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RBI data shows slower sales growth for private firms at 11.4% in FY25

Net sales of non-financial private companies increased at a slower pace of 11.4 per cent in 2024-25 as compared to 11.7 per cent in the previous year, according to Reserve Bank data released on Monday. The RBI released data relating to financial performance of non-government non-financial (NGNF) private limited companies during 2024-25 based on audited annual accounts of select 15,919 companies reported in the Indian Accounting Standards (Ind-AS) format. Services sector recorded 13.5 per cent growth in net sales during 2024-25, driven by 'Trade -- wholesale & retail', 'Real Estate' and 'Transport and Storage services' sub-sectors. Sales growth in the manufacturing sector moderated marginally to 9.2 per cent in 2024-25 from 9.4 per cent in the previous year. Total paid-up capital (PUC) of these companies amounted to Rs 8,44,198 crore as at end-March 2025, which covered 40.3 per cent of the total PUC of NGNF private limited companies. At the aggregate level, operating expenses ...

US judge dismisses Trump's $10 bn defamation suit against WSJ, Murdoch

A federal judge dismissed President Donald Trump's $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal and Rupert Murdoch on Monday over a story on his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. US District Judge Darrin P. Gayles in Florida wrote in the order that Trump had failed to make the argument that the article was published with the intent to be malicious, but gave the president a chance to file an amended complaint. Trump filed the lawsuit in July, following up on a promise to sue the paper almost immediately after it put a new spotlight on his well-documented relationship with Epstein by publishing an article that described a sexually suggestive letter that the newspaper said bore Trump's signature and was included in a 2003 album compiled for Epstein's 50th birthday. The letter was subsequently released publicly by Congress, which subpoenaed the records from Epstein's estate. The ruling marks yet another blow in the Trump administration's efforts to manage fallout over its rele

No serious LPG shortage for auto component makers so far, says govt

Auto component manufacturers have not reported any serious LPG supply shortage, a senior official said on Monday, adding that the government is in touch with industry body ACMA to ensure an adequate gas supply and prevent any supply chain disruptions. Addressing an inter-ministerial briefing here on the recent developments in West Asia, Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Heavy Industries, Hanif Qureshi, said that regarding supply chain issues, the ministry is in constant touch with the automobile industry and is making appropriate efforts to address them. The government has also advised the industry to use cleaner fuels, such as electric furnaces and PNG, wherever available, he added. Responding to media queries, Qureshi said, "LPG is used in the component manufacturing industry, and the government is in touch with ACMA (Auto Component Manufacturers Association) and the industry associations. We are taking all measures to ensure that adequate supply is there, along with the ...

ICICI Prudential AMC March qtr PAT rises 10.4% to ₹763 cr on higher income

ICICI Prudential Asset Management Company on Monday reported a 10.4 per cent rise in profit after tax (PAT) to Rs 763.4 crore during the March quarter, aided by higher income. The company had posted a PAT of Rs 691.7 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous fiscal year. Revenue from operations during the quarter rose 19.5 per cent to Rs 1,517.1 crore compared with Rs 1,269.1 crore in the year-ago period, the company said in a regulatory filing. The board has recommended a final dividend of Rs 12.40 per equity share for FY26, subject to shareholders' approval at the ensuing annual general meeting. For the full financial year ended March 2026, the asset manager reported a 24.4 per cent increase in PAT to Rs 3,298.6 crore from Rs 2,650.6 crore in FY25. Revenue from operations for FY26 rose to Rs 5,764.6 crore compared with Rs 4,682.8 crore in the previous fiscal year. This marks the company's second set of quarterly results since its stellar stock market debut in December

India's ₹10,000 crore startup FoF 2.0 expands scope, targets deep tech

The Rs 10,000 crore Fund of Funds 2.0 for startups will have an expanded scope, with the corpus divided into four segments, including dedicated support for deep-tech and manufacturing startups, according to a DPIIT notification. The second tranche of Fund of Funds was approved by the Cabinet in February. It is aimed at mobilising venture capital (VC) and support deep tech, tech-driven innovative manufacturing startups, and early-growth stage enterprises. The FoF 2.0 has been designed to continue the momentum of investments in startups, with an expanded scope over Fund of Funds Scheme (FFS 1.0). "Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0 will have an expanded scope with segmented approach to target key segments for real innovation," the notification by Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) said. The scheme will contribute to the corpus of SEBI-registered Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) for investing in equity and equity-linked instruments of entities recognised a

AI transforming healthcare, but human empathy is irreplaceable: Murmu

President Droupadi Murmu on Monday said rapid advancements in artificial intelligence, robotics, and digital health are transforming the field of medicine, even as she emphasised that human empathy can never be replaced in patient care. Addressing the first convocation of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Rajkot to the graduating students, the President noted that the medical landscape is transforming rapidly. "Today, Artificial Intelligence, robotics and digital health services have rapidly changed the face of the medical world," Murmu said. She urged the young medical professionals to remain prepared to adopt these latest technologies to enhance their knowledge and skills, and to treat illnesses more effectively. However, she also stated that such new technological tools can "never replace human empathy". "Your gentle words, a reassuring smile, and the willingness to listen to a patientas concerns can often prove far more effective than medication alone," th

India restricts glufosinate imports for six months with price cap

The government on Monday imposed curbs on imports of Glufosinate and its salts, a herbicide used in agriculture sector, for six months. "The import of Glufosinate and its salts... shall be restricted where the combined amount of the CIF (cost, insurance, freight) value and applicable anti-dumping duty, calculated on a per kilogram basis, is less than Rs 1,154," the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) said in a notification. It said the restriction will be in place for six months.

Oil jumps above $100 as US readies Iran blockade, stoking supply fears

Prices for physical crude barrels are trading at significant premiums to futures, with some grades already at record highs of about $150 a barrel

Opec cuts Q2 global oil demand forecast by 500,000 bpd on Iran war

Global oil demand is projected to average 105.07 million bpd in the second quarter, OPEC's report said, down from the 105.57 million bpd forecast in last month's report

Dollar firms as US-Iran talks fail, blockade fears lift safe-haven demand

The dollar has tended to benefit when tensions between Iran and the US have flared, given its ‌status as a safe haven and the limited exposure of the US to imported energy-price inflation

RMZ plans $35 bn investment, eyes IPO to fund AI, data centre push

Co-location data centres allow customers to house their own servers, with the operators ‌providing power, cooling, security and network connectivity

UP forms panel after Noida workers' protest turns violent, seeks resolution

The Uttar Pradesh government has constituted a high-powered committee to address the issues arising out of the factory workers' protest in Noida and to ensure coordination with all stakeholders, officials here said on Monday. The move comes after protests by factory workers in Noida demanding a wage hike turned violent, with incidents of arson, vandalism and stone pelting reported from various areas. According to the officials, the committee has been formed on the directions of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and has already reached Noida to initiate dialogue with the workers, industry representatives and other stakeholders to resolve the situation at the earliest. An official order issued by the state government stated that the panel will work towards removing industrial discord in Gautam Buddh Nagar and ensure smooth functioning of industrial activities through consultations and coordination. The committee will be chaired by the industrial development commissioner, while senior ..

Southwest monsoon season rainfall likely to be below normal, says IMD

India is likely to receive 80 cm of rainfall during the season - the long period average (1971-2020) of the seasonal rainfall over India is 87 cm

Goldman Sachs profit jumps 18% on strong dealmaking, equities trading

Global markets have been roiled by the Iran war as rising crude oil prices fan inflation fears and exacerbate worries about a recession

AI without safeguards can amplify weaknesses in finance sector: RBI DG

Adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) without safeguards can amplify existing weaknesses and create new problems in the financial sector, Reserve Bank Deputy Governor Swaminathan J has said. Delivering the CUB Shri V Narayanan Memorial Lecture at the SASTRA University, Thanjavur, he said artificial intelligence is beginning to reshape how financial institutions serve customers, process documents, assess credit, monitor risks, and strengthen oversight. "The speed of that change is remarkable. The real question before us is not whether finance will become more intelligent but whether it will remain fair, accountable, inclusive, and humane," he said in the lecture delivered on Saturday. AI-enabled systems can make customer interaction simpler, more intuitive, and responsive. It can also help improve credit delivery, he said. "Used responsibly, AI can supplement traditional methods by drawing insights from a wider set of patterns in transaction behaviour, repayment flows and busines

SC seeks Centre, EC's response on plea for biometric voter verification

The Supreme Court on Monday sought responses from the Centre, Election Commission and others on a plea seeking to implement finger and iris biometric identification system at polling stations to prevent duplicate voting. While agreeing to hear the plea, a bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi made clear that the prayer sought in the petition can't be considered for the current state Assembly elections in some states. "However, whether such a recourse deserves to be followed before the next parliamentary election and/or state assembly elections needs to be examined. Issue notice," the bench said. The top court issued notice to the Centre, the poll panel and several other states seeking their responses on the plea filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay. Upadhyay, who appeared in person, told the bench that the prayer sought in the plea would prevent bribery and proxy voting. The bench observed that it would require major changes in the rules and would incur

BJP to elect its first CM in Bihar on Tuesday as Nitish Kumar set to quit

BJP leaders in Bihar on Monday said that the name of the party's "first chief minister" in the state will be known on Tuesday, with Union minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan like to arrive here to facilitate the power transition. Chouhan, whom the BJP headquarters in Delhi had on Sunday named the 'central observer' for the election of the new legislature party leader, will be visiting the state on a day when JD(U) president Nitish Kumar, the longest-serving CM of Bihar, is expected to put in his papers. Kumar, who turned 75 last month and was sworn in as a Rajya Sabha MP a week ago, is expected to visit Raj Bhavan to tender his resignation immediately after his last cabinet meeting scheduled at 11 am, where he is likely to make a formal announcement of relinquishment of the post. "Shivraj Singh Chouhan ji will be coming to Patna tomorrow and BJP legislators will be electing their leader in his presence," the party's Bihar unit president Sanjay Saraogi told reporters here. Interestingly,

Here Where We Live Is Our Country: What is Judaism without Zionism?

As debates over Zionism intensify, a new book revisits the Jewish Labour Bund, offering an alternative vision of Jewish identity rooted in "hereness" and solidarity

Display steady credit behaviour for 3-6 months for easier card approval

Repay loans on time, keep credit utilisation below 30%, and avoid too many applications within a short period

Islamabad talks: Vance leads US delegation in direct negotiations with Iran

Direct negotiations between the United States and Iran have officially commenced in Islamabad to find a lasting solution to the West Asia conflict, Pakistan's state media and a government official said. "After Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held separate meetings with delegations from the United States and Iran, formal round of direct negotiations between Iran and the United States has officially begun on Saturday evening," a senior official of the Shehbaz administration told PTI. "Iran and the United States sit at one table -- landmark peace negotiations between Iran and the United States have begun in Islamabad, where both sides are sitting face-to-face for the first time after heightened tensions," Pakistan TV said. It further said the arrival of high-level delegations, Pakistan's effective diplomacy, and positive statements from global leaders have strengthened hopes for a ceasefire and lasting peace in the region, while the world watches closely for the outcome of these