Private fuel retailers have started restricting the sale of diesel fuel at their points of sale. This occurred against the backdrop of a sharp increase in global crude oil prices, which is caused by supply problems related to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Nevertheless, state-owned oil marketing companies, such as Indian Oil, HPCL, and BPCL, assured the public that such restrictions are absent from their retail outlets.
LIC, the country's largest insurance firm, offers various types of policies for all categories of citizens, including children, seniors, and women. Among these products, plans guaranteeing regular income after retirement are particularly popular, as they allow for a lifelong monthly income upon initial investment, making old age more comfortable.
One such product is the LIC Smart Pension Plan. This plan allows for a fixed monthly pension of 25,000 rupees through a single lump-sum investment. This plan can be a beneficial choice for those planning their financial life after retirement and wishing to avoid monetary difficulties, as it guarantees payments throughout the insured person's life. In the event of the policyholder's death, the funds are transferred to the designated beneficiary.
The LIC Smart Pension Plan is a scheme with a one-time contribution, meaning the client does not need to make monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, or annual payments; a single payment is sufficient. Under this plan, both individual and joint pensions can be arranged. This scheme, which guarantees a lifelong pension, is available for investment from the age of 18 to 100, helping people spend their post-retirement time without worry.
The pension amount is determined in advance when investing. The goal of launching the LIC Smart Pension Plan was to provide a lifelong pension for the policyholder after a single investment, ensuring their life proceeds without financial problems. The pension amount set at the time of investment in the LIC Smart Pension Yojana will be paid out for life. Furthermore, there is an option for partial or full withdrawal of funds.
Under this smart pension scheme, LIC couples can open a joint account and receive a pension. Regarding investment limits, the initial investment amount is no less than 100,000 rupees, with no upper limit set, meaning the more invested, the higher the guaranteed pension will be. The LIC Smart Pension Plan is an Immediate Annuity plan and is not linked to the stock market, so market fluctuations do not affect the pension amount. This plan also provides a loan option: a loan can be taken three months after the policy starts. Moreover, this LIC scheme includes an option to increase the pension by 3–6% annually. Upon the death of the policyholder, the principal investment amount transfers to the beneficiary.
Calculating how to receive a monthly pension of 25,000 rupees under this plan is quite simple. For example, if a person aged 60 invests in this policy, they need to invest 32 lakh rupees to acquire an individual annuity payout. As a result, the annual pension amount will be determined at the time of investment at 3,01,056 rupees, which calculates to 25,088 rupees on a monthly basis. This fixed pension will be paid for life, and the pension amount can be increased by increasing the investment.
Any citizen can avail themselves of this pension plan. Policyholders can choose between monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, or annual pension payouts. This policy, which guarantees a lifelong pension, can be purchased online on the LIC website or offline through LIC agents, POSP-Life Insurance, and Common Public Service Centers.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has released a new draft document establishing strict rules for the labeling of analog cheese. According to this proposal, products not made from milk will not be able to be sold under the name 'paneer.'
FSSAI insists that consumers clearly understand the composition of the food products they purchase. The proposal mandates limiting the use of the word 'paneer' in the names, labels, and marketing of products made from non-dairy ingredients.
There are many products on the market that resemble paneer externally, but they are produced using alternative components instead of milk or dairy products. These components may include vegetable oils, starch, and other non-dairy substances. These items are usually classified as dairy alternatives.
Under the FSSAI draft, the sale or promotion of such products under the name 'paneer' may be prohibited; they must enter the market indicating their true composition. This will help buyers distinguish whether they are purchasing real milk paneer or some other product.
The main goal of this proposal is to make the labeling process clear and transparent. Consumers often mistakenly assume a product is real paneer based on packaging, only to later discover that other ingredients were used instead of milk. FSSAI requires that the product's actual identification be clearly stated on the packaging, allowing the customer to make a decision according to their preferences, which is especially important for those who intend to buy only dairy products.
The proposal affects not only new products but may also impact some goods already on the market. According to this draft, the new rules may apply to products that already have a license or registration.
Companies must develop names and labels so that the true nature of the product is obvious. That is, if a product is not made from milk, it cannot be sold solely under the name 'paneer.'
FSSAI has requested opinions and objections from stakeholders regarding this draft. Representatives of the food industry, companies, and ordinary citizens can participate in this process, with a period of 60 days provided. The collected comments and suggestions will be reviewed before the final approval of the rules.
It is important to note that this FSSAI document is only a draft and not a final regulation. Therefore, the new rules have not yet come into force for all analog products on the market. If the proposal is approved, it could lead to changes in the labeling and marketing methods of dairy products, directly affecting products that look like paneer but are made from non-dairy components.
GIFT Nifty signaled a possible decline in the Nifty50 index opening, as the sell-off in global bonds weakened risk appetite. Asian markets showed mixed results on Thursday morning.
According to data from September 24, 2026, most global markets recorded losses after the rise in global bond yields, which was caused by concerns about further interest rate hikes in the US. GIFT Nifty futures traded at 23,268.50, down by 182 points.
Asian-Pacific markets traded with mixed performance on Thursday morning. Japan's Nikkei 225 and South Korea's Kospi rose by 1.47% and 0.9%, respectively. Meanwhile, China's CSI 300 and Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell by 0.73% and 0.68%.
Overnight, the yield on the benchmark 10-year US Treasury bond jumped by 15 basis points to 5.11%. This was the largest single-day jump since Trump announced tariffs in 2025, according to Bloomberg. Robust economic data and hawkish statements from US Federal Reserve Chairman Michael Barr led to increased bets on further monetary policy tightening in the near future.
US Treasury yields rose amid growing expectations of the start of a rate hike cycle. The Dow Jones and S&P 500 closed lower by 0.68% and 0.75%, respectively, while the Nasdaq Composite finished trading down by 1.13%.
Brent crude oil futures traded above the $100 per barrel mark during Asian trading hours, despite a partial retreat from the previous session's gains. September futures were valued at $102.57, which is 0.82% lower on the Intercontinental Exchange. Gold futures remained unchanged, while silver futures fell by 0.79%.
On Thursday, subscriptions open for Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) of Moneyview, A-One Steels, Green Asia Impex, Peshwa Wheat, and Roopa Screen. On the mainboard section, the second day of subscription opens for IPOs of Adroit Industries, Elevate Campuses, Swastika Infra, and ArMee Infotech. In the SME segment, the second day of subscription opens for Unitec Fibres, S.K.Offset, Liqvd Digital, Pooja Logistics, and Coreintegra Consulting. The last day of subscription will be for the IPOs of Varmora Granito, Anand Seamless, and Himalaya Nutravedics.
