Business and Finance

Today the relationship between time and what customers expect has changed completely. Over the last few years I have seen how things like fast replies and being available 24/7 are no longer special features. Instead they have become the basic requirements for any business to stay alive.

The landscape of Bihar is changing. For decades, the state was viewed through a lens of stagnation, but recent years have painted a drastically different picture. With massive infrastructure overhauls, the expansion of road networks like the Purvanchal Expressway connectivity, and the upcoming Patna Metro, the Real estate industry in Bihar is witnessing a golden era. For investors and homebuyers alike, the question is no longer if they should invest in Bihar, but where and with whom.

Google co-founder Sergey Brin has surged past Jeff Bezos and Larry Ellison to claim the title of the world's third-wealthiest person, according to Forbes, following Alphabet Inc. crossing the $4 trillion market capitalization threshold on Monday.

India is poised for robust foreign direct investment growth in 2026, building on a record USD 80.62 billion in FDI inflows during 2024-25. The optimism stems from major investment commitments by global technology giants, newly implemented trade agreements, and sustained government reforms aimed at improving ease of doing business.​

India announced reforms on Wednesday to simplify import quality checks, the latest effort to break a months-long deadlock with Washington over punitive tariffs that have reached 50 percent on Indian goods.​

Nissan shares tumbled over 6% on Tuesday after Mercedes-Benz announced plans to sell its entire 3.8% stake worth approximately $346 million in the struggling Japanese automaker. Trading at 341 yen by midday, the shares marked their steepest single-day decline since early July, underscoring mounting investor concerns about Nissan's ability to execute its ambitious turnaround plan.

American workers continue to experience eroded purchasing power four years after pandemic-driven inflation began, with wages falling 1.2 percentage points behind rising costs since early 2021, according to Bankrate's 2025 Wage to Inflation Index released August 18.

BP announced Monday its largest oil and gas discovery in 25 years, striking hydrocarbons at the Bumerangue prospect in Brazil's Santos Basin. The British energy giant found an estimated 500-meter hydrocarbon column in deep waters 404 kilometers from Rio de Janeiro, marking its tenth discovery this year.

European bank shares have surged to their highest levels since September 2008, marking a dramatic turnaround for a sector that has struggled for over a decade and a half. The STOXX 600 Europe Banks index climbed 1.9% this week, bringing year-to-date gains to nearly 38% and cementing banks as Europe's top-performing sector.

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), one of India’s largest IT services firms, is reportedly planning to implement a freeze on salary hikes and halt senior-level hiring after recently laying off approximately 12,000 employees. The move comes amid a challenging market environment impacting demand for technology services globally, coupled with a strategic focus on cost optimization by the company.

The European Commission launched an in-depth investigation on Monday into Abu Dhabi National Oil Company's 14.7 billion euro takeover of German chemicals firm Covestro, citing concerns that foreign subsidies from the United Arab Emirates could distort competition in the EU's internal market. This marks the first major test of the bloc's Foreign Subsidies Regulation for a Gulf state-backed acquisition.

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), India's largest IT services firm, will lay off approximately 12,000 employees over the course of fiscal year 2026, marking one of the most significant workforce restructuring moves in the country's IT sector. The cuts, representing 2% of TCS's global workforce of 613,069 employees, will primarily target middle and senior management positions.

The U.S. Federal Reserve’s approach to interest rates has been a major talking point in recent months, with economic analysts and financial institutions closely monitoring inflation, employment data, and market trends. In a surprising turn, Bank of America (BofA) has revised its outlook on interest rates, now predicting that the Fed will not cut rates further in 2025—a shift from earlier expectations.

NVIDIA, a global leader in AI and computing technology, has acquired Israeli AI startup Run:ai in a deal reportedly worth $700 million. This is a significant step in NVIDIA’s mission to lead the AI industry, but what does it mean for you and the tech world?

New Zealand, often celebrated for its stunning landscapes and vibrant culture, is also known for its geographic isolation. Situated in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, approximately 2,000 kilometers from Australia and over 8,000 kilometers from the nearest major landmass in Asia, New Zealand stands apart from many global events. This isolation has profound implications for its economy, technology sector, and the preferences of its people.