India and New Zealand have restarted discussions for a Free Trade Agreement after a 10-year hiatus. This new move aims to deepen economic ties and address market access issues to achieve balanced outcomes, as bilateral trade surpasses $1 billion.
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Perplexity AI CEO Aravind Srinivas challenges Infosys cofounder Nandan Nilekani's view that Indians should focus solely on building applications using pre-existing AI models. Srinivas emphasizes the importance of developing model training skills alongside application development. He also pledges a personal investment of $1 million and five hours per week to support initiatives for enhancing India's AI capabilities.
The Reserve Bank of India cut its key repo rate by 25 basis points to 6.25%, the first cut in nearly five years. This decision from the Monetary Policy Committee aims to stimulate economic growth and offers relief to borrowers with lower EMIs. The move is in response to reduced economic growth and inflation management challenges.
India and the US have agreed to hold sector-specific talks for a bilateral trade agreement aimed at doubling trade to USD 500 billion by 2030. Discussions will focus on increasing market access, reducing tariffs, and enhancing supply chains. The US seeks duty concessions in various sectors, while India is eyeing benefits for its labour-intensive industries.
Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has issued an administrative warning to HDFC Bank for not complying with certain regulatory guidelines for custody activities. The bank stated it would address and rectify the highlighted lapses. A similar warning for regulatory non-compliance related to merchant banking was also issued to HDFC Bank in December 2024.
India's manufacturing sector saw its fastest growth in six months in January, driven by a sharp rise in new orders and record export growth. The PMI rose to 57.7, indicating strong sector health. Robust job creation and easing input cost pressures were also noted. Optimism among manufacturers suggests ongoing expansion and solid prospects for early 2025.
India's e-commerce scene is transforming. Quick commerce and online retailers are merging services. Established players like Flipkart and Amazon are exploring 10-minute deliveries. Swiggy, Blinkit, and Zepto are expanding their product range. They now offer larger items like appliances. Companies are increasing warehouse sizes to accommodate this shift. This competition is changing how Indians shop.
EPFO's provisional payroll data for November 2024 shows a net addition of 14.63 lakh members, a 9.07% increase from October. Notable trends include a rise in new memberships, particularly among the 18-25 age group, and increased female participation. Top states contributing to the net member additions include Maharashtra and Karnataka, with significant growth in industries such as engineering and textiles.
Sebi plans to challenge a court order demanding a probe into alleged irregularities in listing a company on the BSE in 1994. The court directed police to file an FIR against several former and current officials, although they were not in their positions during that time. Sebi and BSE intend to take legal action to address the situation.
Foreign funds have withdrawn over Rs 1 lakh crore from the Indian stock market in 2025, impacting investor sentiment and causing the rupee to weaken. This outflow, combined with a strong dollar and rising US bond yields, has led to an ongoing market decline and increased volatility.
Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (SSY) is a government savings scheme for the girl child. It offers an 8.2% interest rate and tax benefits under Section 80C. Parents can invest up to Rs 1.5 lakh annually.