Oil prices rose more than 1% on Wednesday after President Donald Trump ordered “a total and complete” blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela, raising fresh geopolitical tensions at a time of concerns over demand.Brent crude futures were up 79 cents, or 1.3%, at $59.71 a barrel at 0500 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate crude rose 77 cents, or 1.4%, to $56.04 a barrel.Oil prices settled near five-year lows in the previous session on progress in Russia-Ukraine peace talks, as ...

Core Viewpoint - The distribution-and-outsourcing group anticipates strong performance in the final quarter, driven by new business opportunities in North America [1] Group 1 - The company expects good momentum in the final quarter [1] - New business in North America is expected to provide significant support [1]

Core Points - The Trump administration's $100,000 fee for new H-1B workers from outside the US is expected to significantly impact the IT outsourcing and staffing industries, which have been targets for both political parties [1] - Multinational staffing firms, such as Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys, and Cognizant, will be disproportionately affected, with nearly 90% of new H-1B hires at these companies approved at US consulates [2] - The fee could lead to a steep decline in visa demand and an increase in the placement of workers overseas, as companies adjust their hiring strategies in response [4][10] Industry Impact - The fee will impose substantial costs on major IT firms, with Infosys facing over $1 billion in visa charges for more than 10,400 workers, Tata for 6,500 workers, and Cognizant for over 5,600 workers [3] - The IT consulting industry has already reduced new H-1B applications since 2024, and the new fee is likely to accelerate the trend of offshoring jobs [10] - Companies are expected to increase investments in countries like India, which is a primary source of H-1B workers, to access talent more cost-effectively [10] Hiring Strategies - Many employers are proactively adjusting their hiring plans in anticipation of the fee, with some planning to opt out of registering workers who would require visa processing at consulates [14] - The upcoming visa lottery in April will serve as an early indicator of how the fee and proposed lottery changes will affect the skill and wage levels of applicants [13] - The combination of the $100,000 fee and potential lottery reforms could reduce entries in the next lottery by 30% to 50%, reshaping market behavior regarding H-1B applications [15]

Core Points - Honda is recalling 70,658 vehicles in the United States due to a brake function issue that can increase stopping distance, raising the risk of crashes or injuries [1] Group 1 - The recall affects a total of 70,658 vehicles [1] - The issue is related to reduced brake function, which can extend the distance required to stop [1] - This situation increases the risk of a crash or injury for drivers and passengers [1]

Group 1 - The BT share price has experienced a pullback in recent months, reversing some of the earlier gains made this year [1] - The current trading price of BT shares is 182.40p, which represents a 16% decline from the highest point reached in August this year [1]

Core Insights - HDFC Bank has reduced fixed deposit (FD) interest rates following a 25 basis points cut in the repo rate by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to 5.25% [1][6] - The bank's FD interest rates for tenures of 18 months to less than 21 months have been decreased by 15 basis points for both general and senior citizens [2][6] HDFC Bank FD Interest Rates - For general citizens, the FD interest rate has been reduced from 6.6% to 6.45%, while for senior citizens, it has decreased from 7.1% to 6.6% [2][6] - The updated interest rates for various tenures are as follows: - 7 - 14 days: 2.75% - 15-29 days: 2.75% - 30-45 days: 3.25% - 46-60 days: 4.25% - 61-89 days: 4.25% - 90 days to 6 months: 4.25% - 6 months 1 day to 9 months: 5.50% - 9 months 1 day to less than 1 year: 5.75% - 1 year to less than 15 months: 6.25% - 15 months to less than 18 months: 6.35% - 18 months to less than 21 months: 6.45% - 21 months to 2 years: 6.45% - 2 years 1 day to less than 2 years 11 months: 6.45% - 2 years 11 months (35 months): 6.45% - 2 years 11 months 1 day to less than 3 years: 6.45% - 3 years 1 day to less than 4 years 7 months: 6.40% - 4 years 7 months (55 months): 6.40% - 4 years 7 months 1 day to less than 5 years: 6.40% - 5 years 1 day to 10 years: 6.15% [2][6] Senior Citizen FD Interest Rates - The updated FD interest rates for senior citizens are as follows: - 7 - 14 days: 3.25% - 15-29 days: 3.25% - 30-45 days: 3.75% - 46-60 days: 4.75% - 61-89 days: 4.75% - 90 days to 6 months: 4.75% - 6 months 1 day to 9 months: 6.00% - 9 months 1 day to less than 1 year: 6.25% - 1 year to less than 15 months: 6.75% - 15 months to less than 18 months: 6.85% - 18 months to less than 21 months: 6.95% - 21 months to 2 years: 6.95% - 2 years 1 day to less than 2 years 11 months: 6.95% - 2 years 11 months (35 months): 6.95% - 2 years 11 months 1 day to less than 3 years: 6.95% - 3 years 1 day to less than 4 years 7 months: 6.90% - 4 years 7 months (55 months): 6.90% - 4 years 7 months 1 day to less than 5 years: 6.90% - 5 years 1 day to 10 years: 6.65% [4][6] Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) on FD Interest - TDS will be deducted when interest payable or reinvested on FD exceeds ₹50,000 for general citizens and ₹1,00,000 for senior citizens in a financial year [5][6] - Individuals seeking exemption from TDS must submit Form 15 G/H at the nearest branch or online within the first week of the new financial year [5][6]

Group 1 - The article does not provide any relevant content regarding company or industry insights [1]

Core Insights - The article discusses the potential risks associated with the current AI market, particularly focusing on Nvidia and Palantir as leading companies in this sector [1][3][24] Company Analysis: Nvidia - Nvidia has become a dominant player in the AI space, recently surpassing a market cap of $5 trillion and holding over 90% market share in GPUs deployed in enterprise data centers [2][6] - The company is focused on innovation, with plans to release a new advanced AI chip annually, which may help maintain its competitive edge [7] - Nvidia's CUDA platform enhances customer loyalty by maximizing the potential of its GPUs, particularly in training large language models [9] Company Analysis: Palantir - Palantir's software platforms, Gotham and Foundry, have no direct competitors, providing a unique value proposition that drives sales and profit growth [10][11] - Gotham is utilized by the U.S. government for military planning and data analysis, while Foundry helps businesses streamline operations [10] - Palantir's strong operating cash flow and double-digit sales growth are supported by its competitive advantages in the market [11] Market Trends and Historical Context - The article draws parallels between the current AI boom and past technology bubbles, suggesting that overestimation of technology adoption rates could lead to a bubble-bursting event [13][14] - Historical data indicates that leading companies often experience unsustainable price-to-sales (P/S) ratios, with Nvidia and Palantir currently at P/S ratios of 23 and 120, respectively [19][21] - The article warns that while Nvidia's P/S ratio is below the unsustainable threshold of 30, Palantir's high ratio cannot be justified, indicating potential risks for both companies in the future [21][22]

Asian shares have advanced as strong buying of technology shares helped lift some benchmarks, while oil prices surged more than 1% after President Donald Trump ordered a blockade of all "sanctioned oil tankers" into Venezuela A currency trader stands near a screen showing the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI), top left, and the foreign exchange rate between U.S. dollar and South Korean won at the foreign exchange dealing room of the Hana Bank headquarters, in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Dec. 17, ...

Core Insights - BioNxt Solutions Inc. is addressing the significant issue of dysphagia, which affects up to 40% of adults and is particularly prevalent in autoimmune disease patients, impacting treatment adherence and therapeutic success [1][3][7] - The company has developed a proprietary rapid-dissolving thin-film drug delivery platform, recently securing its first national patent, which is a crucial step towards commercialization in high-value autoimmune markets [2][8] Market Opportunity - The global market for Multiple Sclerosis (MS) drugs is projected to reach approximately USD 40-45 billion by 2033, while the Myasthenia Gravis (MG) treatment market is expected to grow to between USD 2.7-4.7 billion by 2032 [4] - BioNxt's thin-film technology offers a swallow-free and needle-free alternative, addressing the challenges posed by large tablets and injectable therapies for autoimmune patients [5][6] Product Development - The thin film formulation melts rapidly under the tongue, allowing for improved absorption and bioavailability, which is particularly beneficial for chronic autoimmune conditions [6][11] - BioNxt has completed GMP clinical batch manufacturing for its product BNT23001 and is preparing for a comparative human bioequivalence study in early 2026, anticipating an accelerated regulatory pathway due to the existing approval of cladribine tablets [9][10] Intellectual Property and Scalability - The newly granted Eurasian patent for BNT23001 protects a proprietary sublingual cladribine film, covering over 200 million people across eight member states, and is part of BioNxt's expanding global IP estate [8][11] - The company's thin-film technology is designed to be scalable, allowing for the reformulation of multiple approved drugs across various autoimmune and chronic disease markets, projected to exceed USD 75-80 billion annually over the next decade [11][13] Industry Trends - The oral transmucosal drug-delivery market is expected to grow from approximately USD 45.8 billion in 2025 to nearly USD 96.8 billion by 2033, indicating a shift towards patient-friendly drug delivery formats [13]