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Sensex today | Stock Market LIVE: Sensex falls 295 points, Nifty slips below 24,300 in early trade

Sensex Today, Nifty 50 | Stock Market Live updates - Find here all the live updates related to Sensex, Nifty, BSE, NSE, share prices and Indian stock markets for 17th August 2026. “Investor attention in the coming week is likely to remain firmly focused on developments surrounding the Strait of Hormuz and the broader U.S.–Iran standoff,” said Ponmudi R, CEO - Enrich Money. Shipping disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz continue to sustain a geopolitical risk premium in energy markets, making developments in the region the principal driver of global risk sentiment, he said. Markets closed the week on a cautious note Friday, with the Nifty 50 falling for the fourth consecutive session as elevated crude oil prices and escalating geopolitical tensions in the West Asia kept investor appetite suppressed, even as Wall Street logged record closes overnight. The Nifty 50 settled at 24,366, down 29.85 points or 0.12 per cent, while the BSE Sensex declined 70.71 points or 0.09 per cent to close at 78,009. The index ended the week 0.83 per cent lower, oscillating within a narrow 100-point band through the session before a modest 10-point recovery during the Closing Auction Session limited further damage. ​Lalithaa Jewellery’s 1,700-crore IPO opens today at ₹190-201 price bandLalithaa Jewellery Mart Ltd ’s ₹1,700-crore initial public offering opens today at a price band of ₹190- ₹201 and closes on Wednesday. The IPO is a fresh issue of up to ₹1200 crore and an offer-for-sale up to ₹500.00 crore by promoter of the company, M Kiran Kumar Jain. The Valkyrie Bitcoin Miners ETF (WGMI) has surged nearly 97% over the past year, even as Bitcoin has fallen 46%. The sharp divergence reflects how Bitcoin miners are changing their business models, with companies such as Riot, Core Scientific and IREN increasingly signing AI and data-center deals. As a result, WGMI is no longer behaving like a simple leveraged bet on Bitcoin and is becoming increasingly tied to the broader AI infrastructure and data-center trend. Meanwhile, Bitcoin edged higher from its weekly lows after U.S. July PPI data came in softer than expected. Producer prices rose 4.7% year-over-year, below the 4.9% forecast, while the monthly increase was 0.2%. The cooler inflation reading reduced expectations of further Fed tightening, supporting U.S. equities and giving Bitcoin some room to recover. Bitcoin after making the all time high of $126,199 witnessed a sharp fall. The price corrected almost by 52% and made a low of $60,000. Post this move, the asset gave a relief rally up to $82,850. However, the bulls failed to manage the grip on the asset and the prices witnessed another correction making a recent low of $57,800. Currently, BTC is consolidating and trading in a range from $61,000 to $66,500 with declining volumes. Breakouts on either side of the range with good volumes will further decide the trend for the asset. The geopolitical tensions in the Middle East remain elevated this week, impacting crude oil and global commodity prices. Inflation numbers cooled slightly in both India and the US. While overall inflation remained at elevated levels, the relatively flat readings supported the case for stable policy rates in the near term. Lower-than-expected payroll numbers also reduced expectations of a rate hike by the Fed, which supported capital flows into emerging markets. FII activity over the past 2–3 weeks has remained supportive of the Indian market across capitalisations. We believe these fund flows could help resolve mispricing across sectors such as financials, infrastructure, business services, power and select capital goods, where earnings visibility and structural growth drivers remain encouraging. Gold approaches $4,400 as traders analyze the Federal Reserve's interest-rate strategy amid cooling economic indicators. Top gainers of Nifty 50: Hindalco (+1.02%), Eicher Motors (+0.99%), M&M (+0.65%), Apollo Hospitals (+0.60%) Sensex fell 295.50 pts or 0.38% to 77,713.75 at 9.16 am after opening at 77,892.92 from the previous close of 78,009.25. Nitfy 50 depreciated 67.85 pts or 0.28% to 24,298.15. The dollar weakened against most of its major peers after weak US economic data reduced bets on a Federal Reserve interest-rate hike next month.

Sensex today | Stock Market LIVE: Sensex falls 295 points, Nifty slips below 24,300 in early trade
North America
CNBC Finance

Rockstar Energy founder builds Celsius stake, wants to take over as CEO

The billionaire founder of Rockstar Energy has purchased millions of shares of Celsius Holdings and is calling for the ouster of that company's CEO after its earnings miss this week. Russ Savage now controls more than 12 million shares of Celsius, he told CNBC. Celsius markets its energy drinks to athletes and health-conscious consumers and has exploded in popularity in recent years. Savage founded Rockstar in 2001 and sold it to PepsiCo in 2020 for a final purchase price of more than $4 billion, he said. Savage's stake in Celsius amounts to roughly 4.7% of the company and would be worth about $300 million at current stock levels. While Savage has been quietly advising Celsius to change its cost structure and marketing strategy for over a year, he now says new leadership is needed. "The CEO, the COO, the brand manager and the marketing manager all need to be fired," Savage told CNBC. Celsius said in response that it is seeing continued demand and resilience across its base. "We welcome ideas that are potentially value-creating from all Celsius Holdings shareholders," a company spokesperson said in a statement. "We remain focused on executing our total energy portfolio strategy to drive durable, long-term growth. Members of our Board and management team have engaged with Russ Savage many times over the past several years." Celsius shares plunged 18% on Thursday after the company's second-quarter earnings missed analyst expectations, coming in at 36 cents per share versus the 43 cents expected by Wall Street, according to LSEG. Revenue of $817.9 million fell below the $870 million expected, and net income attributable to common shareholders fell by more than half compared to last year's second quarter. On the company's earnings call, Celsius Chairman and CEO John Fieldly cited a product rationalization program and deliberate pause in innovation as main reasons for the shortfall. He said the company was managing the integration of Alani Nu, which it acquired last year for $1.8 billion, and of the Rockstar brand in the U.S. and Canada, which it acquired from Pepsi also last year as part of a long-term strategic partnership. Fieldly said on the earnings call that the company may have been overly aggressive in reducing the number of products being sold to make way for newer lines. Still, he said, the company sells 1 out of every 5 energy drinks in the U.S., and the sector remains strong. "We are a key growth driver for the energy category, and we are just beginning to unlock the full potential of our expanding portfolio," Fieldly said. Savage, who was born Russell Weiner and started Rockstar with a $50,000 mortgage against his California condo, said he offered advice to Celsius over a year ago, but was largely ignored. He said Celsius has too many layers of management, with too many costs, and no real accountability.

Rockstar Energy founder builds Celsius stake, wants to take over as CEO
North America
CNBC Finance

The divide between Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk is widening after their latest earnings

Both Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk beat second-quarter estimates and raised their full-year outlooks. But while investors cheered Lilly's results, sending shares higher on Wednesday, they punished Novo a day earlier — underscoring a growing divide in Wall Street's confidence in the two obesity drug leaders. As Lilly continues to exceed expectations and widen its edge in the obesity drug space, Novo is still racing to win back market share, restore investor confidence in its pipeline and chart a clear path toward long-term growth. "While Novo raised guidance (as expected), the pipeline and path to sustainable growth remain less clear," BMO Capital Markets analyst Evan Seigerman said in a research note on Wednesday. At stake is a global market that some analysts expect to be worth more than $100 billion by the 2030s. In the U.S., Lilly held a 60.9% share of the obesity and diabetes drug market in the second quarter, compared with Novo's 38.8%, according to Lilly's earnings presentation Wednesday. Lilly reported another quarter of blistering growth, with resilient demand for its blockbuster diabetes treatment Mounjaro and obesity drug Zepbound pushing revenue up 48% from a year ago. The company also hiked its full-year revenue guidance, reinforcing investor confidence that its treatments can sustain their sales momentum despite lower prices in the U.S. — an issue that Novo is also facing. "The print reinforces our view that Lilly remains best positioned to capture the majority of global incretin market growth," Bernstein analyst Courtney Breen said in a note on Wednesday, referring to the obesity and diabetes drug space. Novo also topped Wall Street's expectations and lifted its full-year outlook Tuesday, citing "increased expectations" for GLP-1 product sales. Analysts said Novo benefited from rebate adjustments and other temporary factors during the quarter. Sales of the company's diabetes drug Ozempic and overall obesity portfolio exceeded analyst estimates for the quarter, according to StreetAccount. But investors appeared less focused on what Novo delivered this quarter and more on concerns about what comes next. "All in all this leaves many questions open for 2027," said Jefferies analyst Michael Leuchten in a research note on Tuesday. Revenue of Novo's closely watched Wegovy pill came in slightly below analyst expectations. That disappointed some investors and raised questions about whether it can become a big enough growth driver for the company. "Wegovy Pill launch has shown promise, but 2Q results in the US highlight that more needs to be done to satisfy investors and truly beat expectations," Seigerman said.

The divide between Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk is widening after their latest earnings
North America
CNBC Economy

U.S. economy unexpectedly lost 23,000 jobs in July

The U.S. economy saw an unexpected declined in jobs during July while the unemployment rate edged lower, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday in a snapshot that showed a slowing employment picture. Nonfarm payrolls fell by a seasonally adjusted 23,000 for the month, compared with a downwardly revised 20,000 for June. The Dow Jones consensus forecast had been looking for a gain of 83,000. At the same time, the unemployment rate slipped to 4.1% as the labor force participation rate fell further to 61.4%, its lowest in more than five years, another indication that fewer Americans were working or looking for jobs. In addition to the weak numbers for June and July, the final count for May was revised down to 63,000, or 66,000 lower than the prior estimate. The revised numbers brought the 12-month average down to just 34,000. "The July employment report solidified that the labor market is not out of the woods quite yet," said Nicole Bachaud, a labor economist at ZipRecruiter. The drop was led by a 50,000 decline in local government education and a loss of 19,000 retail jobs. Financial activities also posted a fall of 14,000 and leisure and hospitality lost 40,000, a possible consequence of the World Cup tournament ending. Healthcare, which has been the leading sector for job creation, rose by 22,000, which was below its 12-month average of 36,000. Construction also saw an increase of 22,000. Private payrolls did increase for the month, up 30,000 as government jobs declined by 53,000. While jobs held flat, worker pay also saw virtually no gain during the month. Average hourly earnings increased by just 2 cents, bringing the 12-month average down to 3.2%, below the forecast increase of 3.5% and the lowest since May 2021. The report comes with Federal Reserve policymakers split on where interest rates should head in an economy where the labor market had been improving from a moribund year in 2025 while inflation has remained well above the central bank's 2% target. In recent days, several Fed officials have spoken in favor of raising rates as soon as September if the pace of price increases doesn't ease. The Federal Open Market Committee last week voted 9-3 to hold its benchmark rate in place. Following the jobs report, traders shifted their bets on when the Fed might hike. Odds for a move in September fell to 44% and to 58.3% for October, according to the CME Group's FedWatch gauge of futures prices.

U.S. economy unexpectedly lost 23,000 jobs in July
Europe
BBC Business

Tributes to co-founder of John Pye auction house

Tributes have been paid to the co-founder of an auction business which grew into an "industry leading company". John Pye Auctions said on Tuesday it was with "great sadness" it announced the death of co-founder John Pye at the age of 95. The company was founded by John and Ann Pye in 1968 as a partnership named 'Furniture & General Auctions' at Nottingham's old Cattle Market site. A statement issued by the firm said "John lived a fantastic life full of laughter and hard work", adding he had a legacy "which will live on forever". "He was immensely proud of what John Pye & Sons has become, which is thanks to his determination, vision and every single one of the extended John Pye family - his colleagues over all the years," the statement added. "He founded John Pye & Sons in 1968 with just a horse and cart, and lived to see a small business grow into a British industry leading company. "Those of you who knew him or met him will know of his larger than life character, and the positive and playful impact he had on those around him. For the first two decades, the firm specialised in managing probate house clearances, cessation of business asset disposals and private chattels. In 1990, the company was incorporated as 'John Pye & Sons Limited' and relocated to larger premises at Banton House in Meadow Lane, near Notts County's stadium, to expand its client base in the East Midlands. It later acquired the former Shipstone's 'Star' Brewery site in New Basford in 1995 as the business grew in the 1990s, the company said. The company added it first moved from live traditional auctions to 24-hour timed auctions in 2007. In addition to the company's head office in Nottingham, it now has auction hubs across the country, including in Derby, Birmingham, Bo'ness and Margam, with a further site in Zaragoza, Spain.

Tributes to co-founder of John Pye auction house
North America
CNBC Finance

Burger King overtakes Wendy's as the nation's second-largest burger chain

Burger King has overtaken Wendy's as the second-largest burger chain in the U.S. by systemwide sales, retaking its crown six years after losing it to the rival chain. The change in positions follows the two companies' diverging results over the past two years. Wendy's has reported shrinking U.S. same-store sales for six straight quarters. Its domestic same-store sales slipped 7% in its latest quarter, the company reported on Friday. Meanwhile, Burger King has been embarking on a turnaround and has seen its domestic same-store sales rise over the past five quarters; the Restaurant Brands International chain on Thursday reported U.S. same-store sales growth of 8.5% for its second quarter. McDonald's holds onto its spot as the number one burger chain, with a significant lead. Although the company only reports its systemwide sales on a global basis, it held about 48% of the U.S. burger market share in 2024, according to Barclays. For comparison, at that time, Wendy's had an 11.4% share of the market, while Burger King had a 10% hold. Wendy's initially overtook Burger King through the success of its nationwide breakfast launch. But staying number two has been a rocky road. Both Wendy's and Burger King had to navigate the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent supply chain issues that led to soaring food costs. Then came the consumer pushback against rising menu prices and a pullback in restaurant spending. In late 2022, Restaurant Brands announced a turnaround plan for Burger King's U.S. business after a year of lackluster sales. The strategy has focused on improving its food quality, investing in marketing and remodeling restaurants. While Burger King tried to find its footing, Wendy's was dealing with a revolving door of chief executives at a time when consumers were growing even more value conscious and beef costs were soaring. In 2024, Wendy's longtime CEO Todd Penegor retired after eight years in the role. PepsiCo executive Kirk Tanner succeeded him but left after a little more than a year to lead Hershey's. CFO Ken Cook took over as interim CEO until Wendy's tapped former Potbelly CEO Bob Wright as his permanent replacement in May. "Our quality differentiation has eroded, our value proposition has weakened, and we have not consistently delivered the experience customers expect from Wendy's," Wright said on the company's earnings conference call on Friday. "These issues have weighed on traffic and created pressure on the restaurant economic model, which is the heartbeat of this business, and this is reflected in our latest results." Now Wendy's is planning to embark on its own turnaround to revive sales, meaning that Burger King can't rest on its laurels.

Burger King overtakes Wendy's as the nation's second-largest burger chain
North America
CNBC Economy

Here are three key takeaways from the disappointing July jobs report

Nonfarm payrolls in the U.S. unexpectedly declined in July, but so did the unemployment rate, leaving investors with mixed signals on how to process the latest jobs report. "This report is like a hall of mirrors, tricking investors with different signals about whether labor's recovery is stalling." — Kevin Gordon, head of macro research and strategy at the Schwab Center for Financial Research. "We agree that the [July] jobs report was a bit dovish on net. But we are sticking with our call that the Fed will hike by 75 [basis points] this year, starting in [September]. The Fed is likely to remain more focused on inflation than labor. The [July] CPI report is a bigger event than today's jobs numbers." — Aditya Bhave, U.S. economist, Bank of America. "Although the stock market is likely to welcome the dovish implications of the report, investors should be wary of the future growth potential of an economy where fewer people are working." — Peter Graf, chief Investment officer at Amova Asset Management Americas. Get this delivered to your inbox, and more info about our products and services. Data is a real-time snapshot *Data is delayed at least 15 minutes. Global Business and Financial News, Stock Quotes, and Market Data and Analysis.

Here are three key takeaways from the disappointing July jobs report
North America
CNBC Finance

Restaurant Brands International earnings beat as Burger King's U.S. business soars

Restaurant Brands International on Thursday reported quarterly earnings that topped analysts' expectations, fueled by strong growth for the once-struggling Burger King, both domestically and abroad. "Burger King's performance is a great example of what's possible when you invest in the fundamentals and execute well – an approach we're applying across all of our brands," Restaurant Brands CEO Josh Kobza said in a statement. Restaurant Brands reported second-quarter net income attributable to shareholders of $507 million, or $1.45 per share, up from $189 million, or 57 cents per share, a year earlier. Excluding transaction costs, advisory fees and other items, the company earned $1.07 per share. Burger King's U.S. same-store sales climbed 8.5%. In recent quarters, the burger chain's turnaround has taken hold in its home market. Restaurant renovations, sharper marketing, and a focus on core menu items like the Whopper have helped Burger King steal market share. Rival McDonald's reported U.S. same-store sales growth of just 0.8% in its second quarter, for comparison. Executives said that they were disappointed by the performance, and McDonald's tapped a new U.S. president to help accelerate its sales. Burger King is also seeing strong results outside of the U.S. Restaurant Brands said international Burger King restaurants saw same-store sales growth of 5.4% during the quarter. Tim Hortons' same-store sales in Canada and overall were essentially flat for the quarter, while Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen reported U.S. same-store sales declines of 5.2%. The fried chicken chain has struggled in recent quarters as more restaurants compete for a smaller pool of diners, who have grown increasingly value conscious. Get this delivered to your inbox, and more info about our products and services. Data is a real-time snapshot *Data is delayed at least 15 minutes. Global Business and Financial News, Stock Quotes, and Market Data and Analysis.

Restaurant Brands International earnings beat as Burger King's U.S. business soars
North America
CNBC Finance

Companies scoff at airlines' cheapest business class tickets. 'The real value is flexibility'

CHICAGO — No advanced seat selection, lounge access or flight changes included with a C-suite executive's business-class ticket? Absolutely not, some companies say. Delta Air Lines joined United Airlines last month in launching stripped-down business-class fares for certain flights, taking the same approach they used to carve up coach class to their more expensive cabins as carriers get customers to pay more for perks in the sky. AerSale — which leases aircraft and engines and offers maintenance and other services — likely won't block basic premium options altogether for its hundreds of traveling employees. But those tickets would be impractical for many of its workers, said Jackie Carlon, the Doral, Florida-based company's senior vice president of marketing and communications. "The real value is flexibility," Carlon said. "Paying a bit more, it's not necessarily a cost to us — it's insurance." With the new fares, the cheapest option for long-haul international flights won't come with things like access to an airport lounge or the ability to pick a seat for free in advance. Perhaps most important for business travel, no changes are allowed without paying a fee on top of a difference in fare. Delta said change fees for basic business class could range from none at all up to $400, depending on the route, and from $99 to as much as $500 for cancellations. Because work trips can change on a dime, a restrictive ticket in business class can cost a company even more if travelers have to buy a whole new flight. Only a small proportion of a corporation's business travelers usually fly in top-tier cabins, but the higher fares could further drive up travel costs. The difference in fares, meanwhile, could be several hundred dollars to close to $1,000, if not more. On United, for example, the least expensive fare in the airlines' lie-flat pod Polaris cabin doesn't come with access to the Polaris business-class airport lounge, which features a bar, sit-down dining, a rest area, showers and other amenities. The traveler also can't pick a seat in advance without paying a fee and no changes are allowed. Travelers can cancel the flight with a fee. United doesn't disclose its fees for the new fares, and a spokeswoman said the amounts vary. For a flight going from Newark, New Jersey, to London Heathrow on Oct. 1 and returning Oct. 8, the "base" Polaris ticket was going for $4,490, while the standard fare was $4,890, and it was $5,390 for a flexible, refundable ticket. "We support our corporate travel partners by giving them full control over which fare products are available to their business travelers based on their own policies and business objectives," Delta said in a statement. "We continue to see strong demand for premium travel." Dane Molter, senior vice president at Navan Group Travel Marketplace, which reported $9.1 billion in gross booking volume in the 12 months ended Jan. 31, said clients who use the platform are seeking more detailed policy controls that could determine which fare an employee books for a trip.

Companies scoff at airlines' cheapest business class tickets. 'The real value is flexibility'