The Economic Times

Manufacturing set a record by growing at 8% or more in the past three consecutive months.

Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland President Beth Hammack warned that persistently high inflation could entrench elevated price expectations among US households and businesses. She said monetary policy may not yet be sufficiently restrictive, citing resilient demand, strong business investment and a stable labour market. Hammack also noted that rising US bond yields reflect higher real interest rates and a solid economic outlook.

BNP Paribas expects Indias economic outlook to come under greater pressure as higher crude prices, rising inflation and weaker rural and industrial indicators weigh on growth. While credit growth, auto sales and food-grain stocks remain supportive, the brokerage says elevated oil prices could also leave the RBI with less room to keep interest rates unchanged.

Economic experts predict that the Reserve Bank of India will increase interest rates at its upcoming meeting. This anticipated rate hike is largely due to rising inflation, which has exceeded the RBI's targets consistently. As central banks globally address inflationary pressures, India is under similar pressures regarding its currency. Nearly 60% of surveyed economists expect this action will occur in October.

Home sales in the top seven cities have shown signs of recovery during the third quarter of 2026. Total sales increased by 3% compared to the same period last year, with approximately 100,220 units sold. Mumbai Metropolitan Region recorded the highest sales among these cities, followed by Bengaluru and Hyderabad. New housing supply rose by 18% year-on-year, with Mumbai again leading the numbers.

A consumer commission in Gurdaspur has ordered MakeMyTrip to pay Rs 48,775 to an advocate whose family says the Srinagar and Gulmarg hotels they booked online could not be found, leaving them to spend a night in their car in the snow.

Recent transits of QatarEnergy-linked liquefied natural gas vessels through the Strait of Hormuz have increased. Kpler data indicates that more vessels are now visible, easing earlier fears related to the US-Iran conflict.

LPU Protest Reason: LPU protests erupted on September 27 after a rape allegation involving a female student at Lovely Professional University in Punjab. Students are demanding justice, stronger hostel security and accountability. Police have registered a case and formed an SIT to investigate. The university has suspended classes for 10 days and postponed mid-term exams.

Taapsee Pannu married her long-time boyfriend, Danish badminton star Mathias Boe, in 2023. Unlike many Bollywood stars, she kept the special day very low-key and intimate and did not leak pictures or videos from the event or invite the media.

AICC general secretary K C Venugopal made serious allegations regarding the integrity of the Election Commission. He claimed a conspiracy involving CEC Gyanesh Kumar, PM Narendra Modi, and Home Minister Amit Shah. Venugopal pointed out that illegal acts were committed to benefit the ruling party. He announced a Congress working committee meeting to discuss the situation in detail. The alliance of opposition parties is also expected to coordinate their response.

Roadies Rebirth is set to premiere on OTT, with a new format. The season introduces an OGs vs NewGs structure with six Gang Leaders split into two teams. Rannvijay Singha returns as the host, marking a huge moment for fans of the franchise. Read on!

The RBI is under growing pressure to raise rates in October as inflation broadens across the economy, growth remains strong and global central banks tighten policy. A Reuters poll shows most economists expect a 25-basis-point hike to 5.50%, while markets are already pricing in further increases over the next year.

Lalit Keshre, co-founder and CEO of Bengaluru-based Groww, was raised in a farming family in Lepa, Madhya Pradesh and studied in the only English-medium school in his district before cracking IIT Bombay. He earned a dual degree in Electrical Engineering in 2004 and later worked at Flipkart before founding Groww in 2016. Today, Groww offers multiple financial products, while Forbes puts Keshres net worth at $1.1 billion.

Multiple Malayalam films, including dubbed ones, are set to release in the upcoming week, catering to diverse audience preferences. Nivin Pauly stars in major roles in both Bethlehem Kudumba Unit and Yezhu Kadal Yezhu Malai. Dont Trouble The Trouble features Fahadh Faasil and is directed by Shashank Yeleti, releasing in theatres. Read on!

Ruchir Sharma says India remains a middling investment story rather than a clear outperformer, with strengths in demographics, inflation and currency stability offset by weak private and foreign investment, high valuations, regulatory intervention and concentrated billionaire wealth. His broader view is that India consistently disappoints the optimist and the pessimist, making a simple bullish or bearish narrative difficult.

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan expressed concern over the drought situation in Maharashtra and Karnataka, saying the Centre will send teams to assess the situation on the ground.

The UAE is set to invest an additional $25 billion in India, strengthening energy cooperation between the nations. India and the UAE are exploring strategic petroleum reserves and subsea pipelines for gas transportation and storage. Bilateral trade between the countries has doubled to $100 billion, with a target of $200 billion by 2032. Local currency settlement in trade is on the rise, currently in double digits.

India's leading recyclers' body has asked the federal foreign trade directorate to replace existing scrap import rules based on overseas certification with local inspection at Indian ports, according to a letter reviewed by Reuters on Monday.

India's transition to renewable energy is expected to demand significant investments in energy storage solutions. By FY32, approximately Rs 4 lakh crore will be needed to meet storage requirements. The current operational storage capacity of 54 GWh will need to expand to 411 GWh. Increasing renewable generation will require complementary technologies like Battery Energy Storage Systems and Pumped Storage Plants.

For retailers, the festive strategy this year will shift from outright price cuts towards a combination of financing, product redesign, wider entry-level choices and exchange offers, with the aim to preserve margins while giving consumers more ways to complete purchases despite higher prices.

The rabi season in India is expected to encounter difficulties due to the El Nino weather pattern. Agriculture Secretary Atish Chandra highlighted the challenges faced during the kharif season in rainfed regions. Crop diversification is needed for self-sufficiency despite research and income hurdles. Infrastructure modernization is crucial to prevent farm losses and ensure market access. A robust digital agriculture system is essential for accurate data utilization in crop production planning.

Cinema lovers are in for a treat this week with new films and shows rolling out on ZEE5, Netflix, and Prime Video. Highlighted titles include the spine-tingling psychological thriller Pooja Meri Jaan, the popular Malayalam release Bethlehem Kudumba Unit, and the delightful Tamil rom-com #Love. Fans of reality TV can check out The Arena, while documentary lovers can watch The Last First: Winter K2. Read on!

Midwest Energy is setting up Indias first sintered NdFeB magnet plant in Hyderabad, with commercial production expected to begin by mid-October at an initial capacity of 500 tonnes a year. The company plans to scale capacity to 5,000 tonnes by December 2027, aiming to reduce Indias near-total dependence on imported rare-earth permanent magnets.

Boeing identified a software issue affecting 737 MAX aircraft during specific landing scenarios, impacting airlines heavily investing in them. Air India Express and Akasa Air operate around 96 of these aircraft, with hundreds more on order. Boeing is developing a software fix while ensuring pilots can still land safely without automated assistance. Indian carriers have a significant backlog of Boeing orders, reflecting demand for the 737 MAX.

India's GDP growth in the second quarter of FY26 surpassed the Reserve Bank of India's forecast of 7 percent. The growth prompted forecasts of gradual rate hikes, with expectations of a 25 basis points increase twice in FY27. Additionally, inflation is projected to hover above 5 percent due to various economic pressures. Rising oil prices are expected to widen the current account deficit to 1.3 percent of GDP in FY27.

Kharif cultivation this season has fallen from last year, but exceeded the five-year average despite lower rainfall. The number coming above five-year average is noteworthy, because monsoon rainfall between June 1 and September 26 was 12% below normal.

Indias consumer durables face a third price hike in 2026 as copper, steel, aluminium, resin, logistics and energy costs surge. LG, Daikin, Voltas, Samsung and Godrej are raising appliance prices ahead of Diwali. The pressure exposes Indias dependence on imported components and highlights why deeper localisation, domestic manufacturing and stronger supply chains are critical to containing global cost shocks.

JetSynthesys has signed an MoU with Japans MIXI to explore collaboration across gaming, esports, digital entertainment, marketing and potential strategic investments in India. The partnership aims to combine JetSynthesys local market expertise with MIXIs global gaming experience as India emerges as a key growth market for digital entertainment.

Housing sales in India's major cities rose by 3 percent during the July to September quarter of 2026. Overall sales in value terms increased by 2 percent compared to the previous year. Notably, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region and Bengaluru showed significant growth in sales. However, declines were observed in Delhi-NCR, Pune, Chennai, and Kolkata during the same period.

Red Bull has moved to the High Court against the FSSAI's decision to prohibit the term 'energy'. The FSSAI directed several brands to stop using the term due to lack of category standards. During a court hearing, FSSAI was asked to check if any notice was given to Red Bull. Industry representatives argue that the term 'caffeinated beverages' is too broad and could confuse consumers.

A tech professional in Madurai is weighing a Rs 57 lakh fully remote job against a Rs 68 lakh Bengaluru offer. The new role offers a Staff Software Engineer position, public-company RSUs and higher monthly in-hand pay, but requires two office days weekly. He is considering a 20-hour weekly overnight train commute instead of relocating. Leaving his current startup could also mean spending Rs 17 lakh to exercise vested private options.

The Supreme Court has declined to grant an interim stay on the governments new merchant discount rate policy. This policy imposes a 0.4% charge on specific Unified Payments Interface transactions exceeding Rs 2,000. The decision comes as a public interest litigation challenges the legality of this levy. Notices have been issued to the government and financial organizations involved. The new policy is set to take effect on October 15.

Travelers could be stuck paying high airfares even if oil and jet fuel prices fall, major U.S. airlines and industry analysts say.The price of jet fuel shot up after the Iran war began and retreated sharply in the spring before surging again as the summer went on. Such fluctuations make it harder for airlines to plan ahead and give them a reason to be cautious about lowering ticket prices, according to Brett House, an economist who teaches at Columbia Business School.Jet fuel has risen even fast

IndusInd Bank has introduced a new banking vertical specifically for Global Capability Centres within India. This initiative aims to address the growing banking needs of these centres as they expand. The vertical integrates corporate and employee banking into a unified relationship. It also includes foreign-currency account services to meet cross-border transaction requirements. IndusInd Bank's approach reflects the evolving landscape of the GCC ecosystem in the country.

Jack Reacher fans have reason to celebrate. The hit action crime series has been renewed for a fifth season, and it will be an adaptation of Lee Childs novel Make Me, which is 20th in the hit Jack Reacher crime novel series. The production for the latest season is currently taking place in Canada.

Sun Pharma has signed an exclusive agreement with LIB Therapeutics for Lerodalcibep, a cholesterol-lowering medication. This deal covers all markets globally except for the United States and China. Lerodalcibep, a once-monthly PCSK9 inhibitor, will be marketed under the name Lyrokaul in Europe.

Gross office leasing across seven major cities in India increased by 9 per cent in the third quarter. Bengaluru and Delhi-NCR experienced significant growth, with leasing rising to 5.2 million and 3.3 million square feet, respectively. Hyderabad saw a notable increase in leasing activity, reaching 2.2 million square feet, while Kolkata's numbers surged four-fold to 0.4 million square feet.

The Supreme Court has reserved its judgment concerning the proposed front-of-pack labelling framework for packaged foods. This framework aims to highlight warnings on products high in sugar, fat, and salt. During the hearing, an NGO's counsel suggested that thresholds should consider total sugar and total fat instead of just added components. The court has directed all parties to submit their final written arguments within three days.

Anand Mahindra highlighted the Jumadi Islands near Udupi, Karnataka, after Siddharth Dialani of BharatAgri shared his experience of staying on an entire island through a homestay for Rs 5,000 a night. Mahindra reflected on the appeal of solitude despite living in a connected world, calling an island all to oneself a potential ultimate luxury in a country of 1.4 billion people.

Ritesh Pal, a 19-year-old from Raipur, has been crowned the winner of Indias Best Dancer Season 5. He won alongside choreographer Pratik Utekar and took home Rs 15 lakh in prize money. After winning, he expressed gratitude to everyone. Read on to know more about him.