Business

Mumbai, February 14 – Indian equity benchmarks lost nearly 1% during the week, weighed down by weak global cues and sharp declines in the IT index, reflecting Wall Street losses due to concerns about AI.Nifty lost 0.87% during the week and fell 1.30% on the last trading day to 25,471. At Friday's close, the Sensex was down 1,048 points or 1.25% at 82,626. It declined by 1.14% during the week.Sectoral performance remained firmly negative, with all major indices ending in the red. The Nifty Metal index was the worst performer, dropping 3.3%, followed by realty, which fell by 2.2%, and FMCG, which fell by 1.9%.The Nifty IT index touched a 10-month low before closing 1.4% lower, even as selective buying helped it recover from intraday...

Seoul, February 14: Exports by South Korea's 10 largest companies accounted for nearly 40% of all outbound shipments last year, reaching a record high, largely driven by strong semiconductor sales, according to government data released on Saturday.In 2025, outbound shipments by the top 10 exporters accounted for 39% of the country's total exports, up 2.4 percentage points from a year earlier, according to data from the Ministry of Data and Statistics, reports Yonhap news agency."The concentration level is the highest on record, with increased semiconductor shipments having the largest impact," said Jung Kyu-seong, a ministry official.Outbound shipments from the country's two major chipmakers – Samsung Electronics Co. and SK Hynix...

Mumbai, February 14 – Gold prices fell by almost 1.82% during the week, as investors remained cautious amid high volatility with the dollar showing occasional periods of strength.Meanwhile, on Friday, MCX gold February futures rose by 0.20%, while MCX silver March futures increased by 3.62%. Currently, gold futures stand at ₹1,56,200, while silver futures are at ₹2,44,999 per kg.According to data published by the India Bullion and Jewellers Association (IBJA), the price of 10 grams of 24-carat gold was ₹1,52,765 on Friday, down from ₹1,55,593 seen on Monday.Gold traded positively in the early session on Friday, but the overall tone remained volatile and weak after a sharp sell-off from ₹1,58,000 to ₹1,54,000, as prices failed to...

Mumbai, February 14 – Sustained fiscal commitment has driven rural transformation, with rural development budget allocations rising by over 211 per cent in a decade, reaching Rs 2.73 lakh crore in 2026-27, according to an official statement.Poverty has declined significantly, with extreme poverty at 5.3 per cent in 2022-23, lower than the global average, and multidimensional poverty down to 11.28 per cent in 2023 from 55.3 per cent in 2005-06, the statement said.Rural connectivity is near-universal, with Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana allocations rising from Rs 12,581 crore in 2016-17 to Rs 19,000 crore in 2026-27, an increase of 51 per cent.Housing-led security has expanded significantly, with 3.70 crore rural homes built over...

New Delhi, February 14 – India has established a large-scale digital foundation for agriculture, with over 7.63 crore farmer IDs and 23.5 crore crop plots surveyed under the Digital Agriculture Mission, an official statement said on Saturday.According to the statement, the National Pest Surveillance System supports 66 crops and over 432 pest types, providing real-time advisories to more than 10,000 extension workers for early pest detection."As of December 2025, the Kisan e-Mitra chatbot has answered more than 93 lakh queries, handling over 8,000 farmer queries daily in 11 regional languages," the government said.An AI-based pilot for local monsoon onset forecasting for Kharif 2025 reached 3.88 crore farmers across 13 states via...

Washington, Feb 14 – Artificial intelligence is at a critical juncture globally, and India must treat data as its “next oil” if it wants to lead the next industrial revolution, Sunil Pal, Head of AI GPU Allocation at AMD, said ahead of the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi.“2026 is the year for AI,” Pal told news agency IANS, describing the technology wave that began with ChatGPT’s release in 2022 as “like the fourth industrial revolution.”He said countries are racing to capture value in a market projected to reach $1.7 trillion by 2031.“Everyone is trying to see how they can capitalize on this overall AI,” he said, adding that “data is the key.”According to Pal, the summit in India comes at a time when governments and...

New Delhi, February 14: During the 10 years of the UPA government, only 6 lakh metric tonnes of pulses were procured, whereas the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, has procured 1 crore 92 lakh metric tonnes of pulses, according to Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.He announced that 100 per cent procurement of tur (pigeon pea), masoor (lentil), and urad (black gram) will be ensured."The Centre will procure the full quantity of pulses that farmers produce and wish to sell," the minister said.Chouhan noted that while India has 38 per cent of the global area under pulses cultivation, its share in production is only 28 per cent, reflecting low productivity due to old seed varieties, low seed replacement rates, and adverse...

Mumbai, February 14: India should focus on 10 key priorities, ranging from building a workforce ready for the future to enhancing manufacturing competitiveness and scaling up micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), to achieve the goal of "Viksit Bharat" by 2047, according to a new report.The report from KPMG in India stated that the first step in building a future-ready workforce involves operationalizing education, skills, and employment, expanding apprenticeships, and developing deep technological capabilities so that talent is ready for jobs across manufacturing, services, and emerging technologies.The report highlighted efforts to make manufacturing globally competitive through localizing components, adopting Industry 4.0...

Mumbai, February 11, 2026: Man Infraconstruction Limited (NSE: MANINFRA, BSE: 533169) announced its unaudited financial results for the quarter and nine months ended December 31, 2025, highlighting strong sales traction led by the launch of its ultra-luxury project ‘Artek Park’ at Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC). The company recorded ₹447 crore in sales during Q3FY26, while cumulative sales for 9MFY26 stood at ₹1,362 crore. The newly launched Artek Park project generated ₹140 crore in sales in Q3FY26 against an estimated total sales potential of ₹850 crore. Operational Performance During the quarter, MICL sold 1.2 lakh sq. ft. of carpet area, taking the nine-month total to 3.9 lakh sq. ft., driven primarily by ongoing projects across Tardeo...

Bengaluru, February 11, 2026 (IST) – OneSource Specialty Pharma Limited (BSE: 544292 | NSE: ONESOURCE) has secured approval from the Saudi Food and Drug Authority to commercialise its generic version of Ozempic® (semaglutide) in Saudi Arabia, marking a strategic entry into one of the largest GLP-1 therapy markets globally.The approval enables the company to launch the product in partnership with Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC, which will serve as the exclusive commercialisation partner across the Middle East and North Africa region.Strategic Entry into High-Growth GLP-1 Market Saudi Arabia represents a significant growth opportunity for GLP-1 therapies, given the rising prevalence of diabetes and obesity in the region. With regulatory...

Mumbai, February 10, 2026: JSW Steel Limited reported consolidated crude steel production of 24.75 lakh tonnes for January 2026, reflecting a 2 percent year-on-year decline compared with 25.18 lakh tonnes produced in January 2025. Production Performance Overview The marginal decline at the consolidated level was largely driven by lower output at overseas operations, even as domestic production remained broadly stable. Crude Steel Production (Lakh Tonnes)ParticularsJanuary 2026January 2025YoY ChangeIndian Operations24.5824.52*FlatUSA Operations (Ohio)0.170.66-74%Consolidated Production24.7525.18-2%*Includes trial run production of 2.11 lakh tonnes. India Operations Crude steel production at Indian operations was marginally...

New Delhi, February 9, 2026, IST: Max Estates Limited (BSE: 544008 | NSE: MAXESTATES) today reported strong operating momentum alongside its unaudited Q3 and nine-month FY26 performance, driven by robust residential demand in Gurugram and accelerating commercial leasing traction. The company has crossed ₹1,900 crore in pre-sales year-to-date in Gurugram, underpinned by the launch of its latest LiveWell residential project, Estate 361. Key Operating Highlights Estate 361 Launch, Gurugram Max Estates launched Phase 1 of Estate 361 in Sector 36A, Gurugram, a forest-anchored residential community with a Gross Development Value of approximately ₹2,500 crore. The project is spread across 18.23 acres and integrates over 2,50,000 sq ft of...

Hyderabad, February 9, 2026: Bartronics India Limited (BSE: 532694, NSE: ASMS) on Monday announced the appointment of Dr. Raja Krishna Murthy as Head – Agri Tech Business, a move aimed at accelerating the company’s expansion into agri-tech and climate-focused platforms under Project Avio Agritech.Strategic Leadership to Drive Agri-Tech and Climate Growth The appointment strengthens Bartronics’ senior leadership at a time when the company is scaling Project Avio Agritech, its integrated agri-tech platform designed to create new and scalable revenue streams. The initiative spans agri-commerce, sustainable agriculture, digital advisory services, and climate and carbon solutions, while leveraging Bartronics’ extensive rural footprint...

Chandigarh, February 8, 2026: SML Mahindra Limited (BSE: 505192 | NSE: SMLMAH) reported a strong operational performance for January 2026, with sharp year-on-year growth across production, sales, and exports, reflecting improving demand momentum in the commercial vehicle segment. Production, Sales and Export Performance During January 2026, the company recorded a significant increase in commercial vehicle output, supported by higher dispatches and steady export traction. Operational Performance Comparison (January)ParticularsJan 2025Jan 2026YoY ChangeProduction (Units)1,2971,681+29.6%Sales (Units)9251,220+31.9%Exports (Units)100117+17.0%Production rose by nearly 30 percent year-on-year to 1,681 units, while domestic and...

Tariff Rollback Linked to India’s Oil Import Commitment The United States has announced the removal of the additional 25 percent tariffs imposed on Indian goods after India committed to stop directly or indirectly importing Russian oil. The decision takes effect from February 7, marking a significant shift in trade relations between the two countries.According to an executive order issued by the White House, Indian products entering the United States on or after 12.01 am Eastern Standard Time on February 7, 2026, will no longer be subject to the additional ad valorem duty that had been imposed earlier.Background to the Tariff Decision In August last year, the US had imposed reciprocal tariffs of 25 percent along with an additional...

New Delhi, February 7, 2026 (Saturday) India and the United States have announced a framework for an Interim Trade Agreement, marking a significant step in bilateral economic engagement and setting the stage for deeper cooperation under a proposed Bilateral Trade Agreement. The interim framework outlines reciprocal tariff adjustments, market access commitments, and a roadmap for expanded trade and technology cooperation between the two countries.Interim Agreement Anchors Reciprocal Tariff Commitments Under the framework, India has committed to eliminate or reduce tariffs on all US industrial goods and a wide range of American food and agricultural products. These include dried distillers’ grains, red sorghum for animal feed, tree...

Trade Focus on Energy, Technology, Aviation and Critical Materials India has outlined plans to purchase goods worth USD 500 billion from the United States over the next five years, covering a wide range of sectors including energy products, aircraft and aircraft components, precious metals, technology products and coking coal, according to a joint statement released on Friday.The statement said the proposed purchases would span strategic and industrially critical segments, reflecting an effort to deepen bilateral trade ties between India and the United States.Push for Technology Trade and Data Centre Equipment Both countries also plan to significantly expand trade in technology products. This includes items used in data centres such...

Major Export Opportunity for MSMEs, Farmers and Fishermen India’s proposed trade pact with the United States is set to unlock access to a USD 30 trillion market for Indian exporters, with significant benefits expected for MSMEs, farmers and fishermen. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said the agreement would also generate lakhs of new employment opportunities, particularly for women and youth across the country.Interim Agreement Framework Finalised According to the minister, India has reached a framework for an Interim Agreement with the United States under the leadership of Narendra Modi. The framework is expected to significantly expand India’s export footprint in the world’s largest economy.Tariff Cuts to Boost Key...

Tariff Cuts and Broader Access to Indian Market US President Donald Trump is expanding access for American farmers and producers to one of the world’s largest economies under a new trade arrangement with India, according to the United States Trade Representative.The agency said India has committed to eliminating or lowering tariffs on all US industrial goods and a wide range of agricultural products. This move is aimed at improving market access for American exports across multiple sectors.Agricultural and Industrial Goods in Focus The agreement covers a broad spectrum of agricultural products, including tree nuts, dried distillers’ grains, red sorghum, and fresh and processed fruits. The USTR said the arrangement will open new...

Tariff Cuts to Ease Market Access for Indian Exporters India and the United States have announced a framework for an interim trade agreement aimed at significantly reducing import duties on a wide range of goods, marking a major step toward strengthening bilateral trade ties. The framework is designed to provide immediate relief to exporters and set the stage for a comprehensive Bilateral Trade Agreement in the future.Under the arrangement, the United States will reduce import duties on Indian goods to 18 percent from the earlier level of 50 percent. This follows the withdrawal of the additional 25 percent tariffs imposed last year, after India committed to stopping direct or indirect imports of Russian oil.Interim Pact Opens USD 30...