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Market volatility to persist amid geopolitical and tariff uncertainty: Amnish Aggarwal

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Market volatility to persist amid geopolitical and tariff uncertainty: Amnish Aggarwal
Indian markets are navigating through a period of heightened uncertainty, with global cues signaling a weak start to the week. Tariff concerns, particularly related to the US, continue to weigh on investor sentiment.

Amnish Aggarwal from Prabhudas Lilladher, noted the volatility in trade relations with the US. “The situation of your trade parameters with the US remains very volatile. Now, we have got some interim arrangement, but as we have seen over the last one year, nothing can be said with certainty because this is not only the India problem, this is a bit of a geopolitical problem as far as your tariffs are concerned. At this point, I would be very cautious on how the deal with the US will pan out. Something like, if we do not lose from the situation we are in, that should be satisfactory for the country. I would be more gung-ho on some of the other deals we have done, which includes the EU, where we are getting much better terms of trade. Based on the tariff policies of the US and other geopolitical factors, I believe that overall market volatility will continue in the near term.”

On the impact of artificial intelligence on IT services, Aggarwal highlighted the uncertainty surrounding business models and profitability. “It is very uncertain because it is not the beginning of AI or the transformation, it is not the end of it, but it has just started getting noticed and having some impact. We are not in a stage where growth rates of companies have started plummeting or there is margin pressure. So, this is a big reset. I do not think it is going to get settled in a quarter or two. One needs to wait and watch how deep and big the impact could be. The market actually hates uncertainty. I do not see any big green shoots for IT in the near term, and that is why we have been underweight on IT services for at least a couple of years.”

Turning to financial services, Aggarwal discussed the value unlock potential in digital lending platforms. “One needs to look at it from three angles. It aims at utilizing the cash flows the company is throwing, and because you are into telecom, we have got the digital platform and tech stack already there. They are extending it to make it bigger than today. The bigger issue is how your screening process is and how you control lending, collections, and delinquencies. Given the money they are allocating and the reach through their mobile network, they have a fair chance to scale it up. As far as value unlocking is concerned, it is too premature to presume. But for a company throwing in so much cash, it is a good extension and usage of cash. This is not going to be the first initiative, as other segments like data centers will also play a major role over time. The impact on financials and value unlocking will take a long period.”

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On IDFC First Bank, which recently saw a 16% hit to its stock, Aggarwal emphasized perspective over panic. “We do not have a formal rating on the stock, but the hit of 590 crores is not that big relative to the balance sheet. However, it raises questions on the process and systems prevalent in the organization, which they need to address. Usually, there is initial panic, but if they manage the situation well and the deposit franchise is intact, things should recover over time.”


In the auto sector, Aggarwal observed a mixed but generally positive momentum. “The auto sector changed gears immediately post-GST. The past three to four months have been fairly robust. Two-wheelers were already doing okay, but for PVs, the major push came later. Logically, the momentum should continue, but last month Maruti showed flattish volumes for small cars, while M&M did well in SUVs. Entry-level cars might show some fatigue, but two-wheelers and commercial vehicles continue to do well. The farm sector has been strong, though El Nino may impact the upcoming monsoon and tractor demand. Overall, selectivity is key in the auto space.”
Aggarwal also shared his view on metals. “In the ferrous space, demand is good, and profitability is likely to improve in Q4. From current levels, incremental returns are possible. For non-ferrous, like aluminium, we have already seen the best, with companies like Hindustan Zinc moving up on price action. Ferrous remains the space where we are still positive.”

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Japanese Defense Stocks Slide After China Announces Export Controls

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David Uberti hedcut

China added 20 companies to an export-control list that prohibits Chinese firms from selling them items such as machine tools, batteries and chip-making equipment.

Another 20 companies were added to a watchlist that means they can only receive such items if they satisfy China that they won’t be used in equipment sold to the Japanese military.

Many of the companies subject to export bans are defense-related subsidiaries of major industrial firms, including Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, IHI and NEC:

Shares of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries fell 3.1%, while shares of IHI and NEC slid 5.7% and 6.2%, respectively.

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Shares in Subaru, which was added to the watchlist, dropped 3.5%. The carmaker has an aerospace unit that supplies the Japanese military.

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Bostic: U.S. may face higher unemployment Fed cannot offset

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Bostic: U.S. may face higher unemployment Fed cannot offset

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Ashley Madison rebrands, shifts from affairs to ‘discreet dating’

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Ashley Madison rebrands, shifts from affairs to ‘discreet dating’

FIRST ON FOX— Controversial online dating service Ashley Madison, long known for catering to married people with the slogan “Life is short. Have an affair,” is ditching its focus on infidelity and adultery as part of a major rebrand. 

Ashley Madison has been the premier dating site for married people looking to cheat for over 20 years, and the scandalous strategy helped the company thrive despite objections to assisting people seeking extramarital affairs. But Ashley Madison has seen a stunning shift in recent years, and 57% of all new members are now actually single. 

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“What that told us is that people are coming to our site for a different reason, for discretion. And so, today, Ashley Madison is shedding its adulterous past and launching a new category of discreet dating,” Ashley Madison Chief Strategy Officer Paul Keable told Fox News Digital

ASHLEY MADISON HONCHO SAYS SCANDALOUS COMPANY THRIVING DESPITE DOCUSERIES SHOWING MISSTEPS

Ashley Madison

Ashley Madison, long known for catering to married people with the slogan “Life is short. Have an affair,” is ditching its focus on infidelity and adultery as part of a major rebrand. (Ashley Madison )

The fundamental shift in Ashley Madison’s business model moves the platform away from “married dating” and will include the new tagline “Where Desire Meets Discretion.” Keable said the shift reflects the company’s changing membership, along with a cultural shift prioritizing discretion and privacy. 

“We know people are looking for a range of intimate connections. And ultimately, we’ve lived the past 20-plus years in the social media era where everything we’ve done has been curated and placed online. And people are fatigued and tired. More than roughly 30% of online daters are feeling constant pressure to swipe and message, and they’re not getting the outcomes they want,” Keable said. 

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“Worse, they’re having to go back into the office and people who they’re not interested in are seeing their profiles on these traditional dating apps and they feel as though it’s not the experience they’re looking for. So, people are now coming to Ashley Madison to connect with people for the same reasons, but ultimately, we at Ashley Madison are not going to ask you about whether you’re married or not,” he continued. “We’re going to ask very little about your information, other than why you value discretion and enable you to match with the people you want to match because your business ultimately is yours and it’s nobody else’s.”

ADULTERERS ON ASHLEY MADISON REVEAL WHAT THEY ARE FAITHFUL TO, 87% WOULD CHEAT ON THEIR PARTNER BEFORE TAXES

Ashley Madison isn’t just for people seeking to have an extramarital affair anymore.

Ashley Madison isn’t just for people seeking to have an extramarital affair anymore. (Ashley Madison)

A recent Ashley Madison member survey found that 49% of respondents said they seek out additional relationships in addition to their primary one during more stressful times, indicating that the service will still enable adultery. The same survey found that 41% of total member respondents believe that having multiple partners who offer a variety of positive attributes would better help them through a difficult time.

Keable is well aware that Ashley Madison has attracted “a multitude of criticisms” over the years but has long maintained that people would cheat whether the service existed or not. Regardless, he says the rebrand isn’t being done for moral or ethical reasons, but rather to serve its customers. 

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“This shift that we’re taking is a realization that people want to continue to date, they want to connect, but under their own terms,” he said. “So, our choice really is less about what we desire. It’s our members telling us what they wanted and why they’re coming to Ashley Madison.”

ASHLEY MADISON REVEALS TOP 20 AMERICAN CITIES FOR ADULTEROUS BEHAVIOR: ‘SOMETHING IS GOING ON IN THE MIDWEST’

Ashley Madison has seen a stunning shift over the past few years, as 57% of all new members are actually single.

Ashley Madison has seen a stunning shift over the past few years, as 57% of all new members are actually single. (Ashley Madison)

Keable said the shift to “discreet dating” is about delivering on expectations of members and creating a place where they can conduct their dating under their own management without everybody watching it.

“We’re launching a brand-new marketing campaign called Blessed Are the Discreet, which really celebrates those who are looking for intimate connections on their own terms… not out of guilt or shame, but simply out of an idea that ‘my business is mine.’ And until you’re lucky enough to get invited into it, you’re just going to have to wait on the outside,” Keable said. 

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Rentokil downgraded at Deutsche Bank on margin, growth gap

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Rentokil downgraded at Deutsche Bank on margin, growth gap

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PWG expands WA footprint with Perth acquisition

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PWG expands WA footprint with Perth acquisition

Partners Wealth Group has acquired Perth-based Investment & Financial Partners, with its acquisitive streak lifting local funds under management to $1.5 billion.

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Markets Start to Recover After Brutal AI Selloff

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Markets Start to Recover After Brutal AI Selloff

Stocks looked set to open in the green Tuesday as investors tried to make sense of yet another selloff tied to worries about rapid advancements in artificial intelligence.

Futures tracking the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 80 points, or 0.2%. S&P 500 futures were also 0.2% higher, while contracts tied to the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 were up 0.3%.

The indexes plunged on Monday, with the Dow shedding more than 800 points after a viral blog post by Citrini Research described a hypothetical scenario where AI drives the unemployment rate above 10% by 2028. Shares in food delivery apps, credit-card providers, and alternative asset managers tumbled.

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Government, Minderoo fund $21m Derby early learning centre

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Government, Minderoo fund $21m Derby early learning centre

A $21.4 million early learning centre will be built in Derby through a funding deal inked with the state and federal governments, and Minderoo Foundation.

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Barclays cuts Gossamer Bio stock rating on trial results

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Barclays cuts Gossamer Bio stock rating on trial results

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10 Key Things You Must Know Ahead of February 25 Unpacked Launch

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Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra

With Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked event set for Wednesday, February 25, 2026, in San Francisco, the Galaxy S26 Ultra stands poised as the flagship highlight of the 2026 lineup. Leaks, official teasers and promotional materials have revealed a device that refines the formula rather than reinvents it, emphasizing deeper Galaxy AI integration, privacy innovations and efficiency gains from cutting-edge hardware.

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra

Here are 10 essential details to know about the Galaxy S26 Ultra based on the latest reports as of February 24:

1. **Unveiling Date and Availability**
Samsung will officially reveal the Galaxy S26 series, including the Ultra, at Galaxy Unpacked on February 25 at 10 a.m. PT (1 p.m. ET). Pre-orders are expected to open immediately in many markets, with general availability starting around March 11. The event will stream live on Samsung’s website, YouTube and other platforms, focusing on “the next AI phone” that simplifies daily interactions.

2. **Display: Privacy Display Takes Center Stage**
The 6.9-inch QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel returns with a 120Hz refresh rate, up to 2,600 nits brightness and Corning Gorilla Armor 2 protection. The standout upgrade is the exclusive Privacy Display (powered by Flex Magic Pixel technology), which allows users to toggle pixel-level viewing angle restrictions to prevent shoulder-surfing. Leaked hands-on videos show it dynamically obscuring content from side views while remaining clear head-on, a hardware-first approach that could influence competitors.

3. **Processor: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Powers It Globally**
Unlike potential regional splits in lower models, the S26 Ultra is expected to feature Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (3nm) chipset worldwide. Benchmarks show strong gains in multi-core performance, AI acceleration and thermal efficiency, positioning it as one of 2026’s most capable Android flagships. Paired with faster LPDDR5X RAM (likely 12GB standard, up to 16GB), it promises smoother multitasking and on-device AI processing.

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4. **Camera: Evolutionary Refinements, Not Revolution**
The quad-camera array remains largely unchanged: 200MP main (with a wider f/1.4 aperture for superior low-light capture), 50MP ultrawide, 10MP 3x telephoto and 50MP 5x periscope. Upgrades focus on hardware like larger apertures on main and zoom lenses, improved sensors and AI enhancements such as seamless Photo Assist editing. Low-light video and zoom quality should see meaningful boosts, though megapixel counts stay the same.

5. **Battery and Charging: Steady, Not Spectacular**
Despite early rumors of a 5,500mAh stacked battery, recent leaks and promo materials confirm a 5,000mAh capacity — unchanged from the S25 Ultra — with up to 31 hours of video playback. Wired charging jumps to 60W (a long-overdue upgrade), reaching 75% in 30 minutes, while wireless charging rises to 25W with Qi2 compatibility. Efficiency from the new chipset should extend real-world endurance.

6. **Galaxy AI: Deeper, More Personal Integration**
Samsung’s AI push continues with features like multi-agent support, Perplexity-powered searches in apps, conversational Bixby and unified camera-to-edit workflows. On-device processing prioritizes privacy, with tools for recreating photo elements and proactive suggestions. The Ultra’s hardware enables faster, more reliable AI without heavy cloud reliance.

7. **Design and Build: Iterative Tweaks**
Expect a familiar titanium frame with flat edges, refined ergonomics and a prominent camera island. Colors include Black, Cobalt Violet, Sky Blue and White, plus online-exclusive options like Silver and Pink Gold. Weight and dimensions stay similar (around 214g, 163.6 x 78.1 x 7.9 mm), with better anti-reflective coating on the display.

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8. **Storage and RAM: Solid Baseline**
Configurations start at 12GB RAM and 256GB storage (UFS 4.0), with options up to 16GB RAM and 1TB. No major changes here, though faster RAM speeds enhance performance. Base models may drop 128GB variants in some regions.

9. **Pricing: Likely Stable, Possible Regional Hikes**
U.S. starting price is rumored around $1,299, matching predecessors, with trade-in credits up to $900. Some markets could see slight increases due to component costs, but pre-order incentives like storage upgrades aim to maintain accessibility.

10. **What Sets It Apart in 2026**
The S26 Ultra combines mature hardware with standout software — Privacy Display, 60W charging and advanced AI — in a polished package. While not revolutionary, it targets professionals and power users valuing privacy, camera consistency and long-term support (seven years of updates promised).

As Unpacked approaches, final details will emerge, but current leaks position the S26 Ultra as a compelling evolution for those upgrading from older models or seeking top-tier Android performance.

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New Frontier for ex-Pacific boss

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New Frontier for ex-Pacific boss

Former long-serving Pacific Energy boss Jamie Cullen been appointed executive chairman of renewables aspirant Frontier Energy.

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