COST Financial News

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Apple is widely expected to launch a foldable iPhone next year. But it faces stiff competition in the world of flexible smartphones, as Samsung Electronics is bringing its own triple-folding device to the U.S.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Temasek-backed edtech major upGrad narrowed its losses and recorded modest revenue growth in FY25, the company's statutory disclosures showed. Consolidated revenue rose 5.5% to ₹1,569.3 crore in FY25, up from ₹1,487.6 crore in FY24, upGrad's filing with the Registrar of Companies (RoC) showed.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Cement makers such as Nuvoco Vistas Corp., Birla Corporation and JK Lakshmi Cement are increasing their focus on premium products to lift margins as an alternative to price hikes in a push that analysts said would work for now but not in the long term as competition creeps into the premium segment. After the goods and services tax, or GST, rate on cement was rationalized in September, cement companies have refrained from raising prices to pass on the benefit of lower taxes to consumers, analysts said.

The question I am asked most often these days is whether there is an artificial intelligence (AI) bubble forming in global markets. Rather than offering my opinion, let me tell you some facts.Yes, I do have concerns. Especially if one looks at the US market.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. The board of India's stock market regulator will take up the most sweeping revision of regulations in decades spanning mutual funds, stock brokers and its own officials later this month, two people aware of the meeting's agenda said. The board will discuss bringing in new rules, updating outdated rules, and removing overlapping ones.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. India’s state-owned banks have raised concerns with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) about the weaker transmission of rate cuts to deposits, with lending rates falling significantly faster and straining their balance sheets, according to three people familiar with the discussions. In a meeting with RBI officials about 10 days ago, ahead of the monetary policy outcome on 5 December, multiple state-owned bank chiefs raised concerns that the dominance of external benchmark-linked loans has ensured instant repricing of assets whenever the repo rate moves, said the three people cited earlier.

Elon Musk made headlines—again—by revealing that he had officially sold X (formerly Twitter) to his artificial intelligence company, xAI, in a deal valued at $45 billion. On paper, it sounded like an ambitious move to synergize AI development with social media infrastructure. But a viral satirical video on Instagram has turned the announcement into something else entirely: a puzzle that many now believe has less to do with tech vision and more with strategic financial maneuvering. The video, created by Instagram user @genericartdad, took a comical yet razor-sharp jab at Musk’s business shuffle. Using a back-and-forth dialogue format where he plays both interviewer and Musk, the creator humorously dismantled the deal by asking one simple question: Why would you sell Twitter to yourself?

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Chennai: In 1947, the US led 23 nations into signing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). The effort was to lower trade and tariff barriers among nations.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. On social media, tax-saving hacks often get more likes than they deserve. One of the popular tips doing the rounds these days is: “Buy an iPhone for ₹2 lakh and claim GST input credit of 18%.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. New Delhi: India's premium whisky, including single malts, headed to the US may not be hit even as the liquor sector may feel the heat of the additional 26% reciprocal tariffs introduced by the US. “An increase in tariffs does have an impact, but whether it will be significant or just a knee-jerk reaction will become clear only after the release of the detailed schedule in the next few days," said Vinod Giri, director general, Brewers Association of India (BAI).

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Budget 2024 scrapped the indexation benefit—a provision that allowed adjusting prices for inflation—to make tax rates uniform across asset classes. For real estate, the tax on long-term capital gains (LTCG) — when a property is held for at least two years—was reduced from 20% with the indexation benefit to 12.5% without it.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. President Donald Trump has already succeeded in two of his key economic goals, bringing down long-term interest rates and oil prices. That has been accomplished via a crash in asset values brought about by perhaps the largest tax increase in modern U.S.

The banking sector's elevated credit-deposit ratio of 80.5% underscores the continued importance of deposit mobilization to sustain growth momentum.

Deloitte, one of the world’s largest professional services firms, has emerged as the primary casualty of Elon Musk’s campaign to slash federal government spending. Since January, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Musk under Donald Trump’s second-term administration, has cut or modified 124 of Deloitte’s contracts, more than double the number axed from any other consultancy. The total value of these terminated contracts exceeds $1.16 billion, with DOGE claiming a $371.8 million saving for taxpayers. The largest of these was a $51 million IT services contract with the Department of Health and Human Services. Other impacted agencies include the CDC, NIH, and EPA. According to Fortune, the effects are already trickling down. Deloitte’s Government and Public Services division, which employs over 15,000 people, has started pulling staff off projects. Layoffs are expected.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Imagine there was no other country but India. The subcontinent was all the landmass that there was on the planet, with oceans all around.

health insurance market: many individuals are choosing to quit their health insurance policies. While high premiums and the introduction of Goods and Services Tax (GST) on premiums are often cited as reasons, these financial pressures alone do not fully explain why people are opting out. It is the combination of these costs with a surge in claim rejections and the feeling of inadequate coverage that is leading many to reconsider their insurance choices.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended the greetings of 'Ram Navami' on Sunday and wished for fresh enthusiasm in the lives of countrymen. Taking to X, PM Modi said, «Heartfelt greetings to all countrymen on the occasion of Ram Navami. May this holy and sacred occasion of Lord Shri Ram's birth festival bring new consciousness and fresh enthusiasm into all your lives and continuously provide new energy to the resolve of a strong, prosperous, and capable India. Jai Shri Ram!» PM Modi will visit Ramanathswamy Temple in Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu, on the occasion of Ram Navami, where he will inaugurate the new Pamban Bridge The new Pamban Bridge will replace the old 1914-built bridge, which was closed in 2022 due to corrosion problems. The bridge spans over 2.5 km and was built by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) at a cost of Rs 535 crore.

Hindustan Shipyard (HSL) has turned its net worth positive, overcoming supply chain challenges as well as liabilities and pending legacy issues that had led it to the verge of closure. The yard, which is currently manufacturing fleet support ships for the Indian Navy and undertaking submarine refits, was taken over by the defence ministry in 2010 when it was facing debilitating financial constraints. In 2024-25, HSL achieved a provisional total income of ₹1,586 crore and a profit before tax of ₹295 crore, reflecting a 36% year-on-year growth, officials said, adding that it was the first time in four decades that the company's net worth turned positive. HSL is now poised to get a Miniratna status, according to officials. Established in 1941, HSL has been a crucial asset due to its location in Visakhapatnam and the expertise it gained in complicated refits of submarines. It is located close to the Ship Building Centre, where India's nuclear armed submarines are built, as well as the Eastern Naval headquarters.

Trump has vowed his historic tariff blitz would revive domestic manufacturing, but industry worries about his approach are raising fresh doubts about whether he can deliver on his promise of an economic boom. In the Rose Garden on Wednesday, Trump declared “jobs and factories will come roaring back into our country” and predicted new “golden age” in America. Since then, he has stood by his decision to hike US tariffs to their highest levels in more than a century, even as the move sparked a global market meltdown. Some manufacturing advocates and economists questioned Trump’s underlying logic, saying supply chain issues, high costs, workforce needs and the laborious process of moving production to the US stand in the way. Continued uncertainty about Trump’s long-term policy could also have a chilling effect, they said. If the tariffs aren’t enough to convince companies to move operations to the US, it could mean Americans bear the heavy burden of the economic havoc Trump’s announcement unleashed without the promise of future benefits. That could heighten political risks for Trump and his fellow Republicans. “While we certainly agree we should aggressively pursue any policy that helps us make things in America, the idea that you can move every part of the manufacturing process back to the US does not align with reality,” said Kip Eideberg, senior vice president for the Association of Equipment Manufacturers.

It looked like a classic case of markets reacting to political risk. But Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent sees it differently. He’s pointing to something else entirely: the tech sector’s infatuation with artificial intelligence.

Indian Premier League (IPL) season 18 has completed two weeks and the is streaming exclusively on the new OTT platform JioHotstar and, unlike previous editions, fans cannot watch the matches for free. However, Jio had launched a special recharge plan that gives fans access to IPL on JioHotstar for free once again before the start of the tournament. According to the offers, fans needed to buy a new Jio SIM or recharge their existing plans with special plans till March 31. However, given the reception for the tournament, Jio has now decided to extend the offer till April 15.