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  • UN says its humanitarian scale-up in Gaza underway

    UN says its humanitarian scale-up in Gaza underway


    Palestinians walk on road returning to Gaza City, near the central Gaza Strip, Oct 10, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) — The UN…

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  • India set for blockbuster IPO month with $5bn in listings

    India set for blockbuster IPO month with $5bn in listings

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    India is set for a blockbuster month of initial public offerings after a slow start to the year, as companies take advantage of a stock market rebound from the initial turbulence of US President Donald Trump’s tariff threats.

    Two of the year’s biggest IPOs are hitting markets this week, with the $1.7bn listing of Tata Capital on Monday and the $1.3bn debut of LG Electronics’ India business on Tuesday. In total, analysts forecast about $5bn of IPOs this month, with another $5bn before the year-end.

    The “India IPO pipeline is the most active it has been”, said Harish Raman, co-head of Asia equity capital markets at Citigroup.

    Equities have recovered from an unexpectedly slow start to the year after Trump’s “liberation day” tariffs in April and a brief military conflict with Pakistan in May raised concerns about the country’s economic growth.

    Although 50 per cent tariffs on India remain in place — among the highest in the world — the market has largely shrugged off the threat, with the Nifty 50 stock index up 14 per cent from an April low.

    IPOs are on track to overtake last year’s record of $21bn. Much of the activity has been concentrated in October as steady earnings and recent government vows to overhaul the goods and services tax have “boosted overall confidence in the primary market”, said Pranav Haridasan, chief executive of Axis Securities.

    Other expected listings include the $1bn-plus debut of ICICI Prudential Asset Management and that of Pine Labs, a digital payments company backed by PayPal and Temasek that hopes to raise nearly $700mn.

    WeWork India, which the US parent sold to Indian property group Embassy last year, raised more than $350mn this month.

    George Chan, EY’s global head of IPOs, said the rebound of activity in the second half was supported by strong valuation multiples and domestic investor demand.

    “The rise in average deal size reflects growing investor optimism in sectors such as fintech, manufacturing and renewables,” he said in a report last week.

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    Domestic investors have put a net $63.2bn into the market this year, more than covering $25.3bn in net outflows of foreign holdings, according to data from Groww, one of India’s largest online trading platforms.

    Mutual funds have become a popular vehicle for retail investors, with households ploughing about $3bn a month into funds through systematic investment plans, according to Yatin Singh, chief executive of investment banking at Emkay Global Financial Services.

    The steady inflows in turn are “providing strong support to fundraising activity”, said Kailash Soni, head of India equity capital markets at Goldman Sachs.

    But the domestic funds’ dominance has also shut out foreign investors from the IPO rush.

    “Because the participation of domestic mutual funds is so heavy the allocations become very limited,” said Rita Tahilramani, investment director of Asian equities at Aberdeen, adding that allotments were “so minuscule that even if I make good money on that front it’s meaningless”.

    She also raised concerns about “very expensive” valuations that mean “there’s nothing left on the table for an investor in the IPO”.

    Nonetheless, domestic funds are expected to continue supporting the market, especially since the government restricts individual foreign investment by Indians to $250,000 a year.

    “Indian investors don’t have the option of shopping around Asia for the best bargain,” said Singh, “so structurally, whatever monies come in need to get redeployed within India.”

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  • Wallabies End of Year Tour squad confirmed

    Wallabies End of Year Tour squad confirmed

    Wallabies coaches have confirmed a 34-player squad for the upcoming End of Year Tour, with uncapped Queensland pair Aidan Ross and Kalani Thomas selected as potential debutants.

    Loosehead prop Ross, linked up with the squad in July, while…

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  • Ketogenic diet protects young rats from effects of prenatal stress

    Ketogenic diet protects young rats from effects of prenatal stress

    Researchers have shown that young rats fed a ketogenic diet – a diet with high fat and low carbohydrates – are protected from the lasting experience of pre-natal stress. This work, which needs to be confirmed in humans, is…

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  • US-China trade whiplash, choppy risk, bumpy dollar to test rupee – Reuters

    1. US-China trade whiplash, choppy risk, bumpy dollar to test rupee  Reuters
    2. Indian rupee finds breathing room, aided by central bank  Business Recorder
    3. USD/INR remains firm amid US-India trade tensions  FXStreet
    4. Currency watch: Rupee rises 7 paise to 88.72 against dollar; domestic markets and crude oil support gains  The Times of India
    5. India Rupee’s Two-Week Calm Suggests Return of Central Bank’s Old Playbook, Traders Say  Money US News.com

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  • The Last Caretaker Has a Demo! Check Out the Steam Next Fest Trailer

    The Last Caretaker Has a Demo! Check Out the Steam Next Fest Trailer

    The Last Caretaker is an upcoming first-person survival crafting adventure developed and published by Channel37 Ltd. In it, players will embody a little robot who has been tasked with saving humanity……

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  • Fathers can pass on benefits of exercise to children, Chinese study suggests

    Fathers can pass on benefits of exercise to children, Chinese study suggests

    Chinese scientists have found that the benefits of exercise can be inherited across generations, with a father’s level of activity influencing his children’s health and endurance.

    The team found that mice could pass on the benefits of exercise…

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  • Study reveals distinct links between depression subtypes and metabolic diseases

    Study reveals distinct links between depression subtypes and metabolic diseases

    It is known that depression is linked to increased incidence of metabolic diseases; now scientists have discovered that different types of depression are linked to different cardiometabolic diseases. This work is presented at the…

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  • New mothers more likely to experience severe pain and sleep problems after C-section

    New mothers more likely to experience severe pain and sleep problems after C-section

    New mothers are more likely to experience severe pain that disrupts sleep and activities of daily living, as well as develop sleep disorders, if they give birth by cesarean delivery (C-section), suggests research presented at the…

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  • CM hails signing of Pak-Saudi MoU – Dawn

    1. CM hails signing of Pak-Saudi MoU  Dawn
    2. Saudi Arabia, Pakistan sign youth technology pacts  Dawn
    3. Punjab unveils tax-free Saudi industrial estate to attract Gulf investment  The Express Tribune
    4. PM Shehbaz, COAS to visit Saudi Arabia from 26th  The…

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