The Economic Times

Harbin, China, was struck by a severe sandstorm on Sunday, with winds reaching level 13, uprooting trees and reducing visibility to under 100 meters. The storm, fueled by a clash between unusually warm air and a powerful cold front, briefly turned day into night. Residents are warned of continued unstable weather, including potential tornadoes.

Malaysia has begun enforcing new rules. Children under 16 are now banned from social media accounts. Platforms must implement age verification. This move aims to protect young users from harmful content and cyberbullying. Other countries are also considering similar measures. The government hopes to reassure parents about online risks and have provided social media companies a grace period for implementation. Technology companies, such as Meta, point out to uninteded consequences for teenage use

Asian factories saw steady growth in May. Companies built up stocks to counter potential supply disruptions from the Middle East conflict. China's manufacturing expanded for the sixth month, while South Korea's activity reached a five-year high. Japan also reported expansion despite rising input costs. This regional push highlights efforts to secure supplies amidst global trade jitters.

Television host Mini Mathur is celebrating her daughter Sairah Khan's International Baccalaureate diploma. The proud mother shared glimpses of the graduation ceremony on Instagram. Mathur opened up about Sairah's personal qualities and her own transition into motherhood. Read on!

Entrepreneur Ankur Warikoo shared a poignant story of a 31-year-old man who lost 18 lakh trading but told no one, not even his wife. The man confessed to feeling immense pressure to always appear successful, revealing that hiding his struggles made him feel profoundly lonelier than the financial loss itself.

AP EAMCET 2026 Results date, time, link: AP EAMCET 2026 results are announced today, June 1, at 11 AM by APSCHE for both Engineering and Agriculture & Pharmacy streams. Candidates can access their scores and rank cards on the official portal, cets.apsche.ap.gov.in/EAPCET. The results mark a crucial step towards the upcoming online counselling process.

A Parliamentary committee will meet to discuss examination methods, including pen-and-paper versus computer-based tests. They will also review the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test Undergraduate 2026 and the National Testing Agency. Discussions will cover Grade 12 CBSE exams and the three-language formula. These meetings follow recent controversies and ongoing probes into exam irregularities.

LPG Domestic Cylinder Price today: Commercial LPG cylinder prices saw a significant increase of up to Rs 53.50 on June 1, 2026, impacting businesses like hotels and restaurants. Domestic LPG cylinder prices, however, remain unchanged. This hike, occurring amid concerns over fuel supply security and global energy market volatility, has nearly doubled costs for businesses in just five months.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has proposed a plan for gradual de-escalation between Israel and Lebanon. The proposal suggests Hezbollah halt attacks on Israel. In return, Israel would refrain from escalating actions in Beirut. This aims to create space for a cessation of hostilities. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun is working to advance the proposal.

A high salary does not equate to true wealth. Chartered Accountant Nitin Kaushik highlights that relying solely on a paycheck creates a 'comfortable trap'. Genuine financial security stems from multiple income sources, not just compensation. Wealth is built when money flows independently of active work. Professionals should convert earnings into income-generating assets for lasting financial independence.

President Donald Trump wants more changes to a proposed Iran deal. The agreement aims for a ceasefire and nuclear talks. It also includes opening the Strait of Hormuz. Iran insists on guarantees for its rights. Pakistan is mediating. The US warns of renewed conflict if terms are not met. Negotiations continue with both sides proposing adjustments.

JEE Advanced Result 2026 out at jeeadv.ac.in: IIT Roorkee announced JEE Advanced 2026 results on May 31st. Qualified students can now register for JoSAA counselling starting June 2nd for admissions to IITs, NITs, and other institutes. Architecture aspirants can also register for the AAT 2026. Class 12th scores are not a direct factor for IIT seat eligibility, but final admission depends on brochure criteria.

Commercial LPG cylinder prices have risen from June 1. Hotels and restaurants will face higher input costs. Domestic cooking gas prices are unchanged, offering relief to households. The government assures adequate fuel stocks and is strengthening energy security. Refineries operate at optimum levels, and domestic LPG production is at record highs. Enforcement agencies are inspecting fuel sales to prevent hoarding.

U.S. nonfarm payrolls data due on June 5 are expected to show an unemployment rate of 4.3 per cent and an increase of 85,000 jobs.

June's streaming slate has a diverse range of new movies and shows across genres. From action-packed thrillers like Dhurandhar: The Revenge and crime dramas like Brown to heartwarming family stories in Gullak Season 5 and romantic comedies, there's something for every viewer. Popular franchises and fresh narratives featuring big stars are set to keep audiences entertained throughout the month. Read on to know when and where to watch them online in June.

Extremely skilled at handling computer software and hardware, hackers are categorised into various types depending on their intent and purpose, and are mostly denoted by different coloured hats. In the 105th part of this series, Riju Mehta lists the various categories of hackers.

Welcome to TrendMap, your guide to the performance of different investment segments. In this edition, we present a 10-year performance tracker of various factor-based investment strategies. The annual returns are ranked for 6 key NSE Factor indices, with a broad-based index, Nifty 500, thrown in for comparison. This map shows that no single-factor strategy consistently outperforms, making a strong case for diversification. By Sameer Bhardwaj.

At least once a year, pull a consolidated account statement to see everything in one go: check for overlap across schemes; flag any fund trailing its benchmark and peers for three years or more; confirm nominations are in place; and ensure at least one other person in your household knows where all your investments are.

Many banks have recently reduced credit card rewards, cashback limits, and perks, prompting cardholders to reassess their spending strategies. Experts advise optimising existing cards rather than cancelling them, diversifying across 23 cards, and using rewards strategically. Linking RuPay credit cards to UPI can boost benefits on everyday transactions. Ultimately, maximising value depends on understanding card features and aligning spending with reward structures.

The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) has introduced the Retirement Income Scheme (RIS) under NPS, allowing retirees to receive systematic payouts from the 80% withdrawable corpus until age 85 while keeping funds invested. RIS aims to improve income stability, corpus longevity, and inflation-beating returns. However, payouts remain market-linked, tax treatment remains unclear, and the scheme may be complex for some retirees.

Dinesh Balachandran, HeadInvestments, SBI Funds Management, runs some of SBI Mutual Funds (MF) largest schemes, including SBI Contra Fund, SBI Multi Asset Allocation Fund and SBI Balanced Advantage Fund. In this conversation with Sanket Dhanorkar, he shares how he navigated the correction of the last two years, what the fund houses in-house asset allocation model now reveals, and how his investing approach has changed over the years.

Technical analysis helps investors understand market trends and sentiment through price charts, complementing fundamental analysis, which identifies quality businesses. Key tools include charts, trend analysis, support and resistance levels, moving averages, and trading volumes. While technical indicators can improve entry and exit timing, they work on probabilities, not certainty. Experts advise retail investors to prioritise fundamentals and use technical analysis only as a supporting tool.

The rupees sharp depreciation, down about 10% against the dollar in the past year, has become a key concern during corporate earnings calls. Investors are increasingly questioning companies about hedging and forex risk management. While exporters benefit from higher overseas revenue, importers face rising costs. Companies across sectors are strengthening hedging strategies as speculation grows that the rupee could weaken further.

If youre considering mutual fund portfolio management services (MF-PMS), ask three questions. First, can the manager show post-fee returns for his strategy versus a simple direct fund portfolio over the last 10 years? Second, how often does he rebalance, and whats the post-tax cost? Third, does he have skin in the game on the downside, or is his profit share a one-way bet?

Borrowers struggling with debt often face harassment from recovery agents through abusive calls, threats, public shaming, and unauthorised visits, despite RBI rules prohibiting such practices. Experts say many borrowers are unaware of their rights and grievance mechanisms. RBI guidelines allow complaints against harassment and provide borrower protections, while debt restructuring and one-time settlements can help resolve repayment difficulties and reduce financial stress.

Nasdaq, S&P 500, Dow Jones investors must know that MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe rose 5.75 points, or 0.51 per cent, to 1,130.47.

Corporate India's March quarter net profit surged 25.3%, driven by non-operating factors, masking operating challenges like rising input costs that squeezed margins. While FY27 outlook is positive with infrastructure focus, risks include commodity inflation and geopolitical issues. Sector-specific performance is expected, with metals and energy poised for growth.

Indian consumer goods firms like Dabur, Britannia, Tata Consumer Products, and Emami are rerouting manufacturing and sourcing away from West Asia due to the Iran conflict and Strait of Hormuz disruptions. Companies are shifting production to India, Egypt, and Turkey, and exploring new export routes to mitigate business impacts and ensure supply chain stability.

That could lead to a deadlock between Chandra and Tata, they said. Tata sought greater clarity from Chandrasekaran on the groups five-year strategic roadmap, the framework for providing an exit option to Shapoorji Pallonji Group that doesnt involve Tata Sons going public as well as his formal position on the long-debated matter of the listing.

A majority of economists polled by ET predict the Reserve Bank of India will hold its policy rate steady at the upcoming June meeting. This decision comes amid concerns over geopolitical tensions and adverse weather forecasts, which threaten economic growth and could fuel inflation.

Frank Sinatra's timeless wisdom cautions against excessive attachment to possessions, highlighting how true ownership lies in the freedom to let go. In today's consumerist culture, this perspective serves as a vital reminder that our self-worth shouldn't be tied to material wealth, preventing a psychological toll. Sinatra's insight encourages a more liberated view of belongings.

Wockhardts newly approved antibiotic Zaynich has the potential to transform the treatment of drug-resistant infections, according to Mahesh Patel, the scientist behind the drug. Approved by the US FDA for complicated urinary tract infections, Zaynich combines cefepime and zidebactam, using a novel beta-lactam enhancer mechanism that blocks two key steps in bacterial cell-wall synthesis, helping it overcome virtually all known resistance mechanisms.

Stephen Hawkings famous question is the quote of the day, as it reflects his skepticism about traveling backwards in time. He used this idea to argue that if time travel were truly possible, there should already be evidence of visitors from the future in our present world. Since no such signs exist, it raises doubts about whether backward time travel can ever happen, and ties into his broader ideas about physics and the limits of the universe.

A 1600-year-old iron pillar in New Delhi remains remarkably rust-free, baffling scientists for centuries. Researchers discovered its resilience stems from its wrought iron composition, high phosphorus content, and a unique forge welding technique. A protective layer of misawite on its surface further shields it from environmental degradation.

TV broadcasters plan to challenge a Delhi High Court ruling in the Supreme Court. The court upheld Trai's power to limit TV ads to 12 minutes per hour. Broadcasters fear this will hurt their revenue. The Indian TV industry relies heavily on advertising income. This decision could impact their business significantly.

India's electric two-wheeler market saw a strong rebound in May. Registrations rose significantly, recovering from a dip in April. Major players like TVS Motor and Bajaj Auto reported higher sales. Ather Energy and Hero MotoCorp also saw an increase. Ola Electric is working to regain market share and plans to enter the commercial segment.

Indian banks anticipate asset quality stress from the second quarter due to the West Asia conflict. Rising fuel prices will reduce consumer spending. Higher input costs will impact corporate profits. Small and medium enterprises face significant pressure. Lenders are becoming cautious about lending to this segment. This situation will be visible in upcoming financial results.

Despite rising costs, restaurants and bars saw a surge in business during the IPL final. Bengaluru outlets reported full bookings, with some charging cover fees. Delhi-NCR eateries offered discounts up to 50% on food and drinks. Online platforms also saw increased sales of snacks and beverages as people opted to watch the match at home.

Yatra Online's founders are reportedly in talks to sell a controlling stake. Feelers have been sent to rivals like MakeMyTrip, Paytm Travel, Rapido, and Ixigo, along with a private equity fund. Advisors are assisting with the sale process. Suitors may submit initial offers next week. Yatra's CEO stated the company achieved its most profitable year despite challenges.

IIFCL aims for a record 75,000 crore in loan sanctions this financial year. The government has removed SIFTI restrictions, giving the lender more flexibility. This allows IIFCL to finance larger projects and participate more broadly in infrastructure development. The company expects stronger growth and faster credit expansion through new lending products.

SAIL anticipates a minor effect on its steel prices due to the West Asia crisis. The company is arranging new shipping paths to ensure a steady flow of essential raw materials like limestone from Dubai. SAIL chairman Ashok Panda highlighted that securing raw material availability is paramount for continuous operations.

The Assam council of ministers will see an expansion on June 5. This comes nearly a month after the election results were declared. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and four other ministers took their oath on May 12. The expansion was delayed due to numerous claimants for ministerial berths.

India's commercial vehicle makers are diversifying beyond truck sales to stabilize revenue. Companies like Tata Motors, Ashok Leyland, and VECV are seeing significant growth in spare parts, financing, and fleet services. This strategic shift aims to create recurring income streams, mitigating the impact of the market's cyclical nature and economic fluctuations.

Chile is offering India significant opportunities in critical mineral mining, including copper, lithium, and cobalt. These minerals will power India's growth and green transition. Chile also seeks Indian talent for its burgeoning semiconductor sector. Both nations are working towards a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement. This partnership aims to secure India's supply chains and foster economic growth.

Indian banks and financial firms are increasingly using AI for critical tasks like fraud prevention and decision-making. While early adopters are seeing success, many companies still face hurdles in infrastructure and governance. AI is now integral to core operations, not just customer service. Future plans focus on boosting productivity and customer growth through AI.