Business
Reeves signals manifesto-busting Budget will hike taxes
Rachel Reeves has all but admitted Labour’s manifesto pledge not to hike income tax will be ditched in her Budget.
The Chancellor said sticking to the election promise not to increase taxes for working people could only be met with “deep cuts” to public investment, which could derail hopes of future economic growth.
Sir Keir Starmer’s landslide election win was built on a promise not to increase income tax, employees’ national insurance or VAT but Ms Reeves looks set to break that pledge.
She said instability around the world fuelled by Donald Trump’s tariffs and the war in Ukraine, along with an unexpected downgrade in economic growth forecasts from the budget watchdog, would force her to take difficult decisions in the November 26 Budget.
She told BBC Radio 5 Live: “I will set out the choices in the Budget.
“It would, of course be possible to stick with the manifesto commitments, but that would require things like deep cuts in capital spending and the reason why our productivity and our growth has been so poor these last few years is because governments have always taken the easy option to cut investment – in rail and road projects, in energy projects, in digital infrastructure.
“And as a result, we’ve never managed to get our productivity back to where it was before the financial crisis.
“So we’ve always got choices to make, and what I promised during the election campaign was to bring stability back to our economy, and what I can promise now is I will always do what I think is right for our country.”
She added: “We’re still going through the process at the moment of preparing the Budget measures.
“So those final decisions haven’t been taken yet, but as I take those measures, I will do what I believe is right for our country, and sometimes that means not always making the easy decisions, but the decisions that I think are in our national interest.”
Ms Reeves said the forecasts for economic growth would be downgraded because of the Office for Budget Responsibility’s revisions of the UK’s productivity.
She told BBC Radio 5 Live: “I have been really clear that we are looking at both taxes and spending as part of this Budget, a couple of things have influenced the budget situation this year.
“The first is that the independent forecaster, the Office for Budget Responsibility, has done a review of how productive the economy is.
“They’ll be very clear this is based on our productivity performance of the last few years under the last government, but they’re using it to make projections about productivity in the future, and that does mean lower growth, and we have to accommodate that, because we have to live within our means.”
Ongoing “conflicts and disruptions to trade” were hitting growth around the world, she added.
But she also acknowledged her decision to hike taxes in her first budget, including an increase in employers’ national insurance contributions, had also had an impact.
She said: “I recognise that those decisions to increase taxes in the budget last year would have an impact on business and on the wealthiest whose taxes we increased.
“What I would say is doing nothing wasn’t an option.”
She said the measures had helped fund a drop in NHS waiting lists and had also provided the stability to the public finances which had allowed interest rates to fall.
The Chancellor indicated she will scrap the two-child benefit cap, saying there were “costs to our economy in allowing child poverty to go unchecked”.
She added: “In the end, a child should not be penalised because their parents don’t have very much money.”
Labour’s deputy leader Lucy Powell has warned that breaking the pledge not to raise income tax, national insurance or VAT would damage “trust in politics” and “we should be following through on our manifesto, of course”.
Ms Reeves said: “I think Lucy has been very clear since that interview that she stands alongside me and the decisions that I’ll need to make in that Budget.”
Shadow chancellor Sir Mel Stride said: “Rachel Reeves is trying to pull the wool over your eyes. Having already raised taxes by £40 billion she said she had wiped the slate clean, she wouldn’t be coming back for more and it was now on her.
“Every time the numbers don’t add up, Reeves blames someone else. But this is about choices – and the Chancellor is making all the wrong choices.”
Last Updated:
Foreign Portfolio Investors put Rs 19,675 crore into Indian equities in early February, ending three months of selling amid global cues and a US-India trade pact.
US-India trade deal hopes lift FPI inflows to Rs 19,675 cr in early Feb
Foreign Portfolio Investors Reverse Trend With Rs 19,675 Crore February Buying: Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) made a notable comeback in early February, infusing Rs 19,675 crore into Indian equities during the first half of the month, aided by improving global conditions and the US-India trade agreement.
This marks a clear shift after three consecutive months of net selling. Depository data shows FPIs withdrew Rs 35,962 crore in January, Rs 22,611 crore in December, and Rs 3,765 crore in November.
Even with the renewed buying in February, the broader trend for 2025 remains negative. So far this year, foreign investors have pulled out a net Rs 1.66 lakh crore (USD 18.9 billion) from Indian equities, making it one of the weakest periods for overseas inflows in recent times. Currency volatility, global trade tensions, concerns over potential US tariffs, and elevated valuations had weighed heavily on flows earlier.
Global Cues And Domestic Stability Support Recovery
Himanshu Srivastava, Principal Manager–Research at Morningstar Investment Research India, as quoted by PTI, said the latest inflows were largely driven by easing global macro pressures. Softer US inflation data improved expectations around the interest rate cycle, helping stabilise bond yields and the US dollar. This, in turn, enhanced investor appetite for emerging markets such as India.
On the domestic front, stable inflation, resilient macro indicators, and corporate earnings largely in line with expectations strengthened confidence in India’s economic trajectory, he noted.
Vaqarjaved Khan, Senior Fundamental Analyst at Angel One, also attributed the renewed interest to the US-India trade pact, the growth-oriented Union Budget 2026, easing global trade uncertainties, and steady domestic interest rates.
Volatility Persists Despite Net Buying Days
FPIs were net buyers in seven out of eleven trading sessions in February up to the 13th, turning sellers on four occasions. However, cumulative data indicates a net equity outflow of ₹1,374 crore so far this month.
The divergence was largely due to a sharp sell-off of Rs 7,395 crore on February 13, when the Nifty dropped 336 points. The period also witnessed substantial selling in IT stocks amid the so-called “Anthropic shock.” VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Investments, said as quoted by PTI, foreign investors likely reduced exposure to IT stocks aggressively in the cash market, as the IT index fell 8.2 percent in the week ended February 13.
(With PTI Inputs)
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February 15, 2026, 16:54 IST
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Macroeconomic data, global geopolitical developments and rising concerns over AI-related disruptions are likely to dictate stock market sentiment in the coming week, analysts said, even as investors remain cautious amid persistent volatility.Trading activity of foreign investors and movements in the domestic currency are also expected to influence market direction.
Focus on US data, fed outlook and AI risks
“In the near term, with tariff-related concerns easing and the domestic earnings season drawing to a close on a mixed trend, market focus will hinge largely on global cues, including the US labour data and shifting expectations surrounding the US Fed’s policy path”, Vinod Nair, head of research at Geojit Investments Ltd, said, as quoted by news agency PTI.“However, the overall sentiment is likely to remain cautious as investors monitor global AI-driven disruptions and geopolitical risks, while improved valuations and constructive GDP forecasts may help sustain FII inflows”, Nair added.He added that with IT and metals facing persistent structural and external headwinds, market leadership may rotate towards domestically oriented sectors such as banking, automobiles and select consumption-driven segments. However, broader indices are expected to remain range-bound until clearer macroeconomic and policy signals emerge.Analysts said investors will also watch the minutes of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), scheduled for release on Thursday, for cues on the US Federal Reserve’s monetary policy outlook.
Inflation, PMI and external data in spotlight
Ajit Mishra, SVP, research at Religare Broking Ltd, said markets will track wholesale price index (WPI) inflation and balance of trade data for signals on price trends and external sector dynamics.“High-frequency indicators due include HSBC flash PMI readings for manufacturing, services, and composite, along with bank loan growth and foreign exchange reserves data.“These releases will be evaluated for confirmation of growth momentum amid volatile global cues and continued repricing in technology stocks,” he said, as per PTI.Strong US jobs data has already reduced expectations of near-term Federal Reserve rate cuts, pressuring global risk assets and contributing to domestic market weakness, Mishra added.
Benchmarks end lower amid tech selloff
On a weekly basis, the 30-share BSE Sensex slumped 953.64 points, or 1.14 per cent, while the NSE Nifty dropped 222.6 points, or 0.86 per cent.Both indices ended the week on a negative note as a global selloff in technology stocks and concerns over artificial intelligence-led disruptions weighed on sentiment.On Friday alone, the Sensex tumbled 1,048.16 points to close at 82,626.76, while the Nifty plunged 336.10 points to settle at 25,471.10 amid a broad-based selloff, particularly in metal, IT and commodity stocks.“The Nifty IT index touched a 10-month low during the session before closing 1.4 per cent lower… The sector continues to face headwinds amid rising concerns that rapid AI advancements could disrupt traditional service models and weigh on future revenue visibility,” Siddhartha Khemka of Motilal Oswal Financial Services Ltd said, as per PTI.Metal stocks also saw profit-booking amid a stronger dollar index and reports that Russia may consider re-entering the US-dollar settlement system, raising concerns over weaker realisations for metal companies, Nair said.The broader market remained under pressure, with the BSE SmallCap Select Index falling 1.90 per cent and the MidCap Select Index slipping 1.19 per cent.
Rupee, FII flows and global markets
The rupee consolidated in a narrow range and settled 5 paise lower at 90.66 against the US dollar on Friday.Foreign institutional investors bought equities worth Rs 108.42 crore on Thursday, while domestic institutional investors were also net buyers of Rs 276.85 crore, according to exchange data.Analysts noted that while the previous week saw support from favourable developments in the India-US trade deal and renewed FII inflows, sentiment turned cautious following escalating concerns over AI-led disruptions and a global technology selloff.Geopolitical tensions and continued repricing in technology stocks have increased sectoral volatility, prompting widespread selling pressure.Market experts said broader indices are likely to stay range-bound until clearer macroeconomic signals and policy clarity emerge, with global cues continuing to dominate investor sentiment in the near term.
New Delhi: Gold continues to remain the most trusted investment option among young Indians, even as access to financial products like mutual funds, stocks, and cryptocurrencies expands, according to a recent consumer survey.
The Smytten PulseAI survey, conducted among 5,000 consumers aged 18–39, found that 62 percent of respondents chose gold as their preferred investment, highlighting the metal’s enduring appeal among Gen Z and Millennials.
When asked how they would invest Rs 25,000, about 61.9 percent said they would choose gold, far ahead of mutual funds (16.6 percent), fixed deposits (13 percent), stocks (6.6 percent), and crypto (1.9 percent), the survey showed.
The findings also indicate that gold buying is becoming more personal and investment-driven rather than tradition-led. Around 66.7 percent of respondents said their gold purchases were primarily their own decision, reflecting a shift in mindset among younger investors.
Another notable trend is the move toward smaller and more frequent purchases. Nearly 62 percent of recent gold purchases were below 5 grams, suggesting that younger buyers are entering the market gradually instead of making large, occasional purchases.
Gold’s appeal becomes even stronger during uncertain economic conditions. The survey found that 65.7 percent of respondents consider gold the safest investment option compared with bank savings, mutual funds, or equities.
For many young earners, gold is no longer bought only for weddings or family occasions. Nearly 24 percent said their first gold purchase was linked to receiving their first salary, while 23.9 percent bought gold as an investment decision, signalling changing motivations behind gold ownership.
Overall, the survey highlights that while investment behaviour among young Indians is evolving, gold continues to play a central role as a trusted store of value and financial safety net.
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