its own debt load. Experts cited by Business Standard believe an offer for sale (OFS) by existing shareholders, rather than a fresh share issue, is the likely route if a listing does happen, since this would let Tata Sons meet public shareholding rules without the Trusts losing their grip.

Adding to the uncertainty, Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran has said he will not seek reappointment, and the group has begun the process of identifying his successor.

What To Watch

For now, nothing has been finalised. Tata Sons has not commented on the RBI’s decision or the caveat filing, and any listing would still require regulatory and legal steps, including the possibility of Tata Sons challenging the RBI’s order in court.

Retail investors tracking these developments will need an open demat account and a trading account to act on price moves in Tata Chemicals, Tata Investment Corporation, or other group stocks as this story develops. Those already holding these stocks may find it useful to track them in real time through an online trading platform, given how quickly sentiment has been shifting session to session.

This article is for informational purposes only and is not investment advice. Investments in the securities market are subject to market risks; please read all scheme-related documents carefully and consult your financial advisor before investing.

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Gold rates in India barely moved on Tuesday, 15 September 2026, with MCX gold futures at ₹1,51,304 per 10 grams. The bigger event is Wednesday’s US Federal Reserve decision, where a rate hike is widely expected.

Where Indian Gold Rates Stand Today

On the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), India’s main commodity exchange, gold futures traded at ₹1,51,304 per 10 grams, up about 0.05%. Silver futures were around ₹2,32,750 per kg, up roughly 0.03%.

Retail rates, the kind a jeweller quotes at the counter, sat higher. Depending on which rate provider you check, 24 carat gold was quoted between ₹1,53,170 and ₹1,54,240 per 10 grams on Tuesday.

22 carat gold, the purity used for most Indian jewellery, ranged from ₹1,40,400 to ₹1,41,400 per 10 grams. Retail silver was quoted at roughly ₹2,44,900 per kg.

Item	Rate on 15 September 2026	Note
MCX gold futures	₹1,51,304 per 10 g	Up about 0.05%
Domestic spot gold	About ₹1,51,549 per 10 g	Latest reported session
Retail 24 carat gold	₹1,53,170 to ₹1,54,240 per 10 g	Varies by data provider
Retail 22 carat gold	₹1,40,400 to ₹1,41,400 per 10 g	Varies by data provider
Retail 18 carat gold	About ₹1,14,880 per 10 g	Most cities
MCX silver futures	About ₹2,32,750 per kg	Up about 0.03%
Retail silver	About ₹2,44,900 per kg	Broadly unchanged

Rates are indicative and exclude GST, making charges and other jeweller costs.

Why Every Website Shows You a Different Gold Rate

If you checked three gold rate pages this morning, you almost certainly saw three different numbers. That is normal, and it is worth understanding before you walk into a showroom.

MCX gold is a futures contract. It is a standardised exchange traded product that settles in cash, so it carries no making charge and no retail margin.

Retail “gold rate today” figures come from private data aggregators that poll bullion dealers and jewellers city by city. Different aggregators poll different dealers at different times, which is why today’s 24 carat quotes sit inside a band of about ₹1,070.

Neither figure is your final bill. On physical jewellery you also pay 3% GST plus making charges, which vary by design and are often negotiable.

The direction of the move is also disputed today. Some providers showed Delhi’s 24 carat rate down about ₹490 from the previous reading, while others recorded a small gain. Given how narrow the moves are and how wide the gap between providers is, the fair reading for 15 September 2026 is that Indian gold was close to flat.

The Fed Meeting Is Wednesday’s Real Trigger

The US Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), the body that sets American interest rates, began a two-day meeting on Tuesday, 15 September 2026. The decision is due on Wednesday, 16 September at 2:00 PM ET, which is about 11:30 PM IST.

The current US policy rate range is 3.50% to 3.75%. Markets are now pricing in roughly a 90% probability of a 25 basis point increase, up sharply from about one in three a month ago.

This matters for gold because bullion pays no interest. When rates go up, interest-bearing assets such as bonds look relatively more attractive, and gold usually comes under pressure.

The repricing followed last week’s US inflation data. Annual American consumer inflation held at 3.4% in August, and core inflation came in above what economists had forecast.

Oil Supply Shock Is Pulling Gold the Other Way

Working against that is a real geopolitical shock. Saudi Arabia shut its East-West crude pipeline after drone attacks, removing a route that lets oil bypass the Strait of Hormuz.

Brent crude pushed above $108 a barrel intraday on Monday before settling 1.5% higher at $106.23, roughly ₹10,200 a barrel at a rupee near 95.8 to the dollar.

For gold, expensive oil cuts both ways. Middle East tension supports safe haven buying, but costlier energy feeds inflation fears, which strengthens the case for higher rates.

So far the rate argument has won. Spot gold settled 1.2% lower at $4,298.80 an ounce on Monday, its weakest level in more than a month and a third straight weekly decline. On Tuesday it held near $4,300, with Comex futures around $4,341.50, down about 0.24% in early trade. A firmer dollar, with the dollar index at 99.60, added to the drag.

What to Watch Over the Next Two Sessions

The Fed statement and the accompanying rate projections on Wednesday night IST are the single biggest variable for gold this week. Because a hike is already largely priced in, the tone of the commentary may move prices more than the decision itself.

Crude oil is the second thing to track. If the Saudi pipeline stays offline and Brent holds above $100, inflation worries are unlikely to fade quickly.

For buyers, the festive and wedding season is approaching, which usually supports physical demand in India even when international prices soften. If you are buying jewellery, confirm the BIS hallmark and the six digit HUID code, and ask for the making charge in writing before paying.

Investors who would rather not store metal can look at gold ETFs, which track bullion prices and are held in a demat account instead of a locker. Gold ETFs and MCX gold and silver contracts can be tracked live through an online trading platform during market hours.

Investments in securities and commodity markets are subject to market risks. This article is for information only and is not investment advice.

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