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Databricks is in talks to raise up to $8 billion from investors that would value the data analytics company at $55 billion, in one of the largest fundraises in Silicon Valley, according to a source familiar with the matter. Most of the new funding would be in the form of a secondary share sale, where early investors and employees are allowed to cash out some of their stock holdings, the source said. It would also be used to cover the tax cost associated with the share sales, which could cost billions. Such deals can boost employee morale, since stock-based payouts typically comprise a big chunk of the compensation at startups, while allowing the company to sidestep an initial public offering under a deadline before the stock unit expires.

Black Friday" shopping phenomenon offers buyers deep discounts and bustling sales. It traditionally marks the start of the US holiday shopping season, falling on the Friday after Thanksgiving. This year, it lands on November 29, 2024.And in the US, India, and across the world retailers are set to offer pocket-friendly discounts to draw millions of eager shoppers.

Indian companies, as 91 per cent companies are planning to reduce their tax and finance budgets, reflecting the impact of financial strain on corporate operations, said a EY report. The survey by the professional services firm highlights that cost pressures are the top concern of the companies for the first time, with inflation and cost-cutting eroding tax and finance budgets. At the same time, the survey highlights that tax functions face an increasing urgency to manage more complex and data-heavy tax responsibilities. New reporting requirements like BEPS 2.0's Pillar Two rules, are expected to have a significant bearing on the burden of tax and finance functions, it added.

Infosys, has drawn significant criticism after suggesting that India’s civil services could benefit from recruiting officers directly from business schools instead of relying solely on the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). Speaking at the CNBC-TV18 Global Leadership Summit on November 14, Murthy argued that India's bureaucracy should shift from an «administrative mindset» to a «management mindset.» According to Murthy, the current system of governance, which is based on the UPSC examination process, produces civil servants who are trained to maintain the status quo rather than to bring about innovation, vision, and rapid execution.

ICRA. This marks a notable adjustment from the earlier projection of 7-8% growth made in July 2024. The revision reflects a slower-than-expected recovery in construction activity across the housing and infrastructure sectors post-General Elections. The muted growth trend was evident in the first half of FY2025 (H1 FY2025), where cement volumes increased by only 2% YoY to 212 million MT. Election-related disruptions in Q1 FY2025 and heavy monsoon rains in Q2 FY2025 were significant contributors to this slowdown. However, the industry is optimistic about a stronger second half (H2 FY2025), driven by an anticipated boost in rural and urban housing demand, alongside a pick-up in infrastructure spending. “The operating performance of the cement companies to improve from Q3 FY2025 onwards, supported by the likely price hikes, uptick in cement volumes aided by increased Government spending on infrastructure projects, pick-up in construction activities, and stable input cost pressures – primarily pertaining to power and fuel,” said Tushar Bharambe, Assistant Vice President and Sector Head, Corporate Ratings, ICRA.

privacy of mobile users amid ambiguity around the nature of consumer data that can be sought by the Centre, senior telecom executives and legal experts said. They added that the new rules could also throw up implementation challenges as the mandated six-hour timeline to report cybersecurity incidents to the government is a fraction of the time allowed under comparable laws in the US and the European Union (EU). Leading corporate lawyers, who work closely with India’s top telcos, have flagged concerns around the privacy of consumers of mobile services, saying the notified cybersecurity rules—which empower the government to demand traffic data from telcos—have neither defined ‘traffic data’ nor specified any limitation on the duration for which such data can be stored. This ambiguity in the new rules, they warned, potentially allows private consumer data to be retained indefinitely without any legal or procedural constraints.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. The stiff duties that President-elect Donald Trump threatened against the U.S.’s neighbors and big trading partners, along with the additional tariffs he promised against China, could raise prices for Americans on everything from fresh fruit from Mexico to lumber from Canada and Chinese electronics. Import-reliant businesses—especially automobile manufacturers—could face significantly higher costs that they would then pass on to consumers.

A nationwide shutdown of Canada Post is set to have major implications for the biggest shopping weekend of the year, experts warn.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. For Indians looking to travel to the Middle Kingdom, a direct flight is still some distance. Despite cooling hostilities, the Indian security establishment is opposed to direct flights that remain suspended since 2020, two people aware of the matter said, given unresolved national security concerns.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Since its debut on Dalal Street three years ago, Paytm has been battling several challenges. There were high expectations that its initial public offering (IPO), which raised ₹18,300 crore, would lead to a blockbuster listing.

Top-ranking company that works with credit card debt

Economists are warning the hit to Canada’s economy will be significant if incoming U.S. president Donald Trump makes good on his threat of imposing a 25 per cent tariff on all Canadian and Mexican imports when he takes office.

As Inauguration Day nears, investors are trying to unravel what booms or busts lay ahead under President-elect Donald Trump.

Adam Smith wrote in The Wealth of Nations that managers of joint stock companies can't be expected to watch over a company with the same anxious vigilance that owners watch over their own company. The wisdom remains relevant in modern day business. Owners with the money, but who lack expertise or time to run the business, hire professional managers. The anxious vigilance of owners referred by Smith is to ensure that the business generates enough economic value for them-to put it simply, to see it's earning a return on capital that exceeds costs. Professional managers hired by owners are primarily the capital or asset allocators in the business. If capital allocation within the business is inefficient, then enough economic value won't be generated. As rudimentary as it may sound, it's surprising how awareness of high cost attached to equity capital is often missing in many suave, confident and crafty professional managers in corporate India.

Donald Trump's comment this week that one of his first acts after re-entering office would be to impose tariffs on US imports from Mexico, Canada and China. Markets are familiar with the MAGA magus' negotiating tactics from his first term as president. Yet, volatility is unavoidable.

Spear Invest founder and Chief Investment Officer Ivana Delevska discusses the value of A.I. data centers and the future of driverless cars on 'Making Money.'

Small business owners have had a mostly positive reaction to a judge’s decision to strike down an overtime rule that would have qualified more workers for overtime pay

Best Buy on Tuesday reported another quarterly drop in sales as Americans continued to tighten their purse strings on appliances and gadgets to focus on essentials

President Joe Biden’s administration will loan $6.6 billion to electric vehicle maker Rivian Automotive to build a Georgia factory

Morgan Stanley bought over 6.7 lakh shares in Niyogin Fintech at a total cost of Rs 3.74 crore via a block deal on Tuesday. The stock was purchased at a price of Rs 55.65 apiece, up 2.8% against the Monday closing price of Rs 54.14 on the BSE. The seller in the deal was Think India Opportunities Master Fund LP which sold as many shares. The fund held 87,24,344 shares in the company as on September 30, 2024 which represented 9.17% stake.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. The U.S. federal government spent $6.75 trillion in the most recent fiscal year ended Sept.