US stock markets had mixed reactions as Trump's new 25% tariff on imported cars affected automakers like General Motors and Ford. Tesla and Rivian, with more US-based production, saw gains. Positive economic reports showing fewer unemployment benefit claims and strong growth helped stabilize markets. European and Asian markets showed varied responses based on local conditions.
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UPI continues to set records, with March seeing 1,830 crore transactions worth Rs 24.8 lakh crore, a 36% rise in volume and 25% increase in value year-on-year. The platform now processes 59 crore transactions daily, averaging Rs 79,910 crore in daily value, showcasing significant growth.
RBI's new governor, Sanjay Malhotra, faces the tough task of balancing India's economic growth, inflation, and exchange rate amid US election fallout and government pressure for lower interest rates. He must also tackle regulatory reforms, digital fraud, and mis-selling of financial products, impacting bank lending and consumer protection.
Trade unions have urged for a five-fold increase in the minimum EPFO pension to Rs 5,000 per month and the immediate formation of the 8th Pay Commission. They called for higher taxes on the super rich, increased income tax exemption to Rs 10 lakh, and social security schemes for gig and agricultural workers, while opposing privatisation and corporatisation of PSUs.
Central banks in Asia, including RBI and Bank Indonesia, are increasingly using derivatives to protect their currencies against the strong dollar. The RBI's short forward dollar position reached $68 billion in December, while Bank Indonesia's hit $19.6 billion. This strategy raises concerns about potential deferred selling pressure instead of removing it, suggesting possible future risks.
India’s foreign exchange reserves increased by $7.654 billion to $638.261 billion in the week ending February 7. This marks the third straight weekly rise, driven mainly by gains in foreign currency and gold reserves, after previous declines due to currency revaluation and market interventions.
Chinese telecom equipment company TP-Link has entered into a partnership with Optiemus Electronics for local production. Optiemus, based in Noida, will manufacture a range of TP-Link's networking devices and smart home products, including GPON, security cameras, home Wi-Fi routers, enterprise routers, modems/gateways, and network expansion devices.
Stock market today: Indian equity benchmark indices, BSE Sensex and Nifty50, opened flat in trade on Thursday. While BSE Sensex was near 78,580, Nifty50 was above 23,750.
The S&P 500 shows strong performance, with 24% and 23% gains in 2023 and 2024. Analysts expect continued growth in 2025, driven by economic robustness and AI advancements. Companies like Arista Networks and Palo Alto Networks, which have executed stock splits, are highlighted for potential significant gains, showing impressive revenue and earnings increases.
ICICI Bank's profit after tax increased by 14.8% year-on-year to Rs 11,792 crore for Q3-2024, driven by higher net interest income, fee earnings and a 15.1% loan growth. On a consolidated basis, profit rose by 16.6% to Rs 12,883 crore, with strong performance from subsidiaries.
The rupee fell to a record low of 85.53 against the dollar, driven by panic dollar buying and increased demand from the month-end, leading RBI to intervene by selling dollars. Despite RBI's intervention, higher US Treasury yields, crude oil prices, and foreign fund outflows kept the rupee under pressure.