Stories from earlier this week and beyond.
DeepSeek unveiled two new V4 models and, unusually, offered a direct estimate of how their progress compares with US frontier labs—saying it is roughly 3–6 months behind. The admission adds context to the competitive AI landscape, suggesting that even when models look cutting-edge, the underlying development timeline may still trail the US lead.
Spirit Airlines faces potential liquidation, which an expert says could eliminate more than 17,000 jobs. The looming outcome raises fears that a bailout may not fully shield workers, leaving the airline’s future uncertain. With liquidation on the table, negotiations and decisions in the coming period could determine whether jobs are protected or major layoffs follow.
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Seven Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha members have resigned, intensifying internal turmoil as Swati Maliwal alleges corruption and harassment and Raghav Chadha faces a sharp fall from favour. Ashok Mittal quit after ED raids, while Sanjay Singh blamed BJP’s “Operation Lotus.” With assembly polls looming in Punjab, Gujarat and Goa, the shake-up threatens AAP’s stability and campaign momentum.
Google plans an initial $10 billion investment in AI startup Anthropic, with the overall deal potentially scaling to $40 billion. The move is meant to deepen ties as Anthropic’s AI tools face soaring demand. Google also wants to gain traction for its chips and cloud services, underscoring how aggressively tech giants are competing to lead the AI race.
The US Justice Department has ended its criminal probe of Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell, finding no evidence of criminal conduct tied to the Fed’s building renovations. With subpoenas already dismissed by a judge, the ruling removes a key hurdle for President Trump’s nominee Kevin Warsh, potentially paving the way for a quicker Senate confirmation vote.
Haryana’s new retirement housing policy is drawing developers into senior living as rules now allow more units per project, improving financial viability. The policy also supports integrated communities with day to day amenities. With people living longer and families restructuring, demand is rising quickly, attracting major developers to a largely untapped market.
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Raghav Chadha spearheaded a major shift in the Rajya Sabha, with seven of ten AAP members moving to the BJP and dramatically cutting the party’s parliamentary clout. After the defections, Arvind Kejriwal is left with only three AAP loyalists: Sanjay Singh, N.D. Gupta, and Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal.
The government has announced a Rs 5,000 crore incentive scheme for states to improve the speed and efficiency of mining block auctions and subsequent operations for FY 2026-27. The plan rewards modernization, adoption of new technologies, and integration with the national mining portal—aiming to reduce delays and accelerate momentum in India’s mining sector.
Reliance Industries’ March-quarter net profit fell 12.6% as pressure in its oil-to-chemicals (O2C) business weighed on earnings. Offsetting the drag, consumer-focused arms such as Jio Platforms and Reliance Retail delivered solid performance. Despite the quarterly dip, the company reported record full-year profit and revenue and declared a Rs 6 per share dividend for FY26.
India’s wheat production in 2025-26 is projected at 110 to 120 million tonnes after unseasonal rains and hailstorms damaged crops in major growing states. The government has raised its wheat procurement target to 34.5 million tonnes, even as exports remain allowed but are seeing slow shipments. A new open market sale scheme policy is expected soon.
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AI-linked companies have surged from nearly a quarter to 45% of the S&P 500’s market cap since ChatGPT’s launch, led by majors like Microsoft, Nvidia, Amazon, Alphabet and Meta. The momentum is now mirrored in fixed income: AI-linked investment-grade debt has grown to $1.4 trillion, 15.4% of US credit—raising the stakes for market concentration risk.
The NFL Draft moves into Round 2 after a hectic first round where the 49ers and Bills traded out, joining several teams already on the sidelines including the Falcons, Bengals, Packers, Broncos, Jaguars, and Colts. Here’s what time Round 2 starts today, where to watch it on TV, and how the first-round reshuffle impacts the next picks.
US markets moved sharply in opposite directions: the Dow slid over 150 points while the Nasdaq rose nearly 0.9% and the S&P 500 held steady gains. The shock came from Intel’s more-than-25% surge after strong earnings, fueled by AI data-center demand and a near-10% weekly run in semiconductors. Rising oil above $100 from Iran tensions weighed on industrials, while consumer sentiment stayed near record lows.
Instant help startup Pronto is reportedly lining up a new funding round that could potentially double its valuation. The news comes amid a bittersweet Q4 for the company, raising questions about what exactly investors liked this time and how the fresh capital will reshape its growth plans.
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Qualcomm’s stock surged more than 8% as investors piled into semiconductors after strong Intel earnings and improving industry sentiment. Still, the rally’s durability hinges on Qualcomm’s April 29 report, where investors will weigh demand signals against lingering smartphone weakness and memory constraints. The next update could determine whether momentum continues or fades.
Reliance Industries reported a 13% year-on-year fall in consolidated net profit to Rs 16,971 crore for Q4 2025-26. Revenue, however, increased 13% year-on-year, painting a mixed picture. The quarter’s numbers highlight how stronger topline growth did not fully translate into bottom-line gains, raising questions about costs and margins.
US consumer confidence fell to a near four-year low in April, driven by fears that prices will keep climbing. The Iran conflict is adding pressure through higher oil and commodity costs, even as gas prices dipped slightly after a ceasefire. Americans now expect inflation to stay elevated for both the next year and five years, keeping sentiment muted.
Karnataka has tied up with Naukri to boost hiring for global capability centres beyond Bengaluru. Under the pact, Naukri will provide a customised GCC starter package free for the first 90 days to newly established centres registered with the Karnataka Innovation and Technology Society, according to the department.
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The RBI has cancelled the licence of Paytm Payments Bank, saying it can no longer conduct banking business under the Banking Regulation Act. The move raises fresh questions for customers and the wider Paytm ecosystem, as the regulator formally ends the bank’s authority to operate. Details on next steps for users are now the key focus.
The RBI has imposed a penalty on Bandhan Bank, citing failures in periodic risk categorisation reviews for certain accounts. The regulator also pointed to sanctions of director-related loans. Separately, the RBI has penalised Muthoot Housing Finance Company as well, underscoring stricter oversight on banks and housing lenders’ risk and related-party lending compliance.
California is advancing legislation that would prohibit children under 16 from using major social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, citing addictive design features. The proposal could set a template for other states, including Massachusetts, which are also considering similar restrictions. The debate is gaining national attention, with former President Donald Trump expressing interest in a broader ban.
Swati Maliwal has quit the Aam Aadmi Party, alleging Arvind Kejriwal’s leadership has strayed from the party’s founding principles. She claims party leaders orchestrated personal assault and says the internal environment tolerates corruption while sidelining women’s safety. Maliwal’s exit raises fresh questions about AAP’s direction and internal accountability.
Reliance Jio says its ARPU rose to ₹214 in Q4 FY26 as the subscriber base crossed 52.4 crore. The telecom added momentum through rapid 5G adoption, now reaching 268 million users, while fixed broadband continued gaining market share. Jio expects enhanced services and new bundled packs to sustain growth across mobile and home connections.
Meta has struck a deal with Amazon’s cloud unit to use its Graviton CPU chips, tapping “tens of millions of cores” for its workloads. Each Graviton chip includes 192 cores, and the system can assign individual cores to different tasks, helping Meta improve flexibility and performance at scale.
American chip stocks hit fresh record highs as Intel’s strong revenue forecast fueled confidence in the AI boom. The broader semiconductor sector followed with notable earnings momentum, lifting names like AMD and Arm. Even Nvidia, the world’s most valuable company, rose—signaling investors’ belief that demand for AI infrastructure will keep accelerating.
Jio Platforms’ Q4 FY26 net profit increased 13% to ₹7,935 crore, up from ₹7,023 crore a year earlier, with sequential growth of 4%. Operating revenue rose 12.6% to ₹38,259 crore, aided by subscriber additions, higher ARPU, and digital services. EBITDA grew 18% to ₹20,060 crore as margins expanded by 230 basis points to 52.4%.
GIFT Nifty jumped about 110 points on renewed Iran US peace talk hopes, lifting market sentiment after recent weakness. Traders are now watching whether positive global cues can help Nifty 50 reclaim 24,000 on Monday, despite ongoing pressure from IT-led selling that has contributed to the pullback.
In a rapid political shake-up, multiple Aam Aadmi Party MPs resigned and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party within hours. The move has immediately altered the Rajya Sabha number game for AAP, raising questions about how many lawmakers remain aligned with Punjab’s party leadership and what this means for its parliamentary strength.
RBI has cancelled the license of Paytm Payments Bank after previously barring it from accepting fresh deposits since 2024. The decision signals the bank can’t continue operations as it did earlier, putting its account holders and associated services in focus. The RBI action follows heightened regulatory scrutiny of payment banks and their compliance obligations.
Social activist Anna Hazare has weighed in on the exit of Raghav Chadha and six other Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha members, saying it signals the party may not have followed the “right path.” Hazare believes the group likely faced serious difficulties within AAP, calling the development one of the biggest challenges the party has faced since its start.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann escalated the AAP-BJP fight, calling AAP Rajya Sabha members who joined the BJP “traitors.” He accused the BJP of trying to destabilize AAP while dismissing the departures as insignificant compared with public loyalty in Punjab. Mann suggested the party’s strength remains rooted in voters, not a few who left.
The RBI has cancelled Paytm Payments Bank’s licence, citing compliance lapses. The decision is part of today’s ETtech Top 5 coverage, alongside news that Pronto has raised funds again in a rapid back-to-back financing round. Here’s what the regulator’s move signals for India’s digital payments landscape and fintech momentum.
Amazon backed nuclear startup X-energy has raised about 1 billion in an IPO, pulling in roughly 20% more than expected. The company’s data center driven strategy is drawing fresh investor attention as demand for nuclear power climbs, reflecting the growing urgency for steady, large scale electricity to support AI and cloud workloads.
Intel shares surged more than 24% after results topped expectations, driven by renewed AI-led demand for its CPUs. The momentum was strong enough to include sales of chips previously written off. With Intel’s market value crossing $416 billion, the rally also lifted peers like AMD and Arm, signaling growing optimism that CPUs could regain key roles in AI workloads.
Indian IT stocks fell after mixed quarterly results from big names. TCS showed profit growth but annual revenue declined, while Infosys posted a profit that topped estimates yet missed revenue expectations. With both companies signaling weaker future growth, investors trimmed positions, sending shares lower despite earnings that initially looked resilient.
SuperOps has laid off around 60 employees, about 30% of its workforce, saying the move is part of an AI-led restructuring to boost efficiency. The cuts are largely from its engineering team and aim to shift the MSP platform deeper into automation and AI-driven product delivery, including its “Monica” assistant. The action mirrors a broader AI-driven layoff trend across startups and big tech.
Annalena Baerbock, President of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, will visit India on April 28. She is set to meet External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to discuss major multilateral issues and will pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat. The visit also features an interactive session on artificial intelligence governance and regulation with India’s Ministry of Electronics and IT.
India’s ultra-luxury housing boom is transforming hardware from a basic install item into a must-have design statement. With buyers demanding global standards and finer craftsmanship, manufacturers are upgrading processes and tightening quality control. Architects are increasingly driving hardware selection, nudging the market toward more organized players and growing international collaborations across fittings and finishes.
Indian startup VC funding fell again below the $100 million mark, totaling about $81 million across 22 deals in the fourth week of April. The drop is attributed to a shortage of large-ticket transactions amid tougher macro conditions and ongoing US-Iran tensions. With capital largely concentrated in early stages and AI activity still limited, a mid-year revival is the hope.
India is exploring alternatives for its stake in Iran’s Chabahar port as a US sanctions waiver approaches expiry. Officials are in talks with both the US and Iran, including a potential temporary transfer of the stake to an Iranian entity. The goal is to preserve India’s long-term engagement so future connectivity projects tied to Chabahar can proceed.
US stocks opened higher as Intel’s sharp profit surge fueled technology gains, pulling the S&P 500 close to an all-time high. Optimism around potential US-Iran talks added support, even as oil prices stayed volatile. Strong results from Procter & Gamble also helped, while Charter Communications slid after reporting weaker performance.
Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak announced he is stepping down from the Aam Aadmi Party after about a decade, saying he is disillusioned with the party’s direction. He indicated his next move is to join the Bharatiya Janata Party, marking a notable shift for both parties as rivals seek new political ground ahead of future battles.
Ahead of the G20 summit in Miami, speculation is mounting over whether Russian President Vladimir Putin will attend. The Kremlin says a high-ranking Russian official will be present, but stops short of confirming Putin’s participation. With global tensions rising, Russia is signalling that the summit matters and expects consequential discussions—leaving the key question unresolved.
The US Commerce Department has announced preliminary antidumping duties on solar cells and panels imported from India, Indonesia, and Laos, alleging the products were sold in the US at unfairly low prices. The move could reshape costs and competition for exporters, while US industry groups backed it. Final determinations are expected later this year.
An Iranian lawmaker has condemned US-Iran nuclear talks held in Pakistan, calling them a strategic mistake that, in his view, would embolden Iran’s “enemy.” The comments come alongside remarks by former US President Donald Trump, who said any Iran deal would only happen when it benefits the US and its allies.
China’s regulators are reportedly requiring major tech firms, including AI startups, to reject US investment unless they get official clearance. Companies such as Moonshot AI and StepFun have been told to turn away US funds, while ByteDance is facing similar limits on secondary share sales. The crackdown is framed as protecting sensitive technologies tied to national security.
Indian government bonds rallied on Monday as optimism grew that the Middle East war could end. The U.S. and Iran received a framework for a plan to resolve their five-week conflict, boosting risk sentiment. The 10-year yield slid the most in nearly 15 weeks, reflecting stronger demand for safer debt as markets positioned for calmer global conditions.
The National Testing Agency has released CUET PG 2026 results, letting candidates check their scores online. With admissions approaching, Delhi University, JNU, and BHU are expected to publish category-wise cut-off marks for various postgraduate programs. Aspirants can use these likely cut-offs to gauge where they stand and plan their next steps.
A Gulf ceasefire has helped resume oil shipping and ease fears of escalation with Iran, pushing investors to move away from safe-haven assets. As the dollar weakens, demand shifts toward currencies like the euro and sterling, signaling changing expectations ahead of US-Iran talks and renewed attention to regional risk.
MPC external member Ram Singh signaled that a repo rate hike is not on the cards for now, tying the decision to whether inflation triggers second-round effects. He expects the West Asia conflict to ease, which could moderate price pressures, while saying forex reserves remain adequate and open market operations will support liquidity. Growth, he adds, stays resilient despite supply risks.
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