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US stocks today: Wall Street trades in green on hopes of another Fed rate cut; Dow jumps over 660 points, Nasdaq near 2.5% gains – The Times of India

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US stocks today: Wall Street trades in green on hopes of another Fed rate cut; Dow jumps over 660 points, Nasdaq near 2.5% gains – The Times of India


US markets traded in green on Thursday as investors welcomed fresh signs that pressure on Wall Street may be easing, with Nvidia’s latest earnings and renewed hopes of another interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve. Dow jumped 662 points or 1.44% to 46,801. Nasdaq also rose to 23,134 up, 569 points or 2.5% at 8:30 PM IST. S&P500 also followed the suit, rising 126 points or 1.9%.The gains also came after Nvidia delivered another heavyweight profit update, calming concerns that enthusiasm around artificial intelligence might be fading. Walmart’s stronger-than-expected results also helped lift sentiment. Ahead of the opening bell, futures trading pointed clearly to a risk-on mood. S&P 500 futures gained 1.6%, while futures tied to the Dow advanced 1% and the Nasdaq added 2.1%. Nvidia shares rose 5.2% in pre-market activity after the chipmaker posted a summer profit that outpaced Wall Street expectations and released a revenue forecast that once again sailed past analysts’ estimates. The company’s ability to repeatedly exceed projections has strengthened its role at the heart of market volatility. Nvidia, now the most valuable firm on Wall Street and briefly worth more than $5 trillion, holds such a large weight in the S&P 500 that its daily swings can set the tone for the entire index. Recent doubts about whether AI-linked stocks had surged too far, too fast have rattled markets, but the latest earnings figures offered investors a renewed sense of assurance. Nvidia’s dominance has also made it a proxy for the wider AI build-out, with companies across industries relying on its chips to expand their artificial-intelligence capabilities. Markets also reacted to new figures on the U.S. labour market. Government data showed hiring in September was stronger than economists had projected, although the unemployment rate rose slightly. The mixed report kept hopes alive that the Federal Reserve could cut interest rates again at its December meeting. The central bank has already trimmed rates twice this year as the job market has gradually slowed. However, some Fed officials have recently suggested that holding off next month may be prudent, warning that inflation’s persistence above the 2% target leaves little room for complacency. Lower rates can stimulate the economy and lift asset prices, but they also risk fuelling further inflation. Overseas markets largely mirrored the positive tone. Germany’s DAX rose 1.3%, London’s FTSE 100 advanced 0.7%, and France’s CAC 40 posted a 1.1% gain. In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei 225 posted a 2.6% rise as tech stocks rallied, while South Korea’s Kospi increased by 1.9%. Chinese indices closed mixed amid reports that Beijing may be preparing new steps to support its struggling property sector. With Nvidia once again surpassing expectations and broader economic data offering room for optimism, Thursday’s session marked a rare stretch of calm after weeks of uncertainty across global markets.





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Morgan Stanley tops estimates as trading revenue exceeds expectations by nearly $1 billion

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Morgan Stanley tops estimates as trading revenue exceeds expectations by nearly  billion


Morgan Stanley on Wednesday posted results that topped analyst estimates as the firm’s trading operations generated almost $1 billion more in revenue than expected.

Here’s what the company reported:

  • Earnings: $3.43 a share vs. $3 LSEG estimate
  • Revenue: $20.58 billion vs. $19.72 billion estimate

The bank said profit jumped 29% to $5.57 billion, or $3.43 a share. Revenue rose 16% to $20.58 billion, fueled by gains in the firm’s trading, investment banking and wealth management businesses.

Equities trading revenue jumped 25% to a record $5.15 billion, or about $450 million above the StreetAccount estimate. The firm cited strong volumes across its global equities franchise, especially in its prime brokerage business catering to hedge funds and its derivatives unit.

Fixed income revenue rose 29% to $3.36 billion, or about $540 million more than expected, helped by commodities trading that benefited from volatility in energy markets in the period.

Morgan Stanley, led by CEO Ted Pick since 2024, appears to have capably navigated the tumult of the first quarter, which saw rolling corrections in software stocks and the upheaval caused by the Iran war. Of note, the bank edged out rival Goldman Sachs in the key arena of fixed income trading, where Goldman posted an unusually large miss of $910 million versus the StreetAccount estimate.

Morgan Stanley’s investment banking revenue surged 36% to $2.12 billion, essentially matching the StreetAccount estimate, on rising fees from completed mergers, as well as stock and bond underwriting.

Wealth management revenue climbed 16% to a record $8.52 billion as the firm cited rising asset values and fee-generating transactions.

The firm’s smallest division, its investment management business, saw revenue drop 4.2% to $1.54 billion, or about $110 million below expectations. Morgan Stanley cited lower carried interest on private funds for the drop in performance.

Analysts will want to know what Pick has to say on the business outlook for the rest of the year as geopolitical tensions remain high.

This story is developing. Please check back for updates.

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First time in 7 years! India gets 4 million barrels of crude oil from Iran just ahead of Trump waiver expiry – The Times of India

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First time in 7 years! India gets 4 million barrels of crude oil from Iran just ahead of Trump waiver expiry – The Times of India


India, which relies heavily on imported energy and is sensitive to price fluctuations, has felt the impact of disruptions in global oil flows. (AI image)

In the middle of the ongoing Middle East conflict, India has received around 4 million barrels of crude from Iran. This is the first time in around seven years that India has procured crude oil from Iran. India is looking to quickly secure supplies ahead of a deadline set by the Donald Trump administration that expires over the weekend.India, which relies heavily on imported energy and is sensitive to price fluctuations, has felt the impact of disruptions in global oil flows following strikes by the United States and Israel on Iran since late February.

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India Receives Iranian Crude After 7 Years Amid Looming US Hormuz Blockade Crisis

To manage the situation, it has made use of temporary waivers granted by Washington that permitted purchases of previously restricted Russian and Iranian crude, aimed at easing global oil prices. One of these waivers has already lapsed, while the other is set to expire soon unless extended at the last moment.

India Receives Crude Oil From Iran

A Bloomberg report quoting sources familiar with the matter and vessel-tracking data from intelligence firms Kpler and Vortexa, said that the very large crude carrier Jaya, fully loaded with Iranian oil, is currently unloading its cargo at Paradip on India’s eastern coast.Also Read | Atmanirbhar Bharat 2.0 push: Amid Middle East conflict, India working on self-reliance in energy, nuclear power Another tanker, Felicity, is carrying out similar operations at Sikka on the western coast. Both vessels, which are under US sanctions, are expected to leave Indian ports by Friday, based on port documents reviewed by Bloomberg News.Indian Oil Corporation handles crude shipments at Paradip, while Sikka is used by Reliance Industries and Bharat Petroleum Corporation, which operates a single-point mooring facility in the area.India had been a major importer of seaborne Russian crude until last year and quickly ramped up those purchases. However, refiners have faced greater challenges in sourcing and paying for Iranian shipments due to continuing financial sanctions. Earlier this month, India indicated that it would procure crude from Iran, among other sources, to deal with the ongoing supply strain.The arrival of cargoes carried by the tankers Jaya and Felicity, both under US sanctions for their role in transporting Iranian oil, suggests that alternative arrangements have been put in place to facilitate these imports, the report said.Meanwhile, another Iran-linked vessel, Derya, is currently positioned off India’s western coast with a full load of crude. The tanker had taken on cargo at Kharg Island in late March, but may have missed the deadline tied to the US waiver. It is currently signaling that it is awaiting further instructions, indicating that it has yet to secure a destination port.Also Read | Trump’s blockade of Strait of Hormuz begins: How will India be impacted?



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Standard Life buys rival in £2b deal to create savings giant

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Standard Life buys rival in £2b deal to create savings giant


Standard Life has agreed to buy rival Aegon’s UK business for £2 billion in a move set to create a pension and savings giant.

The deal will see Standard Life, recently rebranded from Phoenix Group, oversee 16 million customers and £480 million in assets under administration.

Under the terms, Standard Life will pay £750 million in cash, part-funded through debt, and issue 181.1 million new shares to Dutch financial firm Aegon.

The transaction will grant Aegon a 15.3 per cent stake in the FTSE 100-listed Standard Life, along with the right to appoint one non-executive director to the combined group’s board.

Andy Briggs, Standard Life chief executive, said the agreement to acquire Aegon UK “significantly accelerates our vision to be the UK’s leading retirement savings and income business”.

“Together, we will not only be stronger, we will be better.”

Standard Life is understood to have seen off rival bidders, such as Lloyds Banking Group and Barclays, to secure the deal.

Amsterdam-listed Aegon is based in Schiphol in the Netherlands (Alamy/PA)

Amsterdam-listed Aegon, which is based in Schiphol in the Netherlands, put its UK arm up for sale at the end of last year as part of a group-wide overhaul that will see it move its headquarters to the US and be renamed as Transamerica.

Standard Life said the deal – set to complete around the end of 2026 – will catapult it to second place in Britain’s retail pensions and savings market and in the same position for workplace pensions, adding Aegon UK’s 3.8 million customers and £160 billion in assets under management.

It is aiming to drive savings of £110 million a year after the deal, with over half delivered by the end of 2029 and the rest by the end of 2031, driven by cuts made across combined group and head office operations and as the pair integrate their platforms.

Lard Friese, Aegon chief executive, said: “The businesses are complementary and the combination offers an excellent outcome for Aegon UK’s customers and colleagues.

“Aegon’s shareholding will provide an opportunity to participate in the future success of the enlarged group.”

Phoenix Group bought Standard Life’s insurance business from the then Standard Life Aberdeen in 2018 and announced plans to rebrand as Standard Life last year.

It also has brands including SunLife, Phoenix Life, ReAssure and Phoenix Wealth.

Panmure Liberum analyst Abid Hussain said: “Overall, this looks like a good deal, although there will be questions on why the expense and capital synergies take five years to fully realise; we would ordinarily expect this to be achieved in three years.”



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