This article was written by

Follow

Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Seeking Alpha’s Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

This article was written by

Follow

Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Seeking Alpha’s Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

The financial services company does not have any immediate plan to get into the unsecured and consumer durable lending businesses.

“We hope to start insurance manufacturing in 2026, subject to regulatory approvals,” its chief executive and managing director Hitesh Sethia told PTI recently.

The company, which recently entered the reinsurance business, along with its equal joint venture associate Allianz, will partner with the French company for general and life insurance businesses as well.

Sethia said in parallel, the company is working towards building the necessary teams for the insurance foray.

Live Events

JFS, which is promoted by entities linked to the richest Indian Mukesh Ambani, has entered lending businesses, like assisting home buyers, asset management, wealth management and reinsurance, either by itself or through partnerships.
Explaining its strategy in the lending business, Sethia said JFS also has its own boundaries based on risk and capital, and at present, it is concentrating on serving secured lending products to prime or near-prime customers.Given this strategy, it has a presence in about 20 cities, which offer the best of customers in the segments.

Sethia pointed to a higher incidence of non-performing loans in the consumer durable and unsecured categories, and added that the same in home loans is a fraction of it.

When asked about plans on unsecured lending and consumer finance, Sethia hinted that there are no immediate plans and increasing the profitability will be the focus for now.

“As our NBFC’s business and profitability grow in line with our current risk appetite, and we learn more about our customers and the business, we will, at the appropriate time, evaluate exploring newer lending solutions at different levels of the risk spectrum,” he said.

The company is already distributing third-party unsecured lending products, including personal loans and credit cards, through its agentic neural marketplace on the Jiofinance App.

When asked about the newly expanded offerings on the app, Sethia said that it is showing very good traction, with users owing to the hyper-personalised nature of the offerings and the new conversational user interface.

The case pertained to two companies – Future Corporate Resources and Liz Traders and Agents. BSE froze their demat accounts as these companies, which are undergoing an insolvency process, allegedly failed to pay the annual listing fee to the stock exchange, among others.

The resolution professionals assigned for both companies approached NCLT, as they planned to sell shares held in the companies to recover money. The Mumbai-bench of NCLT in October 2025 and July 2024 passed two separate orders, directing BSE to take back the freeze on the accounts.

BSE subsequently moved to NCLAT and filed two separate appeals against the orders. The stock exchange challenged the power of the NCLT to defreeze the demat accounts of businesses undergoing insolvency resolution and the liquidation process.

Passing a common order on the two petitions by BSE, a two-member NCLAT bench said that NCLT has the jurisdiction under section 60 (5) of the Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code (IBC) to entertain applications for defreezing of the Demat accounts during insolvency and pass a direction also.

Live Events

“The fate of these appeals was dependent on the issue as to whether NCLT was having jurisdiction under Section 60 of the IBC to pass impugned orders, we do not find it relevant to discuss this aspect of the matter at length, as we have already held that NCLT was having jurisdiction under section 60 (5) of the Code to entertain such applications and the impugned orders have been passed in valid exercise of such jurisdiction,” the NCLAT said.
The appellate tribunal noted that the ownership of the companies regarding the shares held in those demat accounts has not been disputed. The NCLAT said accounts were frozen due to dues, which have become debt under the insolvency process. In that case, NCLT would have jurisdiction to deal with those dues (debt) under the IBC framework, as they are connected to the insolvency of those companies, it explained.(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times)

NEW YORK — “Judge Stone,” a new legal thriller co-authored by Academy Award-winning actress Viola Davis and bestselling novelist James Patterson, debuted at No. 1 on the New York Times combined print and e-book fiction best-seller list for the week ending March 29, 2026, capturing readers with its gripping courtroom drama set in a small Alabama town.

The novel follows Judge Mary Stone as she navigates an ethically complex case that tests the boundaries of justice, personal bias and community secrets in Union Springs. Its swift rise to the top spot reflects strong early sales driven by Davis’s star power and Patterson’s proven track record in the genre, marking one of the most notable debuts of early 2026.

The list, compiled from sales data across multiple formats and retailers, highlights a mix of established franchises, returning favorites and fresh celebrity entries that continue to shape American reading habits amid growing interest in legal thrillers, fantasy series and introspective memoirs.

Top 10 Combined Print & E-Book Fiction Best Sellers (Week of March 29, 2026)

1. Judge Stone by Viola Davis and James Patterson (Little, Brown and JVL Media) — New this week. The high-profile collaboration delivers a taut courtroom tale centered on moral dilemmas and small-town dynamics.
2. The Wings That Bind by Briar Boleyn (MIRA) — New this week. The third installment in the popular Bloodwing Academy fantasy series features a awakening dragon and shifting school power structures, appealing to young adult and adult fantasy readers.
3. The Correspondent by Virginia Evans (Crown) — Holding strong after multiple weeks. Letters from a past acquaintance force the protagonist to confront unresolved history and pursue forgiveness in this emotionally layered literary novel.
4. Theo of Golden by Allen Levi (Atria) — Approximately 15 weeks on the list. The Southern literary fiction standout, in which a man trades pencil drawings for personal stories in a small town, remains a consistent performer with its quiet charm and character-driven narrative.
5. Kin by Tayari Jones (likely continuing strong sales from earlier momentum) — The acclaimed author’s exploration of family and identity sustains interest among readers seeking thoughtful contemporary fiction.

Other notable entries in the broader fiction category included lingering strength from C.J. Box’s “The Crossroads” (the 26th Joe Pickett novel, which topped earlier March lists after a dramatic shooting incident involving the protagonist), Andy Weir’s enduring sci-fi hit “Project Hail Mary,” and various romance and fantasy titles showing steady performance.

Nonfiction Landscape Reflects Celebrity and Personal Reflection

The nonfiction side featured prominent celebrity voices and timely cultural commentary.

“Kids, Wait Till You Hear This!” by Liza Minnelli (as told to Michael Feinstein with Josh Getlin and Heidi Evans) debuted at or near the top of combined print and e-book nonfiction or hardcover nonfiction charts. The EGOT winner shares candid highs and lows from her storied career and personal life, drawing significant attention from fans of classic Hollywood and Broadway.

“Getting Naked” by Valerie Bertinelli offered another high-profile memoir entry, with the actress and television personality recounting challenges and her journey toward self-acceptance following her multiple sclerosis diagnosis.

Earlier in March, titles such as “Stripped Down” by Bunnie Xo (host of the “Dumb Blonde Podcast”) and “Nobody’s Girl” by the late Virginia Roberts Giuffre maintained visibility, with Giuffre’s account of her experiences tied to high-profile figures continuing to spark discussion. Conservative commentary titles like Peter Schweizer’s works and personal political memoirs also appeared in rotating positions.

Long-running staples in paperback nonfiction, such as Bessel van der Kolk’s “The Body Keeps the Score,” demonstrated remarkable staying power with hundreds of weeks on the list, underscoring ongoing public interest in trauma, mental health and psychology.

Trends Shaping the March 2026 Best Sellers

The March 2026 lists illustrate several broader patterns in publishing and readership. Celebrity collaborations and memoirs continue to drive strong opening-week sales, as seen with Davis-Patterson and Minnelli entries. Readers appear drawn to stories blending high-stakes drama (legal thrillers, fantasy academies) with intimate character studies.

Fantasy and series books maintained a firm foothold, with entries from established universes like Bloodwing Academy performing well alongside perennial children’s and young adult series such as “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” by Jeff Kinney and “Wings of Fire” by Tui T. Sutherland, which routinely dominate dedicated category lists with hundreds of weeks of cumulative presence.

Literary fiction with strong regional or emotional resonance, exemplified by “Theo of Golden,” showed that slower-burn narratives can compete effectively against fast-paced genre fare when word-of-mouth and critical acclaim align.

Nonfiction reflected a hunger for personal authenticity — from redemption arcs and health journeys to reckonings with power, trauma and public life. Political and cultural commentary titles also found audiences amid ongoing national conversations.

Sales methodology for the New York Times lists incorporates data from a wide range of retailers and formats while applying proprietary adjustments to reflect broader market trends. Rankings represent aggregated sales for the reporting week and can shift rapidly with new releases, media appearances or viral moments.

Publishing Industry Context in 2026

As the book industry navigates evolving retail landscapes, digital consumption and competition from other entertainment forms, best-seller performance remains a key indicator of cultural resonance. Celebrity-driven titles often provide a boost to publishers, while genre stalwarts like Patterson’s collaborations and long-running series ensure steady revenue.

Independent bookstores and library circulation data frequently mirror or slightly diverge from national lists, with local preferences sometimes elevating literary or regional voices. Digital and audiobook formats continue to influence combined lists, expanding access for readers who prefer flexible consumption.

For book lovers, the March 29, 2026, edition offers a snapshot of diverse tastes: high-concept thrillers, heartfelt memoirs, imaginative fantasy and enduring classics. Whether seeking courtroom tension with “Judge Stone,” dragon-filled academy intrigue or candid life reflections from entertainment icons, the lists highlight titles capturing widespread attention.

Readers can explore the full New York Times Best Sellers — including dedicated hardcover fiction, nonfiction, paperback and children’s categories — on the newspaper’s website, where weekly updates and archival lists provide additional context. Many titles are available through public libraries, independent bookstores and major retailers.

As spring reading seasons approach, the current best sellers suggest audiences are balancing escapism with introspection. Future weeks may see further shifts with new releases from major authors, but the strong debuts and sustained runs in late March underscore the vibrancy of American book culture heading into the second quarter of 2026.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you.

Last week, the BSE benchmark Sensex lost 949.74 points or 1.27 per cent, and the NSE Nifty tanked 294.9 points or 1.27 per cent.

“Markets ended the week on a weaker note, reflecting heightened volatility amid fluctuating global cues and escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. The week was marked by sharp swings, with early losses driven by concerns over energy supply disruptions, a weakening rupee, which touched a record low, and rising volatility,” Ajit Mishra – SVP, Research, Religare Broking Ltd, said.

This was followed by a mid-week recovery on hopes of a temporary de-escalation in US-Iran tensions, he noted.

“However, renewed selling pressure on Friday erased the gains, dragging indices lower,” Mishra added.

Live Events

The market valuation of Reliance Industries eroded by Rs 89,720.3 crore to Rs 18,24,515.62 crore.
HDFC Bank‘s valuation tanked by Rs 37,248.59 crore to Rs 11,64,018.69 crore.State Bank of India lost Rs 35,399.42 crore from its market valuation, which stood at Rs 9,41,569.15 crore.

The market capitalisation (mcap) of ICICI Bank dropped by Rs 8,121.76 crore to Rs 8,83,551.30 crore, and that of Bharti Airtel declined by Rs 2,480.42 crore to Rs 10,50,413.33 crore.

Hindustan Unilever’s mcap diminished by Rs 2,091.13 crore to Rs 4,87,540.19 crore, and that of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) dipped by Rs 271.35 crore to Rs 8,64,668.65 crore.

However, the market valuation of Larsen & Toubro surged by Rs 18,051.68 crore to Rs 4,90,536.19 crore.

The mcap of Bajaj Finance jumped Rs 8,680.36 crore to Rs 5,25,395.48 crore.

Infosys added Rs 6,245.3 crore, taking its valuation to Rs 5,15,034.67 crore.

Reliance Industries retained the title of the most valued firm, followed by HDFC Bank, Bharti Airtel, State Bank of India, ICICI Bank, TCS, Bajaj Finance, Infosys, Larsen & Toubro and Hindustan Unilever.