Barkha Mathur

EPFO plans to channel 3% of fresh inflows into startups, AIF investments

The proposed framework could enable EPFO to invest through institutions such as the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund and SIDBI's Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0

Delhi stays under blanket of poor air as AQI holds at 229, NCR air worsens

Uttam Nagar records the highest AQI at 339; Noida, Gurugram and Greater Noida also report elevated pollution levels

Wear, return, repeat: How festive shoppers are hurting online sellers

Small online sellers say customers returning ethnic wear after wearing it for festivals are leaving them with damaged inventory, mounting logistics costs and losses that can wipe out profits

Samsung sees AI memory demand outstripping supply, raising cost concerns

Samsung Electronics said AI infrastructure spending could reach a historic level in 2027, with demand for memory chips expected to outstrip industry supply by a wider margin

Drought-hit crops, rising costs may drive up India's farm commodity imports

Drought-hit soybean and groundnut crops, concerns over mustard output and high feed costs could raise imports of edible oils, soybean meal, maize, sugar and other farm commodities

Value investing still works, but stock selection is key: Fund managers

Business Standard BFSI Summit: Mutual fund leaders say investors must look beyond market narratives and assess businesses on their fundamentals and valuations

Investors need suitable products, not complexity, say mutual fund CEOs

Business Standard BFSI Summit: Mutual fund CEOs say smallcap valuations remain a concern, while hybrid funds and specialised investment funds could offer investors more flexibility

Delhi wakes to 'poor' air as AQI hits 228, two stations cross 300

Vivek Vihar records the highest AQI at 316, followed by Jahangirpuri at 305; Noida and Greater Noida also report elevated pollution levels

Derivatives trading may need more guardrails, says Sebi's KVR Murty

Business Standard BFSI Summit: Sebi's KVR Murty says the regulator is considering whether more guardrails are needed for derivatives trading, particularly amid heightened activity on expiry days

Proposed Irdai norms need a longer glide path, say life insurance leaders

Business Standard BFSI Insight Summit: Life insurance industry leaders called for phased transition to proposed distribution reforms, saying insurers need time to adjust costs while expanding coverage

AI agents could transform banking, but risks remain, say industry experts

Business Standard BFSI Summit: Banking leaders said banks must strengthen security controls and authenticate AI agents as autonomous banking develops

India's workers feel financially secure, but savings reveal major gap: Survey

Over 80% of respondents in a Grant Thornton Bharat survey said they could sustain living expenses for less than a year if their income stopped

Delhi wakes to hazy morning, AQI stays in 'moderate' category at 167

Delhi's AQI stood at 167 at 7 am on Tuesday, up from 164 on Monday morning, with PM2.5 and PM10 identified as the prominent pollutants, according to CPCB data

Microfinance lenders eye diversification as sector recovers: Industry leaders

At the Business Standard BFSI Summit in Mumbai, microfinance industry leaders said collections were improving as lenders explored secured and individual loans to meet customers' changing needs

Bankers hail RBI's FCNR(B) playbook as dollar inflows surge to $12.7 bn

At Business Standard's BFSI Summit, public sector bank chiefs discussed how RBI's swap support, leverage and overseas outreach helped mobilise FCNR(B) deposits, highlighting need for risk management

Trump admin eyes Hungarian PM Orbán for UN chief with Russia, China backing

The Trump administration has approached former Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán about becoming the next UN secretary-general, with Russia and China reportedly receptive to the idea

Delhi AQI improves slightly to 164, pollution from fine particles persists

PM2.5 and PM10 remained the dominant pollutants, though readings varied across monitoring stations

Apple limits iPhone Duo orders to two per customer amid supply crunch

Apple has capped iPhone Duo pre-orders at two units per customer, with launch-day delivery slots selling out soon after orders opened on October 16

From SBI to ICICI: Major banking data breaches, cyberattacks in India

SBI's latest disclosure of exposed customer records adds to a history of cyber incidents affecting Indian banks

Can AI keep your secrets safe? Eternal's dark.ai to offer encrypted chats

Eternal founder Deepinder Goyal plans to launch dark.ai, a privacy-focused AI assistant for founders, researchers, businesses and governments, globally by the end of 2026