FINVESTMENTS

Gold & Silver Investing: A 20-Year Story of Cycles, Returns, and Reasons (India) Gold and silver have always been more than just commodities — they are portfolio stabilisers, inflation hedges, and crisis assets . But their returns are not linear . They move in cycles, driven by macroeconomic forces. Let’s break down the last 20 years (2005–2025) into 5-year phases , backed by credible Indian price data , and understand why returns looked the way they did. 📊 Gold & Silver Price Data (India) Sources: BankBazaar (historical annual averages), Moneycontrol (2025 live prices) Year Gold (₹ / 10g) Silver (₹ / kg) 2005 7,000 10,675 2010 18,500 27,255 2015 26,343 37,825 2020 48,651 63,435 2025* 1,35,290 2,54,000 *2025 prices are late-December live market levels. 📈 5-Year Return & CAGR Breakdown Period Gold Return Gold CAGR Silver Return Silver CAGR 2005–2010 +164% ~21% +155% ~20% 2010–2015 +42% ~7% +39% ~6.7% 2015–2020 +85% ~13% +68% ~11% 2020–2025 +178% ~19% +300% ~28% 🧠 Why Re...

 

 The latest numbers reflect a resilient and accelerating domestic economy. Here’s a quick breakdown of what’s powering India forward👇 💰 GST Collection From ₹1.82 lakh cr in Nov’24 to ₹1.96 lakh cr in Oct’25 , GST collections remain consistently strong — a clear signal of healthy business activity and robust tax compliance. ⚡ Power Consumption Despite seasonal dips, consumption remains elevated around 4,800–5,000 MU through the year — showing steady industrial + household demand. 🚗 Passenger Vehicle Sales A strong festive-season boost! Sales jumped to 460,000 units in Oct’25 , the highest in the past 12 months — reflecting rising consumer confidence. 🏍️ 2-Wheeler Sales From 11 lakh units in Dec’24 to 22.1 lakh units in Oct’25 , the segment shows a consistent upward trend — a sign of rural and semi-urban revival. 📈 SIP Contribution Mutual Fund SIPs continue to hit new highs 💙 Oct’25 collection: ₹29,529 cr , up strongly from ₹25,320 cr in Nov’24 — indicating in...

 Retirement planning isn’t just about earning more or choosing the right investments — it’s also about avoiding the silent financial leaks that quietly drain your long-term wealth. These leaks hide inside daily habits, emotional decisions, lifestyle upgrades, and incomplete planning. Over the years, they can eat away lakhs of rupees that could have compounded into a comfortable, secure retirement. Let’s explore the 5 biggest money leaks — and how you can plug them today. 🔧✨ 1️⃣ Lifestyle Creep: The Silent Drainer 🛍️ As income rises, lifestyle naturally rises too — better car, nicer restaurants, new gadgets. Individually harmless… collectively harmful. 💥 How It Hurts Your Retirement 📉 Reduces monthly investible surplus 💸 Creates lifestyle expectations that are hard to maintain later 🔄 Widens the gap between income and savings over time 🛠️ How to Fix It 👉 Make a rule: Increase investments whenever your income increases. Even a 10–15% annual SIP increas...

  🏦 RBI Policy Outlook: Rate Cut to 5.25% — What It Means for Investors The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has delivered a growth-supportive surprise in its final monetary policy review of 2025 — cutting the repo rate by 25 bps from 5.5% to 5.25% . The move comes amid record-low inflation and a weaker rupee , with the Monetary Policy Committee showing unanimous confidence in India’s stability . Let’s break down what changed , why it matters , and how investors can act . 🔍 Policy Highlights — The Key Updates 📉 Rates & Liquidity Repo rate: 5.25% SDF at 5.00% , MSF at 5.50% RBI to execute ₹1 lakh crore worth of OMO bond purchases + forex swaps to keep liquidity smooth 🛒 Inflation Outlook Retail inflation for FY25-26 projected at just 2% — lower than earlier estimates Q1 FY26-27 inflation seen at 3.9% (down from 4.5%) even with high precious metal prices Inflation risks now “ evenly balanced ” 📈 Growth Outlook GDP projection raised to 7.3% for...