‘Policy decision’: US judge refuses to scrap Trump’s $100,000 H-1B visa fee; move to curb immigration

A US federal judge upheld the Trump administration’s move to move ahead with President Donald Trump’s proposal to impose a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visas, dealing a setback to the American technology companies and business groups challenging the move.US District Judge Beryl Howell, in Washington, DC on Tuesday rejected a lawsuit filed by the…

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Tariff jitters: US consumer confidence slips in December; inflation and jobs worries deepen

US consumer confidence weakened in December, sliding to its lowest level since President Donald Trump rolled out sweeping tariffs earlier this year, as households grew more anxious about high prices, trade levies and job prospects, according to a survey by the Conference Board.The Conference Board said its consumer confidence index fell 3.8 points to 89.1…

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‘Economic golden age’: Donald Trump hails Q3 GDP beat as proof of tariffs push; inflation and jobs data add caution

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday seized on stronger-than-expected third-quarter growth to claim an “economic golden age,” arguing that tariffs and his tax policies were driving a sharp acceleration in activity even as official data pointed to lingering inflation pressures and a softening labour market.In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the US economy’s…

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IT reset: Indian tech stocks search for momentum after a long slowdown; AI shifts from pilots to payoffs

After nearly four years of underperformance, India’s information technology stocks are entering 2026 with expectations shaped more by realism than hype, as investors assess whether artificial intelligence can finally revive growth after a prolonged slowdown.The Nifty IT index is trading close to a four-year low, a sharp reversal from the pandemic-era boom that once made…

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Deal approvals: CCI clears Blackstone’s Federal Bank entry; Tata Steel gets nod for BlueScope buyout

The Competition Commission of India on Tuesday approved US-based private equity firm Blackstone’s proposal to acquire up to 9.99 per cent stake in Federal Bank through warrants, clearing the way for the global investor’s entry into the private sector lender.In a release, the fair trade regulator said the proposed transaction involves Asia II Topco XIII…

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Liquidity push: RBI announces Rs 2 lakh crore bond buys and $10 billion swap; steps up support for banking system

The Reserve Bank of India on Tuesday announced a fresh liquidity infusion, unveiling plans to purchase government securities worth Rs 2 lakh crore and conduct a $10 billion dollar-rupee swap auction to ease conditions in the banking system.The central bank said the open market operations (OMO) purchases and the USD/INR buy-sell swap auctions will be…

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US markets today: Wall Street holds near record highs; strong GDP growth lifts bond yields

US stocks were largely steady near record levels in early trade on Tuesday after government data showed the American economy expanded at a stronger-than-expected pace in the third quarter, pushing Treasury yields higher even as equity moves stayed muted in holiday-thinned trading. The S&P 500 hovered close to its all-time high set earlier this month,…

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US growth rebound: Washington economy expands at 4.3% annual pace in Q3; inflation pressures persist

The US economy grew at a faster-than-expected annual rate of 4.3% in the July–September quarter, driven by stronger consumer spending, exports and government outlays, even as inflation remained above the Federal Reserve’s comfort level, according to official data released on Tuesday, AP reported.Gross domestic product (GDP), which measures the total value of goods and services…

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