Discover the top business headlines that are trending across the world today!
The United States has officially opened online registrations for the Fiscal Year 2026 Diversity Visa (DV) lottery, providing foreign nationals an opportunity to apply for a green card. Applicants must submit their entries by noon EST on November 5, 2024.
This year's DV lottery will allocate up to 55,000 green cards through a random selection process. Results will be announced in May 2025, with successful participants able to begin their green card applications starting October 2, 2025. The DV lottery is limited to individuals from countries with historically low immigration rates to the U.S., excluding those from nations with higher immigration figures.
As tensions between Iran and Israel intensify, the domestic stock market is feeling the strain, with the Sensex dropping by more than 1,400 points.
This sharp fall has raised concerns among investors, who are worried about the potential impact on the Indian economy.
By around 1:23 pm, the Sensex had fallen by 1,528.59 points, standing at 82,737.70, while the NSE Nifty50 had dropped 470.05 points to 25,326.85.
The combined market capitalisation of companies listed on the BSE saw a significant loss of roughly Rs 6.5 lakh crore.
The turmoil in the markets is largely driven by a spike in oil prices, a consequence of rising tensions in the region.
With geopolitical instability on the rise, investors are left wondering if they should be concerned. The answer depends on how quickly the situation unfolds and its broader effect on the global economy. For now, staying vigilant and exercising caution seems to be the best approach.
Gold prices soared to a record high of Rs 78,300 per 10 gm yesterday, fueled by safe-haven demand amid escalating tensions in the Middle East and declining US bond yields. Experts predict further price increases if global geopolitical uncertainties worsen. According to an ET report, prices jumped by Rs 1,500 per 10 gm compared to Tuesday. The primary driver of consumer purchases is the approaching wedding season, which spans from November to February-March. This surge in demand has led goldsmiths, or karigars, to extend their working hours from the usual 8 hours to 12 hours a day.
According to a recent analysis by Grant Thornton UK, the UK is the preferred destination for expansion among many Indian businesses. The International Business Report (IBR), which gathers insights from approximately 3,500 senior executives across 31 economies, revealed that 89% of mid-market Indian firms view the UK as a growth opportunity. Similarly, 61% of UK businesses see India as a market for expansion.
The ongoing negotiations for a proposed India-UK free trade agreement (FTA) are expected to enhance this mutual business interest. Nearly all (92%) of the Indian businesses surveyed believe that an FTA would motivate them to pursue opportunities in the UK, while 72% of UK firms agree. Additionally, 90% of Indian businesses reported a strong understanding of the potential impacts of an FTA, compared to 72% of their UK counterparts.
