MUMBAI: The Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur opened its 2025–26 campus placement season on 1 December with a record start, clocking 672 job offers on Day 1 — the highest first-day tally in the institute’s history. The number marks a 16% increase over last year’s Day-1 figures, underscoring IIT Kanpur’s rising industry traction and sustained demand for its talent pool. With some recruiter data still awaited, the total is likely to edge higher.By the close of Day 1, 627 students had secured roles, including Pre-Placement Offers (PPOs), translating into a 20% jump over the previous season. PPOs formed a substantial share of the tally, with 253 offers, reflecting a 27% rise from last year. Nine students received international offers, signalling the institute’s expanding global footprint.Top global and domestic firms participated across sectors, reinforcing IIT Kanpur’s position as a preferred hiring destination. More than 250 companies have expressed interest in recruiting from the institute this year. Major recruiters include Accenture, BlackRock, HSBC, SAP, Airbus, PwC, Navi, Qualcomm, Deutsche Bank, and others.The Students’ Placement Office and institute leadership acknowledged the support of hiring partners, and noted that the record Day 1 performance reflects “the students’ dedication, the faculty’s mentorship, and the continued trust of the industry in IIT Kanpur.”With multiple recruiting rounds scheduled over the coming weeks and several students yet to receive offers, the 2025–26 “placement season is expected to build further momentum.”

Asian equities traded mixed on Wednesday as global traders took their cue from another rally on Wall Street, although the enthusiasm remained limited ahead of crucial US economic data and next week’s Federal Reserve meeting.Hong Kong’s HSI was down 252 points or 0.97% to reach 25,842. Shenzhen and Shanghai also traded in red, down 0.09% and 0.05% respectively. Nikkei, meanwhile, jumped 817 points to trade at 50,120 at 11:05 AM IST. The prospect of a third straight US interest rate cut has been absorbed into pricing for days, leaving investors reluctant to place fresh bets until the final economic updates arrive. The two figures now commanding the most attention are the private-sector jobs reading from payrolls group ADP, scheduled for release later on Wednesday, and the personal consumption expenditure (PCE) index coming on Friday, the inflation measure the Fed relies on most heavily. Money markets currently assign around a 90% likelihood to a December 10 rate cut and anticipate three more reductions during the course of the next year. Adding to the broader market mood are reports that President Donald Trump’s senior economic adviser Kevin Hassett, known for advocating deeper rate cuts, is now the frontrunner to succeed Jerome Powell when the Fed chair’s term expires in May. Still, analysts pointed out that the policy board does not appear aligned on whether monetary decisions should be driven more by persistent inflation pressures or weakening employment conditions. One area offering relief came from the American retail sector, where the National Retail Federation reported a record turnout for the “Black Friday” shopping period. According to the industry group, 202.9 million consumers made purchases across the five-day stretch, beating projections and reflecting what the NRF described as a “highly engaged consumer”. Following the latest gains on Wall Street, most Asian markets also registered advances. Tokyo climbed by more than one per cent, while Seoul, Sydney, Singapore, Wellington, Taipei and Jakarta all traded higher. Losses were recorded in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Manila. Meanwhile, Bitcoin pushed back above the $90,000 mark after almost 10% was wiped from its value earlier in the week during a broad shift away from risk assets. Even with the rebound, sentiment within the crypto space remains cautious after the token fell as low as $80,550 last month, having previously touched an all-time high above $126,250 in October.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has enforced a clear mandate, driven by head coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar, requiring all international players to participate in domestic competitions when not on national duty. This directive, established to ensure consistent game time and preparedness, has put pressure on senior players, particularly those who have retired from Test cricket, to utilize the country’s premier 50-over tournament. The upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT), scheduled from December 24 to January 18, has thus become crucial game time for India’s ODI stars, especially given the upcoming gap in the international 50-over calendar.

Is Virat Kohli playing in the Vijay Hazare Trophy? Details inside

As per Cricbuzz report, Virat Kohli has put all rumors and speculation to rest by confirming his availability to the Delhi District Cricket Association (DDCA) for the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025/26 season. This development was officially confirmed by DDCA president Rohan Jaitley, marking a massive boost for Delhi cricket and signaling Kohli’s compliance with the new BCCI policy. Kohli’s decision is particularly noteworthy given his recent comments in Ranchi, where his statements about focusing primarily on the mental aspect of the game were “largely interpreted as a push-back against the BCCI line.” His commitment to play reverses what some had initially viewed as a stance at odds with the management’s mandate.

The report further stated that Kohli is expected to feature in a limited number of games, with the likelihood of him playing against Andhra Pradesh (December 24) and Gujarat (December 26) in Bengaluru. His return to the VHT ends a significant absence; he last played in the tournament in the 2009/10 edition, with his final game taking place on February 18, 2010. Over his career in the tournament, Kohli has amassed impressive numbers, scoring 819 runs in 14 VHT games at an exceptional average of 68.25 and a strike rate of 106.08, including four centuries. His presence will undoubtedly generate massive fan interest and serve as critical preparation for the ODI series against New Zealand scheduled in January.

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Rohit Sharma in Vijay Hazare Trophy? Here’s the full story

Similar to Kohli, opener Rohit Sharma has also reportedly communicated his intention to the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) that he will play for the team in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. The joint participation of both seasoned veterans underscores the seriousness of the BCCI’s directive, spearheaded by head coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar. They have explicitly insisted that international players, especially those who have retired from Test cricket, must make themselves available for the domestic 50-over competition to maintain form.13

The current VHT serves a vital purpose for both players, given that the ODI World Cup is less than two years away and the national team’s ODI schedule after the upcoming series against New Zealand is sparse for several months. By playing for their respective state teams, Kohli and Rohit could address the rumors that had painted them as being uninterested in the competition. The availability of these two stars, who have been among India’s best performers in the 50-over format this year, is deemed essential for securing continuous game time and remaining sharp for international assignments, adhering to the management’s non-negotiable requirement for national selection.

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MS Dhoni (Image credit: BCCI/IPL)

NEW DELHI: MS Dhoni‘s impact at Chennai Super Kings has long been hailed for its calmness, loyalty and unmatched leadership — but former CSK star Mike Hussey has now lifted the curtain on a lesser-known side of the franchise: the off-field bonding culture built around Dhoni’s open-door hospitality.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!In a fascinating revelation on The Overlap Cricket podcast, Hussey said Dhoni’s room effectively became CSK’s unofficial team lounge during every IPL season. Players drifted in and out at all hours, discussing cricket, bantering, sharing meals — and for some, unwinding with shisha.

“Dhoni is just the most amazing guy. His room is available open 24 hours a day. Anyone can go up there and just sit. He has got his lounge room, players just sit around, they start talking cricket, some of them like the shisha, you know, the flavoured tobacco stuff. That is their way of socialising. Credit to Dhoni, he opens his room up — lots of players go up, they bring food up, it is fantastic,” Hussey said, offering a glimpse into the camaraderie that defined CSK’s IPL dynasty.The anecdote echoes former CSK batter George Bailey‘s earlier revelation that Dhoni often hosted relaxed hookah sessions to help younger players settle into the team. Bailey had said Dhoni’s informal approach broke down hierarchy and helped create a sense of belonging — a trademark CSK value over the years.Hussey also shared a surprising detail about Dhoni’s preparation habits: despite being one of the game’s greatest wicketkeepers, he almost never practised the skill in training.“I think the only time I’ve seen him catch a ball was when we wanted to knock in a new pair of gloves. I’ve never seen him practise his keeping ever. But he bats a long, long time — he hits thousands and thousands of balls,” Hussey revealed.With Dhoni set to return for IPL 2026 after being retained by the five-time champions, stories like these underline why CSK players past and present continue to call the franchise a “family” — one built on trust, comfort and a legend whose door was literally always open.

Online shopping platform Meesho is set to open for subscription on Wednesday, attracting investors with a solid grey market premium. The excitement has been fuelled by positive commentary from analysts.The company is targeting proceeds of Rs 5,421 crore from the IPO, which will remain open until 5 December. The price band has been set between Rs 105 and Rs 111 per share, valuing Meesho at Rs 50,096 crore ($5.6 billion) at the upper end. Its current grey market premium is hovering around 45%, according to ET. What makes this debut particularly significant is the backdrop: India’s e-commerce ecosystem is tilting towards lower-ticket shopping, unbranded merchandise and regional sellers. This shift has benefited Meesho more than any other large platform.

Meesho IPO

Ahead of the IPO, the SoftBank-backed e-commerce platform Meesho has secured a little over Rs 2,439 crore from anchor investors ahead of its initial public offering. The anchor tranche attracted demand of more than Rs 80,000 crore, translating to nearly 30 times oversubscription, according to market sources.A total of 60 investors participated in the anchor book, featuring a mix of leading domestic institutions and major global names. The Government of Singapore, the Monetary Authority of Singapore, Tiger Global, Fidelity Funds, BlackRock, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley were among those allotted shares, as per a circular uploaded on the BSE website.On the domestic side, allocations were made to SBI Mutual Fund, UTI MF, Tata MF, Motilal Oswal MF, Axis MF, Bandhan MF and HSBC MF, among others. In total, Meesho allotted 21.97 crore equity shares at Rs 111 per share.The issue consists of a fresh share sale worth Rs 4,250 crore and an offer for sale of 10.55 crore shares estimated at Rs 1,171 crore at the upper band. Meesho has stated that funds raised will be deployed towards investment in cloud infrastructure, marketing and brand spending, inorganic expansion through acquisitions and other strategic plans, and general corporate purposes. The company is expected to debut on the stock exchanges on December 10.

Should you subscribe?

ICICI Direct has assigned Meesho a subscribe rating, citing strong funnel expansion, better operating performance and attractive relative valuation. SBI Securities has also recommended subscribing while emphasising that Meesho’s path to durable profitability will require ongoing monitoring as investments in tech, marketing and engineering continue.“The company is still loss-making, but the market is clearly betting that its rising order volumes and improving operating efficiency will help it turn profitable in the coming years. However, the risk is that Meesho must prove it can convert this scale into sustainable profits. In a competitive e-commerce industry, high valuations for loss-making firms can change quickly if growth slows or costs rise. For now, the optimism is about future potential, not present profits,” Ishan Tanna, research analyst at Ashika Institutional Equity Research told ET.With interest from retail investors running high, a solid GMP and largely favourable brokerage outlook, Meesho’s listing is shaping up to be one of the most closely followed market events of the year and could signal how India’s mass-market digital consumption trend will be valued on the public exchanges.

Winning formula — and weak spots

A major differentiator for Meesho remains its zero-commission model, which has drawn a large pool of sellers and helped build a very wide catalogue focused on unbranded and regional products. In H1FY26, the marketplace recorded 15.4 crore daily active product listings, sharply higher year on year.At the same time, the business still leans heavily on cash-on-delivery, a format that heightens cancellation and fraud risks and increases operational costs. Competition stays intense too, including in logistics, seller acquisition, affordability features and product discovery, with large rivals capable of spending more aggressively.Even so, many analysts say Meesho sits squarely inside the fastest-growing part of Indian e-commerce and has already shown a degree of capital efficiency uncommon in scaled tech listings.

Financial scoreboard

Between FY23 and FY25, the company recorded a 46% jump in annual transacting users, far ahead of the broader industry’s 11–20% growth. In FY25, 19.9 crore customers placed orders on Meesho, and 17.4 crore of them came from outside the biggest eight metropolitan markets, underlining the platform’s deep presence across Tier-2 and Tier-3 India.The shopping platform ended FY25 with revenues of Rs 9,389.9 crore, marking a 23.3% year-on-year expansion. EBITDA losses have narrowed substantially across two years, though the company remains loss-making overall, reporting an adjusted FY25 loss of Rs 2,595.3 crore. According to ICICI Direct, improving unit economics and operating leverage mitigate long-term concerns despite the losses.(Disclaimer: Recommendations and views on the stock market, other asset classes or personal finance management tips given by experts are their own. These opinions do not represent the views of The Times of India)

Rupee extended its downward momentum on Wednesday, falling 9 paise to hit its lowest level of 90.05 against US dollar in early trade. With this, the currency continued its week streak, recording new lows since the week began. Earlier on Tuesday, Rupee fell 42 paise to close at 89.95 against the US dollar further down from Monday’s levels, when it tumbled down by eight paise to end at 89.53 against the greenback.This year, Rupee has already fallen over 4%, shedding 0.8% in November alone.The decline was largely driven by banks purchasing US dollars at higher levels and continued FII outflows. However, according to forex experts, a weaker dollar index and falling global crude prices helped limit the drop. Analysts also noted that both domestic and international factors influenced the movement, particularly the strong US dollar and the ongoing delay in the first tranche of the India-US BTA (trade deal).Anil Kumar Bhansali, head of treasury and executive director at Finrex Treasury Advisors LLP told PTI, “the rupee has been weakening with the Government of India and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) wanting to help exporters and may have kept the dollar well bid in the past few days.” “Nationalised banks were buying dollars at higher levels consistently yesterday (Tuesday)… There was a deal at 90.0050 after the close of market hours on the trading platform. The stalled India-US trade talks and heavy FPI outflows are causing this fall in rupee despite a weakening dollar index,” he further added.

Why is the 90 level mark crucial?

As Rupee has breached the 90 level threshold, the market could push the currency further down the line. Anindya Banerjee, head of commodity and currency at Kotak Securities, pointed out that the 90 level holds major psychological significance for the rupee. “A cluster of buy-stop orders likely sits above it. This is precisely why the RBI must remain active below 90; if the pair starts sustaining above this zone, the market could quickly shift into a higher trending phase toward 91.00 or even higher.” He further said that it is crucial for the central bank to prevent speculators from becoming too confident in a one-way move, as such sentiment could lead to an unnecessary spike in rupee volatility.

Analysts weigh in:

Is this the last fall? Bhansali said that the currency might fall further, hitting 91 levels in this cycle if the RBI support eases at 90. He further added that as the MPC meeting begins on Wednesday, “a rate cut by the RBI could invite further selling of the rupee.” The outcome of the MPC meeting is scheduled to be announced on December 5. Meanwhile, the dollar index — which measures the greenback against a basket of six major currencies — was down 0.13% at 99.22.Prithvi Finmart also told ANI that the currency might keep fluctuating this week. “We expect a rupee to remain volatile this week amid volatility in the dollar index, volatility in the domestic equity markets and ahead of the US Fed monetary policy meetings and a pair could trade in the range of 88.5500-90.6000 this week.” A Bank of Baroda report by economist Aditi Gupta highlighted that the rupee’s November slide was particularly striking given that the US dollar had actually weakened during the same period. “The depreciation in INR was more pronounced (in November) if we consider the fact that the dollar weakened in the same period. Strong demand from importers, low foreign inflows, uncertainty over US trade deal and an elevated trade deficit, weighed on the domestic currency,” the report stated. Gupta also pointed out that even a stronger-than-expected GDP print failed to lift sentiment, with the rupee continuing to hover at a fresh low. “We expect USD/INR to trade in the range of 89-90/$ this month,” the report read.Reversal is on the horizon?According to VK Vijayakumar, chief investment strategist at Geojit Investments Limited, the trend might reverse once the India-US deal is sealed.“The rupee depreciation will halt and even reverse when the India-US trade deal materialises. This is likely this month. A lot, however, will depend on the details of the tariffs to be imposed on India as part of the deal.”“A real concern now, which has contributed to the slow drifting down of the market, is the continued depreciation in the rupee and fears of further depreciation since the RBI is not intervening to support the rupee. This concern is forcing the FIIs to sell despite the improving fundamentals of rising corporate earnings and strong rebound in GDP growth,” the analyst further added.Dharmakirti Joshi, chief economist at CRISIL Limited, also believes the rupee may be nearing a turning point. Speaking to ANI about the currency’s persistent depreciation and the outlook ahead, he said he expects a rebound. “My belief is that if you get a trade deal (with the US), I think the depreciated rupee will again start appreciating, and I think it also depends quite a lot on what the global financial conditions are and our expectation is that rupee will strengthen from these levels in the months ahead,” Joshi said. He also stressed that fluctuations are a natural part of currency markets. “If you see the history of the Rupee since 2013-14, the taper tantrum period, I think we have seen periods when the Rupee weakens much faster. And there are periods when it strengthens also,” he said.

Bias remains positive for the month amid volatility that could persist in the current week ahead of the all important US Fed meet on 10th Dec. (AI image)

Gold price prediction today: Gold prices may continue to trade with a positive bias this month, though some volatility is expected, says Maneesh Sharma, AVP – Commodities & Currencies, Anand Rathi Shares and Stock Brokers. He shares his views and recommendations for gold and silver investors:Bullion’s witnessed a positive outgoing week as the Silver price roared from below $50 to around $58.85 per troy ounce in spot driven by persistent shortage of white metal in global markets and soaring rate cut expectations. The rise in the price of Silver thus eclipsed that of Gold with the Gold/Silver ratio subsequently falling to an annual low of just over 73. Silver inventories registered on the Shanghai Futures Exchange fell to their lowest level in 10 years, and those on the Shanghai Gold Exchange to their lowest level in more than nine years last week being triggered by China’s record exports of 660 tons in October. These apparently went to London, where shortages had occurred in October. The Silver ETFs tracked by Bloomberg recorded inflows of a good 290 tons in last week, which withdrew supply from the market and is also likely to have contributed to the price increase.Data released from the World Gold council also showed that Central bank demand for gold remained robust in October, totalling 53t (+36% m/m) and continuing the strong trend seen throughout the year. Buying remained concentrated among a small number of central banks, led by the National Bank of Poland which became active again during the month.Data on Monday also showed US manufacturing contracted for the ninth straight month in November. Investors are now looking out for Wednesday’s November ADP employment report and Friday’s delayed September PCE Index, for clues on a Fed interest rate cut at the central bank’s meeting next week. Traders are currently pricing in an 87% chance of a December Fed rate cut, per CME’s FedWatch tool. Markets are also waiting on President Donald Trump’s announcement of the new Federal Reserve chairman, with White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett reportedly emerging as a frontrunner. Hassett, like Trump, favors lower interest rates.

Gold Price Outlook:

Bias remains positive for the month amid volatility that could persist in the current week ahead of the all important US Fed meet on 10th Dec.Weekly Bias:Gold: Sideways, Silver: VolatileRate-cut expectations drove a lot of the move in bullions complex last week as traders priced in nearly 90 % odds of a December cut with Fed officials, including Christopher Waller & John Williams, reinforced the dovish narrative while Silver rose on thin liquidity as supply tightness drove the market.Going ahead for the week, the main trend remains up for the bullions complex though volatility amid profit booking moves could also persist especially for Silver prices. A weaker dollar could provide support at lower levels with the dollar index settling at 99.479, down 0.72% on last week. Traders could also monitor any announcement of potential tariff on silver after the precious metal was added to the US Geological Survey list of critical minerals in November. While 75 million ounces have left the vaults of the Comex futures exchange in New York since early October, fears of a sudden premium for US silver could keep some traders to hesitate before shipping metal out of the country keeping sentiments volatile for Silver prices.(Disclaimer: Recommendations and views on the stock market, other asset classes or personal finance management tips given by experts are their own. These opinions do not represent the views of The Times of India)

JAISALMER: Rajasthan CID Intelligence arrested Prakash Singh alias Badal, a resident of Punjab’s Firozpur, on Monday for allegedly spying for Pakistan’s ISI. He was caught sending confidential information about the Indian Army from Rajasthan, Punjab, and Gujarat to Pakistani handlers through social media platforms.The Jaipur unit of Rajasthan CID Intelligence had been monitoring Pakistani intelligence agencies’ spying activities when they discovered Prakash Singh’s communication with ISI handlers.

The suspect was spotted near the Sadhuvali military establishment in Sri Ganganagar on November 27, leading to his detention by the Border Intelligence Team. Initial investigation of his mobile phone revealed regular contact with foreign and Pakistani WhatsApp numbers.“During the questioning, it was found that the agent had been in continuous touch with the ISI since the time of Operation Sindoor. He was providing strategic information to Pakistan-based handlers, including details of Army vehicles, military institutions, the geographical situation of border areas, bridges, roads, railway lines and new construction work,” the police statement revealed.The accused was also involved in another serious anti-national activity. He provided OTPs of Indian citizens’ mobile numbers to Pakistani agents, who then used these to download WhatsApp using Indian numbers for spying operations. Singh reportedly received monetary compensation for this assistance.Inspector general of police (Intelligence) Prafulla Kumar ordered the suspect’s transfer to the central interrogation centre in Jaipur for comprehensive questioning by all intelligence agencies.At the Joint Interrogation Centre in Sri Ganganagar, various intelligence agencies conducted detailed questioning of the suspect. The subsequent technical examination of his mobile data confirmed all the allegations.Following the confirmation of his activities, authorities registered a case against Prakash Singh alias Badal, aged 34 and son of Kader Singh, under the Official Secrets Act, 1923, at the Special Police Station in Jaipur.The arrest highlights ongoing efforts by Indian intelligence agencies to counter espionage activities along the border regions of Rajasthan, Punjab, and Gujarat.(With agency inputs)