Business, Economy & Banking Current Affairs MCQs

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Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade data shows that Singapore was the top source of FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) equity inflows into India during April–December FY26, contributing 17.6 billion (37%). The United States (16%) and Mauritius (10%) were the next major contributors, followed by Japan and the UAE. India received a total of 47.87 billion in FDI equity inflows during this period. The top sectors attracting FDI were Computer Software & Hardware (22%) and Services (Financial, Banking, R&D) at 18%. Among states, Maharashtra received the highest inflows, followed by Karnataka.

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In April 2026, Pay Point India Network became the first private fintech company to gain membership in the Centralised Payment System (CPS) of the Reserve Bank of India. Earlier, CPS access was limited to banks and institutions like National Payments Corporation of India and Clearing Corporation of India Limited. This move allows Pay Point direct access to payment systems such as Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) and National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT). It reduces dependence on partner banks for transactions and settlements. The company has also been assigned its own Indian Financial System Code (IFSC), enabling it to hold accounts directly with RBI.

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The Unified Payments Interface completed 10 years (2016–2026), becoming the world’s largest real-time payments platform. It was launched by the National Payments Corporation of India under the supervision of the Reserve Bank of India. Transaction volume surged from 2 crore (2016–17) to over 24,162 crore (2025–26). UPI accounts for nearly 49% of global real-time payment transactions. The International Monetary Fund recognised UPI as the world’s largest real-time payment system.

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The Reserve Bank of India reshuffled portfolios among deputy governors after the appointment of Rohit Jain for a three-year term. Rohit Jain succeeded T. Rabi Sankar and took charge of key departments like corporate strategy, IT, fintech, foreign exchange, and risk monitoring. Currency management and payment systems were reassigned to Shirish Chandra Murmu.
Swaminathan J became the senior-most deputy governor and took over the secretary’s department along with supervision-related functions. Poonam Gupta retained her existing portfolios including monetary policy and economic research. The reshuffle aims to streamline responsibilities and improve coordination within RBI operations.

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India has become the second-largest trading partner of Bangladesh, overtaking the United States. According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, India accounted for 8.47% of Bangladesh’s total trade in February, valued at Tk 123.28 billion. The United States followed closely with an 8.46% share worth Tk 123.17 billion. The development reflects Bangladesh’s increasing economic dependence on regional trade and imports from neighbouring countries.

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RAINMUMBAI is India’s first SEBI-approved exchange-traded weather derivatives contract launched by National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange. The contract is designed to help businesses hedge losses caused by unpredictable weather and monsoon variability. Unlike traditional insurance, weather derivatives are settled using actual weather data rather than physical damage assessments, enabling faster payouts. The product was developed in collaboration with Indian Institute of Technology Bombay using Mumbai rainfall data. Rainfall data will be provided by the India Meteorological Department from Santacruz and Colaba stations.

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Anaphalis sahyadrica is a newly discovered plant species from the southern Western Ghats. It belongs to the sunflower family. The species was discovered in high-altitude montane grasslands and shola forest margins. It has been found in regions such as Anamudi and Meesapulimala in Kerala.

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The Government of India has revised the base year of the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) from 2011–12 to 2022–23. The revised WPI series and new Producer Price Indices (PPIs) will be released by the Office of Economic Adviser under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade. New indices include Output Producer Price Index (OPPI), Input Producer Price Index (IPPI), and Service Producer Price Index (Service PPI). The transition from WPI to PPI aligns India’s statistical framework with international standards recommended by the International Monetary Fund. Both WPI and PPI will be released simultaneously for five years before WPI is phased out.

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India has become the world’s second-largest solar market by overtaking the United States in annual solar capacity additions in 2025. The achievement reflects India’s rapid progress in clean energy and sustainable infrastructure development. India’s solar capacity has increased from 2.8 GW in 2014 to over 155 GW in 2026. This represents a growth of about 5,370% in solar power capacity over the period. The expansion supports India’s renewable energy goals and strengthens energy security while reducing dependence on fossil fuels.

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According to recent report, India slipped to the 7th position globally in stock market valuation, overtaken by South Korea. India’s current stock market capitalization stands at around 4.9 trillion. South Korea and Taiwan have market capitalizations of over 5 trillion, moving ahead of India. Over the last two years, India has fallen three places as Hong Kong, Taiwan, and South Korea surpassed it. Reasons cited for the decline include: continuous foreign investor selling since September 2024, muted corporate earnings and relatively slow progress in AI-driven technology sectors. currently, United States has the world’s largest stock market capitalization.