Utkarsh Small Finance Bank will raise Rs 949 crore via a rights issue, attracting top investors like Madhusudan Kelas fund, MIT, HDFC Life, and Kotak Life. Promoter Utkarsh CoreInvest renounced its entitlement, sparking a 20% rally in the banks stock.

Ace investor Shankar Sharma shared how his house help, who followed his two-decade-old advice to invest monthly in gold and land, recently bought a stunning Mumbai apartmentunderscoring the timeless power of disciplined, long-term investing over speculation.

Japan's Nikkei share average surged over 1% on Friday, driven by tech stocks and anticipation of fiscal stimulus from Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's new government. The index was poised for an eighth weekly gain in nine, with investors scooping up technology shares that had recently declined. SoftBank Group and chip-related Advantest were among the top gainers.

Shares of Vedanta, Hindalco, and Nalco jumped as LME aluminium prices surpassed $2,850/tonne, fueled by tight global supply and disruptions like Century Aluminums production slowdown in Iceland.

Asian stocks rose Friday as a planned meeting between US President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping eased trade tensions. Oil prices dipped ahead of US inflation data, with investors anticipating a Federal Reserve rate cut next week despite sticky inflation. Resilient earnings and potential positive US-China news support continued equity market optimism.

S&P Global has lowered its outlook for Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles to negative. This is due to a slow recovery for its Jaguar Land Rover unit after a cyberattack caused production pauses and hurt sales. The impact is more pronounced after the company split. Recovery path remains uncertain, with potential for bigger implications from the attack.

Sebi is proposing to make it easier for Non-Resident Indian clients to complete their KYC. The markets watchdog wants to remove the requirement for NRIs to be physically present in India for digital onboarding or video identification. This change aims to simplify compliance for overseas investors. Public comments are invited on the draft proposal.

Indias capital markets rallied, with Nifty 50 near record highs. BSE, Angel One surged as FIIs reversed outflows. Optimism fueled by trade talks, festive demand, policy support, and strong fundamentals.

Gold has surged 54% in 2025, driven by Western investors, speculation, and geopolitical tensions. Despite volatility, bullish sentiment persists, with central banks, FOMO buying, and supply-demand shifts influencing 2026 trends.

Epack Prefab Technologies shares are in focus after a strong Q2FY26 performance, with net profit surging 104.2% YoY to Rs 29.5 crore and revenue from operations up 61.9% YoY to Rs 433.9 crore. For H1FY26, total income reached Rs 734.6 crore, EBITDA rose 45.6%, and PAT jumped 64.4%, highlighting operational efficiency and robust growth across its business segments.