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Donald Trump's push to boost American production and exports, ToI reported. However, across-the-board duty reductions may not necessarily translate into higher US shipments to India, as companies are likely to source goods from more competitive markets like China or Southeast Asia. Despite the tariff debates, American brands such as Harley-Davidson and Tesla do not currently manufacture vehicles in the US for export to India. Harley-Davidson, a brand often associated with US presidents, imports its motorcycles from Thailand, while Tesla—on the verge of entering the Indian market—plans to ship its electric vehicles from Germany after Indian authorities discouraged imports from China. Locational advantages, lower freight costs, and economies of scale make it more profitable for companies to manufacture in other countries rather than the US. Many firms also take advantage of India's free trade agreements to ship goods at zero duty.

Donald Trump’s frenzied tariff barrage has been marked by reversals and faulty rollouts, baffling US trading partners and businesses while raising questions about the aims of his signature policy. During his six weeks in office, Trump imposed sweeping Canada and Mexico tariffs, only to pull back with exemptions and deferrals. Confusion has surrounded new import taxes on China. An ambitious proposal to charge duties on previously exempt low-cost packages had to be hastily reversed when it became clear the government lacked the ability to actually collect them. Trump has said tariffs can help achieve his most ambitious goals, from remaking the US economy to raising trillions in revenue. But several hasty announcements have injected chaos into the economy and financial markets, casting doubts about the White House’s trade strategy.

Donald Trump has once again criticised India’s trade policies, calling it a «very high tariff nation» and warning that reciprocal tariffs will come into effect on April 2. Speaking at an Oval Office event on Thursday, Trump described the upcoming levies as «the big one» among the many duties his administration has planned. India is expected to be hit particularly hard by these measures due to its high tariffs compared to the US. The comments come as Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal is in Washington for discussions with Trump administration officials on trade policy between the two nations. Trump, known for his strong stance on trade, has repeatedly accused India of imposing unfair trade barriers that hurt American businesses. He has previously called India the «biggest tariff abuser» and the «tariff king.»

Nifty 50’s forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio has fallen to multi-year lows, as the ongoing market selloff pushes valuations down sharply. The benchmark index’s P/E for 2025 and 2026 now stands at 18.5x and 16.2x, respectively, marking a significant compression in valuation multiples, brokerage Ventura noted. Historically, Nifty’s forward P/E has seen sharper declines during past market crises, including the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) of 2008 and the COVID 19-induced crash of 2020, when valuations dropped to 10.5x and 15x, respectively. The brokerage warned that if corrective mechanisms are not put in place, the current downturn could mirror past collapses.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. This week, the new US president addressed the US Congress in what turned out to be the longest speech in history. Apart from talking about immigration, geopolitical conflicts and making America great again, Donald Trump reiterated his strong stance on tariffs.

S Jaishankar during a discussion at Chatham House in London. The shift, largely driven by US President Donald Trump’s foreign policy, is helping reshape global alliances. “If I were to look at the big priorities of this president, many of them work for us,” Jaishankar stated. “He seems to be committed to keeping energy prices reasonably affordable and stable—we welcome that. He is putting a lot of emphasis on tech and on the use of tech as a game changer in global politics. That offers a lot of possibilities for us.” Jaishankar noted that the US administration under Trump is actively moving towards multipolarity, a shift that aligns with India’s vision for the future. “We see a president and an administration moving towards multipolarity, and that is something which suits India.”

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Investors on the hunt for high-growth opportunities know that picking the right stocks is more than just chasing short-term gains—it's about identifying businesses with strong fundamentals, industry tailwinds, and the ability to scale over time. As India’s economy surges toward the $5 trillion mark, key sectors like renewable energy, healthcare, digital infrastructure, and technology are presenting massive wealth-creation opportunities.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. A recent news story in a prominent US daily reported that a number of non-profits in Washington DC are distributing robotic pets to residents aged 60 and older in some areas of the city to ease their loneliness and isolation. While in the US, about 28% of people aged 65 and older live by themselves, the number in that age group is projected to increase to 82 million by 2050, which will be 23% of the total population.

H-1B visa registration process for the fiscal year 2026 begins today, March 7, 2025, and will continue until March 24, 2025. US employers looking to hire skilled foreign workers in fields such as IT, healthcare, and engineering must complete the registration process within this period. The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has introduced major changes this year, including a significant fee hike and a beneficiary-centric selection process.

«What we have seen in the past is whenever there is a tariff or anything like that, the metal prices usually go up in the near term and that is actually positive for companies like Hindalco,» says Parthiv Jhonsa, Anand Rathi Institutional Equities. I want to first really talk about what is happening in the world. We have been speaking with the managements of Hindalco, Nalco, etc. The managements firmly believe that these tariffs will not really impact them. Do you think that is the same? Parthiv Jhonsa: We need to understand that over especially last two months, the entire metal has seen a lot of to-and-fros internationally. Yes, companies like Hindalco where Novelis has a huge presence in USA, something like these tariffs would actually not make a huge difference or a huge dent to them because they have a good presence in USA.

Trump’s recent declaration of English as the official language of the US may seem relatively benign. Most residents already speak English and most immigrants are eager to learn it. Under most presidents, such a directive might have been largely symbolic. After all, 32 states already have English as their official language. But Trump isn’t most presidents. He has demonized immigrants for more than a decade, making them the scapegoats for nearly every societal ill. In his first term he complained that too many of them came from “[expletive] countries.” At a campaign event last March, he decried those who speak languages “that nobody in this country has ever heard of. It’s a very horrible thing.” In his address to Congress this week, he touted his new executive order and accused legal immigration of resulting in “beautiful towns destroyed.”

US Senate confirmed Lee Zeldin as the new administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with a 56-42 vote. All 53 Republican senators backed him, along with three Democrats—Sens. Ruben Gallego and Mark Kelly of Arizona and John Fetterman of Pennsylvania. Zeldin, a former Republican congressman from New York, takes charge of the agency at a time when the Biden administration’s climate policies are being reassessed. His confirmation signals a shift toward deregulation as part of former President Donald Trump’s broader effort to reverse environmental rules.

Sean Duffy, a former congressman and Fox News host, was confirmed as the 21st US Secretary of Transportation under President Donald Trump on 28 January 2025. At 53, he takes charge of a sprawling federal agency responsible for the nation’s highways, railways, and aviation systems. The Senate confirmed him with a 77-22 vote, reflecting bipartisan backing despite political tensions. During his confirmation, Duffy pledged to prioritise infrastructure reform, air traffic safety, and regulatory rollbacks in line with Trump’s agenda.

Lori Chavez-DeRemer is poised to become the U.S. Secretary of Labor under President Donald Trump, having cleared a key Senate procedural vote. A former congresswoman and Oregon mayor, she has a complex political history, once backing pro-labour policies but later aligning with Republican priorities. Her confirmation could shape labour laws, union rights, and workplace regulations in Trump's second term. With support from labour unions and some Democratic senators, her nomination signals both continuity and change for the Labour Department.

retaliatory tariffs against US farm produce from corn to chicken are designed to hurt Donald Trump's voter base, but remain restrained enough to allow room for the adversaries to hash out a trade deal, analysts say. Since taking office in January, Trump has unleashed a storm of tariffs against friends and foes alike, this week hiking blanket duties on Chinese products, adding to a plethora of existing levies. Beijing swiftly responded with countermeasures targeting imports of American farm products — many of which are produced in the rural heartlands that voted resoundingly for Trump in the November election.

economic data to gauge the Federal Reserve's interest rate trajectory, which could also have a bearing on the domestic rate cycle. While yields on most bonds were flat, that on the 10-year benchmark bond rose slightly after the Reserve Bank of India did not include the note in next week's bond purchase.

Scott Bessent, a seasoned Wall Street investor, was confirmed on January 28, 2025, as the 79th US Secretary of the Treasury, becoming the first openly gay cabinet member in a Republican administration. At 62, Bessent brings four decades of global investment experience to the role, having built strong ties with international financial leaders. His nomination secured bipartisan support in the Senate with a 68-29 vote. Republican Senator Mike Crapo praised Bessent’s commitment to economic growth, while Democratic Senator Ron Wyden expressed concerns about his alignment with President Donald Trump’s policies. «It is crucial to have a Treasury Secretary in place to navigate economic challenges, and I support his confirmation,» Wyden said. Despite reservations, several Senate Democrats backed Bessent, citing the need for stability in financial leadership.

At the interbank foreign exchange, the rupee opened at 87.13 and lost further to trade at 87.18 against the greenback in early deals, registering a depreciation of 6 paise from its previous closing level.

Fox News separately reported the State Department revoked the visa of a student who allegedly participated in what the department termed as «Hamas-supporting disruptions.» The revocation marked the first such action, according to the report. The State Department was working with the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security, according to Axios.

Sudip Bandyopadhyay, Group Chairman, Inditrade Capital, says post correction, some of the larger banks, particularly SBI, is looking very good for somebody willing to build a long-term portfolio, Apart from that, one can look at some of the down-and-out banks which took a hit because of multiple reasons, particularly asset quality issues on the microfinance book. IndusInd Bank is one bank which I will definitely recommend from a little aggressive investors’ point of view. It is a good time to start buying into IndusInd Bank as well. Among pharma companies, one can go for domestic focused pharma companies like Mankind Pharma and pharma companies having significant manufacturing facilities in the US like Piramal Pharma. The other stock Bandyopadhyay likes is a defence PSU. There is a significant opportunity for Bharat Electronics (BEL) to perform and outperform. This correction should be taken as an opportunity to accumulate this stock. Some of the markers seem to be reversing. Crude is on our side and now RBI also is pumping in a whole lot of liquidity in the system. Do you think that is enough to turn around the markets? Sudip Bandyopadhyay: Well, it may not be enough in the long term, but the short-term market is very much excited.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. In any word association test, ‘Diego’ would cue the name of football legend Maradona. But for elderly Indians, it recalls Diego Garcia, a geopolitical bugbear of the Cold War era, when India wanted the US to withdraw its forces from an air-base on a small island by that name in the Indian Ocean.