Business

The rupee appreciated 20 paise against the US dollar in early trade as optimism surrounding an India-US trade pact improved market sentiment. Supportive crude oil prices and expectations of continued foreign inflows also helped strengthen the domestic currency.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued compounding orders under Section 15 of FEMA against Sai Rayalaseema Paper Mills, Cigniti Technologies, and ZIFY Tech Solutions, allowing them to settle violations with one-time payments.

The rupee recovered from early losses to close 14 paise stronger at 94.36 against the US dollar, supported by easing geopolitical tensions after a US-Iran peace agreement, lower crude oil prices, positive domestic equities and continued foreign investor inflows

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met top executives of Saint-Gobain, Alstom and Mistral AI in Paris, discussing investment opportunities, expansion plans, sustainable construction, railway modernisation and AI collaboration, with companies expressing interest in deepening their presence in India

Andhra Pradesh SIPB approved ₹30,515 crore investments from 50 companies, expected to create 29,677 jobs. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu emphasized industrial growth, green energy, advanced tech, and job-linked development across sectors

India and the UK’s social security pact under the upcoming trade deal will exempt temporarily posted professionals from dual contributions for up to five years, benefiting Indian IT firms and enhancing competitiveness, while boosting bilateral trade and easing mobility for skilled workers

CtrlS Datacenters has secured up to ₹7,000 crore investment from Canada Pension Plan Investment Board at a ₹44,914 crore valuation to expand AI-ready hyperscale data centres across India through stake acquisition and joint ventures

ICAR Indian Institute of Oilseeds Research developed a biopolymer-based smart seed coating technology that enhances germination, crop establishment and yields. Field trials in Telangana showed up to 30% yield gains in groundnut and soybean under farmer conditions

Waterways Leisure Tourism has set a ₹769–₹808 IPO price band to raise ₹585 crore via fresh issue. Funds will support lease payments for cruise operations, as the company reports strong revenue growth and a turnaround to profitability

Bata India Ltd appointed Sanjay Rao as Managing Director and CEO, replacing Gunjan Shah after his five-year tenure. Rao, formerly with Nike and Inditex, brings over two decades of global retail leadership experience across India, Asia, and Europe

India’s gold imports fell nearly 70% to 25-30 tonnes after customs duty on gold was raised to 15% from 6%. Despite lower volumes, import value increased due to rising prices. The government aims to reduce foreign exchange outflow and prioritise essential imports

The Amaravati Quantum & AI Innovation Center will launch in Andhra Pradesh in partnership with IBM. The initiative aims to build a large-scale quantum innovation ecosystem by connecting industry, academia, and technology experts to develop practical quantum computing solutions

Apple may increase prices on some products as rising memory and storage chip costs, driven by strong AI data centre demand, squeeze margins. CEO Tim Cook said the company can no longer absorb all component cost increases, though no timeline was announced

The rupee fell 21 paise to 94.71 against the US dollar in early trade on Thursday as the Federal Reserve's hawkish outlook strengthened the greenback. However, easing crude oil prices and improving geopolitical sentiment provided support to broader financial markets.

Benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty rebounded after opening lower on Thursday, supported by easing crude oil prices and positive geopolitical developments. Investor sentiment improved amid hopes of reduced tensions in West Asia, helping markets recover early losses and trade higher.

India and the UK will operationalise the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and the Double Contribution Convention (DCC) on July 15, 2026, ushering in duty-free access for 99% of tariff lines, boosting bilateral trade, and extending social security exemptions for Indian professionals from 3 to 5 years.

The National Stock Exchange (NSE) has filed draft papers with SEBI for its proposed Rs 30,000 crore initial public offering (IPO), which is set to become the largest in Indian stock market history.

Benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty opened higher on Wednesday, extending gains for the fourth consecutive session. Falling crude oil prices and strong buying in IT stocks supported investor sentiment, while global market cues remained mixed amid developments surrounding US-Iran relations.

Pavel Durov said India’s temporary suspension of Telegram ahead of the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination affected over 150 million users. Authorities imposed restrictions to curb question paper leak-related malpractice, while Telegram removed channels linked to scams and leaked content

The rupee strengthened 31 paise to 94.29 against the US dollar in early trade, supported by easing crude oil prices and a retreating dollar index. Markets also reacted positively to expectations of the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

Nykaa has partnered with OpenAI to integrate its beauty and fashion platforms into ChatGPT, enabling AI-powered product recommendations and shopping assistance. The collaboration will also deploy OpenAI technologies across Nykaa’s operations to improve productivity, innovation and customer engagement

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal urged investors, corporates and venture capital funds to increase investments in India, citing a strong startup ecosystem and supportive policies. Speaking in France, he also promoted deep-tech innovation, manufacturing partnerships and the return of Indian talent

Global crude oil and LNG prices are expected to moderate as US-Iran peace prospects improve and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz potentially resumes. Analysts, however, warn that supply disruptions and infrastructure damage may keep energy markets volatile for months

A PRF report says the India-EU free trade agreement could significantly boost trade, expand market access, and deepen economic ties. It highlights tariff reductions on 90% of goods, potential export growth for India, and stronger EU engagement in key sectors