sovereign matter

The Indian rupee has fallen nearly 6% against the US dollar due to Middle East tensions, prompting the Reserve Bank of India to consider measures like interest rate hikes and attracting dollar inflows. Officials are exploring a foreign currency deposit scheme for NRIs and a potential sovereign dollar bond to stabilize the currency.

Once a cherished gift from royalty, Frogmore Cottage is now undergoing extensive renovations to split it back into two distinct homes. With eye-watering upgrades like a luxury yoga studio, the overhaul will run into the millions. Since Prince Harry's departure, the cottage has stood empty, and it seems even potential royal tenants are hesitant to call it home.

Electronic Gold Receipts (EGRs) are now trading on the NSE, revolutionizing India's gold market. This digital format, backed by physical gold in SEBI-regulated vaults, offers investors a secure and transparent way to hold the precious metal. EGRs aim to overcome traditional concerns like purity and storage, integrating gold more closely with the capital markets.

India's economic future hinges on AI, with a potential $500 billion GDP boost by 2030, according to an IBM and IndiaAI study. While corporate enthusiasm is high, a significant 'inflection gap' exists in AI adoption. Addressing data sovereignty, infrastructure, and a massive talent hunt are crucial for realizing this potential.

Intense diplomatic efforts are underway to secure an agreement between the US and Iran, aiming to end the Middle East conflict, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and ease energy market pressures. Despite claims of progress, significant disagreements persist over uranium enrichment, sanctions relief, and regional influence, leaving a final deal uncertain.

Every crisis reminds us that markets can swing like a pendulum between greed and fear. Fixed income offers comfort in those phases and does its job as a stabiliser.

SpaceX is preparing for a historic IPO, aiming for a $1.75-$2 trillion valuation and seeking to raise $75 billion by June 2026. Despite significant revenue growth from Starlink, the company reported substantial losses in 2025 and Q1 2026, largely due to heavy investments in its new AI unit following the xAI acquisition.

US prosecutors suspect Bangkok-based OBON Corp.—a company central to Thailand's national AI strategy—of acting as the middleman in a $2.5 billion scheme to smuggle Nvidia-equipped Supermicro servers into China, with Alibaba among the alleged end customers. Bloomberg identified OBON as the unnamed "Company-1" in a March federal indictment that charged Supermicro co-founder Wally Liaw with violating US export control law. OBON and Alibaba have not been charged.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang joined Donald Trump's Beijing summit at the last minute, boarding Air Force One in Alaska, but China still won't approve H200 AI chip purchases. Trump said Beijing "chose not to" because it wants homegrown silicon. With DeepSeek now running on Huawei chips and 10 cleared Chinese firms yet to place orders, Nvidia's China stalemate looks set to drag on.

Rupee depreciation is not new, what is new however is the rapid pace at which it is falling. It’s the biggest risk for India’s external sector resilience at the moment. In just over a year, the rupee has depreciated over 14%.

India's enduring love for gold spans centuries, evolving from tradition to modern investment. Women hold vast reserves, and the market is set for significant growth. Digital gold and ETFs are gaining traction alongside traditional jewellery. Gold remains a symbol of prosperity, security, and auspiciousness for Indians across generations.

Air India’s losses in 2025-26 at Rs 27,000 crore are the highest ever recorded in its 94-year-old history. In all, Air India has lost Rs 55,000 crore since Tatas took over the airline. Will these complicate final years of N Chandrasekaran’s tenure as Tata Sons chairman?

Trump’s philosophy is often mistaken for the absence of philosophy, but absence can become a system if practised with sufficient confidence. Every problem becomes a deal, every deal becomes a performance, every performance requires a winner, and the winner, ideally before anyone checks the paperwork, is Donald Trump.

India is no stranger to austerity measures. Every time the country needs to tighten its belt, leaders seize the opportunity to present themselves as making sacrifices and sharing in the hardships of ordinary citizens

Superstar Rajinikanth has surprised producer Thenappan by gifting him a gold chain following the successful re-release of their 1999 blockbuster, 'Padayappa'. This thoughtful gesture, breaking industry norms where producers typically reward actors, highlights Rajinikanth's humility and gratitude. The film's enduring popularity after 25 years is evident in its strong theatrical performance, sparking hopes for a potential sequel.

nthropic CEO Dario Amodei keeps predicting that AI will trigger mass unemployment on a global scale. But with an Anthropic IPO reportedly targeting a $900 billion valuation, his warnings may be doing double duty—as both public service and investor pitch. Anthropic's own labor research shows the reality is far more gradual. And voices from Sam Altman to Meta's Yann LeCun are increasingly pushing back.