New Delhi, Dec. 30 -- As the New Year 2026 kicks off in a couple of days, it is vital to be aware of the timeless personal finance rules. From the phenomenon of asset allocation and portfolio rebalancing to rupee cost averaging, retail investors are often advised to follow some of these tried-and-tested rules to maximise their investment returns.

Before moving to the next year, let us first take a look at how this year turned out. While gold was literally the talk of the town after having delivered stupendous returns in 2025 (80%), equity markets demonstrated extreme volatility during the current calendar year.

"Retail investors have experienced significant volatility in the Indian equity market, while overseas markets and commodities h...