Telecom major Bharti Airtel on Friday fixed July 24 (Friday) as the record date to determine eligibility of shareholders for its highest-ever annual dividend payout of Rs 24 per share for the financial year which ended on March 31, 2026.

Bharti Airtel, in May, announced that its board of directors recommended a final dividend of Rs 24 per fully paid-up equity share for FY26, subject to shareholders’ approval. This comes after the company paid a dividend of Rs 16 per share in July last year, and Rs 8 per share in the year before.

The telco has declared 22 dividends since July, 2009, and currently has a dividend yield of 0.84%, according to data on Trendlyne.

How to be eligible for Bharti Airtel’s dividend?

Bharti Airtel in an exchange filing released on Friday said that the Rs 24 dividend will be paid to shareholders whose names appear in the depository records as at close of business hours on Friday, July 24. This effectively makes July 23 (Thursday) the last date for interested investors to buy shares of the company to be eligible for the dividend payout.

Under Sebi’s T+1 settlement cycle, investors must purchase a company’s shares at least one trading day before the record date to ensure the shares are credited to their demat accounts in time, and they become eligible for the corporate action. Therefore, July 23 would be the last opportunity for investors to buy the shares so that they are credited to their accounts by July 24, making them eligible for Bharti Airtel’s dividend.

Also read: TCS announces interim dividend of Rs 12 per share. Check record date

Bharti Airtel share price

Bharti Airtel shares dropped nearly 1% to trade at Rs 1,915 apiece, as seen at 11.50 am on Friday. The stock has gained around 8% in one month but dropped more than 9% in 2026 so far and 3% in one year. In the longer term, the shares of the company have delivered 116% returns over three years and 261% over five years.

Nomura in a recent note named Bharti Airtel its top telecom pick and increased its target price to Rs 2,355 apiece, while highlighting that the implied valuation discount when compared to Reliance Industries’ Jio Platform is unwarranted.
The international brokerage maintained its ‘Buy’ call on the stock. The latest target price implies an upside potential of nearly 22% from the stock’s previous closing price of Rs 1,931.10 apiece on NSE.Also read: 10 reasons why Nomura stays bullish on Bharti Airtel

Calling Bharti Airtel an “ARPU compounder with multiple optionalities”, Nomura said that it is one of India’s premium telecom companies, and a structural beneficiary of a consolidated three-player market. “With 5G rollout largely complete and capex intensity past its peak, we believe the resulting strong FCF generation is playing out into a deleveraging cycle,” it said.

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

Newgen Software Technologies shares surged 14.63% to Rs 541.65 during Friday’s trading session, riding a broad-based rally in the information technology sector. The stock gained alongside leading IT names as the Nifty IT index advanced more than 2%, supported by upbeat investor sentiment following Tata Consultancy Services‘ (TCS) better-than-expected first-quarter earnings.

Among largecap IT stocks, Infosys, Wipro, HCL Technologies, and Tech Mahindra climbed as much as 4%, reflecting renewed optimism over the sector’s earnings outlook.

Earlier this month, Newgen Software announced key changes to its top management. At its meeting held on July 2, the company’s board approved a leadership transition following the resignation of Virender Jeet as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Key Managerial Personnel (KMP), effective from the close of business on August 31, 2026. The resignation had earlier been noted by the board during its meeting on June 12, 2026.

The board appointed Tarun Nandwani as the new Chief Executive Officer and Key Managerial Personnel, while Pramod Kumar was named Chief Growth Officer (CGO) and designated as a Key Managerial Personnel.

Q1 FY27 Results on July 16

In a regulatory filing dated July 9, the company informed the BSE that its board will meet on July 16, 2026, to consider and approve the unaudited standalone and consolidated financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2026. Investors will closely monitor the upcoming earnings for cues on business momentum and management’s outlook following the leadership transition.
Technical Outlook and Valuation SnapshotFrom a technical perspective, Newgen Software is showing signs of improving momentum. The stock’s 14-day Relative Strength Index (RSI) stands at 49.1, indicating neutral momentum, with RSI readings below 30 considered oversold and above 70 considered overbought.

The stock is also trading above six of its eight key simple moving averages (SMAs), suggesting a constructive medium-term trend.

On the valuation front, Newgen Software trades at a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 22.41, a price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of 3.61, and a price-to-book (P/B) ratio of 3.79.

Shareholding data for the March 2026 quarter showed a reduction in institutional ownership. Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) trimmed their stake to 14.48% from 17.34%, while Mutual Funds reduced their holdings to 3.33% from 4.12%, indicating some moderation in institutional participation despite the stock’s recent rally.

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

The Liverpool City Region is set to take back control of its trains under proposals from Mayor Steve Rotheram

The Liverpool City Region is poised to bring its trains back under public control following groundbreaking proposals unveiled by Mayor Steve Rotheram. A report due before the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority next week recommends that rail services currently run under the Merseyrail concession be returned to public ownership when the existing contract expires in 2028.

The decision would mark another significant milestone towards the mayor’s longstanding commitment to establish a transport system where trains, buses, ferries, active travel and future rapid transit services operate as one unified network.

The proposals represent part of the most substantial overhaul of public transport in the Liverpool City Region for generations. The city region is presently bringing its bus network back under public control — with the first franchised services due to commence later this year.

It is anticipated that the landmark shift to bring Merseyrail services into public ownership would facilitate the creation of a single, integrated network alongside buses and ferries — simplifying journeys, enhancing connections between different transport modes and affording the Liverpool City Region greater autonomy to determine its own transport destiny.

The proposals would also unlock opportunities to channel more funding back into services and future improvements, helping to guarantee that the advantages of the network are experienced by passengers and communities throughout the city region. Should the proposal receive approval, detailed planning work will progress before the existing concession expires in 2028, reports the Liverpool Echo.

Mr Rotheram said: “Since becoming mayor, I’ve been determined to build a transport network that works better for the people who rely on it every day – one that’s easier to use, better connected and designed around passengers.

“We’ve already introduced the country’s first publicly owned train fleet in a generation, delivered new rail stations, taken back control of our buses, rolled out tap-and-go ticketing and started laying the foundations for a rapid transit network.

“Now we have the opportunity to take back control of our trains too.

“Merseyrail is already one of the best-performing rail networks in the country and that’s a credit to the people who run it every day. But the challenge now isn’t simply running a successful railway – it’s bringing together all the different parts of our transport network so they work as one.

“People don’t obsess about whether they are getting on a bus, a train or a ferry – they just want to get where they’re going as quickly and cheaply as possible. My ambition is simple: one network, one vision, working in the interests of the 1.6 million people who call our city region home.

“Taking back control of our trains will help us do exactly that. It will give us greater freedom to join up services, improve connections, reinvest more money back into the network and make decisions based on what works for passengers.

“We’ve been pioneers before. Nearly 200 years ago, the world’s first inter-city railway ran between Liverpool and Manchester. Today, we have another chance to lead the way – building a modern integrated public transport system fit for a globally renowned city region like ours.”

If English devolution deepens under Burnham the competitive pressures on Wales will increase

For Wales the prospect of an Andy Burnham premiership should not be viewed through the usual PR-driven prism of Labour politics or Westminster personalities.

The more important question is what his approach to power and economic development would mean for a nation that already has devolved government yet still struggles to turn it into a sustained economic advantage.

Burnham’s political appeal has always rested on something different from the standard Westminster offer. He has consistently spoken the language of place and built a reputation in Greater Manchester around transport, housing, skills, local accountability and a more muscular form of regional leadership.

Whether one agrees with every aspect of his record or not, he has shown that English city regions can become serious political and economic actors in their own right.

That is why Wales should pay close attention because if a Burnham-led UK Government were to accelerate devolution within England, then the implications for Wales could be significant.

Not because such a policy would be anti-Welsh, but because it could create a much more competitive set of English regions, each with stronger leadership, clearer economic priorities and greater freedom to act.

For years, Wales has often compared itself with England as a whole, which is the wrong comparison because the real competition increasingly comes from Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, Leeds, Bristol and Newcastle, each of which is trying to position itself as a destination for investment, talent, innovation and infrastructure.

If those places are given more power over skills, transport, planning, housing, business support and inward investment, they will not wait for Wales to catch up.

That is the challenge, and Wales already has a devolved government, its own economic development responsibilities, its own education system, and its own ability to shape policy in areas that matter directly to business. Yet too often, the machinery of economic development in Wales feels slow and fragmented, with little visible urgency in the basic task of growing the Welsh economy.

If English devolution deepens under Burnham, the competitive pressures on Wales will increase in five areas. The first is inward investment, and a powerful mayoral authority with a clear proposition can go to investors and say, with confidence, what it stands for, which sectors it wants to build, what infrastructure it can offer, and how quickly it can help firms make decisions.

Wales should be able to do the same, but too often our proposition is obscured by institutional complexity and inter-regional competition.

The second is skills, and Burnham has long understood that local economies cannot be transformed if the skills system is disconnected from employers. If English regions gain more influence over training, employment support and technical education, they will be able to align their workforce more closely with growth sectors.

Wales already has many of these levers but having powers and using them well are not the same thing, and our further education colleges and universities need to be part of a much more coherent national mission than they have been for the last 27 years.

The third is infrastructure, and Greater Manchester’s transport agenda has been central to Burnham’s identity as a leader. He understands that buses, trains, housing and employment sites are not separate issues, but shape whether people can access jobs, whether firms can recruit and whether places can grow.

Wales cannot afford to treat infrastructure as a series of disconnected projects. Whilst South East Wales has benefited from public investment, the rest of Wales – especially North Wales – has been left behind.

The fourth is political influence, and whilst a Burnham premiership might be more sympathetic to places outside London, it could also mean that powerful English mayors become even more influential within Whitehall. They will be in the room arguing for funding, freedoms and investment, and Wales cannot assume that its status as a devolved nation automatically gives it priority.

The fifth is enterprise, and this is where the issue becomes most urgent, as Wales lacks enough businesses. Our business density remains below the UK average, and our start-up and scale-up rates are not where they need to be.

A more entrepreneurial England, driven by assertive regional leadership and stronger local economic tools, would place Wales under even greater pressure unless we respond with a serious strategy for business creation and scale-up of our own.

None of this means we should oppose further English devolution as there is no long-term benefit to Wales in an over-centralised neighbour dominated by Whitehall and London. But if English regions are given new powers, the Welsh Government needs to ask itself a harder question, namely what have we done with the powers we already have, and what more can we do?

It is easy to call for more devolution, but harder to show that existing powers are being used with sufficient purpose, especially when Wales desperately needs a sharper economic development model, business-facing economic leadership, and backing for entrepreneurs.

Above all, Wales needs to take competitiveness much more seriously. An Andy Burnham premiership would not necessarily weaken Wales as it could create an opportunity for a new economic settlement across the UK, one in which places outside London finally receive greater power, attention and resources.

But it will weaken Wales if we respond passively, and if English city-regions are given more tools and use them with ambition while those running our nation continue with slow decision-making and institutional caution, the gap will widen.

And that won’t be because England has too much devolution, but because Wales has failed to make the most of its own.

That is the real lesson, and a Burnham premiership may simply expose what has long been true, namely that Wales cannot rely on constitutional status alone.

If increased English devolution forces Wales to become more ambitious, it may prove a useful shock, but if it merely leaves us complaining from the sidelines while the English regions get on with the job, then we will have no one else to blame but ourselves.

Shares of all four recently-demerged Vedanta Group stocks recorded sharp gains on Friday, with Vedanta Iron and Steel shares jumping 5% to hit the upper circuit, and Vedanta Oil and Gas shares surging more than 6%.

Vedanta Iron and Steel shares snapped a five-session losing streak, which began after the stock surged 113% in just 13 days since listing on June 15. Vedanta Power and Vedanta Oil and Gas shares are meanwhile extending gains.

The four Vedanta Group stocks debuted on stock exchanges on June 15, concluding the mega demerger that marked one of the biggest corporate restructurings in India’s metals and mining space.

Vedanta Iron and Steel share price

Vedanta Iron and Steel shares listed at Rs 20 apiece on June 15. The stock then rapidly jumped 113% in just 13 sessions, before the rally lost steam. The stock tumbled around 23% during the five-session losing streak.

The stock, however, rebounded 5% today to remain locked in the upper circuit at Rs 34.68 apiece on NSE. The company currently has a market capitalisation of more than Rs 13,561 crore.
Earlier this week, Vedanta Iron & Steel reported a 4% YoY rise in saleable iron ore production to 2.6 million DMT in the first quarter of FY27. Sequentially, however, production fell 3% from 2.7 million DMT reported in the fourth quarter of FY26. Vedanta Iron & Steel’s Karnataka plant saw a 46% YoY drop in saleable iron ore production, while the Goa and Odisha plants recorded 166% and 59% surges in output, respectively. Overall steel production, meanwhile, rose 4% YoY to 582,000 tonnes during the quarter under review.Also Read | JioBlackRock Flexi Cap Fund exits Vedanta group companies after demerger, sells 8 more stocks

Vedanta Oil & Gas share price

Vedanta Oil and Gas debuted at Rs 38 apiece on June 15. The stock then jumped more than 25% to hit a record high at Rs 47.60 apiece earlier this month. However, it then sharply declined.

Vedanta Oil & Gas shares rebounded this week, rising 12% over three sessions to hit an intraday high of Rs 40.24 apiece on NSE on Friday morning. The company currently has a market capitalisation of nearly Rs 15,420 crore.

The company last week reported a 17% year-on-year decline in gross oil and gas production to 7.1 million boe for the April-June quarter of FY27, from 8.5 million boe in the corresponding quarter of the previous financial year. Sequentially, gross output also declined about 4% from 7.3 million boe reported in the fourth quarter of the previous financial year.

Vedanta Power share price

Vedanta Power shares jumped more than 3% to trade at Rs 42.58 apiece on NSE on Friday morning. The shares of the company listed at Rs 41.80 apiece on NSE on June 15. The stock has so far only gained nearly 2% since then.

The company last week said power sales grew 38% YoY to 5,225 million units in Q1 FY27 from 3,784 million units in Q1 FY26. Sequentially, however, sales fell 6% from 5,530 million units reported in the fourth quarter of FY26.

Vedanta Aluminium share price

Vedanta Aluminium shares listed as the only largecap stock on the list, debuting at Rs 522 apiece on NSE and surpassing its parent company in terms of market capitalisation in June. The shares of the company jumped around 4% today to trade at Rs 459.4 apiece. However, shares of the company have dropped 12% since listing.

The company last week reported its highest-ever quarterly aluminium production of 6.32 lakh tonnes in Q1 FY27, marking a 5% YoY and 3% quarter-on-quarter increase. Power sales at BALCO rose 21% YoY to 520 million units during the quarter under review.

Motilal Oswal sees 22% upside in this Vedanta stock

Motilal Oswal Financial Services initiated coverage on the shares of Vedanta Aluminum with a ‘Buy’ rating and a target price of Rs 540 per share, implying an upside potential of around 22% from the stock’s previous closing price, as the domestic brokerage forecast strong earnings growth and cash flow generation over the medium term.

The domestic brokerage in its note called the company India’s largest pure-play primary aluminum company and the third-largest aluminum producer globally, excluding China. It said the company has emerged as one of the most compelling structural stories in the global aluminum space, combining industry-leading scale, extensive backward integration, and a multi-year earnings growth trajectory.

Also Read | Vedanta Aluminum shares to see 22% rally? Motilal Oswal initiates coverage with Buy, lists key tailwinds

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

United Airlines must face a lawsuit filed by passengers who say they paid extra for window seats that had no actual windows.

On Monday, U.S. District Judge James Donato in San Francisco rejected the airline’s attempt to have the lawsuit dismissed.

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The airline offered a defense that “window” referred to the location of a seat relative to the cabin wall and aisle, and that the carrier never contractually promised that seats in the window position would have views outside, Reuters reported. 

Donato rejected United’s argument that federal law blocked the passengers’ claims, saying the airline’s own ticketing terms, boarding passes and reservation screens promised window seats to customers who paid for them.

“No more is needed at this stage for the breach claims to go forward,” the judge said.

UNITED AIRLINES DROPS MERGER PURSUIT WITH AMERICAN, CEO KIRBY DETAILS WHY

United and Delta Air Lines both face class-action lawsuits after passengers said they found themselves seated next to walls on Boeing 737, Boeing 757 and Airbus A321 planes.

In a statement to FOX Business, United declined to comment on the lawsuit itself but noted that in 2025 it “added more detail to our seat selection process, so customers can have more information about what to expect when they choose a seat.” 

Delta, which is seeking to dismiss its lawsuit in the Brooklyn, New York, federal court, said it does not comment on pending litigation.

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Passengers typically buy window seats to address a fear of flying and motion sickness, keep children occupied, get more light or take in the view, according to the lawsuit. Both lawsuits seek millions of dollars in damages for more than 1 million passengers per carrier.

PD Ports has announced that Paul Foreman will take over from chief executive Frans Calje

A new leader has been appointed to head the region’s largest port and logistics operator as the current chief executive announced “the time is right” for him to stand aside. PD Ports – which runs Teesport, the North-east’s biggest port – has confirmed that Paul Foreman will succeed current chief executive Frans Calje on September 1.

Mr Calje is stepping down from the role after a decade at the top and more than 18 successful years with the company in total. Paul Foreman, the current chief operating officer, assumes the chief executive position following a recruitment process, after Mr Calje revealed it had always been his intention to hand over the reins after ten years in charge.

The leadership transition arrives at a crucial juncture for the business, which has bold ambitions to accelerate growth and respond to evolving industry and technological demands, through ongoing investment and expansion. PD Ports injects £1.4bn annually into the Teesside economy, sustaining 22,000 jobs throughout the broader supply chain while directly employing over 1,400 people across 11 UK locations.

Discussing his departure, Mr Calje said: “I always said, right from the moment I originally became CEO, that a ten-year timeframe would be in the best interests of the business, before a fresh perspective and new direction would be required to take us on to our next chapter of success.”, reports Teesside Live.

“The time is therefore right for a change of leadership to drive growth and the continued evolution of PD Ports. I am so proud to be leaving a business that is now safer, stronger and looking ahead to a sustainable and financially stable future, thanks to the work we’ve done together in this last ten years”.

Mr Foreman said: “I’m delighted and honoured to take over from Frans who has achieved so much in his time here, including the transformation of our container and bulks business, improving safety standards and significantly strengthening our balance sheet.

“I am also extremely grateful for his support as I take on this role. I am excited to lead this business which as operator of the largest port in the North East, is so key to the prosperity of Teesside, driving economic growth and providing employment and opportunities for so many hard-working people.”

Mr Foreman originally joined the company in 2020 as chief technology officer, before being promoted to chief operating officer three years later. His tenure has centred on spearheading transformational change through innovation.

Prior to PD Ports, he spent the bulk of his career at Formica Group, which he joined in 2001, spending a decade in a variety of financial positions across the UK, Europe, Asia, North America and China. He also serves as a Trustee for the Percy Hedley Foundation, a £40m turnover North East charity dedicated to providing education and support for children and adults with special needs.

Mr Calje began his professional career at the Port of Rotterdam. Since taking the helm as CEO, he has played a pivotal role in the strategic overhaul of Teesport’s container operations, while guiding the company to become one of the largest and most forward-thinking port groups in the UK.

More recently, he steered the business through the successful acquisition of a 49% stake by Pontegadea and has championed the drive to establish the Teesport Offshore Gateway — an ambitious proposed deep-water offshore wind manufacturing and assembly facility on the River Tees. His contribution to international trade and the broader UK economy has further been recognised with the award of an OBE.

Brookfield operating partner Becky Lumlock said: “On behalf of Brookfield and Pontegadea, I’d like to thank Frans for his impactful and integrity-driven leadership of PD Ports, which has delivered significant growth over the last ten years. We are delighted to appoint Paul into the CEO role – his innovative and strategic mindset has been central to the long-term planning for the business for some time and we are confident he will steer the business to new levels of success.”