A Delhi court has denied bail to Raj Kumar, an accused in an inter-state child trafficking racket, emphasising that child trafficking is a "heinous scourge" and an "onslaught on the moral conscience of civilised society." The court highlighted the vulnerability of children and the commercialisation of infants, noting that the complainant's newborn is still missing and the accused's wife has prior involvement in similar cases.
Tata Group retail firm Trent, owner of Westside and Zudio, is confident of achieving a ten-fold increase in revenue in the 'not-so-distant future' and plans to take its homegrown brands to international markets, said Chairman Noel N Tata.
IT stocks had their worst first half fall in decades, with the Nifty IT index declining 31% in the January-June 2026 period, its biggest decline in the first six months of a calendar year since 2003.
Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) reported a healthy 14.6 per cent consolidated revenue growth in Q1 FY27, largely driven by a robust 17.6 per cent increase in domestic operations, offsetting geopolitical disruptions. Brokerages anticipate sustained growth, with Motilal Oswal Research projecting 12-14 per cent growth in FY27, supported by strong leisure demand and an asset-light expansion pipeline.
Cape Verde's World Cup star goalkeeper Vozinha has agreed to join Chilean club Colo Colo, pending a medical. The 40-year-old free agent's move follows his impressive performances at the recent World Cup, where he was part of FIFA's fan-selected dream team.
The refreshed Brezza will target first-time, replacement and additional-car buyers as Maruti responds to changing preferences and intensifying competition in compact SUVs.
Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra announced the company would adopt an 'attack mode' strategy, accelerating investment, innovation, and execution to capitalise on opportunities arising from prolonged geopolitical and economic uncertainty.
Larsen & Toubro (L&T) reported a 14 per cent year-on-year increase in Q1 FY27 profit attributable to owners, reaching Rs 3,926 crore, surpassing analyst estimates, despite facing significant supply-chain disruptions in West Asia.
World Bank President Ajay Banga has advocated for the deployment of 'Small AI' locally deployed artificial intelligence running on inexpensive hardware to address daily problems faced by farmers and rural communities in emerging markets.
Commercial banks in India recorded their highest credit growth in two years, accelerating to 18.6 per cent year-on-year by June 27, while also mobilising nearly 7 trillion in deposits, marking the third-highest fortnightly deposit growth in 29 years.
Maruti Suzuki India (MSIL) reported a 9.1 per cent year-on-year decline in net profit for the April-June quarter of 2026-27, marking its second consecutive quarterly fall. This dip occurred despite a significant 29.3 per cent jump in sales volume, primarily due to escalating commodity prices, increased energy costs, and logistics disruptions stemming from the West Asia conflict.
For millions of Indians, this number has become one of the most important financial indicators. It can influence not only whether a bank approves a loan but also the interest rate you pay, the credit limit you receive and, in some cases, how quickly your application is processed.
Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) have withdrawn Rs 27,048 crore from Indian equities so far in May, bringing the total outflows for 2026 to Rs 2.2 lakh crore, driven by global macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainties.
The Indian government has clarified that consumers will not be charged for UPI transactions, and most merchant transactions will also remain free. This comes amidst speculation following an amendment to the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007. Any future merchant discount rate (MDR) would be nominal, threshold-based, and aimed at ensuring UPI's long-term sustainability and infrastructure development.
As it is a highly liquid asset, central banks can afford to look past its short-term volatility to longer-run average returns.
'He worked over time to become the natural claimant,' a senior UDF leader observed. 'Others had organisational stature, but Satheesan had momentum.' For the Congress, it may signal the beginning of a new leadership template -- one where performance, communication and grassroots credibility increasingly outweigh inherited power structures in deciding who leads the party into its next phase.
Indian wedding bookings to Sri Lanka are projected to grow 20-25 per cent annually over the next few years.
Why the industry's public position changed is difficult to say. What the developments did establish, though, is that ethanol-blended petrol has become one of the country's most politically and commercially sensitive policy issues.
Indian benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty experienced a significant slump in early trade, mirroring weak global trends, as escalating tensions in West Asia, particularly a drone attack on the UAE's Barakah nuclear facility, pushed crude oil prices higher. Track Sensex, Nifty50 movement and key market drivers for May 18, 2026.
An intensified DVAC probe into a multi-crore liquor scam, allegedly involving former DMK Minister V Senthil Balaji, has led to a suggestion to privatise retail liquor sales in Tamil Nadu. The investigation targets alleged collusion in TASMAC bar licences, transport tenders, and procurement, with the Madras High Court dismissing Balaji's anticipatory bail plea. The FIR details systemic corruption, significant revenue loss, and illicit fund generation, prompting political reactions.
Indian benchmark equity indices, the BSE Sensex and NSE Nifty, experienced a significant drop in early trade due to elevated oil prices, weak global market trends, and renewed fears of military operations in the Middle East following US President Donald Trump's statements regarding Iran. Track Sensex, Nifty on May 20.
'It's not about individuals operating the mule accounts being more or less skilled. Instead, 'lower-level' refers to the role the individual account plays in the broader mule network.'
The Indian stock market is poised for a volatile week, influenced by the Reserve Bank of India's monetary policy decision, crucial global macroeconomic data, and the escalating geopolitical tensions in West Asia, according to market analysts.
Emerging market equities have delivered stellar returns over the last few years, outperforming their developed market peers since this new bull market began in end 2002.
Mumbai's coastal luxury residential redevelopment pipeline is valued at approximately 6,000 crore, with 75-80 projects expected to launch over the next eight to nine quarters, driven by improved infrastructure and demand for waterfront living.
Drone technology company ideaForge Technology has successfully raised Rs 500 crore through a Qualified Institutional Placement (QIP). The funding, which saw strong interest from domestic and international institutional investors, will be used to accelerate innovation, expand its product portfolio into combat drones and autonomous systems, and strengthen its working capital to meet growing demand in defence, homeland security, and civil sectors.
Drone technology company ideaForge Technology has successfully raised Rs 500 crore through a Qualified Institutional Placement (QIP). The funding, which saw strong interest from domestic and international institutional investors, will be used to accelerate innovation, expand its product portfolio into combat drones and autonomous systems, and strengthen its working capital to meet growing demand in defence, homeland security, and civil sectors.
India's electric vehicle market achieved a significant milestone in June 2026, accounting for over 12% of total vehicle retail sales for the first time. This growth, driven by strong demand across electric two-wheelers, passenger vehicles, and commercial vehicles, saw overall EV retail sales surge by 63% year-on-year to a record 306,220 units, indicating a mainstream shift in mobility.
Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has reshuffled Iran's political and national-security establishment, appointing former SNSC Secretary Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr as his political adviser and veteran IRGC commander Mohsen Rezaei as his representative on the Supreme National Security Council, consolidating power amid the West Asia crisis and Strait of Hormuz tensions.
An employee whose financial future is 60-80 per cent dependent on a single company's growth trajectory has no genuine safety net.
ITC reported a 16.2 per cent year-on-year drop in consolidated net profit to 4,394.13 crore in Q1 FY27, primarily due to a significant increase in taxes on its cigarette business. Consolidated net revenues also declined by 11.1 per cent to 19,114 crore, missing analyst estimates.
Brad Durham, Managing Director of Emerging Portfolio Fund Research, EPFR, says that Emerging Market, EM, funds have seen inflows of $450 million last week.\n
Gold and silver are expected to remain volatile with a corrective bias as investors assess the latest flare-up in the US-Iran conflict, movements in crude oil prices, and inflation data, which could reshape expectations for global interest rates, according to analysts.
India's net direct tax collections have surged by 16.4 per cent year-on-year to 6.51 trillion as of July 13, primarily driven by robust growth in corporate tax receipts, according to provisional data from the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT).
According to global financial service provider Merrill Lynch's survey of fund managers for November, investors have remained heavily overweight on the emerging market equities and continue to favour the global technology, energy, materials and industrial sectors.
'Given that India underperformed emerging markets by 28 per cent in 2025, the worst performance in over 30 years, the timing of the sharp STT hike could have been better.'
The launch highlights the growing maturity of India's nuclear medicine ecosystem.
BikeWo Green Tech and Kwik Flite Support have signed an initial pact to develop an integrated air cargo, aviation logistics, and multimodal freight platform. This collaboration aims to combine road mobility with aviation capabilities to serve various industries, focusing on high-value and time-sensitive logistics across India, including Tier-II and Tier-III cities.
India's mergers and acquisitions (M&A) market is projected to maintain an annual run-rate of approximately $200 billion, evenly split between domestic, inbound, and outbound transactions, despite global geopolitical turbulence, according to Rajesh Singhi, global co-head, M&A Advisory, Standard Chartered Bank.
'1991 was an exceptional period in Indian history.' 'A big 400-volt shock was administered to the system, which was required. Today, we are in a much, much better position.'
