APAC FINANCIAL
D-Street just 5% away from highs with a 10% bounce from lows
The rupee has shown a significant recovery, closing at 93.90 this week, its best level since April. Recent drops in oil prices have alleviated inflation concerns and supported the local currency. Simultaneously, foreign portfolio investors have made substantial net purchases in Indian equities, contributing to market stability. Indian equity indices have also rallied over 10% from recent lows, showing strong earnings.
D Street lights up, ends Diwali week with a firecracker of a Friday
Indian stocks witnessed impressive growth, with the Sensex and Nifty surging over 2%, defying declines in Asian markets. This robust rally is fueled by strong corporate earnings coupled with declining crude oil prices, boosting investor morale significantly. Over the recent weeks, foreign portfolio investors have surpassed net purchases of $4 billion, enhancing the positive outlook.
From enterprises to SMBs: How Flashfox AI plans to change the hiring game
GetWork’s AI hiring business, now spun off as Flashfox AI, is targeting 500 enterprise clients in the next 24 months as it expands into Southeast Asia and the Middle East.
Indian lenders defer dollar debt sale plan as rates turn expensive
Amidst rising US Treasury yields and a depreciating rupee, multiple Indian banks, such as Canara Bank, PNB, and Bank of India, are delaying their dollar debt initiatives. The looming expiration of the Reserve Bank of India’s hedging facility in December adds further pressure to these institutions. Nevertheless, there remains a glimmer of optimism among certain banks regarding potential future dollar bond sales as market conditions evolve.
Asia-focused banks face bond market risks ahead of Q3 earnings
Asia-focused banks face mounting pressure from rising bond yields, inflation and currency volatility ahead of third-quarter earnings. HSBC, Standard Chartered and DBS confront profitability and capital risks, while Japanese and Southeast Asian lenders navigate bond losses, funding pressures and economic uncertainty.
Tesla-SpaceX deal: Wall Street says inevitable but Musk says it's not certain
Elon Musk considers the advantages of merging Tesla with SpaceX, particularly in light of escalating capital expenses. However, obstacles like shareholder votes and the need for special committees present significant challenges to this merger idea. Analysts suggest that such a merger could not only streamline operations but also significantly bolster financial assets for both companies. Yet, regulatory scrutiny is expected, mainly due to governance issues linked to Musk’s dual leadership.
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Oil, foreign flows in focus for rupee; bond traders eye rate-hike bets
During the upcoming holiday week, analysts predict the Indian rupee will remain steady, with oil price trends and foreign capital flows playing essential roles. Impressively, the rupee rose by 2% last week, achieving its highest value since March at 94.96. The Reserve Bank of India is undertaking assorted measures aimed at strengthening the rupee while addressing inflation worries.
AI was everywhere at GFF 2026. Full automation was not
Global Fintech Fest 2026 highlighted agentic AI's practical integration within the BFSI sector. Automation will handle basic tasks, but humans will retain final decision-making authority. Companies are focusing on specialised AI models and optimizing compute power for cost efficiency. Job roles are evolving, with a continued emphasis on hiring and upskilling employees.
China AI supply chain IPOs hold firm despite valuation pullback, Citi says
As anxiety over valuations rises, Chinese AI supply chain firms are set to remain resilient in the marketplace. Ongoing listings in Hong Kong are supported by high domestic and global demand, with capital influx from mainland China being vital. In the upcoming year, attention will pivot to AI model developers that exhibit robust profitability. Remarkably, there has been a notable surge in public offerings within equity capital markets this year.
India, “a dynamic market growing rapidly”, is a long-term commitment for Adyen
Indian businesses are going global, and international players are turning towards India. Adyen, with its global platform and local expertise, is helping navigate payments and regulatory requirements in India and outside. Terming India an ‘exciting market ’, Adyen is recognising and fulfilling the need for a single infrastructure layer capable of connecting global systems to the local markets.
Nobody at Zeta writes code the old way anymore: co-founder Ramki Gaddipati
AI agents now generate, test and review code before humans approve it; Zeta says AI has lifted productivity by 30-40% and cut the number of people it needs for client delivery by more than half.
Payoneer India Cross-Border Excellence Awards 2026 closes with a blueprint for India’s next export leap
India’s exports hit a record $863.1 billion in FY26, yet the businesses driving that growth rarely share the spotlight. On September 25 in New Delhi, the Payoneer India Cross-Border Excellence Awards 2026, in association with The Economic Times, closed its 2026 cycle with a summit on market access, growth corridors and outbound compliance, and 16 category winners that show what Indian global enterprise looks like today.
Beyond the first export: How India’s SMBs can build lasting global businesses
India’s exports hit a record in 2025-26, and SMBs account for nearly half of them. But as trade deals widen market access, Payoneer leaders Nagesh Devata and Gaurav Shisodia argued that Indian SMBs selling overseas face a bigger challenge: earning the trust of buyers they will never meet, getting paid reliably, and turning a one-off export into a business that scales across markets.
Why India could become a global hub for responsible digital assets innovation
India could emerge as a global hub for responsible digital asset innovation by combining its strong technology talent, blockchain expertise and digital infrastructure. The convergence of AI and onchain technologies could enable agentic commerce, stablecoin payments and programmable finance, while thoughtful regulation, consumer protection and innovation can strengthen India’s leadership.
Global Market: Hang Seng dips as real estate, financial shares face selling pressure
Hong Kong stocks edged lower as selling pressure in real estate and financial shares offset gains in technology stocks. The Hang Seng Index fell 0.08% by midday, while the Hang Seng Tech Index rose 0.3%. Trading remained subdued with mainland Chinese markets shut for the National Day holiday.
ET Business Excellence & Leadership Summit 2026: Celebrating visionaries redefining growth & leadership
The ET Business Excellence & Leadership Summit 2026 brought together leaders to discuss brand development, innovation, and sustainability. Panel discussions featured prominent voices discussing resilience and leadership in uncertain times. A felicitation ceremony honored individuals and organizations for their contributions across various sectors. Key insights emphasized the importance of collaboration and strategic thinking in driving future success
Sashakt: Expanding Opportunities Charting the Course for Digital Inclusion at India Mobile Congress 2026
The India Mobile Congress 2026 revolves around the innovative theme 'Scale Without Boundaries,' aiming to address the necessity for equitable digital access and groundbreaking connectivity methods. Over a four-day period, engaging sessions will delve into topics like autonomous networks and the role of AI in telecommunications, featuring insights from influential figures in the industry and global policymakers.
Ecommerce firms scale logistics, hiring ahead of festive sales
Flipkart’s logistics arm Ekart has added 14 million cubic feet of warehousing space nationwide, increasing its storage capacity by 50%, the company said on Tuesday. The Walmart-backed company also added more than 900 delivery hubs to its last-mile network.
Broadening inflation, robust growth, global hikes build case for India RBI tightening
The RBI is under growing pressure to raise rates in October as inflation broadens across the economy, growth remains strong and global central banks tighten policy. A Reuters poll shows most economists expect a 25-basis-point hike to 5.50%, while markets are already pricing in further increases over the next year.
WhiteOak Capital plans D-Street foray with Rs 1,500 crore IPO
WhiteOak Capital is gearing up for an initial public offering projected to raise ₹1,500 crore, potentially reaching a valuation of ₹9,000 crore. Established by Prashant Khemka in 2017, the firm oversees around $13 billion in assets. Following the recent trends set by alternative investment firms like Gaja Capital, Khemka has confirmed plans to go public; however, no definitive timeline has been disclosed.
$3 trillion crypto comeback: Can Bitcoin bulls reclaim $100K and push higher?
Bitcoin has led a broad crypto market recovery, pushing total digital-asset market capitalisation back above $3 trillion. Strong spot and ETF demand has supported the rebound, although rising open interest and funding point to increasing leverage. The next phase will depend on whether underlying demand can sustain momentum toward the $100,000 mark.
Automated chip design, physical AI lead startup activity across APAC: AWS exec
On the sidelines of the StradVision media tour in Seoul, AWS's Tiffany Bloomquist said these trends were per the company's expectations for the year from the region.
HDFC Bank shares hit 7-week high as RBI weighs Anup Bagchi for CEO post. What lies ahead?
HDFC Bank shares rose to a nearly seven-week high of Rs 749.30, extending gains to 5% over three sessions, after ET reported that the RBI is weighing Anup Bagchi’s candidature for the bank’s CEO and MD post and has sought feedback from IRDAI and ICICI Bank CEO Sandeep Bakhshi.
Infosys, TCS, other IT stocks in focus after first Fed rate hike in 3 years. Will inflationary pressures offset anti-AI euphoria?
Indian IT stocks such as Infosys and TCS are likely to remain in focus after the US Federal Reserve raised interest rates by 25 basis points, citing elevated inflation. Analysts expect higher-for-longer rates to pressure risk assets, while AI-related developments could influence sentiment towards Indian IT stocks.
Prasol Chemicals shares list at 10% discount to IPO price on BSE, NSE
The Rs 550 crore public issue was priced at Rs 676 per share. The offering comprised a fresh issue of 11.83 lakh shares worth Rs 80 crore and an offer for sale (OFS) of 62.13 lakh shares aggregating to Rs 420 crore.
AI-focused VC firm Activate closes maiden fund at $105 million
The investment platform comprises an $85 million early-stage fund and $20 million deployed through dedicated growth-stage vehicles. The early-stage fund closed at 125% above its original target, Vaish told ET. The fund, founded in December 2025 by Vaish and former Together Fund investor Pratyush Choudhury, has made 10 investments since its first close in December 2025.
Semicon India eyes chip deals; AI leaders seek slowdown
The government is pushing supply chain partnerships at Semicon India 2026 to help local players. This and more in today’s ETtech Top 5.
The more AI banks deploy, the bigger the cyber battlefield gets
Indian banks and fintech firms face growing AI-powered cyber threats. Attackers use AI to find vulnerabilities faster than before. Financial institutions are deploying AI to detect and respond to these evolving threats. This creates a new cybersecurity arms race for the sector. Banks must also manage new risks from AI agents accessing sensitive data.
India’s banks could turn legacy tech into an AI advantage: BCG
Indian banks may transform legacy systems into an AI advantage. Institutions with fewer old systems can directly adopt AI-first operations. This leapfrogging capability is highlighted by Boston Consulting Group's new report. AI adoption promises significant productivity gains and cost reductions for banks. The technology also offers potential for expanding financial inclusion across the nation.
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