Shares of VA Tech Wabag gained 4% during Monday’s trading session, rising to Rs 2,072, after the water technology company announced a major order win from the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) for the development of two energy-efficient wastewater treatment facilities in Bengaluru.

The company informed the exchanges that it secured a “Large” order inflow from BWSSB, strengthening its position in India’s municipal wastewater treatment sector.

Under the contract, WABAG will undertake the Design, Build and Operate (DBO) scope for two key wastewater treatment projects:

• A 100 MLD Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) along with a 25 MLD Tertiary Treatment Plant (TTP) at Byramangala, Bengaluru
• A 60 MLD Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) at Bellandur, Bengaluru

The project has been awarded by a domestic entity, BWSSB, and includes a complete technology package covering process engineering, electrical engineering, instrumentation and control systems, building services, and operations & maintenance.

The EPC portion of the project is expected to be completed within 36 months, followed by a seven-year Operations & Maintenance (O&M) period.
WABAG Strengthens Leadership in Sustainable Water Infrastructure
Commenting on the order win, Mr. S. Natrajan, Vice President & Head – Sales and Marketing, India Cluster, said the twin projects reinforce WABAG’s leadership in India’s municipal wastewater treatment segment.He highlighted that the facilities will incorporate energy-efficient treatment technologies and biogas-based power generation, creating a scalable model for resource recovery, circularity, and energy optimization.

According to the company, the projects will significantly enhance Bengaluru’s sewage treatment capacity while supporting environmentally responsible wastewater management and Karnataka’s long-term water security goals.

Understanding WABAG’s Order Classification
As per the company’s filing, domestic orders are categorized based on value : Small: Up to Rs 100 crore, Medium: Rs 100 crore to Rs 250 crore, Large: Rs 250 crore to Rs 600 crore, Major: Rs 600 crore to Rs 1,000 crore, and Mega: Above Rs 1,000 crore

For international orders, the classification is based on order value in US dollar terms. A Small order is up to $10 million, a Medium order ranges from $10 million to $30 million, a Large order is between $30 million and $75 million, a Major order falls between $75 million and $150 million, and a Mega order is above $150 million.

Strong Stock Market Performance
The latest order win comes amid strong momentum in WABAG’s stock performance. The company’s shares have gained around 45% in the last three months, while over the past three years, the stock has delivered a remarkable rally of nearly 291%.

VA Tech Wabag currently has a market capitalisation of approximately Rs 12,406 crore. The stock 52-week high stands at Rs 2,253 and a 52-week low of Rs 1,033.

Technical Outlook
From a technical perspective, WABAG’s 14-day Relative Strength Index (RSI) stands at around 50.9, indicating a neutral trend. An RSI below 30 generally signals oversold conditions, while readings above 70 indicate overbought territory.

The stock is currently trading above 5 out of 8 key Simple Moving Averages (SMAs), suggesting a positive trend in its price movement.

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

A professional lipreader claims Catherine, Princess of Wales, intervened during a tense public appearance in 2022 to caution Prince William and Prince Harry amid a visible disagreement between the brothers, a resurfaced claim that comes as the two siblings reportedly remain estranged with little indication of an imminent reconciliation.

According to lipreading specialist Nicola Hickling, who analyzed silent footage of the interaction for the Channel 5 program “Lip-Reading The Royals,” Catherine appeared to instruct the brothers to “stop arguing” during a royal walkabout at Windsor Castle. The moment reportedly unfolded just two days after the death of Queen Elizabeth II, during a period when the royal family made a series of public appearances together to greet mourners outside the castle.

Hickling’s analysis suggested that Prince William then turned to his wife and said, “Let’s move,” seemingly seeking to defuse the tension and continue with the walkabout. The specialist also claimed that Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, sensed the strain between the brothers, allegedly telling them, “Not today,” in an apparent effort to encourage the group to set aside their differences for the public event.

The 2022 appearance took place shortly after the queen’s death, when William, Harry, Catherine and Meghan briefly reunited in public as what had previously been dubbed the “fab four,” a nickname used during an earlier period when the two couples were seen as the most prominent younger members of the royal family carrying out joint engagements. That earlier era of unity had already given way to visible strain by the time of the 2022 appearance, with the brothers’ relationship having deteriorated significantly in the years prior.

Roots of the rift trace back to 2018

Tensions between William and Harry are widely reported to have first emerged around the time Harry began his relationship with Meghan Markle. William reportedly voiced concerns to his brother about the pace at which the relationship was progressing ahead of Harry and Meghan’s 2018 wedding, according to earlier reporting cited by The Independent.

The relationship between the brothers deteriorated further following Harry and Meghan’s widely watched 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, in which the couple made a series of allegations about their treatment within the royal family. The rift deepened again after the 2023 release of Harry’s memoir, “Spare,” which included numerous claims about internal royal family dynamics that drew significant public attention and reportedly strained relations even further.

Harry’s recent efforts toward reconciliation

Despite the yearslong estrangement, Prince Harry has spoken publicly about his desire to repair his relationship with his family. During a BBC interview in May 2025, Harry said any path toward reconciliation would ultimately depend on his relatives’ willingness to engage, adding that if they did not want that, the decision would be entirely up to them.

Those comments have taken on renewed significance following a recent visit Harry made to the United Kingdom this month. The Duke of Sussex spent five days in the country, during which he met privately with his father, King Charles III. Harry traveled to Highgrove House, the royal family’s estate in Gloucestershire, where he was received by the king and Queen Camilla.

Notably, no meeting between Harry and his brother took place during the visit, according to reports, suggesting that whatever progress may have been made in Harry’s relationship with his father has not yet extended to a similar thaw with William. The absence of any reported contact between the brothers during the trip has fueled continued speculation among royal watchers about whether the two will reconcile in the near future.

A relationship watched closely by the public

The brothers’ fractured relationship has remained a subject of intense public interest since their public roles diverged following Harry and Meghan’s 2020 decision to step back from official royal duties and relocate to the United States. Public appearances that once featured the two couples working closely together, including the widely covered 2018 wedding and joint engagements in the years that followed, have since given way to separate public schedules and limited direct contact between the brothers.

While claims based on lipreading analysis are inherently interpretive and cannot be independently verified with certainty, the resurfaced 2022 moment has added another data point to ongoing public speculation about the state of the relationship between William and Harry. Royal commentators have continued to debate whether any reconciliation between the brothers is likely in the near term, particularly given the absence of a direct meeting during Harry’s most recent visit to the UK.

For now, representatives for the royal family have not offered detailed public comment on the specific interaction described by Hickling’s analysis, and the full context of the 2022 exchange between the brothers has not been independently confirmed beyond the lipreading interpretation offered on the Channel 5 program. Observers say any definitive signal of reconciliation between William and Harry would likely come through a joint public appearance or direct communication, neither of which has been reported since tensions between the brothers became public in the years following Harry and Meghan’s departure from official royal duties.

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President Donald Trump on Sunday praised Giant Eagle for lowering prices on more than 300 frequently purchased products through Labor Day.

The grocery chain launched the seasonal promotion on July 9, reducing prices by an average of 10% on products that include proteins, produce and summer snacks.

Trump said the grocery chain will be cutting prices “by a lot.”

“Wonderful news! I have just been informed that Giant Eagle, a GREAT American Grocery Company, will be lowering Prices, by a lot, across more than 300 products this Summer, through Labor Day, to help hardworking American families,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

MAJOR GROCERY CHAIN BEATS WALMART, ALDI IN PRICE WAR AS SHOPPERS HUNT FOR CHECKOUT RELIEF

Giant Eagle’s promotion comes after Walmart and Sam’s Club announced earlier in July that they would lower prices on thousands of products nationwide this summer “to help customers and members make the most of the season while spending less on the products they need, want and love most.”

The discounted Walmart and Sam’s Club products include ground beef, beverages, household essentials, apparel and toys.

“Giant Eagle, like Walmart, is stepping up in a big and bold way to answer my call to lower costs for working families,” Trump said on Sunday.

“We will continue to bring Prices DOWN, just like Oil, Gas, Eggs, and Prescription Drugs, all of which are dropping FAST after the disaster we inherited from Sleepy Joe Biden,” he continued.

Trump called on other grocery chains to follow Giant Eagle and Walmart by reducing prices.

MORE AMERICANS ARE RELYING ON CREDIT CARDS TO BUY GROCERIES, NEW STUDY FINDS

“Other Grocery Chains must immediately follow the lead of these absolute Patriots at Giant Eagle and Walmart,” he said. “Together, we will make America stronger and more affordable than ever before, and get rid of the stench and Inflation perpetrated on us by the Dumocrats and the Sleepy Joe Biden Administration!”

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FOX Business reached out to Giant Eagle for comment.

Just one day after Spain lifted the 2026 World Cup trophy in New Jersey, soccer’s global governing body is already looking ahead to a tournament unlike any before it: the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which will be staged across six countries spanning three continents to mark the competition’s 100th anniversary.

According to FIFA’s proposed schedule, the tournament will open with a series of centenary matches held in South America before shifting to its three primary host nations in Europe and Africa, a format that will make 2030 the first men’s World Cup ever played across three continents.

A tournament rooted in history

Spain, Portugal and Morocco will serve as the tournament’s main co-hosts, staging the majority of the competition’s matches. To honor the World Cup’s centennial, Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay will each host a single opening-round match before the remainder of the tournament shifts entirely to the three principal host countries.

The symbolism behind each South American host nation’s involvement is deliberate. Uruguay will host a match in recognition of staging the first-ever World Cup in 1930, while Argentina’s fixture will acknowledge its role as that inaugural tournament’s runner-up. Paraguay, meanwhile, will host a game as the home of CONMEBOL, South America’s soccer confederation and the only continental football governing body that existed at the time of the first World Cup.

Under FIFA’s proposed calendar, the centenary matches in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay are scheduled for June 8 and 9, 2030, with the main tournament’s opening ceremony and first matches following in Morocco, Portugal and Spain on June 13 and 14. Teams competing in the South American centenary matches will be given extra time to travel and prepare before beginning their group-stage campaigns in Europe and Africa. The remaining teams in those same groups are expected to begin play on June 15 and 16, with a second round of group matches following on June 21 and 22. FIFA has not yet released a complete match calendar, and the federation has indicated the World Cup final is expected to take place July 21, 2030, though that date has not been formally confirmed.

Automatic qualifiers already locked in

Six nations have already secured automatic qualification for the 2030 tournament by virtue of their hosting roles: Spain, Portugal and Morocco as the three primary co-hosts, along with Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay through their centenary match hosting duties. The remaining 42 spots in the 48-team field will be determined through FIFA’s continental qualifying tournaments over the next several years.

Could the tournament grow even larger?

While the 2030 World Cup is currently set to retain the 48-team format that debuted at this year’s tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has signaled the organization may explore expanding the competition even further, to 64 teams.

Speaking with Swiss outlet Bluewin, Infantino called the expanded 48-team format a “huge success,” crediting it with giving more nations the chance to compete on the sport’s biggest stage and helping grow the game’s global reach. He pointed to strong showings from smaller footballing nations during the 2026 tournament as evidence that wider participation benefits the sport overall. Asked directly whether a 64-team World Cup could become reality, Infantino said the proposal “will be examined and discussed” going forward, though no formal decision or timeline has been announced.

A century of growth for the World Cup

The 2030 edition will arrive almost exactly a century after the World Cup’s origins, which trace back to the success of men’s soccer tournaments at the 1924 and 1928 Olympic Games, both won by Uruguay. At the time, Olympic football fell under the jurisdiction of the International Olympic Committee, prompting FIFA to create a standalone international tournament specifically for national soccer teams.

The 1924 Olympic final in Paris drew a crowd of nearly 50,000 spectators as Uruguay defeated Switzerland 3-0 to claim gold. Four years later, Uruguay successfully defended its Olympic title with a 2-1 win over Argentina, a result that helped convince FIFA officials that a dedicated World Cup tournament could succeed on its own.

FIFA formally approved plans for the inaugural World Cup in May 1928 and selected Uruguay as host, both in recognition of the country’s back-to-back Olympic titles and to coincide with the 100th anniversary of Uruguayan independence in 1930. That first tournament kicked off in July 1930 with 13 participating nations, several of which traveled from Europe by ship to compete. Uruguay went on to defeat Argentina 4-2 in the final at Montevideo’s Estadio Centenario, becoming the first nation crowned men’s World Cup champions.

Since that modest beginning, the tournament has grown dramatically in scale, expanding from 13 teams in 1930 to 32 teams by 1998 and, most recently, to 48 teams for this year’s tournament across North America. The 2030 edition will mark a full century since that first competition and stand as the first men’s World Cup ever contested across six countries and three continents simultaneously.

Looking further ahead: 2034 in Saudi Arabia

Beyond 2030, FIFA has already confirmed the host of the following World Cup. The 2034 tournament will be staged entirely within Saudi Arabia, which FIFA confirmed as host in December 2024 after emerging as the only country to submit a bid for that edition. Unlike the multi-continental 2030 format, the 2034 World Cup will return to a single-host-nation model. FIFA has not yet announced specific dates or a match schedule for that tournament, leaving further details to be finalized in the years ahead as the federation first turns its full attention to executing the historic six-country centenary celebration planned for 2030.

Shares of Axis Bank declined 5% to Rs 1,261 on the BSE on Monday even after the private lender reported a 22.5% year-on-year rise in standalone net profit to Rs 7,114 crore for the April-June quarter of FY27, with brokerages issuing mixed calls for the stock.

The private lender on Saturday released its Q1 FY27 results. Its net interest income (NII), meanwhile, rose more than 8% YoY to Rs 14,646 crore during the first quarter of the ongoing financial year 2027, from Rs 13,560 crore reported in the same period last year. Notably, this is higher than Nomura and Kotak Institutional’s estimates. Net interest margin during the quarter under review stood at 3.46%.

Axis Bank’s gross non-performing assets (GNPA) declined around 4% YoY to Rs 17,124 crore, while net NPA rose around 2.5% YoY to Rs 5,193 crore. The gross NPA and net NPA ratios improved on a YoY basis to 1.28% and 0.39%, respectively. However, both increased sequentially from 1.23% and 0.37% in Q4 FY26.

Provision and contingencies for Q1 FY27 stood at Rs 2,223 crore, while specific loan loss provisions stood at Rs 2,079 crore. Total deposits rose 3% QoQ and 18% YoY on a month-end basis, with current account deposits up 6% YoY, savings account deposits rising 14% YoY and term deposits increasing 23% YoY. The lender’s advances rose 19% YoY and 2% QoQ to Rs 12.62 lakh crore as on June 30, 2026.

Also read | Axis Bank Q1 Results: Net profit jumps 23% YoY to Rs 7,114 crore; NII up 8%

Nuvama on Axis Bank share price

Nuvama said Axis Bank delivered strong credit growth of 19%, but net interest margin slipped again by 16 bps QoQ to 3.46%, while management aims to pull it back to 3.8% over the next 12–15 months. Higher other income and lower provisions led to 9% PAT beat, it added.

GNPA inched up 5 bps QoQ to 1.3% due to seasonally higher agri NPAs, which should ease, according to Nuvama, which further noted that Axis has not used West Asia conflict related provisions.
“We believe Axis will be a key beneficiary of FCNR flows, which should help retrace margins. This coupled with lower LLP should drive-up RoA from 1.4% in FY26 to 1.6–1.8% over FY27–29,” the brokerage said. Nuvama retained its ‘Buy’ call on the shares of Axis Bank with a target price of Rs 1,650 apiece. This implies an upside potential of more than 24% from the stock’s previous closing price of Rs 1,328.50 apiece on NSE.

Motilal Oswal on Axis Bank share price

Motilal Oswal noted that while Axis Bank’s net profit was 7% higher than its estimate, the bank’s NII and NIM missed expectations. It cut its FY27 and FY28 earnings expectations by 2% each and estimated FY28 RoA and RoE at 1.6% and 15.3% respectively. Axis Bank reported a weak quarter, Motilal Oswal said, noting that the bank reiterated its through-cycle NIM aspiration of ~3.8%, driven by an improving balance sheet mix. “Credit costs edged up marginally due to seasonally higher slippages, which also resulted in elevated interest reversals. Business growth remained modest, with corporate lending driving overall loan growth, while retail growth continued to be relatively subdued. Deposit growth was primarily led by term deposits, keeping the CD ratio broadly stable at ~92%,” it said.

The domestic brokerage has a ‘Neutral’ call on the shares of Axis Bank with a target price of Rs 1,500 apiece. This implies an upside potential of nearly 13% from the stock’s previous closing price.

What other brokerages say?

Centrum Broking said Axis Bank delivered a healthy quarter, reinforcing its positive view on the franchise despite near-term margin pressures. Its maintained its ‘Buy’ call on the shares of Axis Bank, but increased its target price to Rs 1,720 apiece, implying an upside potential of more than 29% from the stock’s previous closing price.

Systematix Institutional Equities meanwhile reduced its target price to Rs 1,570 apiece, while maintaining its ‘Buy’ rating on the stock. Dolat Capital meanwhile had an ‘Accumulate’ rating on the shares of Axis Bank, with a target price of Rs 1,525 apiece.

Also read: Axis Bank weighs raising stake in its insurance venture to 30%

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