Author: V. Alure

State Bank of India (SBI) is actively investing in startup-focused funds and financial market infrastructure through direct equity participation as part of its MSME strategy, a top official said on Saturday. “We have been actively investing in startup-focused funds and financial market infrastructure through direct equity participation and schemes like Startup India, and banks in startup-intensive branches and business centres,” SBI managing director Ravi Ranjan said while addressing the ‘India by MSME’ event of UGRO Capital in Mumbai. Highlighting the role of startups, he said, “As a code for the entrepreneurial spirit sweeping the new India, the…

People are nostalgic for a simpler time without smartphones, social media and AI. Cat Goetze is dialed in. The 29-year-old in Los Angeles is the founder of Physical Phones, a Bluetooth-enabled landline phone business that’s taken off in recent months.In 2025, her business brought in over $789,000 in sales, according to documents reviewed by CNBC Make It.But like all “overnight” success stories, Goetze has been working at it for a while now.Call waitingGoetze says she first had the idea for a landline-style phone product in 2023 after spending the better part of the pandemic trying to reduce her screentime. She…

Mortgage refinance can help borrowers save money on interest and lower their monthly payments, but it’s important to understand all the associated costs to ensure it’s worth it. Mortgage refinancing costs are similar to the closing costs you pay when you buy a house. That’s because refinancing means replacing your current mortgage with a new home loan, often with an entirely new lender. Borrowers who refinance have to foot the bill for loan underwriting fees, a home appraisal and title search fees, among other costs. These expenses can add up, so if your goal is to save money, you should…

Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains on Saturday said 305 students from government schools qualified in their first attempt of the joint entrance examination (JEE) Mains 2026. This number reflects an increase of 63 per cent from last year’s 187 successful candidates, he said describing the achievement as a defining moment for the state’s school education system. Bains shared that five students from his constituency Sri Anandpur Sahib also cracked the prestigious examination. He announced that the government will organise a special three-week residential training camp to prepare the qualified students for JEE Advance, ensuring they…

The gap is widening between rival toy makers Hasbro and Mattel — thanks in part to a 30-year-old trading card game. The toy giants have flip-flopped dominance in the space for decades, jockeying for the most coveted master licenses to put new fan favorites — Disney princesses and “Star Wars” characters among them — on store shelves. But as the industry recovers from a period of declining sales, Hasbro is the one winning over Wall Street.For the fiscal year 2025, Hasbro reported revenue gains of 14%, reaching $4.7 billion, while Mattel saw its net sales drop 1% to $5.3 billion.Though…

Israeli strikes in Lebanon kill at least 10, including senior Hezbollah official Source link #Israeli #strikes #Lebanon #kill #including #senior #Hezbollah #official

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday laid the foundation stone of India Chip Private Limited, a joint venture between HCL Group and Foxconn, for an Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly & Test (OSAT) facility in YEIDA, Jewar, Greater Noida. The Prime Minister joined the event virtually.India Chip Pvt Ltd is a 60:40 joint venture between HCL Group and Foxconn. The advanced OSAT facility is expected to become operational by 2028. As per the release, the company has earmarked an investment of ₹3,700 crore over the next few years for the project, which will manufacture display driver chips.Also Read: HCLTech says two strong…

The Supreme Court decision striking down most of the Trump administration’s tariffs adds fuel to a brushfire of concern among economists about the worsening federal debt outlook. Source link #Supreme #Courts #tariff #ruling #economists #stressed #worsening #U.S #debt

New Zealand national cricket team and Pakistan national cricket team will face off in Match 41 of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Super 8 stage on February 21 at the R Premadasa Stadium, with the contest scheduled to begin at 7 PM IST.   Pakistan head into this crucial encounter riding a wave of confidence after securing qualification through a series of improved performances in the group phase. Their bowling attack has been particularly impressive, with the spin department playing a decisive role in controlling the middle overs. Meanwhile, the top-order batters appear to be regaining rhythm…

Speaking on the impact of the latest India-US trade tariff announcements, Vishal Kampani, Vice Chairman of JM Financial, cautioned that the relief may be temporary.“You can count on the US President Donald Trump… to find ways to increase his tariffs,” Kampani said, adding that the US administration may continue exploring legal routes to raise duties again. He said investors should prepare for continued swings in markets as tariff policies evolve. According to him, the 150-day window provides time for further policy adjustments. “The market should be prepared… you will see volatility, you will see uncertainty,” he said, noting that the…