The Economic Times

During a recent farm auction, Renay Davis stumbled upon an old cast-iron fireplace cover, which she artfully reimagined as a captivating backsplash in her kitchen. This resourceful decision allowed her to sidestep the hefty costs of conventional tiles while also contributing to the upcycling phenomenon in home renovations. Her project exemplifies the rising admiration for antique materials, revealing a strong shift toward incorporating distinctive salvaged pieces in modern living spaces.

TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee has cautioned police officers against allegedly framing party workers in fabricated cases. West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari responded by claiming Banerjee is incoherent due to a sodium-potassium imbalance. Adhikari also alleged that an aide of Banerjee has provided information against him. Banerjee demanded the arrest of members of a Durga Puja committee following a tragic stampede.

Akhilesh Yadav criticized Yogi Adityanath for securing a win in Gorakhpur at the expense of Varanasi. He alleged that the BJP's victories resulted from manipulation, leading to losses in several regions. Yadav congratulated SP candidates for their successful campaigns, highlighting their commitment to democracy and social justice. He invoked historical figures to emphasize the importance of people's voice in governance.

Some midterm election contests in the United States are expected to face delays from recounts and legal challenges. The outcomes may hinge on a few tightly contested races that could affect congressional control. Historical precedents show that disputes can result in lengthy legal battles in both the House and Senate. Both parties may file lawsuits to challenge results and delay seating candidates.

NITI Aayog vice-chairman Ashok Lahiri emphasized the need for banks to facilitate connections between businesses and financial resources. He pointed out the low credit-deposit ratio in Eastern India, which hinders investment and economic growth. Lahiri highlighted the importance of investment in infrastructure, industrial expansion, and the MSME sector. Banks could support smaller enterprises with structured credit facilities to help them grow.

In Burgundy, France, engineers have made strides in sustainable construction by incorporating about 17,000 tons of foundry sand waste into a highway project. This initiative sought to assess the safety and efficiency of using recycled materials in roadwork. Over two years of observation, the highway demonstrated commendable structural integrity with no adverse environmental effects, emphasizing a notable shift towards utilizing industrial waste and easing landfill burdens for sustainable practic

The Supreme Court addressed concerns over criminal cases following relationship failures, emphasizing consent during the relationship. It asserted that retrospective regret cannot redefine consensual acts as rape due to relationship dissolution. The court highlighted the importance of distinguishing between genuine cases of coercion and consensual interactions. It pointed out that misuse of rape allegations undermines the serious nature of the crime.

Dattatraya Suryakant Kumbhar, a farm labourer, was found hanging at his home in Rani Ankulga village. His suicide is linked to alleged harassment from four credit firms regarding loan repayments. The Shirur Anantpal police have registered a case based on his wife's complaint. Officials from Equitas Bank, Shriram Finance, Ring loan app, and HDB Financial Services are implicated.

A helicopter operated by Trans Bharat Aviation is missing after taking off from Badrinath towards Dehradun. Local media sources indicate that the helicopter is suspected to have crashed near Chayi village. Search operations are hampered by poor visibility and persistent rainfall in the area. Two additional helicopters have been deployed to assist in locating the wreckage. The incident involves six individuals who were on board the missing helicopter.

Despite numerous rounds of counseling, approximately 2,000 MBBS seats in India still remain empty. High tuition fees are deterring potential candidates from enrolling, especially in states like Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, where significant vacancies persist. Authorities are contemplating lowering eligibility cut-offs to fill these spots, prompting discussions on the accessibility of medical education and its future ramifications for students.

FIIs held $717 billion worth of Nifty 500 stocks in September 2026, with private banks accounting for the largest share of their investments. While foreign investors increased exposure to sectors such as healthcare, technology and automobiles, they trimmed holdings in 56% of Nifty 500 companies over the past year.

NCLAT overturned the insolvency proceedings against Polycab India Limited, which originated from a claim by Asier Metals. The tribunal found unresolved disputes regarding payments and alleged operational dues amounting to Rs 2.78 crore. NCLAT noted that effective communication existed between the two parties detailing ongoing disagreements over credit notes and charges. Additionally, Polycab disputed the creditor's demand, indicating significant unresolved financial matters.

In a tragic incident, Sandeep, a 35-year-old driver, lost his life following a heated argument over an extra serving of chhole with food vendor Chintu Gupta. The disagreement escalated, resulting in Gupta allegedly stabbing Sandeep. Despite being rushed to two different hospitals, Sandeep succumbed to his injuries. The vendor has been apprehended and charged with murder.

A chartered accountant has warned that biggets threat to middle class in the next few year is not layoffs, market crash or inflation. He has said that excessive lifestyle EMIs could become a major financial threat to India's middle class. From smartphones and holidays to personal loans, rising monthly repayments can leave households vulnerable to layoffs, market crashes and inflation.

Sun Pharma Q2 Results: Revenue from operations rose 12% YoY to Rs 16,199 crore from Rs 14,478 crore in Q2 of last financial year, supported by strong growth in its domestic formulations business and emerging markets.

Vivek Kannan has been appointed as the chief executive officer of Hinduja Housing Finance Limited. He succeeded Sachin Pillai, who stepped down but remains on the board as a non-executive director. Kannan joined the company as Chief Operating Officer in 2020 and contributed significantly to its growth and transformation. With over two decades of experience, he has held leadership roles in various financial institutions.

Varun Beverages reported strong Q3 CY2026 revenue, profit and volume growth, but its shares fell as higher packaging costs weighed on margins. EBITDA margin declined 140 basis points year-on-year, while the company announced an interim dividend of Rs 0.50 per share.

IIT Guwahati has signed an MoU with Tata Electronics to establish a Centre of Excellence for semiconductor education. This collaboration aims to develop educational programmes that align with industry needs and create skilled professionals. Additionally, the partnership will provide hands-on training opportunities for students at Tata Electronics. It includes developing relevant course content and training faculty from various institutions.

Ram Gopal Yadav of the Samajwadi Party recently accused officials of manipulating voter lists for the upcoming Uttar Pradesh elections. He alleged that some officials are colluding with BJP workers to delete votes of SP supporters. The claims include a target of deleting around 10,000 SP votes from each assembly constituency. Uttar Pradesh's Chief Electoral Officer has requested specific details to conduct an inquiry into these allegations.

Blackstone-backed ASK Asset & Wealth Management Group has appointed Nehal Shah as group head of Legal, Compliance & Secretarial to strengthen its regulatory compliance and corporate governance functions. Shah brings over two decades of experience across financial services and capital markets.

Around 45.6 percent of Indian households currently utilize online shopping and digital payments for various purchases. Despite this growth, 54.4 percent still prefer traditional payment methods for their transactions. Digital adoption varies significantly across categories, with consumables and services leading at 39.68 percent. The report shows that higher Monthly Per Capita Consumption Expenditure correlates with increased online shopping.

Digital trust provider eMudhra appointed KPMG to conduct an independent review of a recent TLS certificate incident. This appointment follows a commitment made by the company to ensure clarity regarding the incident. The incident involved weak private keys associated with several certificate authorities, which remained undetected for a significant period. As a result, eMudhra has withdrawn from its global SSL/TLS certificate business due to security concerns.

Coal India shares fell 3% despite a 57% year-on-year rise in Q2 FY27 net profit to Rs 6,547 crore. Jefferies and JM Financial cut their target prices to Rs 460 and Rs 438, respectively, while Motilal Oswal retained its Buy rating with a Rs 450 target, citing a potential volume recovery.

Shares of Alphabet, Amazon and Intel plunged on Thursday as investors fretted over rising AI spending, weakening cash flows and a subdued outlook. Alphabet shares fell over 13% after its Q3 results missed Wall Street estimates, with slowing search advertising growth and higher AI investments weighing on sentiment.

Noel Tata sends two letters to Tata Sons Board today: to examine a Rs 25,000 crore funding request from minority shareholder Shapoorji Pallonji (SP) Group through a proposed capital reduction and detailed evaluation of a restructuring proposal made by Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and Sir Ratan Tata Trust on September 28 to merge two operating subsidiaries, Tata Electronic Systems Solutions (TESS) and Tata Consulting Engineers (TCE), with Tata Sons.

Equitas Small Finance Bank shares plunged 27% in two sessions after CEO and founder PN Vasudevan announced his resignation over a perceived conflict involving his daughters NBFC.

Mumbai has faced unusually poor air quality throughout October as the average air quality index has sharply increased. According to data, this month has seen significant concentrations of PM2.5 particles that pose health risks. The ongoing El Nio effect is causing slower coastal winds that usually help disperse pollution. Factors such as construction activity and urban development further contribute to the deteriorating air quality.

ISRO is scheduled to launch its GSLV-F18 rocket carrying the NVS-03 navigation satellite at 11:51 pm on October 30 from Sriharikota. The mission aims to strengthen India's NavIC network with an additional L1 navigation signal and improved timing capabilities through an indigenous atomic clock.

Israels election results have left Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus bloc with 53 seats and the main opposition with 48 in the 120-member Knesset, triggering weeks of coalition negotiations. Arab-led parties won the remaining 19 seats and could become kingmakers, though their potential role has sparked controversy. If parties fail to form a government, Israel could hold another election early next year.

A Delhi court has adjourned the framing of money laundering charges against Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family members. The judge stated that all accused, except those exempted, must be present at the next hearing. The Enforcement Directorate's case involves the alleged IRCTC hotel scam, with nine of the sixteen accused facing charges. The investigation indicates no political vendetta against Lalu Prasad, despite defense claims.

Tripura has inaugurated its first tea auction centre in Agartala to improve local tea marketing and reduce expenses. The new facility aims to shorten the time required to sell tea consignments by about 40 percent. Currently, a significant amount of Tripura's tea is sold outside the state, which increases costs for producers. The establishment of the auction centre is expected to facilitate better coordination between sellers and buyers.

Indian equities turned lower as crude oil prices crossed $116 per barrel, raising concerns about inflation and economic growth. While the Sensex and Nifty posted modest declines, midcap and smallcap indices fell more sharply amid weak market breadth.

NSIC Chairman-cum-Managing Director Subhransu Sekhar Acharya presented a dividend of 47.76 crore to Union Ministers. Acharya highlighted NSIC's strong financial performance, including a revenue of 3,767 crore and Profit After Tax of 159 crore. The Union Minister of MSME praised NSIC's role in empowering MSMEs and supporting government initiatives. Discussions on improving MSME partnerships with the Netherlands were also mentioned by Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal.

Indias Q2 FY27 earnings show signs of resilience, with Jefferies reporting that 50% of the 105 companies it tracks received FY27 earnings estimate upgrades, while 41% saw downgrades and 9% remained unchanged. The share of companies beating expectations rose to 56% from 52% in the previous quarter, though the recovery remains uneven across sectors.

In 2026, the Nifty 50 index faced significant drops, with 34 out of 50 stocks plummeting by as much as 34%. Analysts believe that the sell-off is driven by foreign institutional investor exits and a conservative outlook on earnings. This decline presents potential opportunities for long-term investors as valuations dip below historical norms.

Shares of Vedanta Power and Vedanta Oil and Gas rallied up to 14% after both demerged companies reported a sharp year-on-year improvement in Q2 FY27 earnings. Vedanta Power returned to profit, while Vedanta Oil and Gas reported higher revenue and EBITDA.

Laurus Labs shares rose 3.79% to Rs 2,329 after the pharmaceutical company reported strong Q2FY27 results. Revenue increased 33% year-on-year to Rs 2,206 crore, while net profit more than doubled to Rs 441 crore. Growth was supported by sustained momentum in its CDMO business and Affordable Medicines division, alongside improving margins and continued investments in manufacturing capabilities.

Jio Platforms shares extended their post-listing rally, rising over 28% in three sessions. Nomura, Motilal Oswal, Dolat Capital and Elara Capital remain positive, citing tariff hikes, 5G monetisation, broadband expansion and digital services growth.

In the second quarter of 2027, Ashish Kacholia has made notable changes to his investment portfolio. He has increased his stakes in both Indo SMC and Stove Kraft, which have demonstrated impressive growth this year. Additionally, Kacholia has invested in newly-listed firms like ESDS Software Solutions and Ardee Industries, as well as Credent Connect N Care, reflecting his adaptive strategy amidst evolving market trends.

Reliance Industries is poised to reveal its Q2 earnings, with anticipation surrounding a notable profit revival in its oil-to-chemicals division. Analysts forecast a rise in consolidated EBITDA, supported by enhanced refining margins and solid petrochemical performance. Jio Platforms should offer consistent contributions, though Reliance Retail may face pressures with shrinking margins. Investors will keep a watchful eye on insights regarding future expansion in new energy ventures.

The shares are scheduled to list on the BSE and NSE on November 3, 2026. A grey market premium (GMP) of Rs 68 suggests potential listing gains of about 45%, although this is not guaranteed. The company plans to use the proceeds for manufacturing expansion, working capital, and general corporate purposes.