Gaurav Bansal

[ad_1] Furniture manufacturers in southern Malaysia are rushing to fulfil orders for American customers, racing against time as they prepare for a potential tariff hike under former US President Donald Trump’s trade policy.Trump, who has proposed a 24% tariff on all imports from Malaysia, announced this week that most countries would instead receive a 10% rate for a 90-day period. Exporters in Malaysia have interpreted the move as a countdown to maximize shipments before steeper duties take effect, the Associated Press reported.In Muar, a major furniture production hub in Johor state, workers at factories were operating at full tilt Friday. The city is central to Malaysia’s furniture industry, and the United States is its largest export market — accounting for around 60% of total exports, according to AP.At the Corporate Specialist kitchen furniture factory, workers loaded container after container bound […]

[ad_1] US businesses that rely heavily on Chinese manufacturing are reeling after former President Donald Trump imposed sweeping new tariffs on imports from China — raising them to an unprecedented 145% in retaliation for what he called unfair trade practices.As reported by the Associated Press, the dramatic tariff hikes — rolled out unpredictably and at speed — have stunned American importers. Rick Woldenberg, CEO of Learning Resources, a Chicago-area educational toy company, said he planned for a 40% tariff hike but was blindsided when the rate jumped more than threefold.Woldenberg’s company, which has made products in China for four decades, now faces an estimated $100 million tariff bill for 2025, up from $2.3 million last year. “Honest to God, no exaggeration: It feels like the end of days,” he told AP.Trump’s tariff escalation follows years of rising tensions between the […]

[ad_1] India joined 62 other nations in voting in favour of the world’s first-ever global carbon tax on the shipping industry, a landmark decision adopted by the United Nations’ shipping agency in London on Friday, PTI reported.The measure, passed after a week of intense negotiations at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions from ships and accelerate the transition to cleaner maritime technologies. The tax is set to take effect from 2028 and marks the first time a global carbon pricing mechanism has been imposed on an entire industry.Under the new framework, ships will either have to switch to low-emission fuels or pay a fee based on the level of pollution they produce. According to estimates, the tax could generate up to USD 40 billion by 2030.While hailed as a significant step forward for global climate […]

[ad_1] India’s semiconductor industry is set to undergo rapid growth, with end-demand revenues expected to double from $54 billion in 2025 to $108 billion by 2030, a new report by financial services firm UBS revealed.The report projected that the country's semiconductor market will grow at a 15 per cent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over the five-year period. This growth pace, driven by India’s young population, increasing use of advanced chips by businesses, and supportive government policies, is faster than the global average.The UBS report, quoted by ANI, also highlighted that localisation efforts will play a key role, contributing around $13 billion in revenues by 2030.At present, India holds just 0.1 per cent of global wafer capacity, spends about 1 per cent on semiconductor equipment annually, and accounts for 6.5 per cent of global semiconductor demand. Despite these modest figures, […]

[ad_1] Authorities across Central Europe are scrambling to contain an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease that has led to the culling of thousands of animals and prompted border closures between Hungary, Slovakia, and Austria.The outbreak was first detected in early March on a cattle farm in northwestern Hungary. Within weeks, cases were confirmed on three farms in neighboring Slovakia, as reported news agency AP. Additional infections have since been reported on three more farms in both Hungary and Slovakia — marking the first known outbreak of the disease in either country in over 50 years.Sándor Szoboszlai, a local entrepreneur and hunter in the Hungarian town of Levél — where nearly 3,000 cattle were culled — described the chaos the outbreak has caused. "Everything is completely upside down," Szoboszlai told the Associated Press. “We didn’t even think such a thing could happen. […]

[ad_1] MUMBAI: After a mid-week gap, trading on Dalal Street resumed on Friday and the sensex rose over a 1,000 points, mainly on the back of a record Wall Street rally on Wednesday which came after US president Donald Trump announced a pause on introduction of reciprocal tariffs on all countries except China. In the process domestic investors on Friday also ignored Thursday's sell-off in the US markets.At close of session, sensex was up 1,310 points or 1.8% at 75,157 points while Nifty closed 429 points or 1.9% up at 22,829 points.The day's feel-good rally made investors richer by about Rs 7.7 lakh crore with BSE's market capitalisation now at Rs 401.6 lakh crore.According to Ajit Mishra, SVP - Research, Religare Broking, the US decision to defer tariffs for all countries except China eased recession concerns, boosting investor sentiment and […]

[ad_1] MUMBAI: The rupee closed at 86.04 against the dollar on Friday, gaining 64 paise from Wednesday's close. However, it ended the week 0.9% weaker, marking its worst weekly performance in two months. The decline followed last weekend's rally when the currency had strengthened to 84.97.The rupee's recovery came as the dollar weakened globally. The dollar index dropped 0.7%, hitting a three-year low amid rising concerns of a US recession. The shift in US trade policy and its fallout have driven investor sentiment away from US assets, benefiting Asian currencies. The offshore Chinese yuan edged up 0.1%, while the euro climbed 1.4% to $1.13.China raised tariffs on US goods to 125% in response to the US imposing 145% tariffs. The US had announced a 90-day pause in tariffs for all countries except China. The euro, yen, and Swiss franc gained […]

[ad_1] MUMBAI: Markets regulator Sebi on Friday warned people about the proliferation of securities market-related fraudulent activities using various social media platforms (SMPs). It also asked people to report such activities on its portal, at https://mi.sebi.gov.in/.With the rise in digital platform usage, fraudsters are enticing victims through trading advice disguised as educational content, Sebi said in a release. They utilise deceptive testimonials and offer unrealistic assurances of guaranteed or risk-free returns via these SMPs, it said.According to the regulator, the most common securities market frauds observed on SMPs include unauthorised investment advisory services from organisations falsely claiming Sebi registration or showing fake Sebi certificates. Such activities also include floating trading platforms that impersonate that of Sebi registered entities and guarantee fixed returns. Under Sebi rules, no intermediary can guarantee any returns to investors. Common securities market-related frauds also include misleading […]

[ad_1] MUMBAI: Total assets managed by the mutual fund (MF) industry jumped 23% or Rs 12.3 lakh crore in fiscal 2025 to settle at Rs 65.7 lakh crore. Of this, about Rs 8 lakh crore came though fresh inflows, while the balance was due to mark-to-market gains, data released by industry trade body AMFI showed.At close of FY25, total number of folios had jumped to nearly 23.5 crore, an all-time peak. Of these 16.4 crore were in equity funds and 1.6 crore in hybrid funds, AMFI data showed.During last fiscal, average monthly systematic investment plan (SIP) contribution jumped 45% to Rs 24,113 crore, from Rs 16,602 crore in FY24. "The steady increase in SIP flows is a testament to the growing maturity of retail investors in understanding the importance of systematic and disciplined investing and trust of investors in mutual […]

[ad_1] MUMBAI: RBI has proposed a new route for banks and NBFCs to offload bad loans, allowing them to bundle and sell stressed assets directly to investors through special purpose entities set up by regulated financial firms. Until now, only asset reconstruction companies handled such assets. The move, announced with the April monetary policy, is intended to broaden the market for distressed debt and reduce dependence on ARCs.A key feature is the appointment of resolution managers, tasked with recovering value from the underlying assets. These must be independent of the originating lender. For such loans, RBI-regulated entities can act as resolution managers. For others, insolvency professionals and regulated institutions may qualify. Lenders must gradually provision for the securitised notes over five years. Capital requirements vary with recovery ratings, favoring senior tranches. Any exposure left after five years is to be […]