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The Union government will sell 3% equity in Hindustan Copper Ltd through an offer for sale, with an option to sell another 3% in case of oversubscription. The OFS will open at a floor price of Rs 514 per share. This is about 10% discount to the last closed price of Rs 573.55.

The OFS will open first for non-retail investors on Tuesday, August 25, 2026. Bidding for this category will start at 9:15 am and close at 3:30 pm on the same day. Allocation for regular bids is expected to be confirmed around 7 pm on August 25 through contract notes. Retail investors will be able to bid on Wednesday, August 26.

Settlement and credit of shares for all successful bids are expected on or around Thursday, August 27, 2026. This includes bids by non-retail and institutional investors with 100% upfront margin, institutional investors with zero upfront margin, carry-forward bids, and retail investor bids. Allocation for carry-forward bids is expected to be confirmed around 7 pm on August 26 through contract notes.

The issue includes a 10% reservation for retail investors, while 25,000 shares have been reserved for eligible employees.

The transaction is part of the government’s disinvestment programme and will help increase public shareholding in the state-run copper miner. Hindustan Copper is under the Ministry of Mines and is India’s only vertically integrated copper producer.

The base offer will allow the government to divest 3% equity. If demand is strong, the government can use the green shoe option and sell an additional 3%, taking the total stake sale to 6%.
An offer for sale allows promoters of a listed company to sell shares through the stock exchange platform. In this case, the promoter is the Government of India. Retail investors can bid under the reserved portion, while institutional and non-retail investors will take part under the broader OFS framework.The OFS comes after a strong June quarter for Hindustan Copper. The company reported profit before tax of Rs 472 crore for the quarter ended June 2026, up around 163% from the same period last year. Profit after tax stood at Rs 353 crore, also up around 163%. Revenue from operations rose 81% to Rs 936 crore from Rs 516 crore a year earlier.

The company has also been working on mine expansion. Hindustan Copper said it has intensified monitoring of expansion projects and is targeting ore production capacity of 12.2 million tonnes per annum by 2030. It is also making progress on reopening closed mines in Jharkhand, acquiring new mines in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, and pursuing mine exploration in Chile.

Copper demand has become a key long-term theme because of electric vehicles, renewable energy, power infrastructure and data centres. The transition towards renewable energy and electric mobility, along with AI-led infrastructure and decarbonisation policies, is expected to support copper demand in the coming years.

Hindustan Copper shares will also be in focus as the OFS opens, with investors tracking the discount to the market price, institutional demand and retail participation.

Y Combinator-linked entities sold 4.85 crore Meesho shares worth about Rs 970 crore in a series of block deals on Monday, August 24, with Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, Nippon India Mutual Fund and HDFC Standard Life Insurance Company among the institutional buyers.

According to NSE block deal data, Y Combinator Continuity Holdings I LLC sold 2,30,27,687 Meesho shares, while YCS16 Holdings LLC sold 2,06,03,720 shares. YCVC Fund I L.P. sold another 48,47,934 shares. All three transactions were executed at Rs 200.01 per share, about 2.47% below Meesho’s NSE closing price of Rs 205.07.

Together, the three entities sold 4,84,79,341 Meesho shares for approximately Rs 969.71 crore.

On the buying side, Nippon India Mutual Fund bought 1,00,00,002 shares, the largest single purchase disclosed in the block deal data. HDFC Standard Life Insurance Company Ltd bought 75,00,003 shares, while Edelweiss Mutual Fund purchased 34,70,553 shares.

Other marquee buyers included Franklin Templeton Mutual Fund, which bought 25,00,001 shares; Societe Generale, which bought 23,75,002 shares; Integrated Core Strategies (Asia) Pte. Ltd., which bought 17,50,002 shares; and Morgan Stanley Asia Singapore Pte., which reported two purchases of 12,58,752 shares and 17,00,002 shares.

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Goldman Sachs Bank Europe SE bought 14,25,002 shares, while Goldman Sachs Investments Mauritius I Limited purchased 12,50,002 shares. Citigroup Global Markets Mauritius Private Limited bought 15,00,002 shares, showed the exchange data.AAGAM Investments, Bajaj Life Insurance Limited, Viridian Asia Opportunities Master Fund, BNP Paribas Financial Markets, BofA Securities Europe SA, Canara Robeco Mutual Fund, Franklin Templeton Investment Funds – Franklin India Fund, Ghissallo Master Fund LP, HSBC Mutual Fund, Kotak Securities Limited, Kuwait Investment Authority and Robeco Capital Growth Funds were among the other buyers.

Meanwhile, Meesho shares ended Monday’s session at Rs 205.07 apiece on the NSE, down Rs 0.62, or 0.30%, from the previous close of Rs 205.69 per share. The stock opened at Rs 207.24 and moved between an intraday high of Rs 212.65 and a low of Rs 201.50.

(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of Economic Times)

Homebuyers and renters around the country are facing a challenging landscape in terms of affordability, and a recent report identified seven markets where conditions make renting a significantly more affordable option than buying.

An analysis by Apartments.com identified the cities of Austin, Texas; Sacramento, California; Denver, Colorado; Portland, Oregon; Baltimore, Maryland; Salt Lake City, Utah; and Orlando, Florida, as metro areas where the average monthly rent is noticeably lower than the median monthly mortgage payment.

The two markets that top the list, Austin and Sacramento, shared the distinction of having average rents that are more than $1,000 lower than the median monthly mortgage payments.

Austin’s median monthly mortgage payment is $2,475, while the average monthly rent was $1,421, leading to a difference of $1,054. In Sacramento, the median monthly mortgage payment is $2,621 compared to an average rent of $1,579 per month, giving renters a $1,042 edge in affordability.

DALLAS EMERGES AS MAGNET FOR WEALTHY BUYERS AS HIGH TAXES WEIGH ON LUXURY MARKETS, BROKER SAYS

Dillar Schwartz, an eXp real estate agent based in Austin, told FOX Business in an interview that the housing market in central Texas remains very active for both homebuyers and renters.

“We have seen an uptick in rental leads and rental inquiries, and right now, they’re across the board. They’re relocating, they’re wanting to try different subdivisions. They’re moving here for work, and there’s not one big industry that’s moving people here,” Schwartz said.

“In terms of buyers and sellers, I’m seeing more first-time homeowners come through. We’re seeing a lot of the renters who inquired, and we helped find homes about two years ago, they’re now working on getting into homeownership,” she explained, noting that there’s a “really nice mix of sellers” with listings across price points.

“There’s a nice blend. However, I feel like this blend didn’t happen until about four or five months ago – there were a lot of people just on the sidelines,” she added.

SLOWING LABOR MARKET CREATES NEW HURDLE FOR FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYERS FACING AFFORDABILITY SQUEEZE

For prospective homebuyers and renters looking to move to the Austin area, Schwartz said one of the first questions her practice likes to address is the cash reserves the home shoppers have available given the costs.

“Right now, due to Texas insurance, property taxes and the rates being high, the cost right out the gate to get in a home without even discussing a down payment is fairly high, and that trickles into the monthly payments,” Schwartz said.

She said that while prices in Austin have fallen, those costs are “really starting to shock buyers once they have that conversation with a lender,” adding that while rental rates are also lower, they can face a financial hurdle in getting into an apartment.

Schwartz said that for an apartment renting at about $2,000 a month, the prospective renter would need to be able to cover not only that first month’s rent but also a deposit of around $2,000, plus application fees and background checks that may run around $100 per person.

“When you add all of those costs, the average renter is going to need about $5,000 cash as well to make that move,” she said, noting that can jam consumers in certain situations.

THESE ARE AMERICA’S HOTTEST HOUSING MARKETS – SEE WHICH AREAS MADE THE LIST

Schwartz said in most of central Texas, which her practice covers, “we can find you a place that’s a little bit more affordable to rent than to purchase right now.”

The Austin real estate market has solid levels of housing inventory available for both would-be homebuyers and renters, with the region having taken steps to ease regulatory barriers to increasing the supply of housing in recent years.

Schwartz said the city recently added a new position to its permitting department that aims to expedite the process faced by homebuilders and people flipping homes, as well as allowing more infill development on lots to increase the number of homes.

“In Austin right now, if you truly do need to buy a home and want to invest in yourself and start building that wealth, all it takes is time and patience by working with a true professional – there are deals out there,” Schwartz said.

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The same holds true for renting, she added, noting that demand remains strong and that renters are still going to need cash available to get into a property.

“The opportunity is there. The Austin market just takes a little bit more time and patience to navigate,” she said.

HMRC is reviewing around 45 million PAYE accounts to identify people who have paid too much or too little income tax, with P800 tax calculation letters already being issued and checks continuing until November 2026.

The exercise is the tax authority’s annual PAYE reconciliation, which matches the tax actually deducted from pay over the year against what each employee should have paid. Overpayments are being prioritised, meaning workers who are owed money will be contacted first.

Being told a refund is due, however, does not necessarily mean the money will arrive on its own. HMRC has changed the process for most workers claiming refunds that cover multiple years, and once a claim has been processed they now need to actively request their repayment. The change matters because the money left on the table is already substantial: more than 730,000 tax refunds went unclaimed last year, at an average of £855 each.

The timetable is worth noting for anyone who has not yet heard anything. HMRC’s guidance says tax calculation letters are sent out between June and March of the following tax year, so silence in August is not evidence that a PAYE record is correct.

Why umbrella workers are more exposed

The UK’s estimated 700,000 umbrella workers have particular reason to pay attention. They are taxed through PAYE in the same way as other employees, but they move between assignments and may switch umbrella companies or other PAYE employers more frequently, which makes keeping track of tax codes and HMRC records harder.

HMRC itself says people can pay the wrong amount of tax after finishing one job and starting another, or because they have been put on the wrong tax code. Its own guidance for umbrella employees tells them to keep payslips and to check that the tax and National Insurance deducted matches their personal tax account.

Seb Maley, chief executive of Qdos, an insurance provider for flexible workers, said the UK’s “estimated 700,000 umbrella workers should pay particularly close attention. Moving between assignments and PAYE employers means there can be more changes to keep track of. HMRC itself recognises that starting and finishing jobs can result in people paying the wrong amount of tax. So if you work flexibly, don’t assume your tax position is automatically correct.”

He added: “And crucially, being told you’re owed money by HMRC doesn’t always mean it will simply land in your account. Depending on the circumstances, you may still need to actively claim it. More than 730,000 refunds went unclaimed last year, averaging £855. If you receive a P800, check the figures carefully, follow HMRC’s instructions and make sure you claim anything you’re owed.”

The umbrella sector has been under scrutiny for years, with the Recruitment and Employment Confederation among those urging recruiters to check compliance at the umbrella firms they use, and payroll deductions in the model have repeatedly proved harder for workers to follow than standard employment.

Underpayments and the scam risk

The reconciliation cuts both ways. Where too little tax has been paid, HMRC will usually collect the outstanding amount automatically through PAYE, so an unexpected letter can mean a lower take home figure rather than a cheque. That adjustment reaches the worker through their employer’s payroll rather than through a separate bill, and the checks generating those letters run until November.

There is also a fraud dimension. HMRC has warned that it will never ask customers to claim a refund by replying to a text message or an email, which makes the current round of genuine letters a useful cover for scammers. Anyone contacted out of the blue with an offer to process a rebate should treat it as suspect and go to HMRC’s own channels instead.

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Technology investor SoftBank Group has once again trimmed its holding in Lenskart Solutions, selling nearly a 2.6 per cent stake in the eyewear retailer for Rs 2,888 crore through open market transactions on Monday.

In June, SoftBank sold a 3.25 per cent stake in Lenskart for Rs 2,873 crore.

In the latest transaction, Japan-based SoftBank Group, through its affiliate SVF II Lightbulb (Cayman) Ltd, offloaded a total of 4.5 crore equity shares in 22 tranches, amounting to a 2.58 per cent stake in Gurugram-based Lenskart, as per the block deal data on the BSE.

The shares were sold at an average price of Rs 641.75 apiece, taking the combined deal size to Rs 2,887.87 crore.

The latest transaction brought SoftBank’s holding in Lenskart down to 7.28 per cent from 9.86 per cent, although it remains the second-largest public shareholder in the eyewear firm.

Platinum Jasmine A 2018 Trust, an arm of Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, continues to be the largest public shareholder of Lenskart with a 9.77 per cent stake.
The block deal saw participation from a wide range of institutional investors.Domestic buyers included National Pension System Trust and mutual funds managed by SBI, Edelweiss, Nippon India, Franklin Templeton, HDFC, HSBC, ICICI Prudential, Motilal Oswal and Sundaram.

ICICI Prudential Life Insurance was also among the buyers.

Among foreign investors, financial services company Societe Generale picked up the largest number of shares, acquiring 1,07,35,000 shares, representing a 0.62 per cent stake.

The shares were bought at the same price, taking the value of the transaction to Rs 688.91 crore.

Other foreign investors that lapped up shares of Lenskart included Ghisallo Capital Management, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, BNP Paribas Financial Markets, Vanguard, Wasatch Global Investors, and Integrated Core Strategies Asia.

Other buyers included Frankfurt-based Universal Investment, Teachers’ Retirement System of the State of Illinois, Pennsylvania Public School Employees’ Retirement System and Kuwait Investment Authority.

Shares of Lenskart Solutions fell 0.28 per cent to close at Rs 659.70 apiece on the BSE.

NEW YORK — Outage tracking service Downdetector recorded a rise in user reports of problems with CNN beginning around 12:25 p.m. EDT on Monday, with many viewers describing difficulties accessing live channels, video streams and the network’s mobile app.

The monitoring site posted an update noting that user reports indicated problems with CNN and invited feedback on how the issues were affecting people. Reports concentrated on live television feeds, streaming video and app functionality, according to the breakdown of submitted complaints. A smaller share of users flagged general website access problems.

Downdetector and similar services rely on crowdsourced reports rather than direct monitoring of a company’s servers. Spikes in submissions can signal widespread technical difficulties, localized network issues, high traffic or problems limited to specific platforms or regions. Independent uptime checks from other monitoring tools showed mixed results during the same period, with some registering the CNN website as reachable while user complaints remained elevated on outage maps.

CNN, a major cable news network and digital publisher owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, delivers content through traditional cable and satellite distribution, its website, mobile applications and various streaming platforms. Interruptions to live programming or on-demand video can affect viewers seeking breaking news, analysis or continuous coverage. During periods of high news interest, traffic surges can strain systems and amplify the visibility of any technical problems.

User reports of this type often appear first on social media and specialized trackers before a company issues an official status update. News organizations typically investigate such spikes by examining content delivery networks, content management systems, authentication services and third-party streaming partners. Resolution times vary depending on whether the cause is a software deployment, capacity limit, regional connectivity issue or broader infrastructure event.

In recent years, digital news platforms have invested in redundant systems and content delivery networks to reduce the impact of outages. Even so, complex multi-platform operations that include live video, personalized apps and high-volume websites remain vulnerable to intermittent disruptions. Viewers frequently report problems that affect one access method while others continue to function, such as a cable feed working while an app stream fails, or the website loading slowly on certain devices or networks.

When outage reports rise, consumers are commonly advised to try alternative access points: switching from an app to a web browser, testing a different network connection, clearing app caches or checking whether the issue is confined to a particular device. Cable and satellite subscribers may experience different symptoms from those relying solely on internet-delivered streams. Regional differences can also appear if the problem is tied to a specific content delivery node or internet service provider.

The Monday reports arrived without an immediate public statement from CNN detailing the cause or expected duration. Companies in the media sector sometimes address technical issues through status pages, social media accounts or customer support channels once the scope becomes clear. In the absence of an official confirmation, the volume and geographic spread of user submissions on tracking sites remain the primary public indicator of service health.

Outage trackers such as Downdetector aggregate reports in real time and display heat maps and problem-type percentages. For CNN, the majority of submissions during the elevated period focused on live channel access, followed by video streaming and app-related complaints. Such distributions can help technical teams prioritize investigation, though they do not by themselves confirm a company-wide failure.

News consumption habits have shifted significantly toward digital platforms, making website and app reliability more critical. Live events, election coverage, breaking international developments and weather emergencies all drive sudden increases in concurrent users. Systems designed for average load can face strain under those conditions, leading to buffering, login failures or incomplete page loads that register as outages from the user’s perspective.

Similar spikes have occurred across the media industry when major stories break or when underlying cloud or content delivery providers experience their own issues. Distinguishing between a provider-side problem and a problem specific to one publisher often requires correlation with other services that share the same infrastructure. On Monday, the concentration of reports around CNN suggested the complaints were more targeted than a general internet disruption.

For viewers, temporary workarounds include using alternative news sources, switching devices or waiting for automatic recovery. Persistent problems sometimes resolve after an app update, a forced refresh or a change in network. Cable customers experiencing issues with the linear channel may need to reboot set-top boxes or check signal strength, steps that differ from troubleshooting an internet stream.

The episode highlights the dual nature of modern news delivery. Traditional broadcast and cable distribution continue to serve large audiences, while digital platforms expand reach and enable on-demand viewing. Maintaining consistent performance across both environments requires ongoing investment in capacity, monitoring and rapid response capabilities.

As of the latest available user reports, the elevated complaint volume on Downdetector began in the early afternoon Eastern time and prompted the service to flag potential problems. Whether the underlying cause was a brief technical glitch, a capacity constraint or an issue limited to specific user segments remained unclear without further official information.

Media companies routinely monitor these public indicators alongside their internal dashboards. A surge in external reports can accelerate internal escalation even when automated systems have not yet triggered alerts. Conversely, a high volume of complaints sometimes reflects localized conditions that do not affect the majority of users.

In the broader context of digital media reliability, Monday’s reports fit a familiar pattern: a noticeable uptick in user submissions, public discussion on tracking platforms, and a period of uncertainty until either the problem resolves or the company provides an update. CNN’s multi-platform presence means that any disruption can surface quickly across social media and outage sites, amplifying the visibility of even short-lived issues.

Viewers seeking continuous coverage during such periods often turn to secondary sources or wait for restoration of their preferred access method. The combination of live video demands and high concurrent traffic makes news platforms particularly sensitive to performance variations. Ongoing improvements in content delivery technology aim to reduce the frequency and duration of these incidents, yet complete elimination remains elusive given the complexity of the systems involved.

The Downdetector notice served as an early public signal that some CNN users were encountering difficulties. Subsequent monitoring will determine whether the reports subside quickly or persist long enough to warrant a formal explanation from the network. Until then, the user-generated data remains the most immediate available measure of the situation.

This article was written by

Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of IWM, ACN, LOW, V, GOOG either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Seeking Alpha’s Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.