Latest Developments

Asia
The Economic Times

10 largecap stocks with upside potential up to 37%. Do you own any?

Analyst forecasts offer more than just numbers-- they provide a strategic view of future market potential. For investors seeking the next big opportunity, a closer look at BSE large-cap stocks reveals several promising contenders.Based on consensus estimates from Trendlyne, several large-cap stocks are projected to deliver strong returns over the next 12 months. This anticipated “upside” represents the average expected gain over the coming year, offering a data-driven benchmark for investors targeting high-potential opportunities. In this analysis, we highlighted 10 standout large-cap stocks expected to deliver gains in the 25% to 37% range over the year ahead. The stock is currently trading at Rs 748, with an average analyst target price of Rs 1,025, implying a potential upside of 37%. The stock is covered by 40 analysts, with a consensus rating of Strong Buy. The stock is currently trading at Rs 548, with an average analyst target price of Rs 749, implying a potential upside of 37%. The stock is covered by 34 analysts, with a consensus rating of Strong Buy. The stock is currently trading at Rs 515, with an average analyst target price of Rs 676, implying a potential upside of 31%. The stock is covered by 32 analysts, with a consensus rating of Buy. The stock is currently trading at Rs 1,229, with an average analyst target price of Rs 1,587, implying a potential upside of 29%. The stock is covered by 39 analysts, with a consensus rating of Strong Buy. The stock is currently trading at Rs 1,307, with an average analyst target price of Rs 1,682, implying a potential upside of 29%. The stock is covered by 31 analysts, with a consensus rating of Strong Buy. The stock is currently trading at Rs 284, with an average analyst target price of Rs 365, implying a potential upside of 28%. The stock is covered by 27 analysts, with a consensus rating of Buy. The stock is currently trading at Rs 2,680, with an average analyst target price of Rs 3,387, implying a potential upside of 26%. The stock is covered by 15 analysts, with a consensus rating of Buy. The stock is currently trading at Rs 387, with an average analyst target price of Rs 490, implying a potential upside of 26%. The stock is covered by 31 analysts, with a consensus rating of Buy. The stock is currently trading at Rs 242, with an average analyst target price of Rs 305, implying a potential upside of 26%. The stock is covered by 30 analysts, with a consensus rating of Buy. The stock is currently trading at Rs 347, with an average analyst target price of Rs 433, implying a potential upside of 25%. The stock is covered by 27 analysts, with a consensus rating of Strong Buy.

10 largecap stocks with upside potential up to 37%. Do you own any?
Europe
The Guardian

Fed holds interest rates steady despite Trump’s renewed calls to lower them

Kevin Warsh, the Fed chair, at a news conference on Wednesday. Photograph: Annabelle Gordon/UPI/ShutterstockView image in fullscreenKevin Warsh, the Fed chair, at a news conference on Wednesday. Photograph: Annabelle Gordon/UPI/ShutterstockUS economyFed holds interest rates steady despite Trump’s renewed calls to lower themRates remain unchanged for fifth time since December as tenuous Iran peace deal pushes energy prices up again The US Federal Reserve held interest rates steady on Wednesday in a divided vote, indicating growing pressure on the central bank to address heightened inflation. The Fed’s federal open market committee voted 9-3 to maintain rates, with three dissenting members indicating a preference to raise the rate by a quarter-percentage point. It was the first time in a decade that three board members shared dissent over a policy decision. Cooler inflation data published earlier this month may have eased expectations for an imminent rate hike, but Kevin Warsh, the new Fed chair, said in a news conference that the committee was less interested in “any one piece of data” and was more focused on overall trends. The tenuous peace deal between the US and Iran has also sent energy prices creeping up again. Warsh has repeated that he wants policy decisions to emerge from a “good family fight” and said on Wednesday he “got one” during his second Fed meeting as chair. “Most of our discussion was on the big questions that matter to the conduct of monetary policy,” Warsh said. “We didn’t hide from them. We weren’t scared of them. There was a lot more interaction between my colleagues, it was a real family fight. My view, which you’ve long heard, is that’s the better way to get policy right.” Just two weeks ago, one of the dissenting bank presidents, Lorie Logan of Dallas, made the case for “modestly higher interest rates”, arguing in public remarks that they would better balance the “outlook and risks” for the Fed’s dual mandate of maximum employment and price stability. “Inflation has been too high, for too long, and does not appear to be on track all the way back to 2%,” she said. “And the inflation risks are to the upside. The labor market, meanwhile, is solid. Without any policy restraint, these conditions are likely to continue until there’s an unanticipated shock.” Logan joined Beth Hammack in Cleveland and Neel Kashkari in Minneapolis in the dissenting minority. The three bank presidents have formed a bloc before, most recently in April when they all disagreed with the committee’s decision to include a forward looking statement, or “easing bias”, in the Fed’s news release. Though Warsh was adamant about delivering price stability in Wednesday’s news conference, it was unclear exactly what tools he planned to use to achieve that goal. While he said that interest rates could be used as “part of that solution”, he added: “I wouldn’t say it’s in isolation.” Warsh has signaled he is ushering in a new era at the central bank, one that emphasizes a reservedness toward forward guidance. At his first meeting in June, he announced five new taskforces – comprising economics professors, business leaders and former central bank governors – that are meant to rethink how the Fed approaches its communications, data, balance sheet policy, inflation framework and the impact of artificial intelligence on its policy judgments. The US-Israel war with Iran, which has endured since the end of February, has pushed energy prices higher for American households and businesses.

Fed holds interest rates steady despite Trump’s renewed calls to lower them
Europe
BBC Business

'No magic wand' to tackle high prices, Fed boss says as US interest rates held

The boss of the Federal Reserve said there is no "magic wand" to ease the cost of living for Americans as it held interest rates steady for the fifth time in a row. Rates were left unchanged, as broadly expected, between 3.5% and 3.75% on Wednesday, but concerns inflation could increase in the coming months due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East remain. Fed chairman Kevin Warsh repeated his pledge to bring down inflation but admitted it would take time. Prices in the US have been rising at a rate above the Fed's 2% target for more than five years. Policymakers voted 9-3 in favour of keeping interest rates on hold, with the three voting against pushing for a small hike. The decision comes amid growing uncertainty over the impact of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East on global oil prices and prices for consumers. On Wednesday, Brent crude, the global benchmark for oil prices rose by more than 6% to above $89 a barrel. Despite inflation falling to 3.5% in the year to June, the rate prices are rising at remains above the Fed's 2% target. Last month's lower rate of inflation does not mean prices are falling, but that they are rising at a slower rate. Interest rate hikes are a tool used by central banks aiming to slow the pace prices are rising in the shops. By pushing up the cost of borrowing for things such as mortgages, loans and credit cards, central bankers hope consumers will spend less and the rate of price increases will slow. Given the volatile situation in the Middle East, there was some speculation that the Fed may opt to raise rates in advance of future spikes in energy and food costs. Asked why the Fed did not increase rates, newly-appointed chair Warsh said that, while there was "impatience" being felt by households and businesses over high prices, his board had only been in position for eight-and-a-half weeks. "We are on the job, we will deliver, we are focused like a laser on making sure we can do it, but the suggestion we are going to be able to wave with our magic wand is one I want to disabuse you and everyone else of," he told a press conference. The Fed acknowledged that inflation remained "elevated", which it said was in part due to rising energy prices, but said US economic activity was expanding at a "solid pace despite uncertainty caused by the conflict in the Middle East". Warsh said he had wanted to and succeeded in having a "family fight" with his fellow policymakers on the rates decision.

'No magic wand' to tackle high prices, Fed boss says as US interest rates held
Asia
The Economic Times

Mutual fund NFOs: 7 new funds will open for subscription this week. Check dates

Around seven new funds will open for subscription this week. Fund houses launch new funds to complete their bouquet of offerings. Here is a detailed breakup of NFO period, minimum investment amount, according to Value Research. Kotak Nifty Bank Index Fund will open for subscription on August 3 and will close on August 17. The minimum investment amount will be Rs 1,000. Motilal Oswal Nifty Metal ETF and Motilal Oswal Nifty Oil & Gas ETF will open and close for subscription on August 3. The minimum investment amount will be Rs 10. AlphaGrep Liquid Omni FoF will open for subscription on August 4 and will close on August 6. The minimum investment amount will be Rs 500. JioBlackRock Nifty 50 ETF will open for subscription on August 4 and will close on August 11. The minimum investment amount will be Rs 500. Edelweiss Nifty REITs & Realty Index Fund will open for subscription on August 5 and will close on August 19. The minimum investment amount will be Rs 100. Franklin India Short Term Fund will open for subscription on August 5 and will close on August 11. The minimum investment amount will be Rs 5,000.

Mutual fund NFOs: 7 new funds will open for subscription this week. Check dates
North America
CNBC Finance

Rivian reduces 2026 spending plans, narrows earnings guidance

Rivian Automotive reduced its 2026 spending plans and slightly narrowed its previously forecast losses this year as the company reported second-quarter results Thursday. The revised guidance now includes adjusted losses between $1.8 billion and $2 billion, down from $1.8 billion to $2.1 billion, and capital expenditures of $1.7 billion to $1.8 billion, down from $1.95 billion to $2.05 billion. It reconfirmed a previously raised delivery target of 65,000 to 70,000 vehicles to customers. Rivian said the $250 million reduction in capital spending at the mid-point was enabled by "project efficiencies and timing of spend," which the automaker previously increased to allow for added investments in new technologies such as its hands-free driving system. The company's gross profit, which is closely watched by investors, was $179 million compared with a loss of $206 million a year earlier. That included a $36 million loss for its automotive segment and a $215 million profit for its software and services division. Rivian's second-quarter revenue included $1.14 billion from automotive and $515 million from software and services. The results were slightly higher than its pre-released second-quarter revenue expectations of between $1.55 billion and $1.65 billion that were released last month in conjunction with disclosing a public offering of 75 million shares of its Class A common stock. Automotive revenue increased 23% year over year, primarily due to a 14% increase in vehicle deliveries and a $103 million increase in revenues related to regulatory credits, the company said. Rivian's net loss attributable to common stockholders during the second quarter was $837 million, or 63 cents a share, a $278 million, or 34 cent per share, improvement compared with the second quarter of 2025. Rivian previously said the raised delivery guidance was driven by higher deliveries during the second quarter of its electric delivery van and flagship R1 products. The company also started delivering its midsize R2 SUV during the quarter. It's ramping up production of that vehicle at its sole production plant in Normal, Illinois, which has capacity to produce 160,000 of the vehicles annually. "Incredibly excited with R2 now getting into customers' hands, and the overall feedback and response to the product has just been outstanding," Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe told CNBC's Phil LeBeau on Thursday. "And so, of course, that's a major step for us on our path to profitability." Scaringe has said Rivian will reach profitability this year on a per-unit production basis with the R2, a smaller and less expensive sibling to its current luxury R1S SUV. But he said the company needs more scale than the 160,000 units already planned for the vehicle at its current plant to achieve profitability. Rivian on Thursday reconfirmed its cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments balance was an estimated $5.3 billion, up from $4.8 billion to end the first quarter.

Rivian reduces 2026 spending plans, narrows earnings guidance
Asia
The Economic Times

11 penny stocks surged up to 198% in 6 months. Do you own any?

Over the past six months, 11 penny stocks delivered returns ranging from 19% to 198%. The stocks were screened using the following criteria: market capitalisation below Rs 1,000 crore, share price under Rs 20, and a minimum latest trading volume of 5 lakh shares. The screen highlights actively traded low-priced micro-cap stocks that have generated strong gains.While penny stocks can offer significant upside potential, they also carry substantial risks, including low liquidity, sharp price volatility, and limited financial transparency. Investors should conduct thorough due diligence and follow prudent risk management before investing in this segment. (Source: ACE Equity)

11 penny stocks surged up to 198% in 6 months. Do you own any?
North America
Yahoo Finance

QQQI’s 14% Yield Hides a Costly Truth: 98% Is Your Own Money Coming Back

The NEOS Nasdaq-100 High Income ETF (NASDAQ:QQQI) sells one story on its factsheet: a monthly check tied to a roughly 14% distribution rate. What the headline yield leaves out is where the cash actually comes from, and how much upside a holder is quietly handing to option buyers every time the Nasdaq rips higher. QQQI carries a 0.68% gross and net expense ratio, disclosed in the fund’s May 2026 prospectus. That is $68 a year for every $10,000 invested, skimmed daily from NAV before a distribution ever lands in your account. Compounded over decades, that drag accumulates against the very NAV that generates the option income. Compare that to owning the underlying Nasdaq-100 through the Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ:QQQ), which charges a fraction of that fee. The fee gap is only the visible part of the bill. The anatomy of the distribution tells a different story than the headline. Reporting from May 2026 flagged that roughly 98% of recent QQQI payouts were classified as return of capital. Return of capital is your own principal being handed back to you rather than income in the economic sense. It lowers your cost basis and defers a tax bill you will still owe when you sell. The portion that is not return of capital gets favorable treatment through Section 1256 contracts, which are taxed 60% at long-term capital gains rates and 40% at short-term rates, regardless of holding period. That is genuinely useful in a taxable account. It is also the piece the marketing leans on hardest, while return of capital does most of the actual delivery. Then there is the upside you never see. In the trailing year through July 28, 2026, QQQI’s price returned 13.48%. QQQ returned 18.89% over the same window. Year to date, QQQI is up 4.94% against QQQ’s 9.96%. The call overlay caps a melt-up: every dollar of Nasdaq gain above the strike price accrues to the option buyer, not the QQQI holder. One analyst pegged the strong-market give-up at 6.5% in forgone upside. The monthly cadence adds friction. QQQI has paid a distribution roughly every four weeks since inception, ranging from $0.5309 in April 2025 to $0.6589 in May 2026. Each payment is a taxable or basis-reducing event a holder must track. That is thirteen 1099 line items a year, not one. A holder who wants monthly income from Nasdaq exposure with a simpler tax profile has the JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF (NASDAQ:JEPQ), which analysts describe as a cheaper alternative with more straightforward tax treatment. The trade-off is real: JEPQ typically distributes less than QQQI’s headline yield. But the yield gap narrows quickly once return of capital, the fund’s fee, and forgone appreciation are all priced in. QQQI has pulled in roughly $13 billion in assets because a high headline yield in a fund name is very hard to ignore. However, the question remains: If you strip out the principal being returned to you, and price in the upside the call overlay quietly hands to option buyers, is the after-tax cash flow from QQQI actually better than owning QQQ and selling shares when you need income? The answer depends on your tax bracket and your view of the next Nasdaq rally, and the fund’s factsheet will not compute that for you.

QQQI’s 14% Yield Hides a Costly Truth: 98% Is Your Own Money Coming Back
Asia
The Hindu BusinessLine

From weather forecasts to climate resilience: The future of farming in India

The South-West monsoon is testing India’s preparedness yet again. In the third week of July 2026, flash floods and landslides across Jammu & Kashmir, Nagaland and Assam claimed more than two dozen lives, displaced over 57,000 people, and damaged more than 3,900 hectares of standing crops in Assam alone within days. When water rises, rural India and its food systems absorb the first shock. India’s forecasting capability has never been stronger. IMD’s Mausamgram portal delivers village-level forecasts at hourly to six-hourly intervals for up to ten days ahead. The Ministry of Panchayati Raj’s Gram Manchitra platform gives Gram Panchayats a single-window geospatial planning system spanning 29 sectors. They are public goods. Yet a forecast, however precise, informs farmers about weather, not how water will affect their trade and livelihood once it reaches the ground. There is a distinction between information, intelligence, and actionable decisions. Early warning systems alert villages about weather, while risk and vulnerability assessments using climate indicators, geospatial (GIS) maps and community surveys guide statutory budget allocation. Both are necessary, but neither guarantees the right decisions. A farmer who knows heavy rainfall is approaching in 72 hours needs to know which plot to protect, where to move the harvest, which fields will waterlog, which godown sits in the flood path, and which road fails first. Flood losses extend beyond farm plots. Grain in low-lying godowns is lost to inundation, damaged roads prevent farmers from reaching mandis, perishables crash locally while urban prices spike, and smallholders sell distressed produce when cash needs are highest. Yet mandis, warehouses and procurement centres remain absent from planning datasets, even as banks, schools and PDS outlets are mapped. Climate resilience cannot stop at the farm plot. Flood-resilient warehousing, hazard-informed siting of procurement centres, and pre-positioned logistics planning must become standard practice. The intersection of information, intelligence, and actionable decisions is climate resilience. A platform approach is needed to bridge forecasts and preparedness decisions across the food value chain, from farmland to warehouses, food godowns, transport corridors and procurement centres. Risk exposure must be assessed dynamically as climate and land development evolve. Static snapshots mislead decisions. The platform should integrate early warnings with climate risk and socio-economic vulnerability to enable timely, targeted, plot-level decisions throughout the year. Resilience is built or broken at the village level. Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) can aggregate produce before forecast flood windows, negotiate safe storage, and help members document losses for crop insurance. Panchayat-level risk maps can guide community grain banks, shelters and raised livestock platforms. Climate adaptation finance remains the missing piece. Who pays for a decision platform across the food value chain is yet to be established. Expecting farmers to fund such systems ignores low digital adoption and post-disaster incentive dependence. A study of 5,709 farmers across Sub-Saharan Africa found that while Weather and Climate Information Services strengthen resilience, willingness to pay remains too low to sustain business models relying solely on farmers. India already possesses highly capable forecasting institutions, a maturing geospatial ecosystem, and an unmatched network of rural collectives. The future of farming depends on connecting them faster so the next red alert triggers not only evacuation but coordinated protection of crops, stocks, markets and incomes. A commercially sustainable decision system, used by authorities, Farmer Producer Organisations and food value chain operators, can enable decisions at every plot and storage unit. A single platform-observed flood, heatwave, landslide or drought can replace slow field surveys, putting money in farmers’ hands within days instead of seasons. It should not stop at forecasting the weather, but decide what the weather is allowed to take from us. Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments. We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of TheHindu Businessline and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.

From weather forecasts to climate resilience: The future of farming in India
Asia
The Hindu BusinessLine

Singapore Good Soil Foundation Hosts Third Next Generation Philanthropy Leadership Program at the University of Hong Kong, Empowering the Next Generation of Global Changemakers

HONG KONG , Aug. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Singapore Good Soil Foundation successfully concluded the third edition of its Next Generation Philanthropy Leadership Program at The University of Hong Kong, marking the program's first international edition since its launch. Centered on the theme "Art + AI for Social Good," the five-day immersive program brought together 58 in-person Student Fellows and 45 online participants from Singapore, Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR, the United States, the United Kingdom, Thailand, and Kenya. Through interdisciplinary learning in artificial intelligence, leadership, social innovation, and the arts, Student Fellows explored how technology and creativity can be harnessed to address real-world challenges and create lasting social impact. Following two successful editions at the National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University, the program continues to grow into an international platform connecting young people who aspire to lead with purpose and create positive change in their communities. The Singapore Good Soil Foundation believes that education is not simply about transferring knowledge. It is about empowering young people to use knowledge, technology, and creativity in service of humanity. Philanthropy is not merely about giving. It is about expanding human possibility. This year's program welcomed three scholarship recipients from remote rural communities in China. Coming from under-resourced communities, they received full scholarships covering travel, accommodation, and program expenses, enabling them to learn alongside outstanding students from around the world. Beyond learning about artificial intelligence, leadership, and social innovation, the Next Generation Philanthropy Leadership Program aims to equip Student Fellows to become future philanthropic leaders who will one day return to their communities and create opportunities for others. For the Singapore Good Soil Foundation, philanthropy is about more than transforming individual lives. It is about empowering individuals to become catalysts for positive change within their communities and beyond. Nine alumni from previous cohorts returned as Teaching Assistants, mentoring student teams throughout the program. Outstanding university students from Nanyang Technological University, Yale University, and Xiamen University also returned to share their experiences of university life, leadership, and community engagement. The Singapore Good Soil Foundation believes that some of the most meaningful learning happens when young people inspire one another. The program featured speakers from the fields of philanthropy, artificial intelligence, entrepreneurship, design, and communication.

Singapore Good Soil Foundation Hosts Third Next Generation Philanthropy Leadership Program at the University of Hong Kong, Empowering the Next Generation of Global Changemakers