Cipla in advanced talks with 2 groups | Diamond industry grapples with major slump in demand | Pre-poll budget meetings to weigh food, fertilizer sops

Read today's Mint e-paper here: https://epaper.livemint.com

#MintCharts | Until August, foreign portfolio investors had remained net buyers of Indian equities for six months. But this month so far, they have offloaded shares worth over ₹10,000 crore as US #bonds, with their rising yields, have become a more lucrative option.

Market analysts believe that uncertain global cues and the sharp surge in US bond yields will keep sentiments on the edge in the near term.

Tech giant #Meta has announced that it is bringing a #ChatGPT-like AI chatbot to its biggest social media offerings - WhatsApp, Instagram and Messenger.

The new chatbot named #MetaAI is powered by a ‘custom model’ which uses the company Llama 2 language model along with its latest large language model research.

Read here: https://www.livemint.com/ai/artificial-intelligence/meta-to-bring-chatgpt-style-ai-chatbot-to-whatsapp-instagram-and-facebook-11695864582949.html

According to the ‘India Ageing Report 2023’, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in collaboration with the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), India's one-fifth of population will comprise people above 60 by 2050.

Read here: https://www.livemint.com/news/india/indias-elderly-population-to-double-by-2050-surpassing-number-of-children-warns-report-11695865492972.html

#PersonalFinance | Sebi introduced various measures to streamline and make #mutualfunds more accessible. The advent of technology speeded up the process.

Mint spoke to some industry veterans to understand how the MF ecosystem has evolved since the 90s.

Read here: https://www.livemint.com/money/personal-finance/the-evolution-of-mutual-funds-in-india-from-frenzy-to-fintech-11695833072844.html

#PersonalFinance | We have hand-picked 20 #mutualfunds for your portfolio that have jumped through hoops of good returns, low risk, good portfolio hygiene & our own qualitative research.

We have restricted the choice universe to 10 categories out of the total 37 & given you at least two options to pick from each.

During the GOP's second debate for the 2024 US presidential election, #VivekRamaswamy, a Republican Presidential candidate and Indian-American multimillionaire biotech entrepreneur, stated that he believes that gender dysphoria should be regarded as a mental health disorder. #RepublicanDebate

Read here: https://www.livemint.com/news/us-presidential-polls-2024-gender-dysphoria-mental-health-disorder-vivek-ramaswamy-gop-debate-donald-trump-joe-biden-11695882157908.html

#MSSwaminathan, renowned as the pioneer of the Green Revolution in India, passed away at the age of 98 in Chennai on Thursday.

Read here: https://www.livemint.com/news/india/ms-swaminathan-father-of-india-s-green-revolution-passes-away-at-98-11695885291792.html

India's current account deficit (#CAD) widened in the April-June quarter, from the previous 3 months, largely due to a higher trade deficit, lower surplus in net services and a drop in private transfer receipts, according to data by #RBI

The CAD widened to $9.2 billion, or 1.1% of the #GDP, in the first quarter of fiscal 2023/24, from $1.3 billion, or 0.2% of GDP, in the January-March quarter.

Read more: https://www.livemint.com/economy/indias-current-account-deficit-widens-to-9-2-billion-in-june-quarter-on-higher-trade-deficit-rbi-data-11695891900073.html

#TimesInternet has picked up media rights for bilateral cricket played in India across key international markets, including North America, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.

The company has entered into an agreement with Pitch, a UK-based sports marketing agency, for the #BCCI rights, which was initially sub-contracted by the global media rights winner #Viacom18 Media.

Read more: https://www.livemint.com/companies/news/times-internet-picks-up-bcci-media-rights-for-key-international-markets-11695894690767.html

Legendary stage and screen actor Sir #MichaelGambon, who starred as #Dumbledore in #HarryPotter passed away peacefully in hospital today at the age of 82 years.

He was suffering from pneumonia, confirmed by his family.

Read more: https://www.livemint.com/news/world/actor-sir-michael-dumbledore-gambon-dies-at-82-11695902728195.html

#MintCharts | Delays in completion of real estate projects had become a big issue before the introduction of the Real Estate Act, or #RERA, in 2016.

After 6 years, the act has ensured timely delivery of projects, particularly in states where it has been fully implemented. However, city-wise differences still exist. Chennai, Mumbai, Pune & Bengaluru have over 80% completion rate, while Hyderabad, the National Capital Region & Kolkata are slightly behind with less than 75% completion rate.

#PersonalFinance | Medical experts say that a single body, or cadaver, donation can save up to 8 lives and impact more than 75 others.


Read more: https://www.livemint.com/money/personal-finance/deceased-organ-donations-in-india-a-story-of-challenges-awareness-and-insurance-11695920370077.html

#PersonalFinance | Whether you are planning overseas travel or want to send money abroad, it is always a good idea to shop around for the best #forex exchange rate.

Here is a list of INR to USD forex rates offered by some of the major banks and travel aggregators.

#AirIndia has acquired its first #A350 aircraft in a finance lease transaction with HSBC through the #GiftCity. This is part of the order for 470 aircraft placed earlier this year.

This is also the first wide body aircraft to be leased through Gujarat's GIFT City, the country's first International Financial Services Centre (IFSC).

Read more: https://www.livemint.com/companies/news/air-india-leases-its-first-a350-aircraft-via-gift-city-11695963705771.html

With effect from October 8, the deposit or exchange of #Rs2000 notes at bank branches will be stopped.

However, ₹2,000 notes will continue to be legal tender even after October 7, but can be exchanged only at RBI offices, said the central bank.

Read here: https://www.livemint.com/money/personal-finance/rbi-extends-deadline-to-exchange-rs-2-000-notes-till-october-7-11696073043462.html

Going forward, a buzzing week awaits markets as investors eye the #RBIMPC decision and #Q2 updates.

Analysts expect markets to trade in a broader range in the holiday-shortened week, with the tone likely to remain bearish until Nifty breaches the 19,750-mark.

https://www.livemint.com/market/stock-market-news/week-ahead-rbi-policy-auto-sales-q2-updates-global-cues-among-key-market-triggers-this-week-11696080865071.html

The combined market valuation of five of the top 10 most valued firms declined by ₹62,586.88 crore last week, with IT majors TCS & Infosys taking the biggest hit, amid an overall bearish trends in equities.

https://www.livemint.com/market/stock-market-news/mcap-of-five-of-top-10-most-valued-firms-tumble-rs-62-586-crore-tcs-infosys-biggest-laggards-11696138671382.html

The Indian Space Research Organisation (#ISRO) reported on September 30 that the #AdityaL1 spacecraft successfully departed Earth's sphere of influence and will from now on be navigating its path towards the Sun-Earth Lagrange Point 1 (L1).

Read here: https://www.livemint.com/science/isros-aditya-l1-spacecraft-departs-earths-sphere-of-influence-heads-towards-sun-earth-lagrange-point-1-says-isro-11696120810670.html

The gross #GST revenue collected in the month of September 2023 is ₹1,62,712 crore. As per Ministry of Finance, this is the fourth time in the fiscal year 2023-24 that the GST collection have crossed ₹1.60 lakh crore mark indicating strong economic activity.

The GST collection for the month of September 2023 are 10% higher than the GST collection in the same month last year.

Read here: https://www.livemint.com/economy/gst-collections-rise-10-to-1-62-lakh-crore-in-september-crosses-1-60-lakh-mark-for-the-fourth-time-this-fiscal-11696156249267.html

Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid homage to #MahatmaGandhi on his birthday, saying his global impact motivates the entire humankind to live with unity and compassion. #GandhiJayanti

Catch LIVE updates: https://www.livemint.com/news/india/mahatama-gandhi-jayanti-live-swachhata-hi-seva-campaign-pm-modi-2nd-october-mahatama-gandhi-birthday-bjp-cleanliness-11696210335171.html