NSO: Out-of-pocket spending still drives hospitalisation costs

Despite a substantial increase in the coverage of health insurance or finance schemes, which only cover inpatient treatment, between 2017-18 and 2025, out-of-pocket expenditure by patients and their families still accounts for almost all of the spending on hospitalisation. This was revealed in the latest household consumption survey on health conducted by the National Statistical…

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Gold and silver outlook: Where are precious metals headed this week? Analysts answer

Precious metals gold and silver could remain under pressure in a holiday-shortened trading week as markets react to developments around US-Iran peace talks, movements in crude oil prices and key global central bank policy decisions, analysts said. According to analysts, sentiment in precious metals is expected to be shaped largely by geopolitical and macroeconomic triggers…

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India’s wheat outlook: Production stable despite challenges, says government

India’s wheat output for the 2025–26 crop year is expected to remain steady despite weather disruptions, the agriculture ministry said on Sunday, even as an industry estimate suggested lower production. The ministry said that the crop is “stable and resilient despite localised damage” caused by unseasonal rainfall and hailstorms. It described the season as “mixed…

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India, New Zealand to lock in FTA next week: Here’s what it may have in store for New Delhi

India and New Zealand are set to sign their long-pending Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on Monday at Bharat Mandapam, in the presence of Union commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal and New Zealand’s minister for trade and investment Todd McClay. The agreement, finalised in December 2025 after negotiations that began in March the same year,…

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No hard decoupling: India balances China trade with export push

India is adopting a strategic approach in its trade relationship with China, aiming to expand exports and strengthen domestic manufacturing while gradually reducing its dependence on Chinese inputs. A senior government official told PTI that the focus is on maintaining balance rather than pursuing a complete break from Beijing.The executive said that India is boosting…

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