US markets traded in green on Thursday as investors welcomed fresh signs that pressure on Wall Street may be easing, with Nvidia’s latest earnings and renewed hopes of another interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve. Dow jumped 662 points or 1.44% to 46,801. Nasdaq also rose to 23,134 up, 569 points or 2.5% at 8:30 PM IST. S&P500 also followed the suit, rising 126 points or 1.9%.The gains also came after Nvidia delivered another heavyweight profit update, calming concerns that enthusiasm around artificial intelligence might be fading. Walmart’s stronger-than-expected results also helped lift sentiment. Ahead of the opening bell, futures trading pointed clearly to a risk-on mood. S&P 500 futures gained 1.6%, while futures tied to the Dow advanced 1% and the Nasdaq added 2.1%. Nvidia shares rose 5.2% in pre-market activity after the chipmaker posted a summer profit that outpaced Wall Street expectations and released a revenue forecast that once again sailed past analysts’ estimates. The company’s ability to repeatedly exceed projections has strengthened its role at the heart of market volatility. Nvidia, now the most valuable firm on Wall Street and briefly worth more than $5 trillion, holds such a large weight in the S&P 500 that its daily swings can set the tone for the entire index. Recent doubts about whether AI-linked stocks had surged too far, too fast have rattled markets, but the latest earnings figures offered investors a renewed sense of assurance. Nvidia’s dominance has also made it a proxy for the wider AI build-out, with companies across industries relying on its chips to expand their artificial-intelligence capabilities. Markets also reacted to new figures on the U.S. labour market. Government data showed hiring in September was stronger than economists had projected, although the unemployment rate rose slightly. The mixed report kept hopes alive that the Federal Reserve could cut interest rates again at its December meeting. The central bank has already trimmed rates twice this year as the job market has gradually slowed. However, some Fed officials have recently suggested that holding off next month may be prudent, warning that inflation’s persistence above the 2% target leaves little room for complacency. Lower rates can stimulate the economy and lift asset prices, but they also risk fuelling further inflation. Overseas markets largely mirrored the positive tone. Germany’s DAX rose 1.3%, London’s FTSE 100 advanced 0.7%, and France’s CAC 40 posted a 1.1% gain. In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei 225 posted a 2.6% rise as tech stocks rallied, while South Korea’s Kospi increased by 1.9%. Chinese indices closed mixed amid reports that Beijing may be preparing new steps to support its struggling property sector. With Nvidia once again surpassing expectations and broader economic data offering room for optimism, Thursday’s session marked a rare stretch of calm after weeks of uncertainty across global markets.

NEW DELHI: Shashi Tharoor’s recent praise for Prime Minister Narendra Modi has ruffled some feathers in the Congress as fellow party leaders have questioned the move. Demanding an explanation for his praise, Tharoor’s colleague Sandeep Dikshit went on to ask “why are you in Congress” and even termed him a “hypocrite”.“Shashi Tharoor’s problem is that I don’t think he knows a lot about the country… If, according to you, someone is doing good for the country by going against the Congress’s policies, then you should follow those policies… Why are you in Congress? Is it only because you are an MP?” Dikshit said.

“If you really feel that the BJP or PM Modi’s strategies are working better than the party you are in, then you should give an explanation. If you are not giving one, you are a hypocrite,” he added.Congress leader Supriya Shrinate had echoed similar sentiments as she said that she “didn’t find anything in the speech (of PM Modi) worth appreciating” and she didn’t “know how he (Shashi Tharoor) found one”.“I didn’t find anything in the speech (of PM Modi) worth appreciating. I think PM must answer a lot of things. He was at an event of a newspaper. He should tell us what his problem is with fair journalism. He should have told us why is he not happy with those who show and speak truth… So, I didn’t see any reason to appreciate him,” she said.“I don’t know how he (Shashi Tharoor) found one…I found it to be a petty speech. He criticised Congress there too. PM thinks of Congress day and night. This is amazing,” she added.

Earlier this week, Tharoor shared his experience of attending a PM Modi lecture. In a post on X, he wrote a short critical analysis of what his opinion was regarding the prime minister’s speech.However, he did go on to praise the PM’s address saying that it “served as both an economic outlook and a cultural call to action, urging the nation to be restless for progress.”“The PM emphasized that India is no longer just an ’emerging market’ but an ’emerging model’ for the world, noting its economic resilience. PM Modi said he’d been accused of being in “election mode” all the time, but he was really in “emotional mode” to redress the problems of the people,” Tharoor said.“A significant part of the speech was dedicated to overturning Macaulay’s 200-year legacy of “slave mentality.” PM Modi appealed for a 10-year national mission to restore pride in India’s heritage, languages, and knowledge systems. I wish he had also acknowledged how Ramnath Goenka had used English to raise a voice for Indian nationalism!” he added.

Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam

NEW DEHI: During a Supreme Court hearing on bail plea in the 2020 Delhi riots case, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, “There was an attempt to divide society on communal lines, it was not merely an agitation against CAA,”Tushar Mehta told the top courtStrenuously“First of all, that myth to be busted. This was not a spontaneous riot. It was a well designed, well crafted, well orchestrated, pre-planned riot. That will emerge from the evidence collected,” Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told a bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N V Anjaria.“Sharjeel Imam says it’s his heartfelt wish for ‘chakka jaam’ for every city where Muslims reside. Not just in Delhi,” Mehta submitted.The solicitor general said a narrative is being built on social media that something very serious is going on with young people. However, the accused themselves are responsible for the delay in trial.Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, for Delhi police, is currently arguing and the hearing is under way.Khalid, Imam, Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider and Rehman were booked under the anti-terror law and provisions of the erstwhile IPC for allegedly being the “masterminds” of the February 2020 riots, which left 53 people dead and over 700 injured.Meanwhile, the Delhi high court on Tuesday directed the police to update it on the status of investigations into the 2020 Delhi riots.A bench of Justices Vivek Chaudhary and Manoj Jain issued the direction while hearing a batch of petitions related to the February 2020 violence, including pleas seeking FIRs against several political leaders for alleged hate speeches. The bench noted orally that the petitions have remained pending for six years despite the availability of an alternate legal remedy that the petitioners had not pursued.During the hearing, counsel for one of the petitioners highlighted the deaths that occurred during the riots. The bench responded that FIRs had already been registered and the police were conducting investigations, leaving “nothing” to be addressed in the existing petitions.The petitioner’s lawyer, however, alleged that the police were not conducting a fair probe and urged the court to order an independent investigation.To this, the bench said: “You challenge it before the magistrate. The magistrate will supervise. These are questions of facts. We cannot entertain questions of facts in writ petitions. You can give that evidence to the magistrate, who will look into it and pass orders. The high court cannot do this.”Reiterating that the petitioners had not availed the appropriate legal route for six years, the court remarked: “These petitions are pending for so long for no good reason. FIRs have been registered and the police are investigating.”The bench listed the matter for November 21 and asked Delhi Police counsel to submit the current status of the investigation and the number of FIRs filed.

BENGALURU: IT and BPM firms are accelerating the use of advanced productivity tools that provide clients with real-time operational insights. Many of these tools include built-in time tracking, analyse workforce patterns, and proactively flag inefficiencies in performance trends. Tracking workforce productivity has been part of industry routines, largely at the clients’ behest, as companies seek to monitor billable employees and maintain effective oversight. Cognizant, Wipro, and LTIMindtree are using workforce management platform ProHance’s productivity solutions selectively, tailoring deployment to client requirements to shape project outcomes in hybrid work models. Meanwhile, TCS, French IT major Capgemini, and HCLTech are understood to rely on Sapience to gauge employee productivity, engagement, and performance, giving team leaders data-driven insights to strengthen overall efficiency. Many firms use multiple tools to track workforce efficiency. Capgemini employees log their work hours through an electronic timesheet application and Sapience Buddy, which captures data on work patterns and productivity, sources told TOI. Emails sent to TCS, Wipro, HCLTech, LTIMindtree, and Capgemini did not elicit responses till the time of going to press. Recent media reports also noted that a ProHance case study claimed Cognizant saved approximately $8 million in a year through the use of its productivity software.When TOI reached out to Cognizant, its spokesperson said, “We occasionally use various productivity measurement tools, a common industry practice, in selecting business process management or intuitive operations & automation projects, at the request of customers The purpose of these tools is to help better understand the client process steps and related time metrics to assess process design inefficiencies as part of the process transformation efforts. These tools are not designed or used to track or evaluate the individual performance of employees. Also, tools are used after obtaining the consent of employees, and it is made clear that these are not used for performance evaluation. Additionally, these tools have no impact on the composition of teams engaged in these projects, and any suggestion to the contrary is incorrect.” Cognizant also uses the D+ Scorecard, which generates performance scores for business unit heads across delivery, practice, and transformation teams, while Ideabox captures comprehensive initiative details-including timelines, stages, nominees, approvers, and expected benefits and dollar savings. During the pandemic, many firms adopted AI tools to monitor the productivity of remote employees and prevent fraud-efforts aimed at boosting client confidence.

As global storytelling leans deeper into the emotional complexities of childhood, a striking contradiction emerges in India as children are everywhere on screen, but nowhere in focus. International series like ‘Adolescence’ and ‘The Death of Bunny Monroe’ have placed teen performers at the emotional epicentre of stories about grief, masculinity, abuse, crime, and trauma. Indian cinema, however, continues to treat children as figures confined to the fringes of the plot, but rarely ever the driving force.This debate exploded into public view after the Kerala State Film Awards chose not to honour any children’s films or child actors for the second year in a row. The jury argued that the entries used children merely as ‘visual elements’. This comes at a time when 15-year-old British newcomer, Owen Cooper, rewrote Emmy history for portraying a boy accused of murder in the four-part drama series ‘Adolescence’.

How global shows are rewriting the rules

For British writer Pete Jackson, placing children inside very adult material isn’t a provocation, but rather a mirror. Speaking to ETimes about why he gravitates toward young perspectives in heavy narratives like ‘Somewhere Boy’ and ‘The Death of Bunny Monroe’, Jackson offers a rather candid explanation, saying, “I wanted to explore this idea that there are no monsters.”

Jackson explains, “Our relationships with our own fathers and then our relationships with our own children are endlessly complex… There’s no monsters, you know. The world is only full of people trying their absolute best and usually getting it terribly wrong.”Jackson in his work refuses to smother the emotional violence of families. Instead, he asks audiences to experience the world as wide-eyed children, confused and powerless as adults go about making catastrophic choices that shape their realities.This approach would be nothing if not with extraordinary performers, like young Raphael Mathe, who plays Bunny Jr. Praising the young talent, Jackson says, “He’s just such a great actor… Bunny Jr’s an observer, and his journey is so complex. Rapha pulled that off. He was an absolute joy to work with.”Co-director Isabella Eklöf echoes Pete’s sentiments for the young star. She says, “Raphael is an extremely talented actor and a very sensitive boy. You can see everything in his eyes, and that makes him an astonishing actor.”

Owen Cooper and the ‘Adolescence’ phenomenon

If 2025 had a breakout star, it was Owen Cooper, who, at 15 became the youngest actor in Emmy Award history to win Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, for his devastating portrayal in ‘Adolescence’, a series built around a 13-year-old boy detained for murdering his classmate. The narrative unfolds in four long, single-take episodes that places the camera and the emotional burden, on the able shoulders of the child star.

Interestingly, the global reaction was euphoric. India, in particular, embraced the show, prompting filmmaker and leading man, Stephen Graham to express disbelief in an interview with Rolling Stone, “I got a text saying how big ‘Adolescence’ is in India. My first response was, ‘Hold on… did you say India?’ It’s produced an unbelievable ripple effect.”The reactions from Indian filmmakers were even more interesting, with Sudhir Mishra calling the show “the best news in years,” adding, “It violates every rule taught by bad script writing schools. It spirals down instead of soaring up.”Alia Bhatt called the series “truly perfection,” and filmmaker Karan Johar going a step further, calling it a “masterclass for parents”. In a lengthy social media post, he wrote, “Everything you do rubs off on your child. Adolescence is a wake-up call… the pandemic is NOW, and we just don’t see it.”Anurag Kashyap, meanwhile, paired his praise with criticism. He lauded the show saying, “I am numb and envious and jealous that someone can go and make that. The performances from the child actor Owen Cooper and Stephen Graham, who is not just playing the father but is also the co-creator of the show. The amount of hard work that has gone into the show. I can’t even imagine the rehearsals and prep they did so they could shoot every episode in a single shot.” However, he didn’t hold back on his criticism for the Indian branch of the streaming platform, saying, “How do we ever create something so powerful and honest with a bunch of the most dishonest and morally corrupt @netflix.in backed so strongly by the boss in LA?”

Meanwhile in India, children get left out of their own stories

Today’s most acclaimed adult dramas trust children with thematic weight that Indian filmmakers still hesitate to give them. As global television elevates childhood into a site of emotional truth, Indian cinema faces a crisis of representation, as highlighted by the Kerala State Film Awards.

“Just by casting children, it doesn’t become children’s cinema”, says Prakash Raj

Jury chairman Prakash Raj’s explanation for withholding the awards was direct, “We did not find a single film or even an attempt to make a children’s film… The child actors appeared out of sync with their age and were used merely as props.”This sparked immediate backlash. Devananda, acclaimed for ‘Malikappuram’, accused the jury of ignoring talent. He said, “They turned a blind eye to the upcoming generation. If those children had received the awards, it would have inspired many others.”

Questioning the double standards

Posting a still from ‘Sthanarthi Sreekuttan’, filmmaker Vinesh Viswanath noted the irony saying, “In a world of no worthy entries for Best Child Actor, they stand tall.”He asked , “Would they ever declare no award if they felt performances were subpar? The lack of limelight in children’s categories seems to make it easier to dismiss them.” He further emphasized that ‘Sthanarthi Sreekuttan’ hadn’t received certification as a children’s film from the Central Board of Film Certification, which may have impacted its eligibility. He called this “an outdated criterion” and insisted, “We need to rethink the parameters of what defines a children’s film today.”

Government’s response

Minister Saji Cheriyan defended the jury, saying only 10% of the 137 films met quality standards, but promised, “The government will hold discussions with industry stakeholders soon. If support is needed to promote films for children, we will provide it. There will definitely be awards in these categories next year.”

Nearly one in four Indian enterprises has suffered losses of more than $ 1 million from cyber breaches in the past three years, according to PwC’s latest 2026 Global Digital Trust Insights survey. The exposure is particularly high among large firms, with the report noting that 45 per cent of companies earning $5 billion or more annually faced breaches costing at least $ 1 million.According to news agency PTI, cybersecurity spending is set to rise, with 87 per cent of Indian organisations planning to increase budgets over the next year. While this marks a slight dip from last year’s 93 per cent, PwC said it still indicates “a strong signal of sustained investment.” Nearly one-third of respondents expect to raise spending by more than 10 per cent, and 38 per cent anticipate hikes of 6–10 per cent.The survey, based on responses from 138 Indian business and technology executives, found AI leading budget priorities at 46 per cent, followed by cloud security at 33 per cent. PwC highlighted that “25 per cent of businesses say their most damaging data breach in the past three years cost their organisation at least $ 1 million.”Security leaders are increasingly turning to AI-enabled cyber defence, with 60 per cent prioritising AI threat-hunting capabilities and 47 per cent focusing on agentic AI, as per PTI. But talent shortages pose a major challenge: nearly 60 per cent of respondents cited limited expertise in using AI for cyber defence, while 50 per cent identified insufficient skills as the biggest internal roadblock to adopting AI for cybersecurity.Despite the constraints, organisations are responding proactively. According to PTI, companies are prioritising investments in AI and machine learning (61 per cent), consolidating security tools (51 per cent), deploying automation (49 per cent), and upskilling or reskilling staff (49 per cent) to strengthen cyber readiness.

Bill Gates Foundation has stunned markets by drastically reducing its stake in Microsoft by almost 65% in the third quarter of 2025. As per new 13F data, the foundation has dumped 17,000,000 shares of Microsoft, equivalent to 64.91% reduction. According to reports, the average selling point of Microsoft shares during Q3, 2025 was $510.13, resulting in a total cash inflow of approximately $8.7 billion for the trust. The move caused a 17.7% drop in the portfolio’s value, leading to concerns since Microsoft has always been the foundation’s main and most reliable investment.

Other shares dumped by Gates Foundation

In addition to Microsoft, Gates Foundation has also trimmed its Berkshire Hathaway shares. The foundation has sold 2,358,460 shares at an average $484.36 price. This led to an overall reduction of -9.78% Berkshire Hathaway stock reduction and a -2.4% portfolio impact.Also, the foundation fully exited the Crown Castle. It sold all its 1,420,072 shares for a -0.31% impact and liquidated all 755,089 UPS shares for a -0.16% impact.Gates Foundation – Top 10 Holdings (Q3 2025)

Gates Foundation also sold United Parcel Service Inc’s all 755,089 shares, causing a -0.16% impact on the portfolio.The decision by the Gates Foundation to sell Microsoft shares has immediately reduced the trust’s overall portfolio value by 17.7%, triggering concern because Microsoft has long been the foundation’s most important and stable investment. Even with the recent sale, Microsoft shares remain up 21.7% this year, despite a minor dip over the past three months.

What experts say

While some experts worry that Gates Foundation reducing its Microsoft shares may signal caution about tech valuation, others say the dramatic reduction appears to be a strategic rebalancing rather than a loss of confidence in Microsoft. The trust has historically held a highly concentrated portfolio, with nearly 67% of its assets tied to just three companies. Reducing the Microsoft stake helps ease that concentration risk while funding future philanthropic commitments.Despite the shake-up, the foundation continues to hold billions in Microsoft stock, signalling that the long-standing relationship remains firmly intact.The foundation trust—valued around $49 billion—must raise substantial capital to support expanding global programmes, making the sale of high-value Microsoft shares a straightforward source of liquidity.

Bill Gates to donate 99% of his wealth

The move comes as Bill Gates continues his long-term commitment to donate nearly all his wealth. Gates, whose net worth is estimated at about $106 billion, has previously pledged to give away 99% of his fortune by 2045. Speaking at the African Union (AU) headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia earlier this year, Gates said: “I recently made a commitment that my wealth will be given away over the next 20 years. The majority of that funding will be spent on helping you address challenges here in Africa.”

Gold and silver prices retreated on Monday as traders pared positions following hawkish remarks from US Federal Reserve officials, which weakened hopes of a rate cut in the upcoming policy meeting. The shift in sentiment pulled bullion prices lower after last week’s strong rally.On the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), gold futures for December delivery slipped by Rs 1,229, or 0.99 per cent, to Rs 1,22,332 per 10 grams. The February 2026 contract also declined by Rs 1,207, or 0.96 per cent, to Rs 1,24,101 per 10 grams. This comes after gold futures had gained Rs 2,494, or 2.06 per cent, over the previous week.Silver futures also extended their losses for a second consecutive session. The December contract dropped by Rs 1,944, or 1.25 per cent, to Rs 1,54,074 per kilogram, while the March 2026 contract fell Rs 1,971, or 1.24 per cent, to Rs 1,56,862 per kg. Last week, silver had rallied by Rs 8,290, or 5.61 per cent.As per news agency PTI, analysts noted that precious metals weakened as traders positioned themselves ahead of a busy week of delayed US economic data releases. The upcoming non-farm payrolls report, in particular, is expected to offer crucial cues for the Fed’s policy path. A stronger dollar—up 0.17 per cent at 99.46—also added pressure on gold.In global markets, Comex gold futures for December delivery fell 0.42 per cent to $4,077.04 per ounce, after rising $84.4 (2.10 per cent) last week. Silver slipped 0.28 per cent to $50.54 per ounce. Analysts said investors are bracing for a flurry of US economic indicators, the Fed’s meeting minutes and speeches from key officials, including Chair Jerome Powell.

Gold Rate Today: City-wise Prices

Gold rate in Bengaluru today

In Bengaluru, 24K gold is priced at ₹12,497 per gram, while 22K gold stands at ₹11,455 per gram. The 18K rate is ₹9,373 per gram. Compared to yesterday, 24K fell by ₹11, 22K dropped by ₹10, and 18K declined by ₹8.

Gold rate in Delhi today

In Delhi, 24K gold is retailing at ₹12,512 per gram and 22K at ₹11,470 per gram, with 18K gold at ₹9,388. Prices dipped by ₹11 for 24K, ₹10 for 22K and ₹8 for 18K since yesterday.

Gold rate in Mumbai today

Mumbai recorded 24K gold at ₹12,497 per gram and 22K gold at ₹11,455 per gram. The 18K rate stood at ₹9,373 per gram. All categories fell from yesterday—24K by ₹11, 22K by ₹10 and 18K by ₹8.

Gold rate in Chennai today

In Chennai, 24K gold is trading at ₹12,589 per gram, while 22K gold is at ₹11,540. The 18K rate stands at ₹9,625 per gram. Since yesterday, 24K slipped by ₹11, 22K by ₹10 and 18K saw a sharper drop of ₹15.

Gold rate in Kolkata today

Kolkata recorded 24K gold at ₹12,497 per gram and 22K at ₹11,455 per gram. The 18K gold rate is ₹9,373 per gram. Prices declined by ₹11, ₹10 and ₹8 respectively from yesterday.

Gold rate in Hyderabad today

In Hyderabad, 24K gold is priced at ₹12,497 per gram and 22K at ₹11,455, while 18K gold costs ₹9,373 per gram. All categories saw a fall—₹11 for 24K, ₹10 for 22K and ₹8 for 18K.

Gold rate in Ahmedabad today

Ahmedabad recorded 24K gold at ₹12,502 per gram and 22K at ₹11,460 per gram. The 18K rate was ₹9,378. Prices fell by ₹11, ₹10 and ₹8 respectively from yesterday.

Gold rate in Jaipur today

In Jaipur, 24K gold stands at ₹12,512 per gram and 22K gold at ₹11,470, while 18K is priced at ₹9,388 per gram. All categories declined—24K by ₹11, 22K by ₹10 and 18K by ₹8.

Gold rate in Bhubaneswar today

Bhubaneswar saw 24K gold trading at ₹12,497 per gram, 22K at ₹11,455 and 18K at ₹9,373. Prices dropped by ₹11, ₹10 and ₹8 respectively compared to yesterday.

Gold rate in Pune today

In Pune, 24K gold is priced at ₹12,497 per gram and 22K at ₹11,455. The 18K rate is ₹9,373 per gram. All segments saw declines of ₹11, ₹10 and ₹8 since yesterday.

Gold rate in Kanpur today

Kanpur recorded 24K gold at ₹12,512 per gram and 22K at ₹11,470. The 18K gold price stood at ₹9,388. Compared to yesterday, 24K dipped by ₹11, 22K by ₹10 and 18K by ₹8.