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Festival boost: Indian gold jewellery sales top $6.6 billion in 2 days Gold jewellery sales jumped 15-20 per cent to an estimated ₹62,000 crore during Dhanteras and Lakshmi Pooja, according to the All-India Gem and Jewellery Domestic Council. The spike comes despite gold prices remaining 9-23 per cent higher than last year, although they have retreated from their recent peak of nearly ₹1.85 lakh per 10 grams to around ₹1.41 lakh. 2. Delhi’s AQI remains in ‘very poor’ zone after Diwali Post-Diwali air quality data showed pollution remains concentrated in northern and western India. Chennai recorded the sharpest AQI deterioration among major cities, while Delhi’s AQI improved marginally from last year but stayed firmly in the “very poor” category. 3. Nifty holds above 25,000 after volatile trade Indian equities ended marginally higher after a choppy trading session. The Sensex gained 107 points to close at 81,106.65, while the Nifty settled at 25,044.65. PSU banks outperformed, while IT stocks weighed on sentiment. 4. Nvidia board launches probe after CEO admits affair Nvidia’s board has formed a committee of independent directors to investigate allegations that CEO Jensen Huang may have been targeted in a foreign espionage operation. Huang has apologised to employees and said he is cooperating fully with the investigation. (Research and VO: Siddharth Mathew Cherian)

Stay informed with today's top business news, market insights, and economic highlights from India and global markets.

Stay informed with today's top business news, market insights, and economic highlights from India and global markets.

A telecom IPO, a stock market blockbuster, and India’s most famous business family. In this episode of Overthinkers Anonymous, Richa and Renil unpack the Jio Platforms IPO and explore a fascinating question: Is the Ambani family’s carefully cultivated “Kutumb” image more than just tradition? From Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham-style spectacle to Hum Saath Saath Hain family values, they examine how emotion, trust, and branding may have helped transform a corporate giant into a household phenomenon. Is it smart strategy, genuine family pride, or both? Let’s overthink it.

Stay informed with today's top business news, market insights, and economic highlights from India and global markets.

Stay informed with today's top business news, market insights, and economic highlights from India and global markets.

Festive demand drives record October sales for automakers India’s festive buying season has boosted vehicle sales, with Maruti Suzuki posting its highest-ever monthly sales volume at 2.76 lakh units. Tata Motors, Hyundai, Mahindra and JSW MG Motor also reported strong dispatch growth during October. Oil PSUs post ₹30,106 crore Q2 profit on refining margin gains Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum Corporation and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation reported a combined standalone net profit of ₹30,106 crore in the July-September quarter, rebounding sharply from losses in the previous quarter. J&K expands startup ecosystem through incubators and seed funding Jammu and Kashmir has grown its registered startup base to 1,414 ventures, supported by university incubators, mentorship programmes and seed funding initiatives aimed at nurturing early-stage businesses. Cyclone Murasu forms over Bay of Bengal, may intensify into severe storm The IMD has confirmed the formation of Cyclone Murasu over the Bay of Bengal. The system is expected to strengthen into a severe cyclonic storm and is being closely monitored as it remains southeast of Chennai. (Research and VO: Siddharth Mathew Cherian)

Over 100 cancer medicines see no price reduction despite NPPA trade-margin cap Supreme Court says banks must compensate digital fraud victims where negligence is established Sebi directs mutual funds to make ‘direct’ plans the default option from November 1 Adani Group, IHCL partner to develop eight airport hotels with 2,000 rooms Over 100 cancer medicines see no price reduction despite NPPA trade-margin cap More than 100 cancer medicines included in the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority’s revised pricing list have not registered a price reduction despite the Centre’s recent move to cap trade margins on certain oncology drugs. Healthcare experts have questioned whether trade-margin caps are the most effective tool to improve affordability, particularly for patented medicines. Industry representatives say many innovator drug companies were already operating within the prescribed limits, limiting the impact of the measure. Supreme Court says banks must compensate digital fraud victims where negligence is established The Supreme Court has said banks must compensate victims of digital fraud if investigations determine that financial losses resulted from failures in due diligence. The court also called for the RBI’s proposed framework on digital fraud to include enforceable provisions for compensation, preventive action and institutional accountability. Sebi directs mutual funds to make ‘direct’ plans the default option from November 1 Sebi has directed mutual fund houses to make direct plans the default investment option on their websites from November 1. Direct plans carry lower expense ratios as they do not include distributor commissions. The regulator has also mandated greater disclosure of costs, requiring investors opting for regular plans to be informed of the higher expenses and ensuring commissions paid to distributors are reflected in consolidated account statements for SIP investments. Adani Group, IHCL partner to develop eight airport hotels with 2,000 rooms Adani Group has partnered with Indian Hotels Company Limited to develop eight hotels on airport-owned land across Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Lucknow and Guwahati. The project will add around 2,000 rooms over the next three to four years and is expected to strengthen commercial development around Adani-operated airports.

Jio Platforms becomes 2nd most valuable Indian firm by market cap after terrific debut Jio Platforms became India’s second most valuable listed company after a strong stock market debut on Wednesday. The Reliance Industries-backed digital services company closed nearly 27 per cent above its IPO price of ₹1,119, giving it a market capitalisation of more than ₹13 lakh crore. Jio Platforms now ranks behind only Reliance Industries in terms of market value among Indian companies. Air India Group’s Q1 FY27 loss doubles to over ₹6,000 crore Air India Group’s net loss widened to more than ₹6,000 crore in the first quarter of FY27, more than double the loss recorded during the same period a year ago. According to industry sources, foreign exchange fluctuations, elevated fuel prices and airspace restrictions weighed heavily on the airline’s financial performance. Fuel now accounts for more than half of the group’s operating expenditure, with higher jet fuel costs continuing to pressure profitability. TVS Motor Company to demerge consumer finance and related businesses into a separate entity TVS Motor Company has approved the demerger of its consumer finance and related businesses into a separate holding company. The move is aimed at creating greater strategic focus and unlocking value for shareholders. Under the proposed scheme, existing shareholders will receive an equal number of shares in the new entity, allowing them to participate in the growth of both the mobility and finance businesses. DPDP Act does not infringe press freedom, says Vaishnaw; Centre open to changes Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has said the Digital Personal Data Protection Act does not affect freedom of the press, responding to concerns from news publishers over its potential impact on investigative reporting. He reiterated that journalistic freedom is guaranteed under the Constitution and said there is no intention to restrict media independence, while also indicating that the government remains open to addressing stakeholder concerns. (Research and VO: Siddharth Mathew Cherian)

The Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI) plans to expand its mutual fund training programme to Chhattisgarh, Gujarat and other Sstates after more than 19,500 students in Andhra Pradesh and Bihar cleared the investor awareness test. In an interaction with businessline, Venkat Chalasani, Chief Executive, AMFI, said the association also plans to pilot its Tarun Yojana programme in 15 districts, targeting students in Classes VIII and IX to teach them basic financial concepts. AMFI has adopted four Sstates — Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha and Meghalaya — using different models to train students on mutual funds and career opportunities in the sector.