News

Veteran investor Shankar Sharma defended Lenskart’s IPO valuation, calling it fair at ~10x sales versus other tech IPOs, while critics argue the eyewear firm’s market remains niche and limited.

Canara Bank shares surged 4% to a 52-week high after reporting a 19% YoY rise in Q2 FY26 net profit to ₹4,774 crore. Asset quality improved sharply, with GNPA falling to 2.35% and credit cost easing to 0.68%, reflecting strong operational efficiency and credit discipline.

Ace investor Ashish Kacholia has been allotted 52,632 shares of Knowledge Marine & Engineering Works at ₹1,900 per share, investing around ₹10 crore. The preferential issue raised ₹270 crore overall, increasing the company’s paid-up capital to ₹12.22 crore.

Early backers of online brokerage Groww are set to realize substantial gains from its upcoming IPO, with investors like Peak XV Partners and Y Combinator collectively pocketing around Rs 4,340 crore. The fintech giant is preparing for one of India's most anticipated public offerings, aiming for an $8 billion valuation.

Gold ETFs have surged over 53% in 2025, prompting investors to consider profit-booking. Experts advise viewing gold as a hedge against inflation and uncertainty, recommending partial profit-taking for allocations exceeding 8-10% of a portfolio. Recent price dips are seen as short-term volatility rather than a trend reversal.

Ace investor Mukul Agrawal significantly reshaped his Rs 7,500 crore portfolio in Q2, adding ten new stocks and increasing stakes in five others. His strategic investments, totaling around ₹400 crore, span diverse sectors including engineering, technology, renewable energy, and healthcare, reflecting a keen eye for emerging businesses.

Bangladesh's interim chief Muhammad Yunus anticipates significant challenges to upcoming general elections. He warns of powerful domestic and international forces attempting to disrupt the polls. This comes as deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League is barred from contesting.

In a move reflecting the shifting landscape of the electric vehicle market, General Motors is poised to lay off approximately 5,500 workers from three of its manufacturing plants. The company’s decision stems from a reassessment of its EV production strategy following the reduction of key electric vehicle tax credits.

Despite Trump's anger, Carney still retained an invite to a dinner held in the US president's honour Wednesday night on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Gyeongju. The event was hosted by South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, who has spent most of the day courting Trump.

Ellison said in a letter when he took over that he was confident they would "meaningfully exceed" the $2 billion goal. Paramount is also looking to cut back on programming at its cable networks and sell real estate and TV networks in Latin America.

Although both sides said progress has been made - Trump said things were "pretty much finalized" - no agreement has been signed yet. The framework includes gradual investments, cooperation on shipbuilding and the lowering of Trump's tariffs on South Korea's automobile exports, according to Kim Yong-beom, Lee's chief of staff for policy.

Japan is sending its military to Akita prefecture to combat a record number of bear attacks. Over 100 people have been injured and 11 have died this year. Troops will assist with setting traps and disposing of carcasses. Experts cite climate change and population decline for the increase in bear encounters.

India's electronics exports are surging. They are set to become the country's second-largest export category, potentially replacing petroleum products. This growth is driven by global shifts and strong performance, with electronics now the fastest-growing sector. Experts predict this trend will continue, doubling exports in the coming years. This marks a significant shift in India's trade landscape.

India is set to launch the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Mudra Yojana (PMKMY) in the upcoming Budget 2026-27, a five-year scheme to fund workforce skilling. This initiative aims to provide broader access to high-end training, particularly for emerging sectors, and ensure resources reach women, rural youth, and persons with disabilities.

The Ministry of Labour and Employment is developing a unified workforce architecture to link databases across ministries and states. This initiative aims to enhance policy coherence, ensure worker benefit portability, and measure employment outcomes. The plan includes AI-driven analytics for predictive policy planning and skill forecasting, with a goal of universal social security for all workers.

Several states, including Maharashtra and Kerala, are urging the Union finance ministry to ease borrowing limits. These limits now factor in power dues, unspent central funds, and off-budget borrowings, which states argue restrict their financial plans and legitimate borrowing space.

India is actively addressing supply chain vulnerabilities across all sectors, willing to invest more to build resilience. The government's 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' initiative, coupled with infrastructure development and a focus on trusted partners, aims to boost domestic manufacturing and self-reliance amidst global disruptions.

India has increased the base import prices for gold, silver, and all vegetable oils to align with escalating global market rates. This bi-fortnightly revision impacts tax calculations for importers, with gold now at $1327 per 10 grams and silver at $1663 per kg.

Start investing with an amount you’re comfortable with and review your mutual fund’s performance every six months or annually. Stay invested if it meets your goals and outperforms peers; otherwise, consider alternatives. For beginners, a simple, well-diversified equity or balanced fund via SIP is ideal. Discipline, periodic review, and letting compounding work are key to long-term wealth creation.

In an insightful conversation, Gautam Kaul, Senior Fund Manager – Fixed Income at Bandhan AMC, breaks down how duration plays a critical role in enhancing returns during a falling rate environment.

Since October 2024, the Indian stock market has been very volatile, with corrections, global disruptions, and a growing gap between fundamentals and valuations.

The Election Commission's 'Special Intensive Revision' of Bihar's electoral rolls has ignited political debate, differing from past revisions. While intensive revisions aren't new, the timing of Bihar's SIR, months before assembly elections, is unusual. Unlike previous 'de novo' exercises, it builds upon the 2002-03 roll, incorporating new enumeration forms and document submission.

BJP has accused Arvind Kejriwal of orchestrating hoax calls to mislead voters, alleging that the AAP is claiming votes are being cut by the BJP to support AAP. They also allege distribution of money in slum areas and raised concerns about voter data confidentiality, demanding an investigation.

Lok Sabha election 2024: ​​The BJP-Shiv Sena won 41 of the 48 seats in the 2019 polls, but the Sena has split since and a vast majority of the Bal Thackeray-founded party is now allied with the BJP. The Nationalist Congress Party also split as well with Ajit Pawar joining the ruling alliance in the state, led by Eknath Shinde. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP emerged the top party with 23 seats, followed by the undivided Sena with 18.

Gujarat's upcoming Lok Sabha elections are influenced by PM Narendra Modi's charisma, anti-incumbency, unemployment, inflation, education, healthcare challenges, and BJP's endeavor to secure all 26 seats. ​​Lok Sabha polls in Gujarat will be held in a single phase on May 7. Counting of votes will be held on June 4. Anti-incumbency, unemployment, inflation, education and healthcare facilities are some of the other important issues in the election, where the ruling BJP in Gujarat will attempt to retain all the 26 Lok Sabha seats it won in 2019.

The BJP, riding high on its growing voter base in Telangana, is now aiming to win over 12 out of the total 17 seats and 35 per cent vote share, in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. The party doubled its vote share to nearly 14 per cent resulting in eight seats in the assembly elections held on November 30, last year. BRS, which ruled the state for about a decade since its emergence, is low on morale following the defeat, even as its founder and former Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's daughter K Kavitha was arrested on the eve of poll dates announcement, adding insult to the injury.

Kavitha's arrest before Lok Sabha elections may psychologically impact BRS party. Meanwhile, fomer minister Harish Rao announced protests in the state. Moreover, desertion of MPs and leaders who are not contesting polls adds to party's troubles. Nagesh Kumar predictsed that more desertions could happen due to Kavitha's arrest.

Anita Nariani Schulze is part of the Sindhi minority. Her complaint alleges that her senior and direct managers, both male, consistently excluded her from meetings while inviting her male counterparts, criticised her, micromanaged her work and deprived her of bonuses, despite positive performance evaluations and significant team contributions.

But two senior envoys who attended said there was no direct response from the ministers gathered in Brussels when Blinken said: "We must push back on China together and show strength in unity."

This comes as the San-Francisco based firm is at the receiving end of the Indian government over an issue of blocking and unblocking certain handles tweeting about farmer protests.

Foreign companies looking for incentives under the scheme may have to invest Rs 500 crore over four years, while the threshold for domestic firms is likely to be around Rs 20 crore for five years, the source who did not wish to be named said.

Growth More than in MetrosAccording to companies like Aisle and Truly Madly, which have millions of users and position themselves as “serious” dating apps, and bespoke high-end dating services like Sirf Coffee, a lot more users from such places are not only keen on using these apps, but also willing to pay for it.

“Indian companies need to re-skill, train, and acquire more relevant talent, if they are to successfully integrate AI technologies. Most importantly, they should be willing to make the continued investment. It is an uphill race in which there will be winners and losers,” said Deloitte India CEO N Venkatram.

Ambassador Joao Cravinho, head of the EU delegation, led Ambassadors of various European countries to a quiet lunch with Modi at the capital last year.

"It is the collective wisdom of the marketplace that there is action and we will move with speed. That improves the confidence level of industry."

Directives from the Centre have to be executed at the state level. So, there are many things that are not in Modi’s hands, says Raamdeo Agrawal.

"The fact that we are the world’s largest democracy and we are all aware that power and a role in global affairs for a nation comes from economic strength."

"Now there is a stage three and stage four of digitisation, we will take a call on this only after taking all things into account."

"There is a leadership vacuum in the company, because they made the wrong choice of CEO three years ago and that is playing out right now."

Rupee#CAD#Economic crisis#Food Bill

The team behind The Artist will have spent the first day of the rest of their lives conforming to the grandest, and most lucrative, of Hollywood traditions.

It's the World Book fair, which comes around once every two years sprawling across the giant halls of Pragati Maidan. This is the fair's 20th edition.

An elephant figurine gifted by the then HM LK Advani to US Secretary of State Colin Powell in 2002, has made its way to the State Department hall.

Statistical models used by IMD will still be used for monsoon forecast, but the ministry of earth sciences is putting more emphasis on dynamic models.

Newly discovered documents have revealed the first telegraph messages and joy when England was linked for the first time with India on 23 June, 1870.

Hundreds of worried fans of ailing Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan today performed a yagna here to pray for his speedy recovery.

Alfa Laval (India) today said its parent firm has raised the delisting offer price to Rs 2,850 a share.