Top of the Morning

Good Morning, I’m Nelson John and here’s what you need to know today. Sensex crashed over 1,000 points as Trump’s tariff threats and AI disruption fears rattled Dalal Street. IT stocks got hammered, the rupee weakened to 90.95 against the dollar, and about three lakh crore in investor wealth was wiped out. In better news, India’s shipbuilding sector is gearing up for a game-changing $500M joint venture between Cochin Shipyard and HD Hyundai. We also break down three smart strategies to reduce your tax drag without disturbing your long-term compounding. And Kerala just officially became Keralam after the Unio...

Good Morning, I'm Nelson John, and on today's Top of the Morning: IDFC First Bank is reeling from a Rs 590 crore fraud at its Chandigarh branch — government money, forged cheques, and a 20% stock crash. Bharti Airtel is going all in on fintech, pumping Rs 20,000 crore into its NBFC arm to build one of India's biggest digital lending platforms. The $100,000 H-1B visa fee is backfiring on the US, turning India into a deep tech hiring magnet for Google, Amazon, and Microsoft. New draft tax rules are about to make it much harder to claim HRA on rent paid to yo...

Good Morning, I'm Nelson John. The US Supreme Court killed Trump's sweeping tariffs and Indian exporters in textiles, leather, gems, pharma, and engineering now face just 10 percent instead of 25. Real competitive edge over China, Vietnam, and Bangladesh but India already made concessions for a deal at 18 percent. That conversation is now live in Washington. Europe is rearming with $800 billion and Indian defense manufacturers are squarely in the frame. Karan Adani says he is personally working to bring Formula 1 back to India the Buddh Circuit comes bundled with the Jaypee acquisition, and this time there is a serious business case...

Good Morning, I'm Nelson John. Today on Top of the Morning: India's boardrooms are creating a new C-suite role the Chief AI Officer. We also break down gold vs equities in 2026, the connectivity battle at Navi Mumbai Airport, Sridhar Vembu's bold AI prediction, and what the latest fresher hiring data means for India's young job seekers.

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Good Morning, I'm Nelson John. On today's Top of the Morning: Gold just had its worst crash in 40 years, falling 21% from record highs after Trump named Kevin Warsh as the next Fed Chair. India is rolling out its first commercial semiconductor chip from Micron's Gujarat facility this month. The trade deficit blew out to $34.68 billion in January, nearly doubling year-on-year, driven by a surge in gold and silver imports right before the crash. PFC and REC are merging into a $61 billion power finance giant. And the RBI just opened the door for banks to fund M&A deals up...

Good Morning, I'm Nelson John and today on Top of the Morning we're looking at a world in recalibration. India is about to host the biggest AI summit ever held in the Global South, but AI fears just wiped 5.7 lakh crore off Indian IT stocks. A new Fed Chair is about to change the game in Washington. India now has trade deals spanning 38 countries. And the UN says global growth is slowing but holding. Five stories, one theme. The rules are being rewritten. Listen now.

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Good Morning, Welcome to Top of The Morning, I'm Nelson John.

A new analysis reveals US states have paid $199 billion in tariffs since March 2025, with $134 billion coming from key midterm battleground states. India's telecom sector posts its slowest growth in six quarters as tariff hike benefits fade. SBI surpasses TCS to become India's fourth largest company after record quarterly profits, a shift not seen in 15 years. And the RBI issues sweeping new guidelines to stop banks from mis-selling products and using dark patterns. Four stories about who really pays the price when the rules...

Good Morning, I'm Nelson John. On today's episode of Top of the Morning: Hyderabad's real estate market is on fire with 200 million square feet sanctioned in 2025 alone, and a new district called Neopolis is being called the city's Manhattan with land prices crossing 150 crore per acre. Meanwhile, Sattva Group just entered Mumbai with a massive 11,000 crore redevelopment bet across six projects. On the tax front, the new draft income tax rules look simpler on paper but actually make choosing between old and new regimes harder than ever. And if you send money abroad, TCS on education and medical remittances...

Good Morning, I'm Nelson John. This week saw $285 billion vanish from global software stocks after Anthropic's AI plugins launched. The India-US trade deal enters its final stretch with tariffs dropping to 18%. Your credit score is now being pulled by employers, insurers, and telecom companies. Sovereign gold bonds bought from secondary markets lose their tax-free status starting April. And MGNREGA is being phased out for a new scheme with a completely different funding structure. Five stories, one morning. Listen now.

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Good Morning, I'm Nelson John. In today's episode, we unpack five stories that reveal what happens when business as usual stops working.

IndiGo's December meltdown 4,500 cancelled flights just triggered a Competition Commission investigation. When you control 60% of the market and create artificial scarcity during peak demand, regulators take notice.

Vodafone Idea is back seeking ₹35,000 crore from banks. Supreme Court relief on AGR dues helps, but ₹1.25 trillion in spectrum payments and 7 million lost subscribers tell a different story.

Gold and silver just corrected sharply down 12% and...

Good Morning, I'm Nelson John. Today on Top of the Morning: President Trump claims India agreed to stop buying Russian oil, but industry insiders say 1.2 million barrels daily will keep flowing for months because contracts are already locked. Then, a US fighter jet shoots down an Iranian drone heading for an aircraft carrier just hours before announcing talks are still on for Friday in Istanbul. Gold and silver pulled off one of the wildest rides in decades, crashing 20% to 40% from record highs before bouncing back this week, exposing what analysts call a broken market structure. And the Reserve Bank...

Good Morning, I'm Nelson John. Today on Top of the Morning: India's Budget 2026 promises fiscal discipline while betting ₹12.2 lakh crore on infrastructure. Meanwhile, China posts a record $1.2 trillion trade surplus, proving tariffs couldn't stop its export machine. And closer to home, the government's ₹1.4 trillion telecom receipt target could spell trouble for Airtel's AGR relief hopes. Budget math, trade wars, and telecom tensions — all connected, all consequential.

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Good Morning, I'm Nelson John. Today on Top of the Morning: Air India stares at a $1.6 billion loss as the Ahmedabad crash and Pakistan airspace closure derail its turnaround. India's $686 billion forex reserves look healthy on paper but there's a worrying trend underneath. Global giants Blackstone and Temasek are circling RCB in what could be cricket's biggest ownership deal. Sam Altman is in the Middle East hunting for $50 billion to fuel OpenAI's AI ambitions. And IndiGo's profits crashed 77% in a brutal December quarter. Let's break it all down.

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Good Morning, I'm Nelson John. Today on Top of the Morning: Beijing just pulled the plug on battery export rebates and Indian EV makers are scrambling. We unpack what this means for prices at your local showroom. Then, the shadow fleet of oil tankers that moves 100 billion dollars worth of crude while dodging sanctions just got bigger. And finally, India and the EU are days away from signing what some are calling the mother of all trade deals. A 2 billion person market. A quarter of global GDP.

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Good Morning, I'm Nelson John. Today on Top of the Morning: Apple just handed Siri's brain to Google in a billion-dollar deal that's reshaping the AI landscape. India's private space startups are pivoting hard toward defense contracts worth hundreds of crores. China just pulled the plug on solar export rebates, and Indian manufacturers are celebrating. Plus, India's highways are going barrier-free with AI-powered tolling. And why smartphone makers are pushing back against India's new security proposals

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Good Morning, I'm Nelson John. The DOJ just subpoenaed Fed Chair Powell in what critics call an attack on central bank independence. India gets invited to Pax Silica, America's chip alliance. Japan's MUFG is pouring $4.4 billion into Shriram Finance amid governance debates. India's electronics sector targets $500 billion by 2030. And health-tech startups bet on AI to keep you engaged. Five stories, one theme: who controls the future?

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Good Morning, I'm Nelson John, and today we're looking at how the world is reorganizing itself. The US just walked away from 66 international organizations, but the UN says the energy transition continues regardless. Europe is scrambling to build its own military without American backing. Oil markets are heading toward a massive surplus that could crash prices. India is buying 6,000 more electric buses while its exporters are frantically finding new customers beyond America. Five stories about power shifting in real time.

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Good Morning, I'm Nelson John.

Today on Top of the Morning, we dig into the uncomfortable truths behind India's newly approved airlines. One has directors convicted in court. Another is led by a promoter who went from driving a tempo to planning a 30-plane fleet. We also unpack what the rupee hitting 91 means for your portfolio and for families planning overseas education. Plus, why Big Tech is fighting India's plan to make AI companies pay for the data they scrape. It's a reality check kind of morning.

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Good Morning. I'm Nelson John.

India's IT ministry gives X a 72-hour ultimatum over Grok's explicit content. The semaglutide patent war could slash weight-loss drug prices by 90%. A steel cartel bombshell names 56 executives including Sajjan Jindal and TV Narendran. Japanese giants MUFG and Nidec double down on India GCCs. And the finance ministry weighs a major credit guarantee for microfinance lenders.

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Good Morning, Welcome to top of The Morning, I'm Nelson John..

The US capture of Venezuelan President Maduro has sent gold past $4,400 an ounce, reinforcing its role as the world's geopolitical hedge. Silver is having an even bigger moment, with ETF inflows tripling in India and returns hitting 137% in 2025. Meanwhile, the SHANTI Bill opens India's nuclear sector to private investment for the first time since independence. And in wellness, Dabur and Hamdard are racing to reinvent themselves as D2C brands like Kapiva and Wellbeing Nutrition capture Gen Z. Today on Top of the...

The RBI just announced 3 trillion rupees in liquidity support to stabilize banks and the rupee. Swiggy Instamart opened a physical store in Gurugram a surprising move in the quick commerce wars. Samsung revealed India is now its most critical engineering hub outside South Korea, even as it fights to regain market share. Gold and silver hit record highs, posting their strongest gains since 1979 amid Fed rate cuts and geopolitical tensions. And 3.6 million Indians are voluntarily revising their tax returns before the December 31 deadline. From monetary policy to retail experiments to precious metals here's what you need to know.

On today's episode: Italy hits Apple with a €98 million fine over App Tracking Transparency. Indian IT giants TCS, Infosys and Wipro pivot hard toward AI integration. India's 850,000 cooperatives face pressure to go digital. Smartwatches earn medical certifications for hypertension tracking. And the India Oman trade deal opens new doors amid global tariff pressures.

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This week: Indian Railways announces its second fare hike of the year, adding 10 to 28 rupees on long-distance trips. India's capital formation slumps to a decade low as households pour money into gold instead of productive investments. IndiaRF looks to exit Synthimed Labs at a billion-dollar valuation. Defence and aerospace startups like Skyroot are now competing with Big Tech for IIT engineers. And in St. Petersburg, 17 Indians including a former software developer are cleaning streets, earning 1.1 lakh rupees a month in a country desperate for labour.

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The rupee's slide past 90 is hitting travellers beyond just US-bound trips. IndiGo's flight chaos reveals a pattern of reactive governance. TRAI proposes slashing backhaul spectrum charges. The $70 billion data centre rush runs into resource constraints. And record-low inflation might not be the good news it appears. What connects them? Systems under stress.

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AI stocks now make up 30% of the S&P 500 is a bubble brewing? India's burnout crisis hits Parliament with the Right to Disconnect Bill. RBI slams the door on stablecoins and bets on the Digital Rupee. Netflix makes an $83 billion play for Warner Bros that could reshape India's streaming wars. Plus, Acko preps for a blockbuster IPO. Five stories shaping money, markets, and policy all in one episode.

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Welcome to Top Of The Morning. I'm Nelson John.

In this episode, we explore how India's UPI has become the world's largest real-time payment system, processing more daily transactions than Visa globally. We break down Mexico's new 50% tariffs threatening nearly $2 billion in Indian auto exports. We follow the story of how Prada turned a cultural appropriation controversy into an $800 collaboration with Indian artisans. We examine Amazon's massive $75 billion commitment to India across e-commerce, cloud, and quick commerce. And we unpack Disney's surprising $1 billion investment in OpenAI that brings Mickey Mouse to AI video generation.<...

Good Morning, I'm Nelson John..

In this episode, we unpack five major developments reshaping India's economic and trade landscape. We start with the government's exploration of higher ethanol blends beyond E20, including E23 and E27, and why the auto industry is pushing for flex-fuel vehicles instead. Then we examine the US-India trade negotiations happening under the shadow of a Supreme Court case that could invalidate Trump's tariffs entirely. We break down TCS's $700 million acquisition of Coastal Cloud and what it signals about the future of India's largest IT services company. Next, we look at...

Welcome to Top of the Morning, I'm Nelson John.

Peak XV's Meesho IPO success. AI's enterprise determinism problem. Adani's 15,000 crore bankruptcy play. RCB's $2 billion sale question. China's eight-month manufacturing slump. Five stories that show how money, technology, and power are being repositioned globally.

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Good Morning, I'm Nelson John.. This week on Top of the Morning: SEBI delivers its biggest finfluencer crackdown, ordering Avadhut Sathe and his trading academy to return ₹546 crore in "unlawful gains." IndiGo's pilot shortage cancels 3,600+ flights and exposes years of staffing decisions. Putin visits Delhi amid US tariffs and sanctions, signing 16 agreements as India maintains its strategic balancing act. Wakefit opens its ₹1,289 crore IPO, asking public markets to validate a premium valuation. And Indian VCs bet big on consumer AI startups from Kuku FM to Dashverse. Five stories, one theme: accountability.

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Welcome to Top Of The Morning, Im Nelson John

Today,

India’s workplaces, industries, and digital systems are all shifting at once. Gen Alpha is rewriting the rules of work before they’ve even entered the workforce — expecting hybrid setups, AI partners, VR meetings, and shorter weeks. In the market, BYD’s rapid rise in EV sales shows how fast global players are reshaping India’s electric future. At the same time, India’s new data protection law is tightening consent and compliance, forcing companies to rethink how they collect and move data. Stream...

A JetBlue flight suddenly drops altitude. Investigation reveals: solar radiation corrupted flight control data. The result? The largest mass recall in Airbus history, with 6,000 jets grounded worldwide. Meanwhile, British Airways announces major India expansion, adding a third daily Delhi-London flight. India's DoT mandates that WhatsApp and Telegram must link to active SIM cards. And PM Modi's Mann Ki Baat celebrates 8.2% GDP growth and record 357 million tonnes of food grain production. Systems everywhere are being recalibrated.

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Welcome to Top of The Morning, I'm Nelson John.

Today,

Canada's immigration dream turns into a 10 year wait. China's pharma grip tightens. Mahindra bets big on electric SUVs. Indian unions strike. The tax net widens. Five stories about systems under pressure and what happens when the rules change.

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Welcome to Top of The Morning, I'm Nelson John..

What's something really worth? This episode explores the price of ambition from Wall Street's growing panic over a $5 trillion AI bubble, to Tesla opening its first all-in-one centre in Gurugram, India's ₹7,280 crore bet on rare earth magnets after China nearly shut down our EV industry, UPI's historic linkage with Europe's payments system, and a Haryana number plate that sold for ₹1.17 crore. Five stories, one question: Are we building the future or overpaying for it?

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Welcome to Top of the Morning, I'm Nelson John.

Today

America puts a price tag on citizenship, India-Canada restart trade talks, China's air got clean while India's didn't, nuclear power opens to private players, and AI transforms farming. Five stories, one theme: execution beats intention

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I'm Nelson John. Welcome to "Top of The Morning" by Mint.

Five stories, one theme: strategic inflection points. India launches a comprehensive plan to combat antibiotic resistance threatening millions of lives globally. Fluence Energy bets on India as supply chains shift away from concentrated manufacturing bases. India implements its biggest labour reform since Independence, overhauling 29 colonial-era laws amid union opposition. Canadian PM Carney secures major investment deals at a Trump-boycotted G20, signaling a fundamental realignment in global partnerships. And CoinDCX, India's first crypto unicorn, faces existential challenges after spectacular boom and bust. Systems under...

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India launches biometric e-passports, faces pressure to extradite Bangladesh's ex-PM, debates a billionaire's 72-hour workweek proposal, explores Russian shipbuilding partnerships, and gets Google AI localized. Five stories revealing how India's rebuilding infrastructure—both physical and digital—for global competition.

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Welcome to Top Of The Morning, I'm Nelson John.

Today's Top of the Morning: WhatsApp finally brings multi-account to iPhone (2 years late), Russia offers India unrestricted Su-57 tech transfer, Indian Railways heads for record ₹2.76T budget, and half of young American men are gambling. Four stories about big bets.

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Welcome to Top of The Morning with me Nelson John.

Today: NHAI raises ₹46,000 crore through highway InvITs attracting global investors, BIS overhauls cybersecurity and wind energy standards, ED attaches more RCom properties amid ₹40,000 crore fraud probe, Delhi's air pollution crisis kills 1.72 million Indians annually per Lancet study, and the US approves $93 million defense deal for Javelin missiles and Excalibur rounds.

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Happy Monday! Welcome to Top of The Morning, I'm Nelson John.

Today: Byju's gets carved up in bankruptcy court, India ditches cash for UPI, Trump's investment conflicts deepen, American voters inadvertently save Indian exporters, and India plays both superpowers while maintaining strategic autonomy.

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Welcome to Top Of The Morning, I'm your host Nelson John.

In today's Top of the Morning, we dissect five major developments that illuminate the complexities of Asian economic transformation. We begin with India's latest anti-dumping duties on Vietnamese steel products, exploring how importers are already circumventing the $121.50/tonne levy by importing semi-finished products instead – highlighting the cat-and-mouse game between policymakers and market players.

The arrest of Jaypee Infratech's former MD Manoj Gaur by the Enforcement Directorate brings into sharp focus the governance challenges in India's real estate sector, with ₹14,599 crore allegedly dive...