All posts by Neel Achary

New Delhi, Apr 17 (BNP): India continues to broaden its global economic engagement, with Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal holding discussions with senior leadership from South Korea and Austria aimed at strengthening trade, investment, and business cooperation.

The discussions focused on expanding bilateral economic ties, improving market access, and identifying new areas of collaboration across sectors such as manufacturing, technology, innovation, and sustainable development.

According to officials, the engagements are part of India’s ongoing effort to diversify its trade partnerships and attract long-term foreign investment, particularly as global supply chains continue to shift. Both sides also explored ways to boost business-to-business linkages and encourage greater private sector participation.

India is actively positioning itself as a reliable and competitive investment destination while seeking deeper integration with major economies in Asia and Europe. The latest diplomatic outreach reflects New Delhi’s intent to build more balanced and resilient global economic relationships.

New Delhi, Apr 17 (BNP): Shares of IT major Wipro slipped in early trade on Friday, falling nearly 4% after the company reported a marginal decline in quarterly earnings and issued a subdued outlook.

The stock was under pressure following the company’s March quarter results for FY26, where net profit stood at ₹3,501.8 crore, marking a 1.89% drop compared to the same period last year. Investors also reacted negatively to the firm’s muted guidance for the coming quarters.

In morning trade, the stock declined 3.61% to ₹202.60 on the BSE, while on the NSE it fell 3.69% to ₹202.

Market participants said the reaction reflected concerns over near-term demand visibility in the IT sector, with investors remaining cautious amid global macroeconomic uncertainty and selective client spending.

Despite the fall, analysts note that broader sector trends will continue to depend on deal pipeline strength and discretionary IT spending recovery in key markets.

Bhubaneswar, Apr 17 (BNP): A door-to-door, digital-first census exercise has begun in Bhubaneswar and across Odisha, marking the next phase of preparations for Census 2027 after the completion of the self-enumeration process earlier this month.

The self-enumeration phase, conducted from April 1 to 15, saw participation from over two lakh residents who filled out detailed forms covering 33 questions. Authorities have now deployed more than 3,000 enumerators to carry out door-to-door verification and collect additional information from households that were not covered earlier.

Mayor Sulochana Das said the exercise is aimed at building a comprehensive and accurate database that reflects the city’s social and economic realities. The information gathered will play a crucial role in shaping future development plans and welfare initiatives.

She urged residents to cooperate fully with enumerators and ensure that the details they provide are accurate. According to her, the success of the census depends heavily on public participation, as the data collected will directly influence government policies and planning.

Officials noted that while the digital self-enumeration option received a strong response, a significant number of households are yet to be covered, making the door-to-door campaign essential.

Census 2027 will be India’s 16th national census and the eighth since Independence. It is also the first to introduce a digital self-enumeration feature, reflecting a broader shift towards technology-driven governance.

Most oncologists say they would prescribe hormone therapy to cervical cancer patients who experience early menopause from radiation treatment, but barriers are keeping many from doing so in practice, according to a new University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center study published in JAMA Network Open.

Premenopausal patients treated for cervical cancer with chemoradiotherapy, a combination of chemotherapy and radiation given at the same time, often experience menopause as a side effect of radiation to the ovaries, bringing on symptoms like hot flashes, sleep disruption and vaginal dryness. Clinical guidelines support the use of hormonal therapy to manage menopausal symptoms in this group, but research has shown the treatment remains underused.

The study, led by Markey Cancer Center radiation oncologist Denise Fabian, M.D., with Morgan Levy, M.D., as first author, identifies barriers to prescribing that can inform efforts to improve patient care.

The research team surveyed 178 gynecologic and radiation oncology clinicians nationally through the Society for Gynecologic Oncology and the American Brachytherapy Society about their attitudes and prescribing habits around hormonal therapy for patients with cervical cancer treated with chemotherapy and radiation.

The survey found that 99.3% of gynecologic oncologists and 73.8% of radiation oncologists said they would consider prescribing hormonal therapy after chemoradiotherapy. Despite that willingness, both groups reported barriers: the capacity to manage patients’ care over the long term and a lack of awareness of existing clinical guidelines.

“This study highlights a critical opportunity to strengthen survivorship care for cervical cancer patients, both in Kentucky and nationwide,” said Fabian. “Hormone therapy can meaningfully improve not only quality of life, but also long-term health. We need to ensure more patients can access it.”

“This work has shown us that oncologists are interested in prescribing hormonal therapy to improve quality of life for our patients,” Levy said. “We are excited to continue working with our multidisciplinary team in survivorship and gynecologic oncology to design interventions to improve the standard of care.”

The researchers say future work will focus on increasing guideline awareness and finding ways to make prescribing more manageable for clinicians, with the goal of getting more patients access to care that evidence shows is safe and effective.

Mumbai, Apr 17 (BNP): With Akshaya Tritiya around the corner, gold buying activity is picking up across the country, and this year, much of the action is happening online.

Fintech platforms, financial service providers, and jewellery brands are rolling out festive offers and campaigns to tap into the seasonal demand. The growing buzz reflects not just the cultural significance of the festival, but also a clear shift in how consumers prefer to buy gold.

Data from the World Gold Council shows that India’s digital gold market expanded sharply in 2025, growing 69% year-on-year to 13.5 tonnes. The numbers underline how quickly digital gold is becoming a mainstream choice, especially among younger buyers looking for convenience and flexibility.

Sensing this trend, companies are sweetening the deal with incentives. Amazon Pay, for instance, is offering cashback on digital gold purchases—2% for Prime members and 1% for others—making small-ticket investments more attractive.

At the same time, platforms like PhonePe are promoting 24K digital gold options, allowing users to buy, sell, and store gold with just a few taps on their phones.

While buying gold on Akshaya Tritiya remains a long-standing tradition symbolising prosperity and good fortune, the way people participate in it is clearly evolving. Digital gold is steadily bridging the gap between tradition and technology, giving consumers a modern, hassle-free way to mark the occasion.

Apr 17: On the occasion of World Quantum Day, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, N. Chandrababu Naidu, inaugurated India’s first Open Access Quantum Test and Reference Facilities in Amaravati under the ambitious Quantum Valley initiative. The milestone marks a significant step in India’s transition from technology adoption to technology leadership in the field of quantum innovation.

Commenting on the development, Ashok Chandak, President of India Electronics and Semiconductor Association (IESA), said:

“World Quantum Day 2026 marks a pivotal step in India’s journey from technology adoption to technology leadership. The launch of India’s first Quantum Test and Reference Facilities in Amaravati under the Quantum Valley initiative is a strong signal that India is now building foundational capabilities in next-generation computing.

This milestone, led by Hon’ble CM of Andhra Pradesh, Sri N. Chandrababu Naidu, reinforces that technology sovereignty begins with building core infrastructure—compute, materials, and systems—within the country.

The quantum revolution will be fundamentally enabled by semiconductors. From cryogenic control electronics and advanced chip design to packaging and precision manufacturing, the semiconductor ecosystem is the backbone of scalable quantum systems. With India’s growing strengths in design, emerging fabrication initiatives, and the momentum under the National Quantum Mission, we are uniquely positioned to co-develop the quantum hardware stack domestically.”

He further added:

“At IESA, our focus is clear—to ensure that India’s ESDM ecosystem scales in lockstep with quantum ambitions by designing, fabricating, packaging, and testing quantum-class hardware in India. India has already set its sights on scaling globally competitive deep-tech capabilities, and this initiative is a strong step in that direction.”

Mumbai, Apr 17 (BNP): The Indian rupee moved higher in early trading on Friday, gaining 28 paise to reach 92.86 against the US dollar, supported by a more positive global outlook and firm domestic equities.

The currency opened the session at 92.93 in the interbank foreign exchange market and extended its gains shortly after, reflecting renewed investor confidence.

Traders pointed to easing geopolitical tensions as a key factor lifting sentiment. Hopes that recent developments in the Middle East could lead to broader stability have encouraged investors to return to emerging markets, including India.

Another supportive factor for the rupee has been fresh buying in Indian equities by foreign institutional investors. These inflows tend to boost demand for the local currency, contributing to its upward movement.

However, gains in the rupee were somewhat limited by the continued strength of the US dollar in global markets. A firm dollar often weighs on emerging market currencies, keeping traders cautious despite positive domestic cues.

Overall, the rupee’s early performance reflects a balance between improving risk appetite and external pressures, with investors closely watching global developments and capital flows for further direction.

Mumbai, Apr 17 (BNP): Indian benchmark indices began Friday’s session on a positive note, buoyed by improving global sentiment and renewed foreign investment.

 The BSE Sensex rose by 177.52 points to reach 78,166.20 in early trading, while the NSE Nifty gained 37.4 points, climbing to 24,234.15.

Market sentiment was lifted by signs of easing geopolitical tensions. A temporary ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon has sparked hopes of broader stability in the region. Analysts believe this development could also revive the possibility of fresh negotiations between the United States and Iran.

In addition, steady inflows from foreign investors added further support to the upward momentum in equities.