India's economic engine is revving up, but navigating the global headwinds requires sharp strategy. The rupee's recent volatility against the dollar underscores the complexities facing Indian businesses, impacting everything from import-export trade to domestic inflation. This week alone, we've seen significant shifts in the IT sector, with major players announcing restructuring and a renewed focus on AI-driven solutions. Meanwhile, the burgeoning startup ecosystem continues to attract substantial funding, despite a cautious global investor sentiment. The government's recent policy announcements on infrastructure development and digitalization are poised to further shape the business landscape, creating both opportunities and challenges for entrepreneurs and established corporations alike. Understanding these market dynamics is crucial for success in today's rapidly evolving Indian economy. Stay informed with Abtak.com for the latest insights and analysis on key sectors including finance, manufacturing, and technology – empowering your business decisions in a dynamic market. Explore the complete business news section now to stay ahead of the curve.
Mumbai: Gold has outpaced domestic equities on the return chart, riding a record rally fuelled by global central banks' voracious appetite, and growing investor demand for inflation-hedges. In rupee terms, the yellow metal has delivered a 50.1% return over the past year, compared with a 1.2% decline in Sensex. The past year's rally has been driven largely by central bank purchases, as uncertainty stemming from tariff wars has fuelled demand for safe-haven assets. "Central banks continue to buy gold with about 25% of purchases coming from them," says Sridhar Sivaram, investment director at Enam Holdings. "They are buying gold because of the ongoing tariff wars and as a diversification against the US treasury." The precious metal has beaten Sensex across three, five, ten and twenty-year periods. Over a three-year period, gold has returned an annualised 29.7% versus 10.7% for the Sensex. Across five years, the metal gained 16.5% against the Sensex's 16.1%. Over 10 years, gold delivered 15.4% compared with 12.2% for the Sensex, while over 20 years it returned 15.2% against 12.2% of the equity index. Analysts said after years of dependence on the dollar as the world's dominant reserve currency, many countries are now actively reducing exposure and turning to gold. The yellow metal is seen as a store of value and a hedge against currency debasement. "Gold extends beyond being only a hedge against inflation, as the US Federal Reserve is on the stage to start cutting interest rates with hotter inflation," says NS Ramaswamy, head-commodity desk, Ventura securities. Ramaswamy said expectations of a US Federal Reserve rate cut this month and lingering uncertainty over President Donald Trump's tariff policies will continue to support gold. Last week, gold on Comex climbed to a new all-time peak of $3,715.2 a troy ounce and silver topped $43 for the first time in 14 years. Outlook Analysts said the 38% run-up in gold prices means could mean that any run-up hereon could be less sharp. Still, investors must allocate around 10-15% of their portfolios to the metal. "Investors should continue to allocate 10% to gold in their portfolios as it is the only hedge against currency, but you should not expect returns to be as high as the previous year," said Sivaram. Ramaswamy recommends a 15% allocation to gold and use a buy on dips strategy to reach this allocation. Some analysts said the sharp rally over the last one year has tilted the balance in favour of equities. Edelweiss Mutual Fund's analysis of the Sensex to Gold ratio shows gold is overvalued compared to equities. When the ratio falls below 1, equities tend to outperform over the next three years, while a ratio above 1 indicates gold is likely to do better. "The current ratio is 0.76, which is below the long-term average of 0.96," Niranjan Avasthi, SVP and head- product, marketing & digital at Edelweiss Asset Management. "In the past when this ratio had been below 0.8, the BSE Sensex has given an 3 year average forward return of 25.12% compared to gold that could return 7.21%."
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said on Monday that on his first day in office he would impose a 25% tariff on all products from Mexico and Canada, and an additional 10% tariff on goods from China, citing concerns over illegal immigration and the trade of illicit drugs. "On January 20th, as one of my many first Executive Orders, I will sign all necessary documents to charge Mexico and Canada a 25% Tariff on ALL products coming into the United States, and its ridiculous Open Borders," Trump said in a post on Truth Social. Trump said the tariffs would remain in place until the two countries ...Read More >
India's manufacturing sector growth fell to a joint 11-month low, restricted by competitive conditions and inflationary pressures India's manufacturing sector growth fell to a joint 11-month low of 56.5 in November, restricted by competitive conditions and inflationary pressures amid a softer increase in factory orders, a monthly survey said on Monday. The seasonally adjusted HSBC India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) fell from 57.5 in October to 56.5 in November, signalling a softer improvement in the health of the sector. However, the pace of growth remained above its long-r ...Read More >
The best performers of the session on the Moroccan All Shares were Disty Technologies SA (CSE:DYT), which rose 4.94% or 12.00 points to trade at 255.00 at the close. Meanwhile, Ste de Travaux de Realisation d'Ouvrages et de Constuction Industielle SA (CSE:STR) added 4.62% or 2.14 points to end at 48.49 and Jet Contractors (CSE:JET) was up 4.50% or 68.00 points to 1,580.00 in late trade. The worst performers of the session were Disway SA (CSE:DWY), which fell 4.26% or 28.00 points to trade at 630.00 at the close. AFMA SA (CSE:AFM) declined 4.22% or 48.00 points to end at 1,090.00 and Stokvis N ...Read More >
Mumbai, December 4: The domestic benchmark equity indices closed in green on Wednesday as buying was seen in PSU bank and realty sectors. The investors are keenly watching the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) monetary policy committee (MPC) meeting which will announce its decision around the repo rate on Friday. Banking stocks rose amid volatile sessions in the market due to the possibility of Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) cut by the central bank. Sensex settled at 80,956.3, higher by 110.58 points, or 0.14 per cent, while the Nifty ended at 24,467.45, up by 10.30 points, or 0.04 per cent. Stock Mark ...Read More >
India's growth in gross domestic product (GDP) of 5.4% in the three months ended 30 September, or the second quarter of 2024-25, was a shocker. It undershot even the most pessimistic forecasts. It's the lowest level seen since the third quarter of 2022-23 and a sharp drop from 8.1% growth in the same period last year and also from 6.7% in the first quarter of 2024-25. The consensus expectation stood at about 6.5% and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) was expecting around 7% growth till its October policy, only to pare it to 6.8%. Growth in gross value added (GVA), which is the preferred measure ...Read More >
At the interbank foreign exchange, the rupee opened at 84.49 against the greenback, registering a fall of 2 paise over its previous close The rupee fell 2 paise to trade at 84.49 against the U.S. dollar in early trade on Friday (November 29, 2024) dragged down by significant foreign fund outflows and month-end dollar demand from importers. Forex traders said the rupee remains in a weakening mode due to dollar demand from importers and foreign banks. At the interbank foreign exchange, the rupee opened at 84.49 against the greenback, registering a fall of 2 paise over its previous close. On ...Read More >
PNB shares 1.69 per cent in Friday's trading sessionNaga Chaitanya-Sobhita pre-wedding celebrations are on! Check pictures from their Haldi ceremonyWelfare pension fraud: Luxury car owners, affluent individuals found on beneficiary listsAshok Leyland shares 0.49% as Sensex risesRealty sector business sentiment signals growth, sustained optimism, surveyInfo Edge stock price 0.81 per cent as SensexWho is Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari; the ex-Iskcon member caught in the middle of communal tensions in Bangladesh?Amid suspense over Maharashtra CM, major Mahayuti meet cancelledMarico shares 0.52% ...Read More >
JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesia and Canada on Monday signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) that aims to strengthen economic ties between the two G20 members, three years after negotiations began. The agreement will take effect in 2026 and was signed in Jakarta by trade ministers of both countries. Indonesia's trade minister, Budi Santoso, said Indonesia appreciated Canada's support for its plan to prioritise its critical minerals sector, which was vital for its sustainable growth. "Together, we advance sustainable critical mineral management, supporting Indonesia's net ...Read More >
As per Moneycontrol's calculations, a 7 per cent growth in the remaining two quarters will put India's GDP at 6.5 per cent. The Indian economy would find it challenging to achieve over 7 per cent growth for the fourth consecutive year, economists said. They pointed out that the second-quarter (Q2) Gross Domestic Product (GDP) data, which was announced on November 29, has made the task even more daunting for the government. "A sharper than expected growth slowdown in Q2 has tilted risks to our outlook of 6.8 per cent for the current fiscal downwards," said DK Joshi, chief economist, Crisil. ...Read More >
FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Import tariffs expected to be implemented by the administration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump could lower economic growth and inflation in the 20 nations sharing the euro, European Central Bank board member Piero Cipollone said on Tuesday. Most economists agree that the possible tariffs would impact growth, though views diverge on the effect on consumer prices. Some argue the U.S. trade barriers will push up the value of the dollar, making imports of key commodities more expensive, while likely retaliation from Europe will also raise costs. Cipollone, speaking i ...Read More >
So, we believe the seasonality flavour should work out in the month of December. Apart from that market breadth that is more important to look out for where only if you look in the current corrective phase only 12% of the stocks were trading above the day moving average of total CNX 500 and that is coming to now improving to around 33%."We expect Nifty to find the support in the range of around 23,500 to 23,700 and we should be gradually heading towards the target of 24,500," says Dharmesh Shah, ICICI Direct. How is the new series looking to you? Do you think we are all awaiting that Santa ra ...Read More >
Trump warns BRICS nations against replacing US dollar Dec 2 (Reuters) - A gauge of emerging market stocks rose on Monday, driven by positive manufacturing data from China and expectations of continued policy support from Beijing, while India's rupee hit a record low because of weaker-than-expected economic data. As of 0932 GMT, the MSCI's index for emerging market stocks had risen by 0.7%, on track for its biggest percentage gain in over three weeks. China's blue-chip CSI 300 climbed 0.8%, and the Shanghai Composite index jumped 1.1% after a private survey indicated that Chinese factory act ...Read More >
The U.S. dollar continued its strong run on Monday, bolstered by soaring Treasury yields and expectations of limited Federal Reserve rate cuts. Meanwhile, the yen steadied ahead of a key speech by Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda, where he may hint at a possible rate hike in December, with markets pricing a 55% chance of such a move. Japanese Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato's warning on yen intervention caused a temporary pullback, while the dollar index touched a one-year high of 107.07. Analysts forecast further dollar gains as U.S. economic policies and performance outshine global peers. K ...Read More >
Euro zone government bond yields increased slightly as investors await upcoming inflation data that may influence the European Central Bank's policy direction. Concerns over potential tariff hikes from the U.S. could further impact ECB strategies. Germany's bond yields and political tensions in France also add to the economic uncertainties. On Tuesday, euro zone government bond yields saw a minor increase after hitting multi-week lows in the previous session. Investors are keenly awaiting inflation data later this week that could provide insight into the European Central Bank's potential poli ...Read More >
China and Hong Kong stock markets are experiencing a downturn due to rising concerns over the U.S.-China trade war, particularly regarding proposed tariffs and chip sales restrictions. The CSI300 and Shanghai Composite indexes fell, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index dropped 1.32%. Investors are wary of potential new restrictions on semiconductor and AI chip exports to China, further exacerbating market uncertainty. The automotive sector, led by BYD, also suffered from intense price competition among Chinese carmakers. Investor sentiment remains cautious, reflecting fears of escalating trade te ...Read More >
Mumbai, November 29: The Indian stock market opened in green on Friday as buying was seen in the Media and Pharma sector in early trade. At around 09.44 a.m., the Sensex was trading at 79,369.57 after gaining 325.83 points or 0.41 per cent, while the Nifty was trading at 24,019 after rising 104.85 points or 0.44 per cent. The market trend remained positive. On the National Stock Exchange (NSE), 1345 stocks were trading in the green, while 876 stocks were in the red. Nifty Bank was up 224.45 points or 0.43 per cent at 52,131.30. Nifty Midcap 100 index was trading at 56,397.95 after gaining 97. ...Read More >
Amazon Web Services (AWS) has launched the Quantum Embark advisory program to help businesses prepare for the emerging quantum computing era. The program comes as quantum stocks, like IonQ, see significant growth, driven by innovations in drug discovery, cryptography, and materials science. Companies like D-Wave and Rigetti are advancing quantum technologies, with D-Wave focusing on optimization problems and Rigetti on scalable quantum systems. Despite early financial losses, these companies are gaining traction with government contracts and commercial clients. As quantum computing evolves, in ...Read More >
Rupee has maintained its position as one of the best performing Asian currencies, despite the ongoing challenges and geopolitical crisis in the Middle East. Pankaj Chaudhary, Minister of State for Finance on Monday said that this stance indicates India's strong economic fundamentals. In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, he mentioned that Rupee's is market-determined, not limited to any target or specific level. He noted that, as of November 19, 2024, the domestic currency had dropped 1.4 percent against the US dollar in the current calendar year (CY) 2024 and decline was primarily driven by ...Read More >
Key U.S. data this week includes the job openings due later in the day, the ADP employment report on Wednesday and the payrolls report on Friday. "The next big thing is going to be the payrolls on Friday night because it'll tell us whether the Fed is essentially going to green-light the interest rate cut in a couple of weeks," said Kyle Rodda, financial market analyst at Capital.com. Fed Governor Christopher Waller on Monday said with inflation still forecast to fall to 2%, he is inclined "at present" to support another rate cut later this month. The comments boosted expectations of a rate ...Read More >
The Chinese yuan was also facing its own challenges from the growing threat of more U.S. tariffs on China, pushing it down to a 13-month trough. Japan's tech-heavy Nikkei jumped 1.6% as of 0200 GMT, and South Korea's KOSPI advanced 1.7%. Taiwanese shares gained 1.1%. Australia's stocks benchmark rose 0.7% and reached a fresh all-time high. However, Chinese stocks were under pressure, with Hong Kong's Hang Seng edging slightly lower and mainland blue chips falling 0.3%. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares added 0.7%. Both S&P 500 and Nasdaq futures were flat after the cash indexes ...Read More >
Beijing: China has expressed its willingness to engage in dialogue with the United States following recent threats by former President Donald Trump to impose new tariffs on Chinese goods. The statement comes amid growing tensions between the two economic giants over trade practices, technology policies, and geopolitical issues. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Wang Wenbin, said that China was open to "constructive dialogue" with the U.S., emphasizing the importance of cooperation to ensure global economic stability. "China believes that both countries should seek common ground and manag ...Read More >
TOI correspondent from Washington: In a warning shot that echoed across major world capitals and business majors on Tuesday, US President-elect Donald Trump said he will issue executive orders on day one of his presidency imposing new tariffs on all imported goods from China, Mexico and Canada, Washington's three largest trading partners, to stop the "invasion" of illegal migrants and drugs into the United States. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump put the onus of containing illegal border crossings squarely on two immediate neighbors on its southern and northern borders, saying "b ...Read More >
Around 16 equity mutual funds have offered more than 30% CAGR in the last three years, based on the daily rolling returns. There were around 222 equity mutual funds that have completed three years of existence in the market. These 16 schemes were from six different categories. 10 small cap funds, two mid cap funds, a multi cap, flexi cap, contra fund, and an ELSS fund offered over 30% CAGR in the mentioned period. The first four toppers in the list were from the small cap category. Quant Small Cap Fund offered the highest CAGR of around 43.60% in the last three years based on daily rolling r ...Read More >
Trump's pressure on countries to remain tied to a US-dollar-based financial system could backfire, with potential increased motivation for BRICS to create alternatives. While the dollar's dominance persists due to existing economic strengths, recent global currency agreements indicate a cautious shift away from reliance on the greenback.Donald Trump's pressure on countries around the world to stay anchored to a US-dollar-based financial system is a tactic that risks backfiring, market watchers say. Dollar dominance looks set to continue for the foreseeable future and emerging nations' idea of ...Read More >
Asian and European stocks surged thanks to tech companies driving Wall Street to record highs. Japan's Nikkei and several European indices rose, while the US dollar stabilized after a previous surge. Political tensions in France and tariff threats from the US also affected market movements and currency valuations. Stock markets across Asia and Europe experienced a resurgence on Tuesday, driven in part by a strong performance in tech stocks in the US. Japan's Nikkei index surged by 1.91%, and the MSCI Asia index saw a 1.16% rise, bolstered by Wall Street's record highs overnight. European ind ...Read More >
Donald Trump’s re-election fueled a massive stock market rally in November, with the S&P 500, Dow Jones, and NASDAQ posting impressive gains of 5.7%, 7.5%, and 6.2%, respectively. Investors who picked the right stocks enjoyed exceptional profits, particularly with ProPicks AI, which delivered a staggering 91.37% return since its launch. This tool leverages big data and historical analysis to identify high-performing stocks, offering a 49% outperformance against benchmarks. As December begins with optimism, ProPicks AI has released its latest stock picks, available through a Cyber Monday deal o ...Read More >
From user-friendly interfaces to competitive profit margins, several platforms have emerged as favorites among traders in 2024. As binary options trading continues to gain traction in India, many investors are eager to identify the platforms that deliver the best results. With a growing number of options available, traders need to understand the features and benefits of each platform to find one that suits their needs. From user-friendly interfaces to competitive profit margins, several platforms have emerged as favorites among traders in 2024. Are you ready to discover which platforms are wi ...Read More >
Stock market today: The Indian stock market clocked healthy gains for the third consecutive session on Tuesday, December 3, led by gains in shares of select heavyweights, including Reliance Industries, HDFC Bank and Larsen and Toubro. Benchmark index Nifty 50 jumped 0.70 per cent to the level of 24,445.80, breaking above its 50 and 100-day exponential moving averages (DEMA). According to Trendlyne, an equity research platform, Nifty 50 is above its 100-day EMA of 24,306 and 50-day EMA of 24,364. However, the index is yet to breach its 50-day and 100-day simple moving averages (SMAs) of 24,643 ...Read More >
Mumbai: The rupee slumped to its all-time low of 84.76 (provisional) against the US dollar after dropping 8 paise on Wednesday amid a strengthening greenback and increase in crude prices. Forex traders said a positive trend in domestic equity markets and foreign fund inflows supported the local unit at lower level. At the interbank currency exchange, the rupee opened at 84.66 and traded in the range of 84.65-84.76. Eventually it settled at 84.76 (provisional), 8 paise lower than Tuesday's close of 84.68. Anuj Choudhary, Research Analyst at Mirae Asset Sharekhan, said, the rupee lost initial ...Read More >
New Delhi: Gold prices slipped below Rs 79,000 per 10 kg in the national capital on Wednesday due to poor offtake by stockists and retailers amid weak global trends, according to the All India Sarafa Association. The precious metal of 99.9 per cent purity fell by Rs 150 to Rs 78,850 per 10 grams. It had closed at Rs 79,000 per 10 grams in the previous session. Price of gold of 99.5 per cent purity extended the losses for the third straight day, declining by Rs 150 to Rs 78,450 per 10 grams from the previous close of Rs 78,600 per 10 grams. However, silver rose Rs 100 to Rs 92,500 per kg. On ...Read More >