National Handloom Day 2026: From Alia Bhatt to Samantha Ruth Prabhu; Actresses who celebrated India's textile heritage as brides

The Royals enter the Doctor Who universe: King Charles and Queen Camilla beam into Commonwealth Games in TARDIS

Unitree Robotics targets $9 billion valuation in landmark IPO backed by DeepSeek and Tencent

India names 27 sites in Arunachal Pradesh

Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata OTT: When will Kangana Ranaut's film stream online?

How many soldiers operate one S-400 battery?

Shakib Al Hasan ready to return to Bangladesh—under one condition

‘Fake news’: MEA rejects report claiming India sought defence pact with Israel after Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey deal

Rockstar to unveil GTA 6 extended look ahead of November launch

Russia forms Ukrainian Volunteer Spetsnaz Brigade to fight Ukraine

Drug-resistant fungus that hides in hair and enters bloodstream reported in 23 US states

Technology transfer deal boosts India's defence manufacturing ambitions

Border row erupts in Europe after Ceuta crossings, Spain imposes border controls on Italy

Morale plummets on USS Abraham Lincoln: Are US sailors reaching a breaking point? | GRAVITAS

'Security can't be bought with Pakistan, Turkey deal': Iran tells Saudi Arabia

Baba Vanga's 2026 prophecy: 2 predictions 'already came true', 3 terrifying ones remain. Details inside

Colombia’s new president Abelardo de la Espriella vows to ‘defeat narco-terrorists’, signals hardline shift

New Friday OTT releases (August 7, 2026): Operation Safed Sagar, Vadhandhi, Main Vaapis Aaunga- 6 movies and TV shows on Netflix, Prime Video and more

Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth scripts history as Indian Air Force gets its first woman ‘Top Gun’ pilot

RSS says Gen Z protests reflect genuine distress

Trump says Iranian school bombing photos could be AI-generated - 'I don’t think...'

IAF officer held for sharing sensitive information in 'honey trap' case, booked under Official Secrets Act

Stray Kids under scrutiny? Fans react to Grammy submission silence after BTS boycott

Why the Su-30MKI doesn't need external fuel tanks to fly vast distances

Jugal Hansraj reunites with Shekhar Kapur after 40 years for Masoom: The Next Generation

New speed limits, automatic challans: Big traffic change coming to Delhi-Meerut Expressway. All you need to know

India officially names 27 places in Arunachal to counter China's renaming claims

Trump calls White House ballroom ruling a 'national disgrace' as court says Congress approval needed

US sanctions Iran’s crypto network after Strait of Hormuz attacks, offers $15m bounty for intel on IRGC finance

Why the Su-30MKI is one of the heaviest fighters ever built

Uttarakhand young innovator builds India's own flying vehicle, conducts first test flight: WATCH

Chilling video shows students take cover as teen opens fire at Thai school

Reese Witherspoon's father hospitalised after poolside incident in Nashville: Report

State-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) is set to launch its 4G services from Kerala next month, followed by Odisha, a top company official said.

The telecom corporation hopes that the ensuing 4G launch on?Long Term Evolution route (a standard for?high-speed wireless communication) will enable its mobile customers to enjoy faster data speeds and improve its user experience.

&quot;We are going to start 4G from Kerala. That will be our first circle on 4G LTE. We will initially focus on those areas where 3G coverage is low,&quot; BSNL Chairman and Managing Director Anupam Shrivastava said.

This will be followed by Odisha, a revenue positive circle for BSNL, he added.

The state-owned telco - which competes with private operators like Bharti Airtel, Vodafone and Jio that already have an established 4G footprint - expects the 5MHz spectrum it currently has in the 2100 MHz band to be sufficient for the initial launch of its 4G services.

But to expand the 4G service to rest of the country, BSNL will require additional spectrum.

For this, BSNL is seeking another 5MHz spectrum in the 2100 MHz band, which it wants to fund by offering additional equity to its promoter, the government.

&quot;Once the additional 5MHz spectrum comes to us, we will start rolling out in Bengaluru, Hyderabad and other places. So the network will become 2G, 3G and 4G with enhanced data capability,&quot;?Shrivastava added.

BSNL, which has 10 crore mobile customers across India (except Mumbai and Delhi circles), expects to roll out 10,000 4G mobile towers by March 2018.

Once the additional spectrum comes in, this number will rise, he added.

The company plans to have a separate brand identity for 4G services, Shrivastava said, adding that it will be announced at the time of rollout of services.

To expand the 4G service to rest of the country, BSNL will require additional spectrum.

State-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) is set to launch its 4G services from Kerala next month, followed by Odisha, a top company official said. The telecom corporation hopes that the ensuing 4G launch on?Long Term Evolution route (a standard for?high-speed wireless communication) will enable its mobile customers to enjoy faster data speeds and improve its user experience. "We are going to start 4G from Kerala. That will be our first circle on 4G LTE. We will initially focus on those areas where 3G coverage is low," BSNL Chairman and Managing Director Anupam Shrivastava said. This will be followed by Odisha, a revenue positive circle for BSNL, he added. The state-owned telco - which competes with private operators like Bharti Airtel, Vodafone and Jio that already have an established 4G footprint - expects the 5MHz spectrum it currently has in the 2100 MHz band to be sufficient for the initial launch of its 4G services. But to expand the 4G service to rest of the country, BSNL will require additional spectrum. For this, BSNL is seeking another 5MHz spectrum in the 2100 MHz band, which it wants to fund by offering additional equity to its promoter, the government. "Once the additional 5MHz spectrum comes to us, we will start rolling out in Bengaluru, Hyderabad and other places. So the network will become 2G, 3G and 4G with enhanced data capability,"?Shrivastava added. BSNL, which has 10 crore mobile customers across India (except Mumbai and Delhi circles), expects to roll out 10,000 4G mobile towers by March 2018. Once the additional spectrum comes in, this number will rise, he added. The company plans to have a separate brand identity for 4G services, Shrivastava said, adding that it will be announced at the time of rollout of services.

BSNL to start 4G services from Kerala in January, 2018

Corporate thought-leader and Infosys co-founder NR Narayana Murthy has flayed the high wage hikes that senior managements have been apportioning to themselves when the software industry is in trying times and has advised them to make &quot;sacrifices&quot; to maintain common man&#39;s faith in capitalism.

Conceding that times are difficult for the IT services sector, Murthy dismissed the commonly attributed threats of artificial intelligence and automation as &quot;more hype than reality&quot;.

Terming the trend of no hikes for juniors and freshers as &quot;worrisome,&quot; Murthy rued that the senior level people have been taking handsome hikes.

&quot;I think that is not the way to make capitalism acceptable to the larger masses in a country that has huge poverty,&quot; he said, speaking at the IIT-Bombay over the weekend.

&quot;If we believe in capitalism, if we believe that is the best solution for the country to move forward, then the leaders of capitalism will have to demonstrate self-restraints in apportioning to themselves the part of the benefits that come out of running companies, Murthy, who mostly flies the economy class, added.

Murthy, a strong proponent of &quot;compassionate capitalism&quot; since his days in the company, did not make any reference to Infosys. It can be noted that over the past few months, Murthy had gone public with his displeasure over senior executive compensation at Infosys.

Speaking before the students at the prestigious institute, Murthy said in the last seven years, the salaries of freshers in the software industry have stayed stagnant while the same for senior-level employees have grown by up to 1,000 per cent.

&quot;If all of us make sacrifices, then the youngsters will understand,&quot; he said.

He said the IT sector is passing through a trough that is cyclical in nature and may occur once a few years.

One of the reasons for this is the investments in IT done by the developed world clients in the past, he said, adding they are waiting to reap the benefits of the same before starting to invest again.

However, change in the technological landscape where automation and artificial intelligence are said to be making deeper in-roads was dismissed by him.

&quot;There is this whole thing about automation and artificial intelligence. That is much more hype than the reality, at-least in the software services,&quot; Murthy said.

The domestic IT sector employs over 4 million directly and its revenues have crossed over USD 150 billion, according to industry lobby Nasscom.

The lobby warned that the rate of hiring is slowing down, while some IT companies concede that a fewer number of people are required to do the work for the same revenue billing.

Many industry reports had in the past highlighted steep decline in hiring in the software space primarily because of automation which has been eating up tens of thousands of human jobs annually. So far this fiscal year, there has no net increase in hiring by the industry.

Terming the trend of no hikes for juniors and freshers as "worrisome," Murthy rued that the senior level people have been taking handsome hikes.

Corporate thought-leader and Infosys co-founder NR Narayana Murthy has flayed the high wage hikes that senior managements have been apportioning to themselves when the software industry is in trying times and has advised them to make "sacrifices" to maintain common man's faith in capitalism. Conceding that times are difficult for the IT services sector, Murthy dismissed the commonly attributed threats of artificial intelligence and automation as "more hype than reality". Terming the trend of no hikes for juniors and freshers as "worrisome," Murthy rued that the senior level people have been taking handsome hikes. "I think that is not the way to make capitalism acceptable to the larger masses in a country that has huge poverty," he said, speaking at the IIT-Bombay over the weekend. "If we believe in capitalism, if we believe that is the best solution for the country to move forward, then the leaders of capitalism will have to demonstrate self-restraints in apportioning to themselves the part of the benefits that come out of running companies, Murthy, who mostly flies the economy class, added. Murthy, a strong proponent of "compassionate capitalism" since his days in the company, did not make any reference to Infosys. It can be noted that over the past few months, Murthy had gone public with his displeasure over senior executive compensation at Infosys. Speaking before the students at the prestigious institute, Murthy said in the last seven years, the salaries of freshers in the software industry have stayed stagnant while the same for senior-level employees have grown by up to 1,000 per cent. "If all of us make sacrifices, then the youngsters will understand," he said. He said the IT sector is passing through a trough that is cyclical in nature and may occur once a few years. One of the reasons for this is the investments in IT done by the developed world clients in the past, he said, adding they are waiting to reap the benefits of the same before starting to invest again. However, change in the technological landscape where automation and artificial intelligence are said to be making deeper in-roads was dismissed by him. "There is this whole thing about automation and artificial intelligence. That is much more hype than the reality, at-least in the software services," Murthy said. The domestic IT sector employs over 4 million directly and its revenues have crossed over USD 150 billion, according to industry lobby Nasscom. The lobby warned that the rate of hiring is slowing down, while some IT companies concede that a fewer number of people are required to do the work for the same revenue billing. Many industry reports had in the past highlighted steep decline in hiring in the software space primarily because of automation which has been eating up tens of thousands of human jobs annually. So far this fiscal year, there has no net increase in hiring by the industry.

Narayana Murthy trashes artificial intelligence as hype, asks IT leaders to be less greedy

The US economy may be basking in the warm glow of solid growth, but economists are nervously eyeing a trend in the bond market that could spell stormy weather ahead.&nbsp;Even though President Donald Trump is touting unemployment at its lowest level in 17 years and Wall Street soaring to new heights, economists are worried about one indicator that is often a harbinger of recession: the yield curve.

&quot;Since 1950, each recession has been preceded by a reversal of the yield curve&quot;, said Christopher Low, chief economist of FTN Financial.&nbsp;This closely scrutinized graph maps the difference in yield, or return on investment, of short- and long-term US Treasury debt, usually comparing two-year notes to 10-year bonds.&nbsp;

Normally, the shorter the investment, the lower the yield, and conversely, the longer the investment, the higher the return, to offset the greater risks of losing access to funds for an extended period.&nbsp;But for the past year, the yield curve has been flattening as the return on short-term debt has been getting close to long-term yields, possible signaling eroding confidence in the economy&#39;s performance in the coming years.&nbsp;

The spread between the yield on two- and 10-year Treasury paper fell from 135 in December 2016 to 51 basis points on December 15, the lowest since October 2007 -- just before the start of the global financial crisis.&nbsp;Worse still would be if the yield curve inverts, as short-term returns outpace the longer-dated debt -- meaning the spread is negative -- and if officials ignore the warning. The yield curve inversion &quot;could be heralding a contraction of the economy,&quot; says Gary Duncan, chief economist at Oxford Economics.

Fed policy&nbsp;

As Gregori Volokhine, of Meeschaert Financial Services, explained: &quot;An inversion of the curve indicates that investors do not have confidence in the future&quot;.&nbsp;The main factor behind the flattening of the yield curve is the US central bank&#39;s moves to raise the benchmark interest rate five times since the end of 2015, including three increases this year and three more expected in 2018.

The long-term yields fluctuate more in line with growth and inflation expectations. And while growth prospects have been revised upwards for next year -- in part due to the impact of the massive corporate tax cuts just approved by Congress -- the Federal Reserve&#39;s inflation target will not be reached until 2019, according to its latest forecasts.&nbsp;

The Fed&#39;s preferred inflation measure was only 1.6 percent year-on-year in October.&nbsp;Two voting members of the Fed&#39;s policy committee -- including Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari -- dissented from the December 13 decision to raise rates, preferring to wait for inflation to rise further.

&#39;Worrying&#39;

Kashkari also mentioned his concerns about the yield curve and the signal it is sending to policymakers.&nbsp;&quot;While the yield curve has not yet inverted, the bond market is telling us that the odds of a recession are increasing,&quot; he said in a statement explaining his opposition to raising rates again.

Duncan of Oxford Economics cautioned that &quot;if the Fed tightens its policy too quickly, the markets anticipate a slowdown in the economy in the longer term&quot; as credit becomes more expensive.&nbsp;However, outgoing Fed Chair Janet Yellen downplayed those fears.

&quot;There are good reasons to think that the relationship between the slope of the yield curve and the business cycle may have changed,&quot; Yellen said in her press conference last week.&nbsp;FTN&#39;s Low said Yellen could be making the same mistake as her predecessors Alan Greenspan in 1998 and Ben Bernanke in 2006, who each saw recessions after the yield curve inverted.&nbsp;

&quot;Janet Yellen is making the same speech,&quot; Low said. &quot;This is worrying&quot;. Like most analysts, Low does not anticipate an inversion before 2019, or a recession until &quot;early 2020&quot;.&nbsp;Historically the economy has seen four to six quarters between a curve inversion and the start a recession.

Of course, not every flat curve brings on an economic downturn, and some economists agree with Yellen that it may be too early to panic.&nbsp;Noted economist Mohamed El-Erian, the chief economic adviser at Allianz SE, the parent company of PIMCO, notes several reasons the yield curve could steepen, including many indicators signaling the economy still has room to expand and inflation to pick up.

If it doesn&#39;t, the Fed could reverse course quickly, he wrote in a blog post.&nbsp;In addition, &quot;the synchronized pick-up in growth in the rest of the world is supportive of the US expansion&quot;.

Economists are worried about one indicator that is often a harbinger of recession: the yield curve

The US economy may be basking in the warm glow of solid growth, but economists are nervously eyeing a trend in the bond market that could spell stormy weather ahead. Even though President Donald Trump is touting unemployment at its lowest level in 17 years and Wall Street soaring to new heights, economists are worried about one indicator that is often a harbinger of recession: the yield curve. "Since 1950, each recession has been preceded by a reversal of the yield curve", said Christopher Low, chief economist of FTN Financial. This closely scrutinized graph maps the difference in yield, or return on investment, of short- and long-term US Treasury debt, usually comparing two-year notes to 10-year bonds. Normally, the shorter the investment, the lower the yield, and conversely, the longer the investment, the higher the return, to offset the greater risks of losing access to funds for an extended period. But for the past year, the yield curve has been flattening as the return on short-term debt has been getting close to long-term yields, possible signaling eroding confidence in the economy's performance in the coming years. The spread between the yield on two- and 10-year Treasury paper fell from 135 in December 2016 to 51 basis points on December 15, the lowest since October 2007 -- just before the start of the global financial crisis. Worse still would be if the yield curve inverts, as short-term returns outpace the longer-dated debt -- meaning the spread is negative -- and if officials ignore the warning. The yield curve inversion "could be heralding a contraction of the economy," says Gary Duncan, chief economist at Oxford Economics. Fed policy As Gregori Volokhine, of Meeschaert Financial Services, explained: "An inversion of the curve indicates that investors do not have confidence in the future". The main factor behind the flattening of the yield curve is the US central bank's moves to raise the benchmark interest rate five times since the end of 2015, including three increases this year and three more expected in 2018. The long-term yields fluctuate more in line with growth and inflation expectations. And while growth prospects have been revised upwards for next year -- in part due to the impact of the massive corporate tax cuts just approved by Congress -- the Federal Reserve's inflation target will not be reached until 2019, according to its latest forecasts. The Fed's preferred inflation measure was only 1.6 percent year-on-year in October. Two voting members of the Fed's policy committee -- including Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari -- dissented from the December 13 decision to raise rates, preferring to wait for inflation to rise further. 'Worrying' Kashkari also mentioned his concerns about the yield curve and the signal it is sending to policymakers. "While the yield curve has not yet inverted, the bond market is telling us that the odds of a recession are increasing," he said in a statement explaining his opposition to raising rates again. Duncan of Oxford Economics cautioned that "if the Fed tightens its policy too quickly, the markets anticipate a slowdown in the economy in the longer term" as credit becomes more expensive. However, outgoing Fed Chair Janet Yellen downplayed those fears. "There are good reasons to think that the relationship between the slope of the yield curve and the business cycle may have changed," Yellen said in her press conference last week. FTN's Low said Yellen could be making the same mistake as her predecessors Alan Greenspan in 1998 and Ben Bernanke in 2006, who each saw recessions after the yield curve inverted. "Janet Yellen is making the same speech," Low said. "This is worrying". Like most analysts, Low does not anticipate an inversion before 2019, or a recession until "early 2020". Historically the economy has seen four to six quarters between a curve inversion and the start a recession. Of course, not every flat curve brings on an economic downturn, and some economists agree with Yellen that it may be too early to panic. Noted economist Mohamed El-Erian, the chief economic adviser at Allianz SE, the parent company of PIMCO, notes several reasons the yield curve could steepen, including many indicators signaling the economy still has room to expand and inflation to pick up. If it doesn't, the Fed could reverse course quickly, he wrote in a blog post. In addition, "the synchronized pick-up in growth in the rest of the world is supportive of the US expansion".

Could the 'curve' be warning of a US recession?

Bitcoin plunged by 30 per cent to below $12,000 on Friday as investors dumped the cryptocurrency after its sharp rise to a peak close to $20,000 prompted warnings by experts of a bubble.&nbsp;

After falling to as low as $11,159, it recouped some losses to trade above $14,000 on the Bitstamp platform, down 9 percent on the day. It is down around 25 per cent this week, its largest weekly loss since April 2013.&nbsp;It capped a brutal week that had been touted as a new era of mainstream trading for the digital currency when bitcoin futures debuted on CME Group Inc, the world&#39;s largest derivatives market on Sunday.&nbsp;

Friday&#39;s fall bled into the US&nbsp;stock market, where shares of companies that have lashed their fortunes to bitcoin or blockchain - its underlying technology - took a knock. Long Blockchain Corp, Overstock.com Inc, Riot Blockchain Inc and Marathon Patent Group Inc lost between 2 per cent and 15 per cent.

The biggest and best-known cryptocurrency has risen around twentyfold since the start of the year, climbing from less than $1,000 to as high as $19,666 on the Luxembourg-based Bitstamp exchange on Sunday and to over $20,000 on other exchanges. But it has fallen each day since.

In the futures market, bitcoin one-month futures on Cboe Global Markets were earlier halted due to the steep price drop, while those trading on the CME hit the limit down threshold.&nbsp;&quot;The crypto markets have experienced several flash crashes over the past few years but we do believe there has been some overvaluation in the market, particularly over recent months,&quot; said Jamie Burke, CEO at venture capital firm Outlier Ventures.

&quot;It&#39;s much more likely this is a natural correction following over-exuberant market sentiment&quot;.&nbsp;On Friday, Mike Novogratz, the former macro hedge fund manager at Fortress Investment Group, told <a href="https://bloom.bg/2BA9gGN">Bloomberg</a> he had halted plans to launch a crypto-currency hedge fund.&nbsp;

&quot;We didn&#39;t like market conditions and we wanted to re-evaluate what we&#39;re doing&quot;, he told Bloomberg.&nbsp;His Galaxy Digital Assets Fund was due to start on December 15, but he called clients on December 12 and told them he had changed his mind, Novogratz said in an interview with Bloomberg.

Novogratz told Reuters in November he hoped to raise about $500 million, making it the largest fund of its kind.&nbsp;Warnings about the risks of investing in the unregulated market have increased - Denmark&#39;s central bank governor called it a &quot;deadly&quot; gamble - and there have been worries about the security of exchanges on which cryptocurrencies are bought and sold.

South Korean cryptocurrency exchange Youbit said on Tuesday it is shutting down and is filing for bankruptcy after it was hacked for the second time this year.&nbsp;Coinbase, a US&nbsp;company that runs one of the biggest exchanges and provides digital &quot;wallets&quot; for storing bitcoins, said on Wednesday it would investigate accusations of insider trading, following a sharp rise in the price of a bitcoin spin-off hours before it announced support for it.

On Friday, Coinbase said it had temporarily suspended buying and selling of bitcoin due to high traffic.

Crypto-Rivals

As some rival cryptocurrencies slid along with bitcoin, the total estimated value of the crypto market fell to as low as $440 billion, according to industry website Coinmarketcap, having neared $650 billion just a day earlier.&nbsp;But other cryptocurrencies rose this week, with investors moving into cheaper digital coins, rather than cashing out of the sector.

Ethereum, the second-biggest cryptocurrency by market size, soared to almost $900 earlier in the week, from around $500 a week earlier. Ripple, the third-biggest, has more than quadrupled in price since Monday.&nbsp;Stephen Innes, head of trading in Asia-Pacific for retail FX broker Oanda in Singapore, said there had also been moves out of bitcoin into Bitcoin Cash, a clone of the original cryptocurrency. Oanda does not handle trading in bitcoin.

&quot;Most of it is unsophisticated retail traders getting burned badly&quot;, Innes said on Bitcoin&#39;s recent retreat.&nbsp;While some say the launch by CME and its rival Cboe Global Markets of bitcoin futures over the last two weeks has given the digital currency some perceived legitimacy, many policymakers remain sceptical.

Bitcoin is known to go through wild swings. In November, it tumbled almost 30 per cent in four days from $7,888 to $5,555. In September, it fell 40 per cent from $4,979 to $2,972.

Bitcoin along with some other cryptocurrencies slid, the total estimated value of the crypto market fell to as low as $440 billion, having neared $650 billion just a day earlier

Bitcoin plunged by 30 per cent to below $12,000 on Friday as investors dumped the cryptocurrency after its sharp rise to a peak close to $20,000 prompted warnings by experts of a bubble. After falling to as low as $11,159, it recouped some losses to trade above $14,000 on the Bitstamp platform, down 9 percent on the day. It is down around 25 per cent this week, its largest weekly loss since April 2013. It capped a brutal week that had been touted as a new era of mainstream trading for the digital currency when bitcoin futures debuted on CME Group Inc, the world's largest derivatives market on Sunday. Friday's fall bled into the US stock market, where shares of companies that have lashed their fortunes to bitcoin or blockchain - its underlying technology - took a knock. Long Blockchain Corp, Overstock.com Inc, Riot Blockchain Inc and Marathon Patent Group Inc lost between 2 per cent and 15 per cent. The biggest and best-known cryptocurrency has risen around twentyfold since the start of the year, climbing from less than $1,000 to as high as $19,666 on the Luxembourg-based Bitstamp exchange on Sunday and to over $20,000 on other exchanges. But it has fallen each day since. In the futures market, bitcoin one-month futures on Cboe Global Markets were earlier halted due to the steep price drop, while those trading on the CME hit the limit down threshold. "The crypto markets have experienced several flash crashes over the past few years but we do believe there has been some overvaluation in the market, particularly over recent months," said Jamie Burke, CEO at venture capital firm Outlier Ventures. "It's much more likely this is a natural correction following over-exuberant market sentiment". On Friday, Mike Novogratz, the former macro hedge fund manager at Fortress Investment Group, told Bloomberg he had halted plans to launch a crypto-currency hedge fund. "We didn't like market conditions and we wanted to re-evaluate what we're doing", he told Bloomberg. His Galaxy Digital Assets Fund was due to start on December 15, but he called clients on December 12 and told them he had changed his mind, Novogratz said in an interview with Bloomberg. Novogratz told Reuters in November he hoped to raise about $500 million, making it the largest fund of its kind. Warnings about the risks of investing in the unregulated market have increased - Denmark's central bank governor called it a "deadly" gamble - and there have been worries about the security of exchanges on which cryptocurrencies are bought and sold. South Korean cryptocurrency exchange Youbit said on Tuesday it is shutting down and is filing for bankruptcy after it was hacked for the second time this year. Coinbase, a US company that runs one of the biggest exchanges and provides digital "wallets" for storing bitcoins, said on Wednesday it would investigate accusations of insider trading, following a sharp rise in the price of a bitcoin spin-off hours before it announced support for it. On Friday, Coinbase said it had temporarily suspended buying and selling of bitcoin due to high traffic. Crypto-Rivals As some rival cryptocurrencies slid along with bitcoin, the total estimated value of the crypto market fell to as low as $440 billion, according to industry website Coinmarketcap, having neared $650 billion just a day earlier. But other cryptocurrencies rose this week, with investors moving into cheaper digital coins, rather than cashing out of the sector. Ethereum, the second-biggest cryptocurrency by market size, soared to almost $900 earlier in the week, from around $500 a week earlier. Ripple, the third-biggest, has more than quadrupled in price since Monday. Stephen Innes, head of trading in Asia-Pacific for retail FX broker Oanda in Singapore, said there had also been moves out of bitcoin into Bitcoin Cash, a clone of the original cryptocurrency. Oanda does not handle trading in bitcoin. "Most of it is unsophisticated retail traders getting burned badly", Innes said on Bitcoin's recent retreat. While some say the launch by CME and its rival Cboe Global Markets of bitcoin futures over the last two weeks has given the digital currency some perceived legitimacy, many policymakers remain sceptical. Bitcoin is known to go through wild swings. In November, it tumbled almost 30 per cent in four days from $7,888 to $5,555. In September, it fell 40 per cent from $4,979 to $2,972.

Bitcoin falls 30 per cent, posts worst week since 2013

Chinese smartphone maker Gionee has launched its&nbsp;new handset called S10 Lite.

The device will be available for Rs&nbsp;15,999 in India and is&nbsp;expected to hit the markets on&nbsp;December 23.&nbsp;

Gionee S10 Lite comes with a 13MP primary camera with auto-focus and flash.

The 16MP selfie camera (front) comes with&nbsp;&#39;group selfie&#39; and &#39;bokeh selfie&#39; features.&nbsp;

The device boasts of a 3,100mAh battery and comes equipped with a fingerprint sensor.&nbsp;

S10 Lite is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8920 processor&nbsp;along&nbsp;with 4GB RAM and 32GB internal storage, expandable up to 256GB.

On the OS&nbsp;front, the handset runs on Gionee&#39;s custom Amigo 4.0 based on Android 7.1 Nougat.

 
&nbsp;

The device will be available for Rs 15,999 in India and is expected to hit the markets on December 23

Chinese smartphone maker Gionee has launched its new handset called S10 Lite. The device will be available for Rs 15,999 in India and is expected to hit the markets on December 23. Gionee S10 Lite comes with a 13MP primary camera with auto-focus and flash. The 16MP selfie camera (front) comes with 'group selfie' and 'bokeh selfie' features. The device boasts of a 3,100mAh battery and comes equipped with a fingerprint sensor. S10 Lite is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8920 processor along with 4GB RAM and 32GB internal storage, expandable up to 256GB. On the OS front, the handset runs on Gionee's custom Amigo 4.0 based on Android 7.1 Nougat.

Gionee 'selfie-centric' S10 Lite launched in India for Rs 15,999

Dalal Street rejoiced as Nifty hits 10,500 for the first time. Sensex also rallied up over 200 points today.&nbsp;

Earlier today, S&amp;P BSE Sensex was shy of 46 points from hitting 34,000.

NSE Nifty was just 8 points away from the 10,500 mark for the first time.&nbsp;

Sensex smashed its Wednesday&#39;s record by touching 33,959.46 points today.

While Sensex opened at 33,768.47 points, it continued trading at 33,919.51 points.

Some of the top BSE gainers from the surge included Tata Consultancy Services, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, State Bank of India and Wipro among others.

Infosys, India&#39;s second largest IT company, witnessed a 52-week high in its share value, rising over 2%.

 
&nbsp;

Earlier today, S&P BSE Sensex was shy of 46 points from hitting 34,000

Dalal Street rejoiced as Nifty hits 10,500 for the first time. Sensex also rallied up over 200 points today. Earlier today, S&P BSE Sensex was shy of 46 points from hitting 34,000. NSE Nifty was just 8 points away from the 10,500 mark for the first time. Sensex smashed its Wednesday's record by touching 33,959.46 points today. While Sensex opened at 33,768.47 points, it continued trading at 33,919.51 points. Some of the top BSE gainers from the surge included Tata Consultancy Services, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, State Bank of India and Wipro among others. Infosys, India's second largest IT company, witnessed a 52-week high in its share value, rising over 2%.

Nifty hits 10,500 for first time, Sensex ends week on high note

Bitcoin fell more than 10 percent to below $14,000 on the Bitstamp exchange on Friday, extending overnight losses.

It was last down 11 percent at $13,872.

The cryptocurrency, which was at about $1,000 at the year&#39;s start, had climbed to a record high of $19,666 on Sunday in lead up to exchange giant CME Group&#39;s launch of bitcoin futures before losing steam.

Bitcoin is known to go through wild swings. In November, it tumbled almost 30 percent in four days from $7,888 to $5,555. In September, it fell 40 percent from $4,979 to $2,972.

Bitcoin fell more than 10 percent to below $14,000 on the Bitstamp exchange on Friday, extending overnight losses

Bitcoin fell more than 10 percent to below $14,000 on the Bitstamp exchange on Friday, extending overnight losses. It was last down 11 percent at $13,872. The cryptocurrency, which was at about $1,000 at the year's start, had climbed to a record high of $19,666 on Sunday in lead up to exchange giant CME Group's launch of bitcoin futures before losing steam. Bitcoin is known to go through wild swings. In November, it tumbled almost 30 percent in four days from $7,888 to $5,555. In September, it fell 40 percent from $4,979 to $2,972.

Bitcoin extends losses, slips below $14,000 on Bitstamp exchange

The Sensex and Nifty rose on Friday, with financial stocks such as Housing Development Finance Corporation Ltd (HDFC) boosting the indexes after it said it is selling two of its units to Quikr India.

Mortgage lender HDFC said it is selling HDFC Developers and HDFC Realty to online classified advertising platform Quikr India and added it has bought a stake in Quikr.

Housing Development Finance Corp rose 0.3 percent.

The Nifty was up 0.4 percent at 10,486.10 as of 0528 GMT, while the Sensex rose 0.5 percent to 33,939.59.

&quot;Things are looking reasonably good. Earnings are expected to be decent. Some of the key concerns like the fear that BJP (Bhartiya Janata Party) might lose Gujarat elections, implications of flattening yields in the US, crude oil concerns or domestic inflation..all these seem to have abated,&quot; said Sunil Sharma, chief investment officer at Sanctum Wealth Management.

&quot;Investors are getting comfortable with valuations. As long as growth comes through, markets are going to move higher, although at a gradual pace.&quot;

For the week, the NSE index was on track to end 1.5 percent higher, while the BSE index looked set to gain 1.4 percent.

Among the gainers, state-run lenders such as State Bank of India rose 1.6 percent, pushing the Nifty PSU bank index 1.6 percent higher.

Refining stocks such as Reliance Industries Ltd gained, as oil prices dipped away from 2015 highs reached in the previous session weighed down by rising U.S. output.

Reliance Industries rose 0.8 percent.

Indian markets will be closed on Monday for Christmas.

Mortgage lender HDFC said it is selling HDFC Developers and HDFC Realty to online classified advertising platform Quikr India and added it has bought a stake in Quikr

The Sensex and Nifty rose on Friday, with financial stocks such as Housing Development Finance Corporation Ltd (HDFC) boosting the indexes after it said it is selling two of its units to Quikr India. Mortgage lender HDFC said it is selling HDFC Developers and HDFC Realty to online classified advertising platform Quikr India and added it has bought a stake in Quikr. Housing Development Finance Corp rose 0.3 percent. The Nifty was up 0.4 percent at 10,486.10 as of 0528 GMT, while the Sensex rose 0.5 percent to 33,939.59. "Things are looking reasonably good. Earnings are expected to be decent. Some of the key concerns like the fear that BJP (Bhartiya Janata Party) might lose Gujarat elections, implications of flattening yields in the US, crude oil concerns or domestic inflation..all these seem to have abated," said Sunil Sharma, chief investment officer at Sanctum Wealth Management. "Investors are getting comfortable with valuations. As long as growth comes through, markets are going to move higher, although at a gradual pace." For the week, the NSE index was on track to end 1.5 percent higher, while the BSE index looked set to gain 1.4 percent. Among the gainers, state-run lenders such as State Bank of India rose 1.6 percent, pushing the Nifty PSU bank index 1.6 percent higher. Refining stocks such as Reliance Industries Ltd gained, as oil prices dipped away from 2015 highs reached in the previous session weighed down by rising U.S. output. Reliance Industries rose 0.8 percent. Indian markets will be closed on Monday for Christmas.

Sensex, Nifty rise; financial stocks lead

India needs to strengthen Reserve Bank&#39;s independence so as to help it pro-actively supervise banks and deal with issues like removal of government-appointed directors on bank boards, says an IMF report.

The report also suggested that loan classification and provisioning rules should be reviewed to ensure they reflect observed losses, and to reduce special loan categories.

&quot;Other priorities include introducing a risk-based solvency regime for insurers, unifying the oversight of commodities markets and addressing risks from politically exposed persons and the gold sector,&quot; it said.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) made these observations in its Financial System Stability Assessment (FSSA) for India.

Since the 2011 Financial Sector Assessment Program (FSAP), India has recorded strong growth in both economic activity and financial assets, supported by important structural reforms and terms of trade gains.

The FSAP took stock of the considerable progress made in strengthening financial sector oversight and identified areas where a scope for further improvement remains.

&quot;Notably, these include strengthening the RBI&#39;s de jure independence as well as its powers over the PSBs (Public Sector Banks)...,&quot; the multilateral institution said.

The FSSA said effective supervision requires stronger de jure independence and enforcement powers as well as a proactive supervisory stance.

&quot;The current gaps in the RBI&#39;s supervisory powers over the PSBs (i.E. The RBI cannot remove government-appointed PSB directors or management, force a merger, revoke a license, or trigger liquidation of PSBs), as well as extensive powers of the government to override RBI decisions should be addressed through legal amendments,&quot; it said.

As per the IMF, effective use of the enhanced supervisory tools and methodologies will require continued efforts to ensure a proactive supervisory attitude and willingness to &quot;lean against the wind&quot;.

To address conflicts of interest, the IMF further said ownership of the National Housing Bank should be transferred from the RBI to the finance ministry and supervision of housing finance companies placed under the RBI.

The IMF directors underscored the importance of adequate resources, de jure independence, and a full set of supervisory powers?including over PSBs?in underpinning the RBI&#39;s effective supervision and regulation of financial institutions.

&quot;There is also a need to introduce risk-based solvency and supervision of insurers and to continue moving toward a market-based environment for the sector,&quot; the IMF said.

Unifying the oversight of all commodities markets would promote more efficient market functioning, in line with the authorities&#39; intention to modernise the sector, it added.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) made these observations in its Financial System Stability Assessment (FSSA) for India

India needs to strengthen Reserve Bank's independence so as to help it pro-actively supervise banks and deal with issues like removal of government-appointed directors on bank boards, says an IMF report. The report also suggested that loan classification and provisioning rules should be reviewed to ensure they reflect observed losses, and to reduce special loan categories. "Other priorities include introducing a risk-based solvency regime for insurers, unifying the oversight of commodities markets and addressing risks from politically exposed persons and the gold sector," it said. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) made these observations in its Financial System Stability Assessment (FSSA) for India. Since the 2011 Financial Sector Assessment Program (FSAP), India has recorded strong growth in both economic activity and financial assets, supported by important structural reforms and terms of trade gains. The FSAP took stock of the considerable progress made in strengthening financial sector oversight and identified areas where a scope for further improvement remains. "Notably, these include strengthening the RBI's de jure independence as well as its powers over the PSBs (Public Sector Banks)...," the multilateral institution said. The FSSA said effective supervision requires stronger de jure independence and enforcement powers as well as a proactive supervisory stance. "The current gaps in the RBI's supervisory powers over the PSBs (i.E. The RBI cannot remove government-appointed PSB directors or management, force a merger, revoke a license, or trigger liquidation of PSBs), as well as extensive powers of the government to override RBI decisions should be addressed through legal amendments," it said. As per the IMF, effective use of the enhanced supervisory tools and methodologies will require continued efforts to ensure a proactive supervisory attitude and willingness to "lean against the wind". To address conflicts of interest, the IMF further said ownership of the National Housing Bank should be transferred from the RBI to the finance ministry and supervision of housing finance companies placed under the RBI. The IMF directors underscored the importance of adequate resources, de jure independence, and a full set of supervisory powers?including over PSBs?in underpinning the RBI's effective supervision and regulation of financial institutions. "There is also a need to introduce risk-based solvency and supervision of insurers and to continue moving toward a market-based environment for the sector," the IMF said. Unifying the oversight of all commodities markets would promote more efficient market functioning, in line with the authorities' intention to modernise the sector, it added.

India needs to strengthen RBI's independence: IMF

Bitcoin has had a difficult week. In just five days Bitcoin lost close to a third of its value plummeting below $13,000 on Friday -- a fall of nearly 20 per cent.

The cryptocurrency touched a high of around $20,000 on Sunday and&nbsp;went on to witness its worst today since April 2013.&nbsp;

&quot;Bitcoin had witnessed a staggering twentyfold increase since the start of the year, climbing from less than $1,000 to as high as $19,666 on the Luxembourg-based Bitstamp exchange on Sunday and to over $20,000 on other exchanges,&quot; Reuters reported.&nbsp;

Bitcoin was seen sliding ever since, documenting the sharpest drop today.&nbsp;

It fell to as low as $12,560 on Bitstamp today.&nbsp;

(With inputs from Reuters)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

In just five days the cryptocurrency lost close to a third of its value

Bitcoin has had a difficult week. In just five days Bitcoin lost close to a third of its value plummeting below $13,000 on Friday -- a fall of nearly 20 per cent. The cryptocurrency touched a high of around $20,000 on Sunday and went on to witness its worst today since April 2013. "Bitcoin had witnessed a staggering twentyfold increase since the start of the year, climbing from less than $1,000 to as high as $19,666 on the Luxembourg-based Bitstamp exchange on Sunday and to over $20,000 on other exchanges," Reuters reported. Bitcoin was seen sliding ever since, documenting the sharpest drop today. It fell to as low as $12,560 on Bitstamp today. (With inputs from Reuters)

Bitcoin crashes below $13,000, worst low since April 2013

Nokia has signed a multi-year smartphone patent licence deal with Chinese smartphone manufacturing giant Huawei.

Although, the financial details of the agreement were not revealed Nokia said, &quot;it would start booking revenue, including and a one-off catch-up payment, from the fourth quarter,&quot; Reuters reported.

The Finnish company has also signed licensing deals with smartphone-making giants such as LG, Apple, Samsung Electronics and Xiaomi.

According to a Reuters report, over 90 per cent of Nokia&#39;s revenue comes from telecoms network equipment, however, in the wake of an industry-wide slide in the network business, licensing payments may prove highly profitable.

&quot;It&#39;s a significant deal because Nokia now has agreements with all the big phone makers...The network market will remain tough, but the growing patent revenue will compensate for it,&quot; said analyst Mikael Rautanen from research firm Inderes, which holds a &quot;buy&quot; rating on the stock.

(With inputs from Reuters)

 
&nbsp;

The Finnish company has also signed licensing deals with smartphone-making giants such as LG, Apple, Samsung Electronics and Xiaomi

Nokia has signed a multi-year smartphone patent licence deal with Chinese smartphone manufacturing giant Huawei. Although, the financial details of the agreement were not revealed Nokia said, "it would start booking revenue, including and a one-off catch-up payment, from the fourth quarter," Reuters reported. The Finnish company has also signed licensing deals with smartphone-making giants such as LG, Apple, Samsung Electronics and Xiaomi. According to a Reuters report, over 90 per cent of Nokia's revenue comes from telecoms network equipment, however, in the wake of an industry-wide slide in the network business, licensing payments may prove highly profitable. "It's a significant deal because Nokia now has agreements with all the big phone makers...The network market will remain tough, but the growing patent revenue will compensate for it," said analyst Mikael Rautanen from research firm Inderes, which holds a "buy" rating on the stock. (With inputs from Reuters)

Nokia and Huawei sign patent licensing deal

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/google-releases-list-of-top-searches-in-2017-hurricane-irma-iphone-x-feature-on-top-26657">iPhone X and 8 might be the most searched</a> smartphones according to Google trends data but that doesn&#39;t even give a glimpse of what the majority of the smartphone using population was hooked on to throughout 2017.

A recent <a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/indians-spend-most-internet-data-on-communication-apps-social-media-study-27153">study conducted by the Omidyar Network</a> notes a sizeable increase in the chunk of Indian population using smartphones. Quite evidently, more and more people are switching to hi-technology handsets from their basic, old-school precursors.

Interestingly, the number of people with basic cellphone devices continues to shrink, thanks to more and more handset-manufacturing giants rolling out premium smartphones that don&#39;t burn consumers pockets anymore.

According to the Omidyar report, the number of people using cellphones is expected to shoot up to a whopping 875 million by 2020 from 581 million reported in the year 2014.

Smartphones users --- versus basic handset users -- will grow to 54% by 2020 from meagre 28% reported in the year 2014.

Easy and cheaper availability of multi-featured smartphones has created a boom in the cellphone industry, also giving a significant boost to data service providers. More and more customers now get affordable plans to access data on their budget smartphones.&nbsp;

Identifying and celebrating the indispensability of budget phones in the Indian cellphone market, we bring to you five devices that caught our attention this year under the 15k category.&nbsp;

Moto G5 Plus&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/moto.g5plus-20171220104459.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
The device came with Android 7.0 (Nougat), upgradable to Android 8.0 (Oreo). Image via official website. (Others)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

Undeniably, the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/topic/moto-g">Moto G series</a> has been one of the most popular ones unveiled by Motorola. Moto G5 and G5 Plus were launched earlier this year and emerged as hot contenders in a fight to disrupt the budget smartphone market in the country.&nbsp;

The device comes with a fingerprint sensor, located in front; a 12-megapixel front camera with phase detection autofocus, dual-LED dual-tone flash and a 5-megapixel secondary camera.

Moto G5 Plus comes in two variants 32/64 GB, 2/4 GB RAM and 32 GB, 3 GB RAM with expandable memory up to 256 GB via microSD.

The handset was launched at a competitive price of Rs. 14,999 and is currently available for an online purchase for around Rs. 13,999 (32 GB variant).

The device came with Android 7.0 (Nougat), upgradable to Android 8.0 (Oreo) and runs on Qualcomm Snapdragon 625.

&nbsp;

Honor 7X

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/honor-representation-20171130044340.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Honor 7X was recently launched in China. Representational image, Honor smartphone (WION)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

Huawei&#39;s much-anticipated budget smartphone <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/huaweis-honor-7x-will-be-on-sale-via-amazon-india-on-december-7-25585">launched earlier this month</a> and also went on an exclusive Amazon sale on December 7.&nbsp;

Honor 7X succeeds the popular Honor 6X and runs on Huawei&#39;s exclusive Kirin 659 processor. The device is available with 4GB/3GB RAM in variants offering 32GB/64GB internal storage expandable to 256 GB via microSD.&nbsp;

The handset boasts of a 3340 mAh battery and runs on Android 7.0 Nougat. Honor 7X comes with a 16-megapixel primary camera with phase detection, autofocus, LED flash and an 8-megapixel secondary camera.&nbsp;

The 4GB/32GB variant of the device is available online for around Rs. 12,999.

&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/topic/xiaomi-mi-a1">Xiaomi</a> Mi A1

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/xiaomi%20phones-20170705081822.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
The illustration showing Xiaomi handsets (Reuters)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

The budget-bet from this year&#39;s Xiaomi kitty comes with a full-HD 5.5-inch display, 4GB RAM, and 64GB storage expandable to 128 GB, and a 3080 mAh battery.

The handset runs on Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 and boasts of dual cameras -- 5-megapixel in the front and dual 12-megapixel on the back.&nbsp;

The Mi A1 comes with Android 7.1.2 (Nougat) with a planned upgrade to Android 8.0 (Oreo) and <a href="http://www.wionews.com/science-tech/android-o-google-teases-next-version-of-its-operating-system-15725">Android One</a>.&nbsp;

The device was released in September this year and can now be bought online for around Rs. 12,999/13,999. &nbsp;

Xiaomi has also launched a Special Edition Red variant in India priced at Rs. 13,999. The limited edition device will be available from December 20 through the official Mi website, Flipkart, Mi Home and partner stores.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/k8-plus-lenovo-launches-its-second-smartphone-in-india-19997">Lenovo K8 Plus</a>&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/lenovo-20171220103948.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
The device boasts of a massive 4000 mAh battery and runs on Helio P25 2.5GHz octa-core processor. Image via the official website. (Others)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

A strong contender in the budget phone market, the Lenovo K8 Plus was launched in September and currently available online for as low as ten thousand rupees.&nbsp;

The device boasts of a massive 4000 mAh battery and runs on Helio P25 2.5GHz octa-core processor.

On the camera front, the device comes with 13 MP + 5 MP rear dual cameras with dual CCT LED flash and 8 MP front camera with party flash.

Lenovo K8 Plus comes with 3/4 GB RAM and 32 GB internal storage expandable up to 128 GB with the help of a microSD

&nbsp;

Moto G5

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/motog5-20171220103644.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
The device runs on Android Nougat with a planned update for Android Oreo. Image via Moto official website. (Others)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

Another one from the Moto family, this device is a classic bet for people wanting to buy a budget phone.

Although not recommended for data-heavy use, this one is ideal for those looking for premium smartphone features packed in an affordable avatar.&nbsp;

The device comes in 3 GB/16 GB (expandable to 256 GB) variants with 1.4 GHz octa-core processor, Qualcomm Snapdragon 430; 13 MP front and 5 MP rear camera.

On the battery front, Moto G lags behind with 2800 mAH.&nbsp;

The device runs on Android Nougat with a planned update for <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/google-for-india-2017-heres-taking-a-look-at-the-highlights-of-todays-event-25924">Android Oreo</a>.&nbsp;

Moto G was launched in February this year and can be bought for as low as Rs. 9999 online.

Identifying and celebrating the indispensability of budget phones in the Indian cellphone market, we bring to you five devices that caught our attention this year

iPhone X and 8 might be the most searched smartphones according to Google trends data but that doesn't even give a glimpse of what the majority of the smartphone using population was hooked on to throughout 2017. A recent study conducted by the Omidyar Network notes a sizeable increase in the chunk of Indian population using smartphones. Quite evidently, more and more people are switching to hi-technology handsets from their basic, old-school precursors. Interestingly, the number of people with basic cellphone devices continues to shrink, thanks to more and more handset-manufacturing giants rolling out premium smartphones that don't burn consumers pockets anymore. According to the Omidyar report, the number of people using cellphones is expected to shoot up to a whopping 875 million by 2020 from 581 million reported in the year 2014. Smartphones users --- versus basic handset users -- will grow to 54% by 2020 from meagre 28% reported in the year 2014. Easy and cheaper availability of multi-featured smartphones has created a boom in the cellphone industry, also giving a significant boost to data service providers. More and more customers now get affordable plans to access data on their budget smartphones. Identifying and celebrating the indispensability of budget phones in the Indian cellphone market, we bring to you five devices that caught our attention this year under the 15k category. Moto G5 Plus The device came with Android 7.0 (Nougat), upgradable to Android 8.0 (Oreo). Image via official website. (Others) × Undeniably, the Moto G series has been one of the most popular ones unveiled by Motorola. Moto G5 and G5 Plus were launched earlier this year and emerged as hot contenders in a fight to disrupt the budget smartphone market in the country. The device comes with a fingerprint sensor, located in front; a 12-megapixel front camera with phase detection autofocus, dual-LED dual-tone flash and a 5-megapixel secondary camera. Moto G5 Plus comes in two variants 32/64 GB, 2/4 GB RAM and 32 GB, 3 GB RAM with expandable memory up to 256 GB via microSD. The handset was launched at a competitive price of Rs. 14,999 and is currently available for an online purchase for around Rs. 13,999 (32 GB variant). The device came with Android 7.0 (Nougat), upgradable to Android 8.0 (Oreo) and runs on Qualcomm Snapdragon 625. Honor 7X Honor 7X was recently launched in China. Representational image, Honor smartphone (WION) × Huawei's much-anticipated budget smartphone launched earlier this month and also went on an exclusive Amazon sale on December 7. Honor 7X succeeds the popular Honor 6X and runs on Huawei's exclusive Kirin 659 processor. The device is available with 4GB/3GB RAM in variants offering 32GB/64GB internal storage expandable to 256 GB via microSD. The handset boasts of a 3340 mAh battery and runs on Android 7.0 Nougat. Honor 7X comes with a 16-megapixel primary camera with phase detection, autofocus, LED flash and an 8-megapixel secondary camera. The 4GB/32GB variant of the device is available online for around Rs. 12,999. Xiaomi Mi A1 The illustration showing Xiaomi handsets (Reuters) × The budget-bet from this year's Xiaomi kitty comes with a full-HD 5.5-inch display, 4GB RAM, and 64GB storage expandable to 128 GB, and a 3080 mAh battery. The handset runs on Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 and boasts of dual cameras -- 5-megapixel in the front and dual 12-megapixel on the back. The Mi A1 comes with Android 7.1.2 (Nougat) with a planned upgrade to Android 8.0 (Oreo) and Android One. The device was released in September this year and can now be bought online for around Rs. 12,999/13,999. Xiaomi has also launched a Special Edition Red variant in India priced at Rs. 13,999. The limited edition device will be available from December 20 through the official Mi website, Flipkart, Mi Home and partner stores. Lenovo K8 Plus The device boasts of a massive 4000 mAh battery and runs on Helio P25 2.5GHz octa-core processor. Image via the official website. (Others) × A strong contender in the budget phone market, the Lenovo K8 Plus was launched in September and currently available online for as low as ten thousand rupees. The device boasts of a massive 4000 mAh battery and runs on Helio P25 2.5GHz octa-core processor. On the camera front, the device comes with 13 MP + 5 MP rear dual cameras with dual CCT LED flash and 8 MP front camera with party flash. Lenovo K8 Plus comes with 3/4 GB RAM and 32 GB internal storage expandable up to 128 GB with the help of a microSD Moto G5 The device runs on Android Nougat with a planned update for Android Oreo. Image via Moto official website. (Others) × Another one from the Moto family, this device is a classic bet for people wanting to buy a budget phone. Although not recommended for data-heavy use, this one is ideal for those looking for premium smartphone features packed in an affordable avatar. The device comes in 3 GB/16 GB (expandable to 256 GB) variants with 1.4 GHz octa-core processor, Qualcomm Snapdragon 430; 13 MP front and 5 MP rear camera. On the battery front, Moto G lags behind with 2800 mAH. The device runs on Android Nougat with a planned update for Android Oreo. Moto G was launched in February this year and can be bought for as low as Rs. 9999 online.

Yearender 2017: Top Budget Smartphones of 2017 under Rs. 15,000

As reports of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/apple-might-be-slowing-down-old-iphones-27316">Apple slowing down its old iPhones</a> surfaced, chaos broke.

Apple&#39;s iOS 10.2.1 and 11.2.0 updates were primarily meant to prevent random shutdowns on iPhone 6, 6S, SE and 7.&nbsp;

Some of the recent reports and tales of consumer experiences also noted that the updates chocked old iPhone handsets&#39; processors, making them perform slower.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Apple: the battery degrades over time, so we make software tweaks to compensate for it. 
 
also Apple: we make it incredibly difficult to install a replacement battery in our phones. 
 
also also Apple: buy a new phone.<a href="https://t.co/F56R3iaq56">https://t.co/F56R3iaq56</a>
&mdash; santos l. halper (@dcseifert) <a href="https://twitter.com/dcseifert/status/943578934301659139?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

Shortly after reports emerged, Apple, in an official statement, admitted the same.

The company stated that although the software updates were designed to &quot;smooth out&quot; peak power demands and prevent unexpected shutdowns, the same may also lead to slower speed in iPhone handsets with low-capacity batteries. &nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
So it&#39;s true Apple intentionally slow down old iPhones. Proof: My iPhone 6 was bought 3years ago and recently got really slow. APP &#39;CPU DasherX&#39; shows iPhone CPU is under clocked running at 600MHz. After a iPhone battery replacement. CPU speed resumed to factory setting 1400MHz. <a href="https://t.co/pML3y0Jkp2">pic.twitter.com/pML3y0Jkp2</a>
&mdash; Sam_Si (@sam_siruomu) <a href="https://twitter.com/sam_siruomu/status/943400254451335168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

Here&#39;s a look at what tech journos, enthusiasts and iPhone patrons had to say on the same:

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
I&rsquo;m out of phone contract yet cannot / will not allow myself to update with another <a href="https://twitter.com/Apple?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Apple</a> iPhone following the deliberate and very noticeable slowing of my iPhone 6. My phone was NOT cheap and now feel somewhat cheated. Very poor <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/customer?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#customer</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/care?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#care</a>
&mdash; Martin Knights (@martinknights44) <a href="https://twitter.com/martinknights44/status/943849577303568386?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Dear, <a href="https://twitter.com/Apple?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Apple</a> 
I know my iPhone 6s is a little old but if you think for one sec that you&#39;re going to keep slowing my phone down in hopes i &quot;upgrade&quot; you have another thing coming pal!! 
 
Signed, 
Frugal Jess
&mdash; JESSE with no &quot;i&quot; (@Mr4thAndLong) <a href="https://twitter.com/Mr4thAndLong/status/939002365469798401?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/chris_writes?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@chris_writes</a> Dude, Apple is just full of it. According to them they&#39;re slowing down phones to extend battery life? How obvious could they be? And when do they decide your phone needs protection, when they drop their s version 6 months later?
&mdash; Aldo Rodriguez (@Aesir27) <a href="https://twitter.com/Aesir27/status/943852158843277312?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Recent reports and tales of consumer experiences also noted the updates chocked old iPhone handsets' processors

As reports of Apple slowing down its old iPhones surfaced, chaos broke. Apple's iOS 10.2.1 and 11.2.0 updates were primarily meant to prevent random shutdowns on iPhone 6, 6S, SE and 7. Some of the recent reports and tales of consumer experiences also noted that the updates chocked old iPhone handsets' processors, making them perform slower. Apple: the battery degrades over time, so we make software tweaks to compensate for it. also Apple: we make it incredibly difficult to install a replacement battery in our phones. also also Apple: buy a new phone.https://t.co/F56R3iaq56 — santos l. halper (@dcseifert) December 20, 2017 × Shortly after reports emerged, Apple, in an official statement, admitted the same. The company stated that although the software updates were designed to "smooth out" peak power demands and prevent unexpected shutdowns, the same may also lead to slower speed in iPhone handsets with low-capacity batteries. So it's true Apple intentionally slow down old iPhones. Proof: My iPhone 6 was bought 3years ago and recently got really slow. APP 'CPU DasherX' shows iPhone CPU is under clocked running at 600MHz. After a iPhone battery replacement. CPU speed resumed to factory setting 1400MHz. pic.twitter.com/pML3y0Jkp2 — Sam_Si (@sam_siruomu) December 20, 2017 × Here's a look at what tech journos, enthusiasts and iPhone patrons had to say on the same: I’m out of phone contract yet cannot / will not allow myself to update with another @Apple iPhone following the deliberate and very noticeable slowing of my iPhone 6. My phone was NOT cheap and now feel somewhat cheated. Very poor #customer #care — Martin Knights (@martinknights44) December 21, 2017 × Dear, @Apple I know my iPhone 6s is a little old but if you think for one sec that you're going to keep slowing my phone down in hopes i "upgrade" you have another thing coming pal!! Signed, Frugal Jess — JESSE with no "i" (@Mr4thAndLong) December 8, 2017 × @chris_writes Dude, Apple is just full of it. According to them they're slowing down phones to extend battery life? How obvious could they be? And when do they decide your phone needs protection, when they drop their s version 6 months later? — Aldo Rodriguez (@Aesir27) December 21, 2017 ×

Apple admits to slowing down older iPhones

Global Head of Safety at Facebook, Antigone Davis, revealed Facebook&#39;s new initiatives to prevent harassment on Facebook.

The social media giant has rolled out new tools and features to help prevent unwanted friend requests and messages from Facebook users.

These new tools will be capable of recognising and blocking any attempts of communication from a blocked user who might send a message&nbsp;or a friend request from a new or another account.&nbsp;

In a statement released Tuesday, Davis talked about a new option that lets a user ignore a Messenger conversation by automatically moving it to their &#39;Filtered&#39; messages.

Just a tap on a message will let a user ignore a conversation and move it to &#39;Filtered&#39; messages.

A new feature will also let users read messages without letting the sender see if the message has been read already.

The feature is available for single conversations and will soon be applicable to group chats.&nbsp;

These automated features will help in identifying fake accounts, preventing their&nbsp;owners from re-registering.

The set of new features will go a long way in providing stronger cyber-security, especially on Facebook, to women and journalists who often fall prey to online harassment and cyber-stalking.&nbsp;

A range of signals -- like a user&#39;s IP address -- will be analysed to study the type of accounts and their owners who were previously blocked and therefore must be blocked from re-registering on Facebook, sending messages, friend requests or creating another account.&nbsp;

New Facebook tools will recognise and prevent attempts of communication from a blocked user

Global Head of Safety at Facebook, Antigone Davis, revealed Facebook's new initiatives to prevent harassment on Facebook. The social media giant has rolled out new tools and features to help prevent unwanted friend requests and messages from Facebook users. These new tools will be capable of recognising and blocking any attempts of communication from a blocked user who might send a message or a friend request from a new or another account. In a statement released Tuesday, Davis talked about a new option that lets a user ignore a Messenger conversation by automatically moving it to their 'Filtered' messages. Just a tap on a message will let a user ignore a conversation and move it to 'Filtered' messages. A new feature will also let users read messages without letting the sender see if the message has been read already. The feature is available for single conversations and will soon be applicable to group chats. These automated features will help in identifying fake accounts, preventing their owners from re-registering. The set of new features will go a long way in providing stronger cyber-security, especially on Facebook, to women and journalists who often fall prey to online harassment and cyber-stalking. A range of signals -- like a user's IP address -- will be analysed to study the type of accounts and their owners who were previously blocked and therefore must be blocked from re-registering on Facebook, sending messages, friend requests or creating another account.

New Facebook tools will help prevent unwanted friend requests and messages

Maruti Suzuki India&#39;s shares on Wednesday rose by over five per cent, helping the auto major break into the top-five league of most valuable companies with a market valuation of Rs 2.96 lakh crore.

The scrip gained 5.33 per cent to settle at Rs 9,804.50 on BSE. During the day, it jumped 5.87 per cent to Rs 9,855.

On NSE, shares of the company were up 5.28 per cent to close at Rs 9,801.50.

The company&#39;s market valuation surged Rs 14,997.39 crore to Rs 2,96,174.39 crore.

Led by the surge in its market capitalisation (m-cap), the company entered the club of top-five most valued companies list.

RIL is the country&#39;s most valued firm with a m-cap of Rs 5,85,215.73 crore followed by TCS (Rs 4,92,938.63 crore), HDFC Bank (Rs 4,87,888.91 crore) and ITC (Rs 3,22,499.99 crore).

So far this year, the carmaker&#39;s stock has zoomed over 84 per cent or 4,481.5 points.

Meanwhile, strong buying was seen in other auto stocks also, with Hero MotoCorp rising 4.70 per cent, Motherson Sumi Systems (3.47 per cent), Tata Motors (3.39 per cent), Ashok Leyland (3.33 per cent) and Bharat Forge (3.20 per cent).

The BSE auto index gained 3.42 per cent to settle at 26,742.51.

The scrip gained 5.33 per cent to settle at Rs 9,804.50 on BSE. During the day, it jumped 5.87 per cent to Rs 9,855.

Maruti Suzuki India's shares on Wednesday rose by over five per cent, helping the auto major break into the top-five league of most valuable companies with a market valuation of Rs 2.96 lakh crore. The scrip gained 5.33 per cent to settle at Rs 9,804.50 on BSE. During the day, it jumped 5.87 per cent to Rs 9,855. On NSE, shares of the company were up 5.28 per cent to close at Rs 9,801.50. The company's market valuation surged Rs 14,997.39 crore to Rs 2,96,174.39 crore. Led by the surge in its market capitalisation (m-cap), the company entered the club of top-five most valued companies list. RIL is the country's most valued firm with a m-cap of Rs 5,85,215.73 crore followed by TCS (Rs 4,92,938.63 crore), HDFC Bank (Rs 4,87,888.91 crore) and ITC (Rs 3,22,499.99 crore). So far this year, the carmaker's stock has zoomed over 84 per cent or 4,481.5 points. Meanwhile, strong buying was seen in other auto stocks also, with Hero MotoCorp rising 4.70 per cent, Motherson Sumi Systems (3.47 per cent), Tata Motors (3.39 per cent), Ashok Leyland (3.33 per cent) and Bharat Forge (3.20 per cent). The BSE auto index gained 3.42 per cent to settle at 26,742.51.

Maruti up over 5 per cent; enters league of most valued companies

Most of us consider stock market as a complex web where people either make a lot of money or lose all of their money. Worse, the common assumption is: people, mostly, make or lose their money in a way of gambling. The feeling about the stock market is best summed up as, &ldquo;I consider it a bad option, so I will stay away from it&rdquo;.&nbsp;

So, today I am going to help you understand: what is a stock market, does it help in nation building, why people lose money and how can you proceed in a safe manner.&nbsp;

What is a stock market?

I am sure you must have seen &lsquo;Guru&rsquo; - the biopic on &lsquo;Dhirubhai Ambani&rsquo;. In case you have not, I will urge you to watch it. At one point in the movie, Abhishek Bachchan wants to expand his business and he decides that he won&rsquo;t go to the banks. On the contrary, he decided to go to the people to raise funds and, in the process, his company gets listed on the stock market.

Therefore, according to Indian norms set by SEBI, the stock market is a place where companies get listed to raise money. Companies, such as Jockey, Asian Paints, Britannia as well as Tata&#39;s, Reliance and Aditya Birla group have been raising money through stock markets for decades as well.

Now, in the movie, Abhishek could either borrow from the bank at a certain interest rate which is normally around 15-25 per cent based on company credit rating or can borrow from the general public. In the latter case, he had to make them part-owner of the company, paying them a part of the profit and expecting them to share a part of the losses as well.

As the companies get listed, the common man, institutional investors and anybody can be part of the corporate journey in buying the shares of their company.

Thus, the most basic definition of the stock market is a lending platform which the big business houses can use to borrow money from common people in lieu of a part of their company (called shares in common parlance).

Now there are few ways to take part in the stock market and it will help you understand why people lose money.&nbsp;

Day trading: This is the most risky way in which people participate in the stock market and it, in reality, doesn&#39;t benefit the companies much. Just imagine, how many times have you taken a loan for a single day and do you really think that someone can use that money for such a short span of time to expand their business or build a new refinery. So day traders try to predict the price on a daily basis and if they are correct they make millions and if they are wrong, they lose their whole capital.

We at NiveshGyaan can&rsquo;t predict and, thus, advise our readers also to stay away from it. As we don&rsquo;t feel it benefits anyone apart from the stockbroker due to the high transaction charges, and this happens to be the most commonly misinterpreted and abused way of trading.

Long-term investing: In this form of trading, you buy a stock after considering its basic fundamentals and then you stick with it for a long time, at least for a year or until you are in some dire need of money.

In this process, you help the company and it rewards you with the gains or sometimes you do make losses (but then which business is 100% risk-free) though you are not gambling and over a long run_ you will realize great companies have always increased your wealth.

We advise you to take part only in long-term investing.

Stock Market&#39;s role in nation-building exercise&nbsp;

&nbsp;Let&#39;s consider for a moment there is no stock market and Tata&#39;s want to expand their business by 100 Crore, so where do you think they can borrow this money; it will be either banks or individuals or some group of investors. Though, it must be tough to borrow 100 crores from a single individual or let&rsquo;s suppose 10-15 people who are close to Tata&rsquo;s as well.

If they are going to go to banks or institutional investors, they will be required to keep some form of security and also pay the lending rate i.e. 15% -20% based on different channel, the risk involved in the project and the fixed deposit rate is 7%.

So, let&rsquo;s suppose this company borrows from the bank at 15% annually. As a result, it definitely has to make profits and also worry about earning 15% extra on the money to pay off the interest.

Now, let&#39;s bring the stock market in the picture. Let&#39;s consider that TATA&#39;s are evaluated to be a 1000 Crore organisation and they want to borrow 100 Crore. So they put their 10% of the company (i.e. 100 Crores) on Stock and distribute these shares in various proportion, including individuals, HUL&rsquo;s and institutional investors.

From Tata&#39;s perspective, two good things could happen:&nbsp;

? &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The shares got divided among a lot of people, which reduces the chances of taking over the company.

? &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; They got the required money while not actually being worried about generating 15% extra income.

The national perspective

Now, with the formulation of a new unit of Tata&rsquo;s, new employment will be generated, which will bring more money in the economy, which in return will boost the local economy, thus, churning the wheel of the country.

Therefore, companies should expand if a country needs to develop and it is beneficial for both country and the company if this happens through the stock market.

Now, let&rsquo;s see how &lsquo;You&rsquo; get benefit out of all this.

Common Man&rsquo;s Perspective

The options in front of you for your idle money are either keeping your money in the bank account or keeping it with yourself, considering you don&rsquo;t rely on the stock market, and which gives you the best interest rate of 7%.

Now, let&rsquo;s take TATA&rsquo;s again and I hope you agree they have a good management, they will try their best to earn more than the bank F.D. rate. Else common sense tells that they could have also put all their money in a bank and sit nicely at home; there was no need of so much effort IN running companies, managing employees and handling agitation, including the whole Cyrus Mistry scandal.

Therefore, stock market opens up a new avenue for you to put your money and grow at a faster rate than bank F.D&rsquo;s and this, in turn, help both the companies and the economy.

Happy investing and happy growing your money.

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Stock market opens up a new avenue for you to put your money and grow at a faster rate than bank F.D?s and this, in turn, help both the companies and the economy.

Most of us consider stock market as a complex web where people either make a lot of money or lose all of their money. Worse, the common assumption is: people, mostly, make or lose their money in a way of gambling. The feeling about the stock market is best summed up as, “I consider it a bad option, so I will stay away from it”. So, today I am going to help you understand: what is a stock market, does it help in nation building, why people lose money and how can you proceed in a safe manner. What is a stock market? I am sure you must have seen ‘Guru’ - the biopic on ‘Dhirubhai Ambani’. In case you have not, I will urge you to watch it. At one point in the movie, Abhishek Bachchan wants to expand his business and he decides that he won’t go to the banks. On the contrary, he decided to go to the people to raise funds and, in the process, his company gets listed on the stock market. Therefore, according to Indian norms set by SEBI, the stock market is a place where companies get listed to raise money. Companies, such as Jockey, Asian Paints, Britannia as well as Tata's, Reliance and Aditya Birla group have been raising money through stock markets for decades as well. Now, in the movie, Abhishek could either borrow from the bank at a certain interest rate which is normally around 15-25 per cent based on company credit rating or can borrow from the general public. In the latter case, he had to make them part-owner of the company, paying them a part of the profit and expecting them to share a part of the losses as well. As the companies get listed, the common man, institutional investors and anybody can be part of the corporate journey in buying the shares of their company. Thus, the most basic definition of the stock market is a lending platform which the big business houses can use to borrow money from common people in lieu of a part of their company (called shares in common parlance). Now there are few ways to take part in the stock market and it will help you understand why people lose money. Day trading: This is the most risky way in which people participate in the stock market and it, in reality, doesn't benefit the companies much. Just imagine, how many times have you taken a loan for a single day and do you really think that someone can use that money for such a short span of time to expand their business or build a new refinery. So day traders try to predict the price on a daily basis and if they are correct they make millions and if they are wrong, they lose their whole capital. We at NiveshGyaan can’t predict and, thus, advise our readers also to stay away from it. As we don’t feel it benefits anyone apart from the stockbroker due to the high transaction charges, and this happens to be the most commonly misinterpreted and abused way of trading. Long-term investing: In this form of trading, you buy a stock after considering its basic fundamentals and then you stick with it for a long time, at least for a year or until you are in some dire need of money. In this process, you help the company and it rewards you with the gains or sometimes you do make losses (but then which business is 100% risk-free) though you are not gambling and over a long run_ you will realize great companies have always increased your wealth. We advise you to take part only in long-term investing. Stock Market's role in nation-building exercise Let's consider for a moment there is no stock market and Tata's want to expand their business by 100 Crore, so where do you think they can borrow this money; it will be either banks or individuals or some group of investors. Though, it must be tough to borrow 100 crores from a single individual or let’s suppose 10-15 people who are close to Tata’s as well. If they are going to go to banks or institutional investors, they will be required to keep some form of security and also pay the lending rate i.e. 15% -20% based on different channel, the risk involved in the project and the fixed deposit rate is 7%. So, let’s suppose this company borrows from the bank at 15% annually. As a result, it definitely has to make profits and also worry about earning 15% extra on the money to pay off the interest. Now, let's bring the stock market in the picture. Let's consider that TATA's are evaluated to be a 1000 Crore organisation and they want to borrow 100 Crore. So they put their 10% of the company (i.e. 100 Crores) on Stock and distribute these shares in various proportion, including individuals, HUL’s and institutional investors. From Tata's perspective, two good things could happen: ? The shares got divided among a lot of people, which reduces the chances of taking over the company. ? They got the required money while not actually being worried about generating 15% extra income. The national perspective Now, with the formulation of a new unit of Tata’s, new employment will be generated, which will bring more money in the economy, which in return will boost the local economy, thus, churning the wheel of the country. Therefore, companies should expand if a country needs to develop and it is beneficial for both country and the company if this happens through the stock market. Now, let’s see how ‘You’ get benefit out of all this. Common Man’s Perspective The options in front of you for your idle money are either keeping your money in the bank account or keeping it with yourself, considering you don’t rely on the stock market, and which gives you the best interest rate of 7%. Now, let’s take TATA’s again and I hope you agree they have a good management, they will try their best to earn more than the bank F.D. rate. Else common sense tells that they could have also put all their money in a bank and sit nicely at home; there was no need of so much effort IN running companies, managing employees and handling agitation, including the whole Cyrus Mistry scandal. Therefore, stock market opens up a new avenue for you to put your money and grow at a faster rate than bank F.D’s and this, in turn, help both the companies and the economy. Happy investing and happy growing your money. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Why you should invest in stock market

Foodpanda India, the popular food take away service has been bought over by ride-sharing app Ola.

Germany&#39;s Delivery Hero announced it was selling Foodpanda India to Ola with the taxi-hailing service ready to invest $200 million into the company.&nbsp;

&quot;The partnership with Ola will allow us to further consolidate markets where it strategically makes sense to collaborate with leading local players,&quot; Delivery Hero&#39;s Chief Executive Niklas Ostberg said.

Last month, India&#39;s food online marketplace had registered a 64 jump in the financial year 2016-17.

The company had earned Rs 62.16 crores in the financial year 2016-17 compared to Rs 37.81 crores in the previous financial year.&nbsp;

Ride-sharing app Ola has taken over foodpanda's India operations

Foodpanda India, the popular food take away service has been bought over by ride-sharing app Ola. Germany's Delivery Hero announced it was selling Foodpanda India to Ola with the taxi-hailing service ready to invest $200 million into the company. "The partnership with Ola will allow us to further consolidate markets where it strategically makes sense to collaborate with leading local players," Delivery Hero's Chief Executive Niklas Ostberg said. Last month, India's food online marketplace had registered a 64 jump in the financial year 2016-17. The company had earned Rs 62.16 crores in the financial year 2016-17 compared to Rs 37.81 crores in the previous financial year.

Ola buys Foodpanda India

A recently published report studied the pattern of internet consumption in the country and revealed surprisingly interesting facts about internet penetration in India and other technology-led behavioural traits of an average Indian internet consumer.&nbsp;

The report, &#39;Currency of Trust, Consumer Behaviors and Attitudes Toward Digital Financial Services in India,&#39; published by a non-profit entity called the Omidyar Network noted that that number of Indians owning a smartphone versus a basic handset has grown from 28% in 2014 to 40% in 2017 which is estimated to touch 54% by 2020.

&quot;However, a sizeable population will continue to be content with a basic feature phone,&quot; noted the report.

The study also noted that people in India are highly frugal with respect to their data usage, always finding ways to save or economise their data consumption.&nbsp;

&quot;Even financially savvy consumers are wary of accessing financial services on their phone and believe that formal financial services are not for them,&quot; noted the study.

The report also listed some of the top applications and internet tools in India going by the quantity of data consumed.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/data-20171219065250.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Data consumption in India, report and image via Omidyar Network. (Others)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

Close to 30% of total data usage by Indian consumers goes into accessing communication tool and applications such as Whatsapp, Facebook Messenger, Skype, Opera, UC Browser and PSIPHON, an internet censorship circumventing tool.&nbsp;

YouTube, Hotstar, Xender, SHAREit, Facebook, Instagram, Flipkart and Paytm featured among as top applications going by data usage; 13% of total data usage goes into accessing social media applications.&nbsp;

13% of total data usage goes into accessing social media applications

A recently published report studied the pattern of internet consumption in the country and revealed surprisingly interesting facts about internet penetration in India and other technology-led behavioural traits of an average Indian internet consumer. The report, 'Currency of Trust, Consumer Behaviors and Attitudes Toward Digital Financial Services in India,' published by a non-profit entity called the Omidyar Network noted that that number of Indians owning a smartphone versus a basic handset has grown from 28% in 2014 to 40% in 2017 which is estimated to touch 54% by 2020. "However, a sizeable population will continue to be content with a basic feature phone," noted the report. The study also noted that people in India are highly frugal with respect to their data usage, always finding ways to save or economise their data consumption. "Even financially savvy consumers are wary of accessing financial services on their phone and believe that formal financial services are not for them," noted the study. The report also listed some of the top applications and internet tools in India going by the quantity of data consumed. Data consumption in India, report and image via Omidyar Network. (Others) × Close to 30% of total data usage by Indian consumers goes into accessing communication tool and applications such as Whatsapp, Facebook Messenger, Skype, Opera, UC Browser and PSIPHON, an internet censorship circumventing tool. YouTube, Hotstar, Xender, SHAREit, Facebook, Instagram, Flipkart and Paytm featured among as top applications going by data usage; 13% of total data usage goes into accessing social media applications.

Indians spend most internet data on communication apps, social media: Study

The Sensex and NIfty closed at record highs on Tuesday after the BJP&#39;s wins in Gujarat and Himachal.&nbsp;

The BSE Sensex rose 0.7 per cent to end at 33,836.74, while the NSE Nifty ended 0.72 per cent higher at 10,463.20.&nbsp;

The Sensex&#39;s previous closing high of 33,731.19 was hit on November 6, the Nifty&#39;s of 10,452.50 on November 3.

Both indexes rose for a fourth straight session.&nbsp;

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/election-results-bjp-wins-gujaratand-himachal-27098" target="_blank">Election results prove country ready for reform, says Modi after Gujarat, Himachal wins</a>

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/bjp-wins-gujarat-but-does-not-cross-100-mark-takes-himachal-easily-27117" target="_blank">BJP wins Gujarat but does not cross 100 </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/bjp-wins-gujarat-but-does-not-cross-100-mark-takes-himachal-easily-27117" target="_blank">mark</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/bjp-wins-gujarat-but-does-not-cross-100-mark-takes-himachal-easily-27117" target="_blank">, takes Himachal easily</a>

There were a number of reasons for the closing highs.

Risk appetite grew with the BJP&#39;s electoral wins.

The rupee climbing to an over three-month high against the dollar during the day came as a morale booster.

And while Asian shares were mixed, Europe opened higher after a record-setting session on Wall Street on bets that US lawmakers would pass a proposed tax cut.

India&#39;s largest car maker Maruti Suzuki was in top gear, with a maximum rise of 5.33 per cent. Other auto stocks were also in demand.

NTPC, ONGC, ICICI Bank, HUL and PowerGrid ended in the green.

On the sectoral front, barring the IT index, all others ended the day with gains.&nbsp;

(With inputs from PTI)

&nbsp;

Both indexes rose for a fourth straight session

The Sensex and NIfty closed at record highs on Tuesday after the BJP's wins in Gujarat and Himachal. The BSE Sensex rose 0.7 per cent to end at 33,836.74, while the NSE Nifty ended 0.72 per cent higher at 10,463.20. The Sensex's previous closing high of 33,731.19 was hit on November 6, the Nifty's of 10,452.50 on November 3. Both indexes rose for a fourth straight session. Also read: Election results prove country ready for reform, says Modi after Gujarat, Himachal wins Also read: BJP wins Gujarat but does not cross 100 mark, takes Himachal easily There were a number of reasons for the closing highs. Risk appetite grew with the BJP's electoral wins. The rupee climbing to an over three-month high against the dollar during the day came as a morale booster. And while Asian shares were mixed, Europe opened higher after a record-setting session on Wall Street on bets that US lawmakers would pass a proposed tax cut. India's largest car maker Maruti Suzuki was in top gear, with a maximum rise of 5.33 per cent. Other auto stocks were also in demand. NTPC, ONGC, ICICI Bank, HUL and PowerGrid ended in the green. On the sectoral front, barring the IT index, all others ended the day with gains. (With inputs from PTI)

Sensex, Nifty close at record highs after BJP's Gujarat, Himachal wins

Widening its probe into bitcoin investments and trade, the Income Tax (IT) department is set to issue notices to 4 to 5 lakh high networth individuals (HNI) across the country who were trading on the exchanges of this unregulated virtual currency.

The taxman had conducted surveys at nine such exchanges last week to check instances of tax evasion.

The department, official sources said,&nbsp;that out of the estimated 20 lakh entities registered on these exchanges, about 4 to 5 lakh were &quot;operational&quot; and indulging in transactions and investments.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/i-t-dept-conducts-surveys-at-bitcoin-exchanges-country-wide-26625">I-T dept conducts surveys at Bitcoin exchanges country-wide</a>

Sources said that the Bengaluru investigation wing of the tax department, which supervised last week&#39;s operations, has now dispatched the information of the individuals and entities found on these databases to eight other such wings across the country for a detailed probe.

&quot;Those individuals and entities whose records were recovered by the department are now being probed under tax evasion charges. Notices are being issued and they will have to pay capital gains tax on the bitcoin investments and trade,&quot; a senior official privy to the operation said.

About 4-5 lakh HNIs and their businesses are being issued notices which will first seek their relevant financial details and subsequently establish the tax demand, if any, he said.

As the bitcoins or the virtual currencies (VCs) are illegal and unregulated in the country as of now, the IT department has taken action as per the existing provisions, they said.

The survey operations conducted last week, under section 133 A of the Income Tax Act, were undertaken for &quot;gathering evidence for establishing the identity of investors and traders, the transaction undertaken by them, identity of counter-parties, related bank accounts used, among others,&quot; they said.

A survey action under the IT law pertains to the tax officials making a surprise visit to the business premises of the party under action but not their residential ones.

The trigger for the action is understood to be the huge spike being registered in the value of bitcoins and other virtual currencies in the recent past.

Suspected black money being converted into white, post demonetisation, through the use of bitcoins was also under the department&#39;s scanner, officials said.

Earlier this month, there was a spurt in the value of a bitcoin. It rose from under USD 10,000 at the start of the year to close to USD 20,000, before a sharp 20 per cent plunge within hours.

Bitcoin, a virtual currency, is not regulated in the country and its circulation has been a cause for concern among central bankers the world over for quite a while now.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has also cautioned users, holders and traders of virtual currencies. The government has also said that it does not recognise &#39;crypto-currency&#39; as legal tender in India.

In March, the Union finance ministry constituted an Inter-Disciplinary Committee to take stock of the present status of virtual currencies both in India and globally and suggest measures for dealing with them.

The committee has submitted its report which is being examined.

The notices will first seek the relevant financial details and then establish tax demand, if any

Widening its probe into bitcoin investments and trade, the Income Tax (IT) department is set to issue notices to 4 to 5 lakh high networth individuals (HNI) across the country who were trading on the exchanges of this unregulated virtual currency. The taxman had conducted surveys at nine such exchanges last week to check instances of tax evasion. The department, official sources said, that out of the estimated 20 lakh entities registered on these exchanges, about 4 to 5 lakh were "operational" and indulging in transactions and investments. Also read: I-T dept conducts surveys at Bitcoin exchanges country-wide Sources said that the Bengaluru investigation wing of the tax department, which supervised last week's operations, has now dispatched the information of the individuals and entities found on these databases to eight other such wings across the country for a detailed probe. "Those individuals and entities whose records were recovered by the department are now being probed under tax evasion charges. Notices are being issued and they will have to pay capital gains tax on the bitcoin investments and trade," a senior official privy to the operation said. About 4-5 lakh HNIs and their businesses are being issued notices which will first seek their relevant financial details and subsequently establish the tax demand, if any, he said. As the bitcoins or the virtual currencies (VCs) are illegal and unregulated in the country as of now, the IT department has taken action as per the existing provisions, they said. The survey operations conducted last week, under section 133 A of the Income Tax Act, were undertaken for "gathering evidence for establishing the identity of investors and traders, the transaction undertaken by them, identity of counter-parties, related bank accounts used, among others," they said. A survey action under the IT law pertains to the tax officials making a surprise visit to the business premises of the party under action but not their residential ones. The trigger for the action is understood to be the huge spike being registered in the value of bitcoins and other virtual currencies in the recent past. Suspected black money being converted into white, post demonetisation, through the use of bitcoins was also under the department's scanner, officials said. Earlier this month, there was a spurt in the value of a bitcoin. It rose from under USD 10,000 at the start of the year to close to USD 20,000, before a sharp 20 per cent plunge within hours. Bitcoin, a virtual currency, is not regulated in the country and its circulation has been a cause for concern among central bankers the world over for quite a while now. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has also cautioned users, holders and traders of virtual currencies. The government has also said that it does not recognise 'crypto-currency' as legal tender in India. In March, the Union finance ministry constituted an Inter-Disciplinary Committee to take stock of the present status of virtual currencies both in India and globally and suggest measures for dealing with them. The committee has submitted its report which is being examined.

Income Tax to send notices to 4-5 lakh people trading in bitcoin

Moto Z users rejoice as the Chinese smartphone maker has come up with three exciting Moto Mods in India.

Moto Mods are essentially modular backplates that can be magnetically attached to the back of Moto Z series devices.

A Moto Mod can turn a Z series handset into a boombox, a movie projector or a battery powerhouse depending on the Mod used.

Each Moto Mod is designed to offer an enhanced user experience to customers - from extra battery life, great sound to excellent video quality.&nbsp;

Motorola has partnered with RentoMojo to offer Moto Mods on rent to its customers for Rs 399 a week.

The rental service will be available December 23 onwards across top eight metro cities.&nbsp;

The three new Moto Mods -- JBL SoundBoost 2 speaker Mod (Rs 6,999), Moto TurboPower Pack battery Mod (Rs 5,999) and the GamePad Mod (Rs 6,999) -- will be available on sale at Flipkart and Motorola exclusive stores starting December 17.

Previously launched Moto Mods include Moto Insta- Share Projector, Hasselblad True Zoom and JBL SoundBoost. 
&nbsp;

Moto Mods are modular backplates that can be magnetically attached to the back of Moto Z series devices

Moto Z users rejoice as the Chinese smartphone maker has come up with three exciting Moto Mods in India. Moto Mods are essentially modular backplates that can be magnetically attached to the back of Moto Z series devices. A Moto Mod can turn a Z series handset into a boombox, a movie projector or a battery powerhouse depending on the Mod used. Each Moto Mod is designed to offer an enhanced user experience to customers - from extra battery life, great sound to excellent video quality. Motorola has partnered with RentoMojo to offer Moto Mods on rent to its customers for Rs 399 a week. The rental service will be available December 23 onwards across top eight metro cities. The three new Moto Mods -- JBL SoundBoost 2 speaker Mod (Rs 6,999), Moto TurboPower Pack battery Mod (Rs 5,999) and the GamePad Mod (Rs 6,999) -- will be available on sale at Flipkart and Motorola exclusive stores starting December 17. Previously launched Moto Mods include Moto Insta- Share Projector, Hasselblad True Zoom and JBL SoundBoost.

Motorola launches brand new Moto Mods in India; buy or simply rent one

A Japanese company will start paying part of its employees` salaries in <a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/i-t-dept-conducts-surveys-at-bitcoin-exchanges-country-wide-26625" target="_blank">Bitcoin</a>, as it aims to get better understanding of the virtual currency, a spokeswoman said on Friday.

GMO Internet, which operates a range of web-related businesses including finance, online advertising and internet infrastructure, will start paying up to 100,000 yen ($890) monthly by Bitcoin to its employees in Japan from February next year.

&quot;Employees can receive salaries by Bitcoin if they want to,&quot; company spokeswoman Harumi Ishii told AFP.

&quot;We hope to improve our own literacy of virtual currency by actually using it,&quot; she said.

The offer will be open to around 4,000 employees of the GMO group in Japan, she said.

The company started a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/opinion-bitcoin-is-a-highly-speculative-investment-why-caution-is-required-26092" target="_blank">Bitcoin</a> trading and exchange business in May.

And next month, it will join the so-called &quot;Bitcoin mining&quot; business -- gaining the right to receive new Bitcoins as a reward for helping keep the network secure by approving transactions.

World Bitcoin prices have surged globally this year, soaring from less than $1,000 in January to $17,000 this week.

World Bitcoin prices have surged globally this year, soaring from less than $1,000 in January to $17,000 this week

A Japanese company will start paying part of its employees` salaries in Bitcoin, as it aims to get better understanding of the virtual currency, a spokeswoman said on Friday. GMO Internet, which operates a range of web-related businesses including finance, online advertising and internet infrastructure, will start paying up to 100,000 yen ($890) monthly by Bitcoin to its employees in Japan from February next year. "Employees can receive salaries by Bitcoin if they want to," company spokeswoman Harumi Ishii told AFP. "We hope to improve our own literacy of virtual currency by actually using it," she said. The offer will be open to around 4,000 employees of the GMO group in Japan, she said. The company started a Bitcoin trading and exchange business in May. And next month, it will join the so-called "Bitcoin mining" business -- gaining the right to receive new Bitcoins as a reward for helping keep the network secure by approving transactions. World Bitcoin prices have surged globally this year, soaring from less than $1,000 in January to $17,000 this week.

Japan firm says it will pay part of salaries in Bitcoin

The much-awaited <a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/ready-for-the-limited-edition-oneplus-5t-star-wars-device-amazon-to-make-it-available-in-india-25901" target="_blank">OnePlus 5T Star Wars</a> edition is out finally and is available on Amazon India and OnePlus India online store.

The special edition device was launched officially at 7 pm on December 14 at Carnival Cinemas Wadala - Mumbai.

The smartphone launch coincides with the release of the latest in the Star Wars franchise -- <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/entertainment-star-wars-the-last-jedi-releases-today-analysts-wonder-if-it-will-be-top-earner-for-franchise-26775" target="_blank">The Last Jedi</a>.&nbsp;

OnePlus5T Star Wars Edition is available at Rs 38,999 in India. The device sports an all-white back and black exteriors on the front.

The special edition handset comes with 8GB RAM and 128GB internal storage with a fingerprint sensor located at the back, right above the standard OnePlus badge.

The device runs on Snapdragon 835 and comes with Full Optic AMOLED 18:9 Display and dual (16+20) cameras.&nbsp;

OnePlus&#39; flagship of the year, OnePlus 5T was previously launched only in black colour after which it was also released in attractive &#39;Lava Red&#39; for Chinese users.

OnePlus 5T was launched in India along with its international release on November 16.

The Star Wars edition smartphone comes bundled with a range of goodies for the true &#39;Jedi&#39; fans. The handset is offered with an attractive custom phone-case.

The limited edition device will be available on sale via OnePlus Experience stores in Bengaluru and Noida, while stocks last.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
We&rsquo;re also celebrating our 4th anniversary and as a thank you, we&#39;re giving away 10,000 tickets to complimentary screenings of Star Wars: The Last Jedi.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OnePlusAndStarWars?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OnePlusAndStarWars</a> <a href="https://t.co/enxEMBOPyo">pic.twitter.com/enxEMBOPyo</a>
&mdash; OnePlus India (@OnePlus_IN) <a href="https://twitter.com/OnePlus_IN/status/941317394625994753?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 14, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

OnePlus celebrates its 4th anniversary this week and gives out a range of offers, discounts and giveaways, you can log on to the official website to browse through the offers of your choice.&nbsp;

OnePlus 5T was launched in India along with its international release on November 16.

The much-awaited OnePlus 5T Star Wars edition is out finally and is available on Amazon India and OnePlus India online store. The special edition device was launched officially at 7 pm on December 14 at Carnival Cinemas Wadala - Mumbai. The smartphone launch coincides with the release of the latest in the Star Wars franchise -- The Last Jedi. OnePlus5T Star Wars Edition is available at Rs 38,999 in India. The device sports an all-white back and black exteriors on the front. The special edition handset comes with 8GB RAM and 128GB internal storage with a fingerprint sensor located at the back, right above the standard OnePlus badge. The device runs on Snapdragon 835 and comes with Full Optic AMOLED 18:9 Display and dual (16+20) cameras. OnePlus' flagship of the year, OnePlus 5T was previously launched only in black colour after which it was also released in attractive 'Lava Red' for Chinese users. OnePlus 5T was launched in India along with its international release on November 16. The Star Wars edition smartphone comes bundled with a range of goodies for the true 'Jedi' fans. The handset is offered with an attractive custom phone-case. The limited edition device will be available on sale via OnePlus Experience stores in Bengaluru and Noida, while stocks last. We’re also celebrating our 4th anniversary and as a thank you, we're giving away 10,000 tickets to complimentary screenings of Star Wars: The Last Jedi.#OnePlusAndStarWars pic.twitter.com/enxEMBOPyo — OnePlus India (@OnePlus_IN) December 14, 2017 × OnePlus celebrates its 4th anniversary this week and gives out a range of offers, discounts and giveaways, you can log on to the official website to browse through the offers of your choice.

OnePlus 5T 'Star Wars' Edition comes to India - All you need to know

Walt Disney Co has struck a deal to buy film, television and international businesses from Rupert Murdoch&#39;s Twenty-First Century Fox Inc for $52.4 billion in stock, giving the world&#39;s largest entertainment company an arsenal of shows and movies to combat growing digital rivals Netflix Inc and Amazon.com Inc.

The deal brings to a close more than half a century of expansion by Murdoch, 86, who turned a single Australian newspaper he inherited from his father at the age of 21 into one of the world&#39;s most important global news and film conglomerates. The new, slimmed down Fox will focus on TV news and sport.

Early indications are that the deal will not face strong resistance from antitrust regulators as AT&amp;T Corp&#39;s bid to acquire Time Warner Inc has done. US&nbsp;President Donald Trump, who has attacked the AT&amp;T deal, spoke to Murdoch on Thursday and congratulated him on the deal, according to the White House.

Shares of Fox, which have surged more than 30 per cent since talk of the deal surfaced in early November, closed up 6.5 per cent. Disney shares rose 2.7 per cent, spurred on by the company&#39;s plan to buy up to $20 billion of its own shares to offset dilution from the all-stock deal. Disney will also assume about $13.7 billion of Fox debt in the deal.

Fox stockholders will receive 0.2745 Disney shares for each share held and will end up owning about a quarter of Disney.

Under the deal, expected to close in 12 to 18 months, Disney acquires 21st Century Fox&#39;s film and television studios, its cable entertainment networks and international TV businesses.

That brings marquee franchises like &quot;Avatar&quot; and &quot;The Simpsons&quot; inside the Mouse House, on top of Iger&#39;s previous purchases, including Pixar Animation Studios, Marvel Entertainment and &quot;Star Wars&quot; producer Lucasfilm.

The deal also includes 22 of Fox&#39;s regional sports networks that have the rights to televise live games of US&nbsp;professional baseball, basketball and hockey teams as well as popular college and high school games.

Disney&rsquo;s global footprint expands with the acquisition of Fox&#39;s international satellite assets, including Star TV network in India and a stake in European pay-TV provider Sky Plc and sports rights in several countries.

The new pipeline of shows and movies will help Disney battle technology companies siphoning audiences away from traditional TV networks.

Amazon is on track to spend at least $4.5 billion on video this year, according to analyst estimates, while Netflix plans to spend $8 billion on content next year. That is closing the gap on Disney, which spent $13.5 billion on content, half of that on sports, in the latest fiscal year, according to analysts.

&quot;The deal illustrates the huge strategic challenge traditional media companies face and how they need to reinvent their business models to compete with digital, online competitors such as Netflix, Google and Amazon,&quot; said Nick Jones, partner and head of technology at Cavendish Corporate Finance. &quot;(It) helps Disney dramatically reduce its reliance on traditional television, a business that has declined over the last two decades.&quot;

New Fox

Immediately before the acquisition, Fox will separate the Fox Broadcasting network and stations, Fox News Channel, Fox Business Network, its sports channels FS1, FS2 and the Big Ten Network, into a newly listed company that it will spin off to its shareholders.

&quot;This will be a growth company, centred on live news and sports brands and the strength of the Fox network,&quot; 21st Century Fox Executive Chairman Murdoch told investors. He said Fox was not retreating, rather &quot;pivoting at a pivotal moment.&quot;

Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger, 66, will extend his tenure through the end of 2021 to oversee the integration of the Fox businesses. He has already postponed his retirement from Disney three times, saying in March he was committed to leaving the company in July 2019.

If Iger sees out his new term, that would rule out a presidential bid in 2020, which had been the subject of some speculation.

&quot;This acquisition reflects a changing media landscape, increasingly defined by transforming technology and evolving consumer expectations,&quot; Iger told investors on a conference call.

He said new technology would be necessary to meet the demands of viewers who want to access content anytime. Fox&#39;s regional sports networks and cable network puts Disney in a better position to sell more shows directly to more consumers, he added.

Disney has been struggling to bolster its TV business as cancellation of cable subscriptions is pressuring its biggest network, sports channel ESPN.

The company plans to launch its own streaming service in 2019, a calculated gamble that it can generate more profit in the long run from its own subscription service rather than renting out movies to services like Netflix.

It is not clear who will head the new Fox. Iger said current Fox CEO James Murdoch, Rupert&#39;s younger son, will help with the transition and that the two will discuss whether he will have a longer-term role at Disney.

Sky&#39;s future

Through Fox&#39;s stake in the Hulu video streaming service, Disney will assume majority control of one of Netflix&#39;s main competitors. Hulu is also partially owned by Comcast Corp and Time Warner Inc.

A majority of antitrust experts contacted by Reuters said the deal would likely win approval from US&nbsp;antitrust authorities, although the US&nbsp;Department of Justice may require asset sales or conditions, they said.

Fox said it remained committed to buying the 61 percent of Sky it does not already own and expects to win regulatory approval from Britain and to close the deal by the end of June, 2018.

Britain&rsquo;s Takeover Panel said Disney had informed the watchdog that should it only buy 39 percent of the company - if Murdoch fails to buy the rest of Sky - it did not think it should be forced to make a full bid for the company. The statement prompted Sky&rsquo;s stock to fall by 1 percent.

In Britain, any investor acquiring 30 percent of a listed company is automatically forced to make a bid for the rest of the stock. The Takeover Panel said it would seek the opinions of Sky&rsquo;s independent directors before making a decision.

Fox stockholders will receive 0.2745 Disney shares for each share held and will end up owning about a quarter of Disney

Walt Disney Co has struck a deal to buy film, television and international businesses from Rupert Murdoch's Twenty-First Century Fox Inc for $52.4 billion in stock, giving the world's largest entertainment company an arsenal of shows and movies to combat growing digital rivals Netflix Inc and Amazon.com Inc. The deal brings to a close more than half a century of expansion by Murdoch, 86, who turned a single Australian newspaper he inherited from his father at the age of 21 into one of the world's most important global news and film conglomerates. The new, slimmed down Fox will focus on TV news and sport. Early indications are that the deal will not face strong resistance from antitrust regulators as AT&T Corp's bid to acquire Time Warner Inc has done. US President Donald Trump, who has attacked the AT&T deal, spoke to Murdoch on Thursday and congratulated him on the deal, according to the White House. Shares of Fox, which have surged more than 30 per cent since talk of the deal surfaced in early November, closed up 6.5 per cent. Disney shares rose 2.7 per cent, spurred on by the company's plan to buy up to $20 billion of its own shares to offset dilution from the all-stock deal. Disney will also assume about $13.7 billion of Fox debt in the deal. Fox stockholders will receive 0.2745 Disney shares for each share held and will end up owning about a quarter of Disney. Under the deal, expected to close in 12 to 18 months, Disney acquires 21st Century Fox's film and television studios, its cable entertainment networks and international TV businesses. That brings marquee franchises like "Avatar" and "The Simpsons" inside the Mouse House, on top of Iger's previous purchases, including Pixar Animation Studios, Marvel Entertainment and "Star Wars" producer Lucasfilm. The deal also includes 22 of Fox's regional sports networks that have the rights to televise live games of US professional baseball, basketball and hockey teams as well as popular college and high school games. Disney’s global footprint expands with the acquisition of Fox's international satellite assets, including Star TV network in India and a stake in European pay-TV provider Sky Plc and sports rights in several countries. The new pipeline of shows and movies will help Disney battle technology companies siphoning audiences away from traditional TV networks. Amazon is on track to spend at least $4.5 billion on video this year, according to analyst estimates, while Netflix plans to spend $8 billion on content next year. That is closing the gap on Disney, which spent $13.5 billion on content, half of that on sports, in the latest fiscal year, according to analysts. "The deal illustrates the huge strategic challenge traditional media companies face and how they need to reinvent their business models to compete with digital, online competitors such as Netflix, Google and Amazon," said Nick Jones, partner and head of technology at Cavendish Corporate Finance. "(It) helps Disney dramatically reduce its reliance on traditional television, a business that has declined over the last two decades." New Fox Immediately before the acquisition, Fox will separate the Fox Broadcasting network and stations, Fox News Channel, Fox Business Network, its sports channels FS1, FS2 and the Big Ten Network, into a newly listed company that it will spin off to its shareholders. "This will be a growth company, centred on live news and sports brands and the strength of the Fox network," 21st Century Fox Executive Chairman Murdoch told investors. He said Fox was not retreating, rather "pivoting at a pivotal moment." Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger, 66, will extend his tenure through the end of 2021 to oversee the integration of the Fox businesses. He has already postponed his retirement from Disney three times, saying in March he was committed to leaving the company in July 2019. If Iger sees out his new term, that would rule out a presidential bid in 2020, which had been the subject of some speculation. "This acquisition reflects a changing media landscape, increasingly defined by transforming technology and evolving consumer expectations," Iger told investors on a conference call. He said new technology would be necessary to meet the demands of viewers who want to access content anytime. Fox's regional sports networks and cable network puts Disney in a better position to sell more shows directly to more consumers, he added. Disney has been struggling to bolster its TV business as cancellation of cable subscriptions is pressuring its biggest network, sports channel ESPN. The company plans to launch its own streaming service in 2019, a calculated gamble that it can generate more profit in the long run from its own subscription service rather than renting out movies to services like Netflix. It is not clear who will head the new Fox. Iger said current Fox CEO James Murdoch, Rupert's younger son, will help with the transition and that the two will discuss whether he will have a longer-term role at Disney. Sky's future Through Fox's stake in the Hulu video streaming service, Disney will assume majority control of one of Netflix's main competitors. Hulu is also partially owned by Comcast Corp and Time Warner Inc. A majority of antitrust experts contacted by Reuters said the deal would likely win approval from US antitrust authorities, although the US Department of Justice may require asset sales or conditions, they said. Fox said it remained committed to buying the 61 percent of Sky it does not already own and expects to win regulatory approval from Britain and to close the deal by the end of June, 2018. Britain’s Takeover Panel said Disney had informed the watchdog that should it only buy 39 percent of the company - if Murdoch fails to buy the rest of Sky - it did not think it should be forced to make a full bid for the company. The statement prompted Sky’s stock to fall by 1 percent. In Britain, any investor acquiring 30 percent of a listed company is automatically forced to make a bid for the rest of the stock. The Takeover Panel said it would seek the opinions of Sky’s independent directors before making a decision.

Disney buying Fox film, TV units for $52 billion in digital push

India&#39;s wholesale price based inflation rose&nbsp;to 3.93 per cent in&nbsp;November, as against 3.59 per cent in October.

&nbsp;The annual wholesale price inflation accelerated in November to an eight-month high, driven by faster rises in prices of food and fuel products, government data showed.&nbsp;

Inflation, based on the Wholesale Price Index (WPI), had risen to a six-month high in October due to increase in prices of food, onions and vegetables.

The government data had shown&nbsp;inflation in food articles more than doubled to 4.30 per cent in October.

In April, India&#39;s inflation stood at 3.85 per cent.

Last month, the Reserve Bank of India(RBI) had kept benchmark interest rate unchanged on fears of rising inflation while lowering growth forecast to 6.7 per cent for the current fiscal.

RBI also raised its inflation forecast to the 4.2-4.6 per cent range for the rest of the current fiscal as against 4-4.5 per cent previously.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The government data had shown?inflation in food articles more than doubled to 4.30 per cent in October.

India's wholesale price based inflation rose to 3.93 per cent in November, as against 3.59 per cent in October. The annual wholesale price inflation accelerated in November to an eight-month high, driven by faster rises in prices of food and fuel products, government data showed. Inflation, based on the Wholesale Price Index (WPI), had risen to a six-month high in October due to increase in prices of food, onions and vegetables. The government data had shown inflation in food articles more than doubled to 4.30 per cent in October. In April, India's inflation stood at 3.85 per cent. Last month, the Reserve Bank of India(RBI) had kept benchmark interest rate unchanged on fears of rising inflation while lowering growth forecast to 6.7 per cent for the current fiscal. RBI also raised its inflation forecast to the 4.2-4.6 per cent range for the rest of the current fiscal as against 4-4.5 per cent previously.

India's wholesale inflation rises to eight-month high in November

As the year nears its end, international advertising giant Ogilvy released its top trends and predictions for the upcoming year.

The advertising giant has been releasing an annual report to &quot;spot the key trends in digital and social media marketing that are likely to be important in the coming year,&quot;. This year&#39;s release will be the fifth in the row.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
The <a href="https://twitter.com/Ogilvy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Ogilvy</a> Key Digital Trends for 2018 report touches on everything from the future of influencer marketing to the rise of Amazon, augmented reality, video dominance and disposable content. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OgilvyTrends2018?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OgilvyTrends2018</a> Check it out now: <a href="https://t.co/ylz60LLUQg">https://t.co/ylz60LLUQg</a> <a href="https://t.co/5DzBeUXQk2">pic.twitter.com/5DzBeUXQk2</a>
&mdash; @OgilvyRED (@OgilvyRED) <a href="https://twitter.com/OgilvyRED/status/940549986089086976?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

Some of the key predictions for 2018 are shared below.

1. Safeguarding the digital space

On the official website, Ogilvy talks about the fast-paced growth of digital marketing which also makes it imperative to guard the medium against probable security threats and other attacks.

&quot;There is also an array of initiatives to address problems with fraud in digital display and confront client concerns about programmatic buying. Platforms are working to make measurement more transparent and deliver a clearer link between marketing activity and business outcomes. Governments will have to make progress on state-sponsored hacking,&quot; as mentions the official release.&nbsp;

&quot;We&rsquo;re even doing passwords wrong. That annoying protocol that forces you to change your password every six weeks? And have different passwords for every system at work? And use crazy combinations of special characters so passwords are impossible to remember? Pointless,&quot; noted the release.

2. A departure from typing

The following year is predicted to see a move away from typing onto to a space that encourages the visual and the audio modes.

&quot;Every form of technology, user interfaces are evolving away from fingers and thumbs and towards less tactile forms of interaction like voice and images,&quot; shared the release.

3. Next stop, Augmented Reality

The proliferation of good mobile tech and vastly improved AR platforms have now enabled mass-user penetration of said platforms.

Facebook has been one such brand promoting AR-user interaction, the extension of this will continue to be seen in the coming year as well.

4. Amazon, the dominant digital advertiser

Amazon &quot;might soon rival Google and Facebook&quot; when it comes to digital advertising.

&quot;This is not about product pages. It&rsquo;s about thinking of Amazon as a useful platform for advertising in every part of the sales funnel,&quot; said the release.&nbsp;

5. Influencer marketing, a bane?

Influencer marketing is predicted to grow in the following year as well, however, cracks might begin to show, &quot;especially at the high-end where digital influencers straddle the line between influencer and celebrity&quot;. as mentioned by Ogilvy.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OgilvyTrends2018?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OgilvyTrends2018</a> Bonus feature for 2018: Reflections on 5 years of trends and some recurring themes. Including: 
 
* Demise of organic reach 
* Twitter&#39;s cloudy future 
* Dominance of video 
* Prevalence of disposable content 
 
Big changes and big implications.<a href="https://t.co/eVGZ2aA1mv">https://t.co/eVGZ2aA1mv</a>
&mdash; Marshall Manson (@marshallmanson) <a href="https://twitter.com/marshallmanson/status/940539094207205376?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

The complete list of Ogilvy&#39;s trends for 2018 is exhaustive and includes over 90 predictions some of which, apart from the one mentioned above, are mentioned below:

- The emergence &amp; domination of video content.

- Search is moving towards voice ComScore - 50% of searches will be done by voice by 2020.

- Search will get more visual.

- More serious measures for digital privacy, data security.

&nbsp;

A surge in voice-based search is predicted

As the year nears its end, international advertising giant Ogilvy released its top trends and predictions for the upcoming year. The advertising giant has been releasing an annual report to "spot the key trends in digital and social media marketing that are likely to be important in the coming year,". This year's release will be the fifth in the row. The @Ogilvy Key Digital Trends for 2018 report touches on everything from the future of influencer marketing to the rise of Amazon, augmented reality, video dominance and disposable content. #OgilvyTrends2018 Check it out now: https://t.co/ylz60LLUQg pic.twitter.com/5DzBeUXQk2 — @OgilvyRED (@OgilvyRED) December 12, 2017 × Some of the key predictions for 2018 are shared below. 1. Safeguarding the digital space On the official website, Ogilvy talks about the fast-paced growth of digital marketing which also makes it imperative to guard the medium against probable security threats and other attacks. "There is also an array of initiatives to address problems with fraud in digital display and confront client concerns about programmatic buying. Platforms are working to make measurement more transparent and deliver a clearer link between marketing activity and business outcomes. Governments will have to make progress on state-sponsored hacking," as mentions the official release. "We’re even doing passwords wrong. That annoying protocol that forces you to change your password every six weeks? And have different passwords for every system at work? And use crazy combinations of special characters so passwords are impossible to remember? Pointless," noted the release. 2. A departure from typing The following year is predicted to see a move away from typing onto to a space that encourages the visual and the audio modes. "Every form of technology, user interfaces are evolving away from fingers and thumbs and towards less tactile forms of interaction like voice and images," shared the release. 3. Next stop, Augmented Reality The proliferation of good mobile tech and vastly improved AR platforms have now enabled mass-user penetration of said platforms. Facebook has been one such brand promoting AR-user interaction, the extension of this will continue to be seen in the coming year as well. 4. Amazon, the dominant digital advertiser Amazon "might soon rival Google and Facebook" when it comes to digital advertising. "This is not about product pages. It’s about thinking of Amazon as a useful platform for advertising in every part of the sales funnel," said the release. 5. Influencer marketing, a bane? Influencer marketing is predicted to grow in the following year as well, however, cracks might begin to show, "especially at the high-end where digital influencers straddle the line between influencer and celebrity". as mentioned by Ogilvy. #OgilvyTrends2018 Bonus feature for 2018: Reflections on 5 years of trends and some recurring themes. Including: * Demise of organic reach * Twitter's cloudy future * Dominance of video * Prevalence of disposable content Big changes and big implications.https://t.co/eVGZ2aA1mv — Marshall Manson (@marshallmanson) December 12, 2017 × The complete list of Ogilvy's trends for 2018 is exhaustive and includes over 90 predictions some of which, apart from the one mentioned above, are mentioned below: - The emergence & domination of video content. - Search is moving towards voice ComScore - 50% of searches will be done by voice by 2020. - Search will get more visual. - More serious measures for digital privacy, data security.

Ogilvy releases key trends in digital marketing for 2018