West Asia conflictโs economic impact may linger till 2027: Finance ministry
The Union finance ministry predicts a slow return to pre-conflict trade levels by late 2026, despite normalizing shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
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The Union finance ministry predicts a slow return to pre-conflict trade levels by late 2026, despite normalizing shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
The Indian stock market closed nearly flat, with Sensex and Nifty ending the session in the green with marginal gains after seeing sharp upswings and downswings during the day.Sensex rose nearly 14 points to close at 74,360, while Nifty 50 rose around 11 points to end the session at 23,417, nearly unchanged from the previous session. This came as India VIX, which measures volatility in markets, fell over 3% to 15.77.Titan shares jumped 4% to lead gains on Sensex, while Zomato-parent Eternal jumped 3% to follow. ITC, Tech Mahindra, SBI, Bharat Electronics and ICICI Bank shares meanwhile gained around 1% each. On the other hand, Infosys, Bajaj Finserv, UltraTech Cement, Adani Ports and Tata Steel shares dropped around 15 each.Broader markets closed with higher gains, with Nifty Midcap 100 and Nifty Smallcap 100 indices gaining around 0.5% each. Sectorally, Nifty Consumer Durables rallied more than 2%, while Nifty Metal declined 0.7%. Around 1,817 stocks advanced on NSE, while 1,474 declined and 105 remained unchanged.Rupee watchNotably, investors now await the outcome of the Reserve Bank of Indiaโs Monetary Policy Committee's (MPC) meeting tomorrow. Meanwhile, rupee closed at 95.7850 per U.S. dollar, from 95.7050 on Wednesday.FIIs net sold Indian shares worth Rs 5,617 crore on Wednesday, according to data on NSE. They have net sold Indian equities worth more than Rs 39,625 crore in just four consecutive sessions.India may scrap capital gains tax on FPI investments in govt securitiesThe Indian government is planning to scrap capital gains tax on investments in government securities by foreign portfolio investors (FPIs), a move which will likely shore up overseas capital inflows into the country, The Economic Times reported citing people familiar with the matter.The Cabinet, in a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, approved the promulgation of an ordinance to amend the Income Tax Act to pave the way for this exemption, sources further told The Economic Times, adding that a notification is expected soon after the President gives her assent to the ordinance.What lies ahead?On Thursday, the benchmark index Nifty opened with a gap-down. However, the index staged a recovery from lower levels and eventually closed on a flat note. Notably, this marked the third consecutive session where Nifty found support near its prior swing low and rebounded thereafter, said Sudeep Shah, Head of Technical and Derivatives Research at SBI Securities. He however added that a sustained follow-up move on the upside is still required to confirm a potential reversal.โAt present, the index continues to trade below its key moving averages, while momentum indicators suggest a sideways trend. The daily RSI has been oscillating within a narrow range for the last 40 trading sessions, in line with the RSI range shift rules, indicating lack of directional strength,โ he said.Going ahead, Shah expects the 23,550โ23,580 zone to act as an important hurdle for Nifty 50.. A sustained move above the 23,580 level could trigger an extension of the ongoing pullback rally, potentially paving the way towards the 23,700 mark, he said. On the downside, he sees 23,330โ23,320 zone as likely to serve as a crucial support area.(With inputs from agencies)(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times)
Russia has publicly acknowledged a dip in oil production due to unscheduled refinery repairs, marking the first such admission. This comes amid intensified Ukrainian drone attacks targeting Russian energy infrastructure, which have disrupted operations and pushed Moscow to increase crude exports. Despite these challenges, Russia aims to maximize exports and restore previous production levels.
Traders in Reliance Industries Ltd.โs treasury department are strategizing over where to park the companyโs cash in case the Reserve Bank of India starts raising interest rates in the coming months.One proposal involves moving Relianceโs cash holdings from liquid mutual funds into short-dated money market instruments, people aware of the conglomerateโs thinking said. The switch may pay off because the yield spread between money-market papers and the benchmark rate has widened beyond its five-year average and is likely to narrow in the coming months, resulting in capital gains, the people said, asking not to be named as the information is private. Markets are currently expecting about 50 basis points of rate hikes this year, they said.Traders also mulled reducing allocation to longer-dated bonds, which tend to be more sensitive to interest-rate changes, the people said.The strategy discussion cited market expectations and the conglomerate didnโt take an explicit view on interest rates. Treasury departments typically consider a range of market scenarios when evaluating trading strategies.โWe categorically deny the information you have provided in your email regarding our opinion on interest rates and the behaviour of the rupee,โ a Reliance spokesperson said by email.131502003India's Overnight Swaps Reflect RBI Rate HikesThe view carries weight because Reliance runs one of the largest corporate treasuries in India. The discussion also come ahead of the Reserve Bank of Indiaโs rate decision on Friday, where the central bank is expected to announce measures to support the rupee.While most economists โ 29 out of 35 โ surveyed by Bloomberg News expect the authority to keep the benchmark rate unchanged, they see the RBI adopting a hawkish stance to prepare markets for potential rate hikes later this year amid inflation pressures triggered by an oil price shock.Indiaโs sovereign bond yields have remained broadly stable this quarter even as the rupee has slid to record lows. The currency has recovered in recent days, helped by RBI intervention and optimism that a US and Iran agreement may lead to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for the countryโs energy imports.The rupee is down 6% this year and recently approached a record low of 97 per dollar. It has been hovering around 95-96 levels in recent days.Relianceโs traders expect the rupee to strengthen if a Middle East peace deal is reached and if the RBI takes measures to attract capital inflows, one of the people said. They have proposed that the owner of worldโs largest oil-refining complex partly hedge its long-term forward contract positions as well as coupon payments dues in fiscal year starting March 2028, the person said.
Kolkata: West Bengal government has signed an MoU on Thursday with Adani Ports in the presence of Adani Ports & SEZ MD Karan Adani, people in the know told ET.West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday held meeting with Managing Director of Adani Ports & SEZ Karan Adani on Power, Logistics and infrastructure at Nabanna state secretariat, sources said.Also Read: West Bengal government holds pre-budget talks with industry bodies'The Chief Minister has reportedly assured that all support will be provided to the Adanis if they invest in West Bengal and they can choose the project site, people in the know told ET.Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani, at the BGBS summit 2022, had promised an investment of Rs 10,000 crore in the state in sectors of port infrastructure, data centres and undersea cables, warehouses and logistics parks. Adani Ports and SEZ was in the fray for Tajpur port for more than a year.Group ran into rough weather following the January 24 report of the US short-seller Hindenberg Research flagged high debt levels at the port-to-energy conglomerate. The state government was silent on the Tajpur port project all through.
International brokerage firm Jefferies started coverage on Poonawalla Fincorp with a Buy rating and a target price of Rs 490, implying an upside of 23% from current market levels, citing positive levers of growth. Jefferies says the company is well positioned to accelerate growth under its revamped leadership team, expanding product portfolio, wider distribution network and sharper underwriting practices. The brokerage expects the company to deliver a 33% AUM CAGR, the fastest among major NBFCs, supported by an improving loan mix, better net interest margins and lower credit costs driven by reduced slippages and a healthier portfolio mix. Analysts also forecast a sharp improvement in profitability, with RoA/RoE expected to expand to 16% by FY29 from 6% in FY26, which it believes should support the stock's premium valuation multiples. The brokerage cited the company's ongoing strategic transformation under CEO Arvind Kapil, former head of retail and mortgage banking at HDFC Bank as a positive. The brokerage highlighted the leadership overhaul, with seven of nine CXOs coming from HDFC Bank, alongside the launch of six new products including prime personal loans, commercial vehicle loans, gold loans and education loans. These new segments have already scaled to 14% of AUM within a year and are expected to contribute 34% of AUM over time. Jefferies expects the company to deliver a 33% AUM CAGR during FY26-29, supported by investments in distribution, collections, technology and AI, as well as its AAA credit rating and backing from the Adar Poonawalla Group.The brokerage expects margins to improve as the company shifts toward higher-yielding products. After contracting by 250 basis points over the past two years due to the run-down of its legacy personal loan portfolio, NIMs are projected to expand by around 70 basis points over FY26-29, aided by growth in products such as prime personal loans and gold loans. At the same time, Jefferies expects cost-to-AUM to improve to 3.9% by FY29 from 4.4% in FY26 on the back of operating leverage.Asset quality trends have also strengthened, with gross NPAs declining to 1.4% from 1.8% in FY25, supported by tighter underwriting and the reduction of the stressed legacy personal loan book. Jefferies noted that delinquency levels in loans originated after September 2024 are running about 50% lower than the previous 12-month cohort. It expects credit costs to moderate to 2.2% over FY26-29 from 2.7% in FY26, driven by better portfolio quality and a growing share of lower-risk products such as gold and education loans.Following a Rs 2,500 crore capital raise in April 2026, the company's Tier-1 capital ratio has risen above 19.5%, providing ample room to fund growth. Jefferies forecasts profit after tax to surge to Rs 2,900 crore by FY29 from Rs 540 crore in FY26, while return on assets and return on equity are expected to improve to 2.3% and 16%, respectively, from 1.1% and 6% in FY26. Despite trading at 2.4x FY27 estimated book value and 25x FY27 estimated earnings, the brokerage believes Poonawalla Fincorp's strong growth trajectory and improving profitability justify premium valuations and could support further re-rating if execution remains robust. Key risks include weaker-than-expected execution, margin pressure and higher credit stress.In Thursdayโs session, shares of the company are down 1.5% to Rs 394 on the BSE. Poonawala Fincorp shares are down 18% in 2026. (Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times)
The Indian rupee is trading around Rs. 95-96 to the dollar in late May 2026, setting fresh record lows. Markets are openly discussing the Rs. 100 threshold. The rupee has weakened in almost every year since 2014 and has lost approximately half its value against the dollar over that period. The end of this currency depreciation is not in sight. The factors that would stop it are not yet visible.The government is acting. State run oil companies have implemented four fuel price hikes in ten days as of May 25, taking petrol in Delhi past Rs. 102 per litre. This is the right and necessary response to the energy cost reality created by the Iran war. Crucially, the Modi government has also done its part on the macroeconomic front, consistently and aggressively reducing the fiscal deficit as a percentage of GDP to maintain structural stability.Yet, the currency pressure persists. The energy price impact has not yet fully reached Indian consumers and supply chains. It is coming.Uday Kotak said it plainly at the CII Annual Business Summit on May 12: "Be ready for tough times rather than waiting for the shock to hit us." He was right.Also read | Manufactured monopoly: How industrial policy is structuring monopolies in IndiaThis is not a time to panic. But it is a time to act. The leaders who move now will have options. Those who wait will not.The Overriding Factor: The Psychology of the PlayersWhy is the currency declining despite strong domestic fiscal discipline? Because exchange rates are not driven by mathematical models alone. The currency decline is highly affectedโand acceleratedโby the psychology of all players engaged in this endeavor.Currency movements are deeply behavioral. When a currency visualizes a downward trend, psychology shifts from calculation to self-protection and speculation. Every player in the ecosystem operates under this psychological weight:Corporate CFOs and Treasurers: Instead of hedging normally, they rush to cover future dollar liabilities early, hoarding hard currency and inadvertently worsening the scarcity.Foreign Investors: They begin to judge their returns not by the quality of Indian business operations, but by the eroding value of the conversion rate.Importers and Exporters: Importers advance their payments to avoid paying more tomorrow; exporters delay converting their dollar earnings back into rupees, waiting for a "better" rate. This collective psychology creates a self-fulfilling prophecy.Investors, CFOs, and FDI decision makers extrapolate what is happening now into the future. When they see a currency that has lost approximately half its value since 2014 with no clear floor in sight, their psychological pivot alters market realities.Also read | India tightens checks on overseas flows as currency pressure mounts, sources sayThe cascading timeline of Foreign Portfolio Investor (FPI) equity behavior perfectly mirrors this psychological shift from rational evaluation to systemic risk aversion:2024 (The Calculation Phase): Rupee averages Rs. 83-84. FPI flows remain positive (+$12 billion) as investors trade on strong domestic corporate earnings.2025 (The Self-Protection Phase): Rupee slides past Rs. 89. Collective psychology shifts to risk mitigation. FPIs withdraw a record $18.4 billion from Indian equitiesโthe largest annual equity outflow on record.Early 2026 (The Capitulation Phase): Rupee breaks past Rs. 95. Sentiment turns into an outright exit strategy. In the first four months of 2026 alone, outflows have already reached $19.1 billion, completely bypassing the entire previous year's record loss in a fraction of the time.FDI agreements are being signed, but capital is delayed because players are psychologically hesitant to deploy funds into a depreciating asset.The Trap of Hard Currency Debt: A Broken Business Model There is a highly significant and dangerous phenomenon unfolding in India today that requires immediate exposure. For years, a specific class of Indian corporates adopted a regular strategy of borrowing heavily in hard currency (External Commercial Borrowings, or ECBs). Lured by low nominal global interest rates, several of these companies over borrowed, treating cheap dollar debt as a permanent structural advantage.Today, that strategy has become a trap. The compounding effect of a depreciating rupee, skyrocketing hedging costs, and brutal refinancing realities is fundamentally breaking their business models.Consider the mechanics of this crisis:The Hedging Penalty: Leaving dollar debt unhedged is now corporate roulette. However, buying hedges at current rupee levels has become structurally prohibitive. The cost of protection completely wipes out any interest rate advantage.The Refinancing Wall: Billions in foreign debt are coming due. These over-borrowed companies must now refinance their liabilities at a time when the rupee value has materially deteriorated. They are effectively forced to borrow far more rupees just to pay back the same amount of original dollars.The Crushing Cost of Rupee Capital: As these companies try to pivot back to domestic lenders, they face a severe escalation in their rupee cost of capital.The Growth Verdict: When your cost of capital spikes and your cash flows are consumed by servicing legacy dollar debt, future growth stops. Capital expenditure (CapEx) plans are being frozen. These companies can no longer invest in innovation, capacity, or market expansion. Their business model shifts overnight from aggressive value creation to basic survival. Boards must realize that this is not a temporary treasury headache; it is a structural threat to the companyโs future viability.India's forex reserves stand at approximately 10 to 11 months of import cover. Substantial, but being actively deployed to defend the currency. Some imports are non-negotiable: oil, critical inputs, components. These will now cost more. That cost passes through every supply chain.Six Actions for Business Leaders1. Protect your cash and liquidity first. This is the most immediate priority. Map your cash position today. Identify every source of liquidity across the next twelve months. Stress-test it at Rs. 100 and beyond. Which receivables are at risk? Which credit lines are rupee-denominated and which are not? Companies that run into a cash crisis during a currency depreciation cycle lose their options entirely. The CFO must own this analysis and present it to the board within days, not weeks.2. Act now on your foreign currency borrowings, hedging, and refinancing. Do not assume the rupee will recover to Rs. 80. Analyse your full foreign currency exposure across the next three years: every loan, every refinancing date, every hedging contract, every procurement price denominated in foreign currency. Hard currency loans now face refinancing at rupee values that have materially deteriorated. Model every scenario at Rs. 100 and beyond. Your CFO, treasury, and procurement team must be aligned on one instruction: do not run into a liquidity crisis. This analysis must happen now, not at the next quarterly review.3. Build a war room. Most companies have begun thinking about war rooms for supply chain disruptions. Expand the mandate. Currency exposure belongs in the same room. Which of your costs are dollar or euro denominated? Which of your revenues are rupee denominated? Where is the mismatch? What is your break-even exchange rate? If you do not have clear answers today, you are exposed. The war room is not a committee. It is a real-time decision environment with live data, a clear owner, and the authority to act.4. Use the currency depreciation advantage: double your export salesforce. A weaker rupee makes Indian exports more competitive. This window will not stay open indefinitely. Double the salesforce in your export markets now. Use this period to upgrade quality, improve service delivery, and build customer relationships that will last beyond the currency advantage. Indian exporters who invest in capability during this period will emerge stronger regardless of what the rupee does next. Those who simply ride the price advantage without building the underlying business will lose when conditions change.5. Watch your stock and your sector. Banks and financial institutions should already be on high alert. Companies with large foreign currency exposure will see pressure on their financials. Some stock prices are already reflecting this. Go through your sector company by company. Identify who is most exposed. If you are an investor or a lender, this analysis is not optional. The combination of currency depreciation, rising oil prices, and FPI outflows creates a compounding pressure that will surface in earnings before it surfaces in headlines.6. Cut costs aggressively. AI will help. There has never been more urgency to reduce costs than now. And there has never been a better tool to do it. AI can cut most operational costs by as much as 30% across functions: procurement, finance, customer service, logistics, and compliance. McKinsey data confirms companies adopting AI and automation reduce operational costs by 20 to 30 percent. This is not a future opportunity. It is a present imperative. Every rupee of cost removed through AI is a rupee that does not need to be recovered through revenue in a deteriorating currency environment. Start now with your highest-cost functions.The CFO as CaptainCurrency risk is a cash flow risk. Every function that touches foreign currencyโprocurement, treasury, sales, capex planningโ must now report into a single coordinating authority. That authority is the CFO. This is not about hierarchy. It is about clarity. In a currency crisis, fragmented decision-making is as dangerous as wrong decision making. One captain. One consolidated view. Weekly reviews minimum.The Bigger PictureThis currency depreciation is a structural signal, not a cyclical one. India's economy must move from a cheap labour advantage to genuine global value creation.The companies that will survive and thrive are those building products and services that command premium prices in global markets. The rupee's weakness is a reminder that competing on cost alone has limits.The recently concluded trade agreements are a genuine opportunity. Execute them with full force. Build the export pipelines. Add the sales capacity.The businesses that move now, with discipline and clarity, will manage market psychology, navigate the debt trap, and define the next chapter of Indian industry.The shock is coming. Prepare before it arrives.Ram Charan is the author of Chinaโs 90% model. It is restricting Indiaโs industrial progress. Former Director of Hindalco and Muyuan (China).
The transfer of the CBSEโs top leadership has failed to address the issue of accountability at the highest levels of the Education Ministry, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh says
Karnataka's new Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has launched significant welfare and youth-focused initiatives. These include free bus passes for students from school to postgraduate levels and the establishment of 10,000 youth clubs with Rs 10 lakh each for sports, culture, and leadership. A private employment exchange will also be set up to aid job seekers.
The scheme will be funded through the National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB) under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).
The latest National Family Health Survey reveals a rise in adult obesity, driven by urbanization, poor dietary habits and genetic vulnerabilities. Ironically, this growing obesity crisis coexists alongside persistent levels of severe undernutrition and malnutrition among rural adults and children.
India's birth rate has dropped below replacement levels. However, demographic trends vary significantly across the nation. While cities are seeing fewer births, some states like Bihar show different patterns. Families are having fewer children, impacting social structures. Infant mortality has decreased, but the first week of life remains critical.
Shares of Titagarh Rail Systems gained nearly 3% to hit the day's high of Rs 857 on the BSE on Wednesday after Wall Street major Jefferies raised the target price to Rs 990 from Rs 810, implying an upside of 19% from current market levels.With a Buy rating, the international brokerage raised the target by 23%. Jefferies said Titagarh Rail Systems delivered a stronger-than-expected quarter, and improving execution is likely to drive a re-rating of the stock going forward. The brokerage believes Titagarh is well-positioned to benefit from rising demand for passenger and metro coaches, supported by government-led infrastructure initiatives. It estimates a 44% EPS CAGR over FY26-30 and expects the company's strong order book in the passenger segment to provide healthy earnings visibility.Titagarh delivered 64 coaches in FY26, ahead of Jefferies' estimate of 60 coaches. While this fell short of the management's earlier guidance of 100-120 coaches, the shortfall was largely anticipated due to execution delays in the first half of FY26.Management has reiterated confidence in delivering 200-220 coaches in FY27, compared with Jefferies' estimate of 193 coaches, citing the resolution of initial execution challenges. On the flagship Vande Bharat project, the company expects to deliver two trains in FY27, in line with Jefferies' projections, with the prototype scheduled for supply in the December 2026 quarter.Margins in the March quarter came in significantly ahead of expectations at 19%, compared with Jefferies' estimate of 12%, supported by a sharp increase in execution of the Bengaluru Metro project, which is being executed as a job contract. Management has guided for margins of around 12% in the near term, with a gradual improvement towards 15% as the company advances up the technology value chain.Rail wagon sales declined 29% year-on-year due to supply-side constraints. While Jefferies expects wagon sales to fall a further 5% in FY27, it forecasts a largely stable trajectory over FY27-30, supported by its estimate that Indian Railways' cargo volumes could reach around 3 billion tonnes by FY35, compared with the FY30 target.The company currently has an order book of 6,500 wagons, providing visibility for about 97% of Jefferies' FY27 wagon sales estimates, although visibility beyond FY27 remains limited. Separately, Titagarh has secured 28% capital assistance for its brownfield shipbuilding expansion plans and is evaluating technology partnerships and potential joint ventures with shipyards.The brokerage noted that a recent report by Live Mint indicated Indian Railways is considering an order for 1 lakh wagons, which could significantly improve earnings visibility for wagon manufacturers. The valuation assigns 30x March 2028 estimated EPS to the core business, up from 25x previously, reflecting positive developments around potential wagon orders and the upcoming wheel joint venture, which it values at 2.5x its investment value. Key risks to the outlook include delays in wagon orders or wheel supplies from Indian Railways, as well as weaker-than-expected execution.Titagarh Rail Q4 snapshotTitagarh Rail reported a net profit for the quarter at Rs 53.96 crore, compared to a net loss of Rs 122.4 crore that the company reported last year.Titagarh Rail's revenue in the March quarter declined by 12.9% to Rs 875.4 crore from Rs 1,005.6 crore in the previous year.The company's earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) declined 4.4% to Rs 97.3 crore in the March quarter from Rs 96.56 crore last year, while margins stood at 11% from 10% last year. (Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times)
India faces a growing challenge with lifestyle diseases as the latest NFHS-6 survey reveals a significant increase in obesity and high blood sugar levels among adults. Nearly one in three women and over one in four men are now overweight or obese, with elevated blood sugar also climbing sharply.
Procedure performed on a 34-year-old woman suffering from Homozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia, a rare genetic condition, which results in extremely high cholesterol levels from a young age
Itโs easy to understand why so many graduates are booing commencement speakers who tell them how great AI is. They face a brutal job market, with unemployment for recent college graduates nearing recession levels, and AI is often cited as the reason they canโt find jobs or have to drastically reassess their career plans.I have a message for the class of 2026: AI is not ruining your job prospects, at least not yet. A better explanation for the tough job market may be the prevalence of WFH, not the rise of AI.131463654Two new studies, one from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and one from the London School of Economics, look at the recent rise in unemployment among young workers. The authors of the LSE study looked at 243 million new hires and 407 million online job postings from 2017 to 2025 in the US, UK, Australia and Canada. They observed a notable decline since 2022 in the hiring of new graduates. AI was presumed to be the reason, since the falloff tends to be in the sort of industries that are adopting AI.But these are also the same kinds of jobs โ reliant on computers, knowledge-intensive, white-collar โ that are most amenable to working from home. When they controlled for WFH, the authors found that the impact of AI on hiring was negligible.The study postulates that where WFH is more common, managing junior staff is more expensive. At the same time, young staffers who receive less training may be less productive than they would be otherwise, even as they mature and demand more pay. So the cost of WFH to young graduates is not just a harder job market โ it also makes it harder for young employees to get good training, supervision and mentorship, a point also made by the New York Fed study.WFH has always had a superficial appeal. At first, it seems easier and often cheaper for both employers and employees; companies can pay less if they offer more flexibility, and many staffers have commitments that keep them at home. In the long term, however, both management and workers pay a price in terms of lost training and career development of younger employees.This could get even worse as AI is more widely adopted. New hires recently out of college who work on their own may figure out how to do specific tasks (perhaps with AI assistance), but they wonโt learn much about how to manage office politics, charm clients or build networks. All these skills will be even more valuable in an AI job market, and none can be gained without coming into the office and observing senior colleagues.The new research doesnโt argue that AI will have no impact on hiring in the future, or that it is currently affecting hiring decisions. Itโs also worth noting that many firms are still hiring โ just not as much as before. There are a lot of factors that go into the health of the labor market, and if the economy worsens, the combination of AI and WFH could make it even harder for young graduates.What does seem clear is that AI is becoming a convenient villain for a lot of complaints people have about the economy. Tech executives arenโt helping by regularly declaring that AI can replace a lot of jobs. More likely, they are using AI as an excuse when they are letting people go for financial reasons. In the case of WFH, it may be easier to blame AI than to ask reluctant staff to come into the office.Iโve seen this reluctance firsthand: A few years ago I met middle-aged media executive who told me how much she loved working from home (or, often in her case, from a resort in Mexico). When I asked her about junior staffers missing out on mentoring and on-the-job training, she admitted she never would have succeeded if senior people werenโt in the office when she was coming up. But she didnโt seem too bothered by it, either.Iโve never been asked to give a commencement speech, but if for some reason I were, this would be my advice: Find a company where everyone likes going to work. Then try to get a job there โ and if you do, go into the office every day.
The Education Ministry has launched an internal probe into CBSE's OSM system and the tender awarded to Coempt EduTeck, with accountability likely to be fixed at multiple levels.
Gold and silver prices opened little changed on the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) on Tuesday as a stronger U.S. dollar and a sharp rise in crude oil prices weighed on sentiment, while investors awaited U.S. President Donald Trump's decision on a proposed extension of the ceasefire agreement with Iran. In the domestic market, MCX silver futures for July 2026 delivery were up Rs 167 to Rs 2,66,350 per kg. Gold futures for June 2026 delivery gained by Rs 258 at Rs 1,59,499 per 10 grams. In the previous session, silver and gold ended marginally higher.Market participants are now focused on upcoming U.S. economic data, including the nonfarm payrolls and employment reports due later this week, for clues on the strength of the labour market as concerns over inflationary pressures linked to the Middle East conflict continue to build. In the international market, spot gold was steady at $4,481.53 per ounce as of 0217 GMT, while U.S. gold futures for August delivery edged up 0.1% to $4,511.20 per ounce. Among other precious metals, spot silver rose 0.5% to $75.21 per ounce, platinum gained 0.5% to $1,932.50, while palladium slipped 0.4% to $1,356.90 per ounce. How should you trade gold?In the domestic market, MCX Gold June futures may extend losses toward โน154,000 per 10 grams, tracking weakness in global bullion prices, says Jigar Trivedi of IndusInd Securities. Manoj Kumar Jain of Prithvi Finmart said silver is having support at Rs 2,63,600-2,61,000 and resistance at Rs 2,69,100-2,72,000. โWe have suggested buying silver on Monday around 2,64,000 with a stop loss below 2,60,600 for the target of Rs 2,71,000; those holding buying positions as per given recommendations are suggested to strictly follow given stop loss and book profits around given target levels.Gold rates in physical marketsGold Price today in DelhiStandard gold (22 carat) prices in Delhi stand at Rs 1,14,672/8 grams while pure gold (24 carat) prices stand at Rs 1,25,088/8 grams.Gold Price today in MumbaiStandard gold (22 carat) prices in Mumbai stand at Rs 1,14,552/8 grams while pure gold (24 carat) prices stand at Rs 1,24,968/8 grams.Gold Price today in ChennaiStandard gold (22 carat) prices in Chennai stand at Rs 1,15,992/8 grams while pure gold (24carat) prices stand at Rs 1,26,536/8 grams.Gold Price today in HyderabadStandard gold (22 carat) prices in Hyderabad stand at Rs 1,14,552/8 grams while pure gold (24 carat) prices stand at Rs 1,24,968/8 grams.(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times)
Telangana bans cash wage payments, mandates digital transfers, and introduces minimum wage protections for gig workers, increasing wages across skill levels.
Bengaluru: Electric vehicle maker Ola Electric Mobility on Monday approved the opening of its qualified institutional placement (QIP) and set a floor price of โน37.74 per equity share for the issue, according to a stock exchange filing.The company's fund raising committee approved the launch of the issue on June 1 and cleared the preliminary placement document for institutional investors. The company may also offer a discount of up to 5% on the floor price in line with Sebi regulations, the filings read.QIP is a way for listed companies to raise money from large institutional investors such as mutual funds, insurance firms, sovereign funds and foreign portfolio investors, without going through a public issue process.The fundraising comes at a time when Ola Electric is navigating slowing sales, market share pressures and continued losses in the electric two-wheeler market. The company on May 14 also announced โน2,000 crore investment into its wholly-owned subsidiaries focused on electric vehicle and battery manufacturing, as it looks to double down on localisation and vertical integration.Ola reported a consolidated net loss of Rs 500 crore for the fourth quarter ended March 2026, narrowing 42.5% from Rs 870 crore in the year-ago period, aided by lower expenses. In Q3, the company had reported a loss of Rs 487 crore. For the full 2026 financial year, the company posted a consolidated net loss of Rs 1,833 crore compared with Rs 2,276 crore in FY25. Revenue from operations fell sharply to Rs 2,253 crore from Rs 4,514 crore a year ago. Brokerages have also flagged concerns around market share erosion and cash burn. Citi earlier downgraded the stock to and cut its target price, citing persistent challenges to volume growth and rising balance sheet pressures. The company recently reported a recovery in registrations, with May registrations rising to 14,752 units. Ola said the issue price will be determined in consultation with the book running lead managers. โFor Q1 FY27, we expect 40,000- 45,000 orders and consolidated revenue of Rs 500-550 crore, nearly double Q4 levels. As volumes recover, we expect the auto business to move towards adjusted operating EBITDA and free cash flow positivity through FY27,โ Aggarwal said in its shareholderโs letter. The companyโs focus remains on its EV products, particularly electric motorcycles and cell manufacturing, he added. Olaโs shares on Monday closed at Rs 39.53 on BSE, 4.91% lower compared to previous trading session. The QIP announcement was made post market hours.