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  • ITR Filing Deadline Confirmed: Navigating Financial Changes in July 2025 Amidst Rising ATM Fees and Tatkal Rules

    ITR Filing Deadline Confirmed: Navigating Financial Changes in July 2025 Amidst Rising ATM Fees and Tatkal Rules

    July 2025: It is an important month for personal finance in India, as it announces an extension date for ITR Filing Deadline Confirmed 2025 and various changes that can affect daily financial transactions.

    While taxpayers are paying attention to being compliant, they should also get prepared for increasing ATM charges and new guidelines for Tatkal train bookings by taking proactive steps towards money management.

    ITR Filing Extended Date for Salaried Employees

    In a sigh of relief for the salaried class, the Income Tax Department has officially announced that the last date for filing ITR 2025 for the financial year 2024-25 (assessment year 2025-26) will be extended from July 31 to September 15, 2025.

    This extension, news of which was informed on July 3, would help taxpayers in getting more time for accurate compliance as certain ITR forms (like ITR-2 and ITR-3) are being made more user-friendly, which required more time, for which the last date was being extended.

    Taxpayers can now utilise this additional time for filing returns to compile details like borrowings, capital gains and other investment income during the extended period. For an official press release regarding the ITR filing extension, refer to the Press Information Bureau (PIB).

    How Increasing ATM & Bank Fees are Affecting Everyone

    ATM finders: can be used for other banks as well. Some banks, such as Axis Bank and ICICI Bank, have revised their ATM transaction charges from July 1, 2025. At Axis Bank, the charge on such transactions above the free limit has been hiked from ₹21 to ₹23 a transaction for a gamut of accounts – savings, NRI and so on.

    ICICI Bank is also revising service fees on ATM transactions, cash deposits and withdrawals and IMPS money transfers. The rate revision due to higher operating expenses will apply to customers in metro and non-metro markets.

    That’s why it’s important for them to review these changes so they don’t get saddled with surprises and so they can tweak their budgeting strategies and transaction habits accordingly to better manage their personal finances.

    Tatkal Train Rules Changed: Other things to know

    In what is another layer of complication to regular financial and travel planning, new guidelines for Tatkal train ticket booking will be effective from July 15, 2025. Wait no more! For from this very date, all online Tatkal ticket transactions will need to be Aadhaar-based OTP authenticated!

    The same is intended to prevent false bookings and improve the security of the booking system. The masses have to link and validate in the coming days for a seamless experience while keeping security in place and adding yet another layer of protection to their daily digital transactions.

    Proactive Financial Planning is Key

    Apart from these immediate switches, financial planning-related challenges in India are constantly changing. But with the EPFO increasing the auto-settlement limit for advance claims from ₹1 lakh to ₹5 lakh (certain categories of withdrawals in three days for different types of needs) and little better to do with savings at this juncture, the need for caution, in the larger interest of the economy, stands reinforced.

    Experts also continue to caution against holding large amounts of cash in low-interest savings accounts that don’t even keep pace with inflation and recommend other high-yield investment options. This personal finance news in India for July 2025 tells us that the need of the hour is that we should all stay informed, agile and proactive in managing our personal finances if we don’t want to be hurt financially when it all unfolds in the years to come!

  • CII Projects Strong GDP Growth Amidst RBI Rate Cut; India’s Economic Resilience in July 2025

    CII Projects Strong GDP Growth Amidst RBI Rate Cut; India’s Economic Resilience in July 2025

    The magazine highlighted India’s economic resilience, quoting a healthy 6.4-6.7% GDP growth forecast for the Indian economy by the CII Projects Strong GDP Growth Amidst RBI Rate Cut; India’s Economic Resilience in July 2025

    This positive India economic outlook for 2025 is supported by robust domestic demand and recent proactive steps taken by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

    Driving Factors for Economic Growth

    Speaking at a press conference on July 3, 2025, CII President Rajiv Memani said despite rising global economic and political turmoil, India continues to shine as one of the “bright spots”. Key reasons for this optimistic sentiment are positive monsoon forecasts (key for farm output) and an increase in liquidity in the financial system. For more details on CII’s economic outlook, you can refer to the Economic Times’ report.

    Big Role of RBI monetary policy The RBI has significantly played the role after it reduced the repo rate by 50 basis points to 5.50% at the June 2025 meeting and a 100 basis point reduction in the Cash Reserve Ratio, opening liquidity of over ₹2 lakh crore for the banking system.

    These acts are designed to increase the country’s credit growth and encourage economic activity, which is important Indian economy news.

    Inflation and Policy Stance

    RBI’s decision to lower rates was spurred by a sharp easing of inflation, with the CPI inflation dropping to 3.16 per cent in April 2025, its lowest since July 2019. The policy bias has transitioned from an ‘accommodative’ bias to a ‘neutral’ stance, implying a neutral outlook and a data-dependent approach to future rate moves.

    Inflation expectation for FY26 has been slashed to 3.7%, giving confidence in stable and limited inflation. Although headline inflation has moderated, observers will keep a close eye on whether core inflation (which excludes food and fuel) does the same, as the two have historically tended to converge.

    Focus on Reforms and Competitiveness

    CII has also announced its theme for the year 2025-26, “Accelerating Competitiveness: Globalisation, Inclusivity, Sustainability, Trust”, with suggestions for strategic economic reforms. These are ways to increase manufacturing, exploit technology and AI (including the proposal for a National AI Authority), accelerate sustainable processes and improve livelihoods.

    Emphasis is laid on enhancing India’s competitiveness through global engagement and inclusive growth, which is necessary to achieve sustainable economic stability. Loans for MSMEs needed to be scaled up and R&D supported across industries as well, according to CII.

    Fiscal Discipline and External Stability

    We view the government’s decision to stick to the 4.4% of GDP fiscal deficit target for FY26 (Apr-Mar) and the shift to medium-term debt targeting from FY27 and beyond as positive for fiscal discipline.

    Externally, though FDI and FPI could continue to be sluggish on account of global vagaries, the strong quantum of India’s foreign reserves, at around $691.5 billion in June, is comforting and provides sufficient cover against external volatility (it covers over 11 months of imports), thereby ensuring a stable BOP.

    Together, these factors further confirm the optimistic market views July 2025 for India’s economic odyssey.

  • Market Breadth Improves: Is a Broader Bull Run on the Horizon for Indian Investors in July 2025?

    Market Breadth Improves: Is a Broader Bull Run on the Horizon for Indian Investors in July 2025?

    As of July 4, 2025, the Indian stock market, specifically the Nifty, is beginning to indicate a broadening rally and not just predicated on a few outperforming stocks.

    Is Market Breadth Improves: Is a Broader Bull Run on the Horizon for Indian Investors in July 2025? India is favouring more stocks that participate in the upside move, indicating that more wealth creation opportunities for stock investors are open in the months ahead.

    Nifty’s Present Status and Technical Levels

    Nifty outlook July 2025: The index is seen consolidating after it made a nine-month high of 25669. As of July 4, 2025, the Nifty was trading mostly unchanged around 25,407.45, up from an intraday low of 25,370.

    Support is at 25,400-25,450 levels, but the bounce back does not have any strong conviction, as The Hindu BusinessLine points out. Immediate resistance is at 25,500-25,600. A strong breach of 25,500 might extend the rally to 25,600 or 25,650, whereas a fall below 25,370 may take the index lower to 25,200. For further technical insights and daily levels, Trade Brains offers a detailed breakdown.

    This phase of sideways trading indicates that investors are also waiting for fresh triggers before placing big directional bets.

    Where does Nifty stand now, and what are its technical levels?

    Nifty July 2025 outlook: The index is likely to remain consolidative, taking resistance around the nine-month high of 25669. As of July 4, 2025, the Nifty has been trading almost flat at 25,407.45 from an intraday low of 25,370.

    There is support at the 25,400-25,450 levels. However, the bounce back does not have much conviction, as The Hindu BusinessLine is pointing out. Immediate resistance is at 25,500-25,600. An overwhelming breach of 25,500 can trigger rally towards 25,600 or 25,650, while a drop below 25,370 can take the index lower to 25,200.

    This period of sideways trading is a sign that investors are waiting for more new triggers before taking large directional bets on the market.

    Where is Nifty now, and what to do with technical levels?

    Nifty July 2025 outlook: The index is expected to consolidate, being resisted at a nine-month high of 25669. On July 4, 2025, the Nifty has been hovering in deep red territory at 25,407.45, up barely 3 points from its intraday low of 25,370. There is support between the 25,400 and 25,450 levels.

    But the rebound doesn’t seem to have much conviction, as The Hindu BusinessLine is noting. Immediate resistance is at 25,500-25,600. A break below 25,370 can pull the index down to 25,200.

    This sign of commitment by left-for-dead stocks has helped most major indexes post gains over the last few sessions as they break out of at least one week of sideways trading, with investors waiting for more fresh catalysts before placing huge directional bets on the market.

    FII and DII Dynamics

    The market is still strengthened by aggressive buying from Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs), who have been a bulwark against intermittent selling by Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs).

    On July 3, FIIs became a net seller of ₹1,481 crore in the equity segment, against DII buying of ₹1,333 crore. However, the general sentiment is cautiously optimistic, with analysts saying that any market fall should be used as a buying opportunity for long-term wealth building in the country.

    Besides this, the low India VIX (implying least volatility, now standing at 12.38) reaffirms that investors are seemingly comfortable and there is no element of panic.