New Delhi, Oct 11: Crude oil prices above $100 a barrel, key inflation data in India and the US, movements in the rupee, global bond yields and a pickup in corporate earnings are likely to determine the trajectory of Indian equities in the coming week, as investors assess whether the recent rebound can sustain after eight consecutive weeks of losses.

Domestic benchmark indices staged a sharp recovery on Friday, with buying across information technology (IT), fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), automobile and financial stocks lifting market sentiment. The Nifty rose 288.65 points, or 1.30 per cent, to close at 22,520.45, while the Sensex advanced 879.09 points, or 1.23 per cent, to settle at 72,472.33.

The gains helped both benchmark indices break their eight-week losing streak. However, persistent foreign investor outflows, elevated crude oil prices, a weakening rupee and concerns over tighter monetary policy continue to pose challenges for the market.

With important macroeconomic indicators due in India and the US, alongside a busy corporate earnings calendar, investors will closely track developments across domestic and global markets to gauge the sustainability of the recovery.

One of the biggest factors likely to influence Dalal Street will be crude oil prices. Brent crude is trading above the $100-per-barrel mark, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) remains above $90. Uncertainty surrounding Iran, the Strait of Hormuz and regional energy infrastructure has heightened concerns over possible supply disruptions.

Inflation data and movements in US bond yields will also be closely watched. In the US, the September Consumer Price Index (CPI) report, scheduled for release on Wednesday, will provide fresh insight into price pressures and help investors assess the Federal Reserve’s next policy move. US retail sales data will also be in focus, as stronger-than-expected readings could keep Treasury yields and the dollar elevated, potentially weighing on emerging-market equities.

In India, September CPI and wholesale price index (WPI) inflation figures will offer important clues about domestic price trends and their implications for monetary policy. Any indication of persistent inflation could influence expectations around interest rates and investor sentiment, while movements in the rupee will remain an important indicator of pressure from elevated oil prices and foreign capital outflows.

Corporate earnings will be another key driver as the results season gathers pace. Investors will assess companies’ revenue growth, profit margins, management commentary and demand outlook to determine whether earnings can support market valuations amid a challenging economic environment. Results from Indian companies, alongside major corporate announcements in the US, could influence sector-specific movements and broader market direction.

Global monetary policy expectations and bond-market movements will remain important throughout the week.

New Delhi, Oct 10: Zoho’s Chief Scientist and Co‑founder Sridhar Vembu on Saturday said that Indian startups are making major advances in low-cost rockets in threat to SpaceX.

“Directly due to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government policy, Indian startups are making major advances in low-cost rockets and that poses a threat to SpaceX in the same way the Chinese EVs threaten Tesla,” Vembu posted on X responding to a post by Starlink Founder Elon Musk.

Further, the tech leader also said medicine prices in India are among the lowest globally and pointed to the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) as an example of low‑cost payment infrastructure.

“India has among the lowest drug prices in the world (and is still going lower). People who visit India buy medicines to take home quite regularly now,” the X post said.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has worked hard to create a competitive economy where the benefits flow to the average Indian,” Vembu wrote, adding that the Indian government does not tolerate monopolies.

“He has also actively promoted and encouraged a massive surge in startups, and that is the best signal of a highly competitive economy,” the post said.

Vembu supported India’s economic and digital policies, hailing the country’s low data costs and competitive markets.

He said Indians routinely use dual‑SIM phones with large data plans because they are affordable.

“India has among the lowest data prices in the world. It is so good that I don’t even bother to connect to local Wi-Fi when I travel in India and just tether my phone to work on my computer,” he said.

In a separate post on Friday, Vembu said Indians have made major contributions to US technology prowess but warned that many on US visas face the prospect of uprooting lives built through hard work.

“A big part of America no longer wants us,” the Zoho Co-founder said.

New Delhi, Oct 9: India has disconnected over 82 lakh fraudulent mobile connections through the Artificial Intelligence and Facial Recognition powered Telecom SIM Subscriber Verification (ASTR) tool, Union Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development Dr Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani said on Friday.

Addressing the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Roundtable on “Implementing ITU Standards to Combat Fraudulent Communications” on the sidelines of the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2026 here, the minister said the country has built a robust and layered defence mechanism against telecom-related fraud and cybercrime.

He noted that organised fraud networks are becoming increasingly sophisticated, with scams involving impersonation, so-called digital arrests, AI-generated voice cloning and deepfakes posing significant challenges. According to the minister, Indians lost more than Rs 22,800 crore to such fraud in 2024.

Dr Pemmasani said India has adopted a five-layered approach to tackle fraudulent communications. This includes real-time blocking of spoofed international calls, identification and disconnection of suspicious mobile connections through the ASTR platform, citizen participation via the Sanchar Saathi initiative, intelligence sharing through the Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP), and targeted action against emerging fraud channels.

Highlighting the impact of these initiatives, he said the Sanchar Saathi app has been downloaded around 25 million times, enabling citizens to actively participate in reporting suspected fraud and misuse of telecom resources.

The minister added that the Digital Intelligence Platform currently connects more than 1,600 organisations, including telecom service providers, banks and law-enforcement agencies, facilitating real-time information sharing to detect and prevent fraudulent activities.

He further said that the Financial Fraud Risk Indicator has helped avert suspected financial losses exceeding Rs 5,000 crore over the past 15 months by enabling timely intervention against fraudulent transactions.

Emphasising the need for international collaboration, Dr Pemmasani said fraud has become a global problem that requires coordinated global solutions.

He underscored the importance of adopting international standards for digital verification of caller identities across networks to curb cross-border fraud.

Welcoming the ITU’s proposal for joint trials among governments, regulators, telecom operators and technology companies, he said India is ready to participate and contribute to the development of global frameworks for trusted communications.