News digest: Exports rise 30%, Adani to build highways, and more

From exports rising to 30 per cent in November to millennials choosing Bitcoins over gold, BS brings you top stories to keep up with the latest news

Exports jump 30%, trade deficit high at $13.8 bn
 
The GST Council's efforts to resolve exporters' woes on refunds seem to have started yielding results. Exports grew 30.55 per cent in November, a month after it contracted 1.1 per cent, also due to the low base effect and rising petroleum prices. In fact, petroleum products, along with engineering goods, gems and jewellery, and chemicals, drove nearly 80 per cent of the rise in merchandise exports. Read more
 
 

Govt okays sops for leather sector, waives fee for small digital payments

The Cabinet on Friday cleared a Rs 2,600-crore proposal to boost job creation in the leather industry, lowered the merchant discount rate (MDR) on transactions up to Rs 2,000 through debit cards, BHIM UPI or Aadhaar-enabled payment systems to promote digital transactions, and approved a series of Bills, including one amending the Specific Relief Act to smoothen enforcement of contracts. Read more

 
Growth slowdown bottoming out, says RBI governor
 
While expectations on price rise remain stable for the moment, “considerable caution and vigilance is warranted on the inflation front” but the slowing in growth could be over, said Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Urjit Patel. Read more
 
Adani group to foray into highway construction sector
 
The Adani group, which has a presence in the power, coal and maritime sectors, would soon foray into the highway construction sector. Read more
 
Millennials pick bitcoins over gold
 
Twenty-year-old Sahil Shah, a business administration student at Nirma University, Ahmedabad, started dabbling in bitcoin investments four years ago, and has been an avid investor ever since. Read more