
Trump rules out trade talks with India amid tariffs: Will Dalal Street face the heat?
There are reports that the Kremlin has confirmed a proposed meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladamir Putin next week.Analysts believe the meeting could mark a potential turning point in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and lead to a softening of Washington's stance on countries like India that continue to import Russian crude.It may be noted that the extra 25% tariff on Indian exports kicks in on August 27, leaving a 21-day window of high-stakes diplomacy and volatile market speculation.FIIS SELL OFF, DIIS STEP INHowever, Trump's tariff escalation has added fuel to an already extended sell-off by foreign portfolio investors (FPIs). Thursday marked the 14th consecutive session of FII outflows, with Rs 49.97 billion ($571 million) worth of stocks offloaded in a single day. On August 7 alone, FIIs sold equities worth Rs 4,997 crore.In July, total FPI outflows crossed $4.17 billion, with IT and globally exposed companies taking the biggest hit.In contrast, domestic institutional investors (DIIs) have stepped in aggressively. On Thursday, they net purchased Rs 10,864 crore in equities—their strongest single-day buying in four months—extending their buying streak to 24 straight sessions. DII flows have helped stabilise markets and absorb external shocks, even as global sentiment remains jittery.MSCI SHUFFLE IMPACTMoreover, the latest reshuffle in the MSCI India Standard Index has added another layer of market action. Swiggy, Vishal Mega Mart, Waaree Energies, and Hitachi Energy India are set to join the index from August 26, triggering passive inflows as global funds rebalance their holdings.On the other hand, Sona BLW Precision Forgings and Thermax will be excluded—potentially prompting passive outflows from these counters.Expect these stocks to remain in sharp focus today and throughout the month.RBI'S RATE DECISIONIn contrast to global market turbulence, the Reserve Bank of India maintained a steady hand. It left the benchmark repo rate unchanged at 5.5%, with a neutral stance, signalling confidence in India's macro fundamentals. The RBI forecast GDP growth at 6.5% and FY26 inflation at 3.1%, offering some comfort to investors rattled by external shocks.However, the rupee's continued depreciation—trading near 87.5 to the dollar—remains a concern, especially amid sustained FII withdrawals and persistent dollar strength.WHAT TO EXPECT TODAY?advertisementAccording to Amruta Shinde, Technical & Derivative Analyst at Choice Broking, Indian benchmark indices are expected to open on a flat to negative note, as Gift Nifty indicates a mild 31-point drop.'Market sentiment remains cautiously optimistic but dampened by persistent volatility and mixed global cues,' she says.Given the uncertain and elevated volatility in the current market, Shinde advises a 'cautious wait-and-watch stance,' particularly for leveraged traders. Booking partial profits on rallies and using tight trailing stop-losses is advised, with fresh long positions to be considered only above 24,750.Prashanth Tapse, Senior VP (Research) at Mehta Equities, echoes similar caution. 'Multiple triggers—US tariff escalation, weak Q1 earnings, FII selling, and rupee pressure—are keeping markets nervous,' he says. 'But as long as the Nifty holds the key support at 24,344, buying on dips could remain the theme.'- EndsTune InMust Watch
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Economic Times
15 minutes ago
- Economic Times
Can Trump's Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac IPO plan slash mortgage rates? Bill Ackman says...
Synopsis Donald Trump is reportedly planning to IPO Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, potentially the largest IPO in history. Billionaire Investor Bill Ackman suggests merging the two mortgage giants to reduce mortgage rates and government oversight costs. Ackman believes privatization could yield substantial gains for the government, citing their improved capitalization and government backing. AP American hedge fund manager Bill Ackman took to X, formerly known as Twitter, and one way to reduce mortgage rates would be to merge government-sponsored enterprises Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac US President Donald Trump Saturday seemed to acknowledge reporting by The Wall Street Journal on Friday that he plans to IPO Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac by the end of this year. The President and his economic advisers are planning a historic sale of stock in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the government-owned mortgage giants that help provide stability and affordability to America's home loan market. Reacting to the development, American hedge fund manager Bill Ackman took to X, formerly known as Twitter, and one way to reduce mortgage rates would be to merge government-sponsored enterprises Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. He suggested the merger move would help reduce mortgage rates and achieve huge synergies both in their operations and in the trading price. ALSO READ: 'Ban Gay sex, end women's voting': Pete Hegseth sparks controversy for re-posting pastor's radical message Bill Ackman said Fannie and Freddie merger would also reduce the costs and risks of government way to reduce mortgage rates would be to merge Fannie and Freddie. A merger would enable them to achieve huge synergies both in their operations and in the trading price and spreads of their MBS, savings which could be passed along to consumers in the form of reduced mortgage rates, Ackman wrote in his post. "A merger would also reduce the cost and risks of government oversight as there would be only one institution that would require FHFA oversight. I suspect that this is @realDonaldTrump 's idea as implied by his post below. It's a really good one," his post read. US-government owned twin giants, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are tasked with expanding credit availability in the American market by securitising mortgages. Their shares surged over 20 per cent on Friday after the Wall Street Journal reported that the Trump administration may privatise the two institutions this year. ALSO READ: Powerball jackpot rises to $479 million: Who won lottery jackpot last night? Lotto results, drawing time US President Donald Trump has previously met the top leadership of US investment banks such as Citigroup, the Bank of America, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase to explore potential public offerings of the twin mortgage giants, Reuters reported, citing an the plans have not been finalised yet, and Trump continues to weigh various options, according to a senior administration official. But the White House believes an initial public offering of up to 15% of the two companies' shares could raise $30 billion, which could make it the largest IPO in has been weighing an IPO for years now. During his first term, Trump attempted — but ultimately failed — to privatize Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, removing them from government conservatorship. Now, in his second term, he has revived the push. In May, he wrote on Truth Social that he was 'giving very serious consideration to bringing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac public,' adding that he would consult with his Cabinet before making a decision 'in the near future.'Trump has argued for the monetisation of these two institutions, which were brought under US government control in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis. In May this year, Trump floated the idea while emphasising that the government will maintain its implicit guarantees for the securities issued by the two institutions. ALSO READ: Last planet parade of 2025 happening today? How to watch the rare planetary alignment in the US Trump backer Bill Ackman, a long-time shareholder in the twin behemoths, has repeatedly called for their privatisation. Ackman, founder, Pershing Capital Management, told Forbes magazine last month that the US government is the preferred stockholder of the twins, and in a position to realise gains worth $300 billion. He argued that the two institutions were 'vastly better capitalised' today than for the past 60 two institutions are not banks, but tap creditworthy mortgage buyers and pack the mortgages in securities to be sold on the market, Ackman explained. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have guarantees worth $7 trillion coupled with enormous cash flows, apart from a government backing, underlining their ability to weather any future crisis, Ackman added.


Economic Times
15 minutes ago
- Economic Times
'Sab ke boss to hum hain…': Rajnath Singh's veiled dig at Trump over tariffs, saying "some" are jealous of India's rapid growth
Synopsis Defence Minister Rajnath Singh took a subtle dig at US President Donald Trump over recent tariffs on Indian goods, accusing global powers of jealousy and trying to disrupt India's rapid economic growth. Speaking at a bhoomi pujan ceremony for a new rail coach factory in Madhya Pradesh, Singh praised India's dynamic economy and highlighted its rise to a top-four global economy since 2014. He also emphasised India's growing defence exports and condemned terrorism, affirming India's strong stance against those who threaten the nation. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh took a subtle dig at US President Donald Trump on Sunday over the recent tariff increases on Indian goods. Without naming Trump, Singh said, "Some 'boss' is jealous, unable to accept India's growth; trying to disrupt the country's economy."He added, "There are some people who are not happy with the speed at which India is developing. They are not liking it. 'Sabke boss toh hum hain' (We are everyone's boss), how is India growing so fast?"These remarks came after the US imposed a 25% tariff on Indian goods and an additional 25% penalty due to India's continued purchase of Russian oil. President Trump also threatened more tariff hikes, called India's economy 'dead,' and New Delhi criticised the US after some aides accused India of supporting Russia's war in Singh described India's economy as the world's most 'dashing and dynamic.' He said that some people with the attitude of 'we are everyone's boss' are unhappy with India's rapid growth. Speaking after a bhoomi pujan (groundbreaking ceremony) of a rail coach manufacturing unit of Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) in Raisen district, Madhya Pradesh, Singh said, 'Today, if any country has a dashing and dynamic economy, it is India's economy.' He said no global power can stop India from becoming a big power due to the speed at which the country is moving pointed out that some people want to make Indian products more expensive when they reach other countries. This would stop people worldwide from buying Indian goods. He said, 'They think that we are everyone's boss and how is India moving forward so fast?'He mentioned that in 2014, India was ranked 11th in terms of economy size, but today it is counted among the top four.'If any country has a rapidly growing economy, it is our India,' he said. 'It means that the country is moving forward and its people are also moving ahead, because if the countrymen do not move forward, India cannot move forward.'Singh also spoke about defence production. Earlier, India bought defence equipment from other countries. But now, many things are made in India by Indian hands. India not only fulfils its own needs but also exports defence products to other said, 'When Narendra Modi became Prime Minister in 2014, only Rs 600 crore worth of defence products were exported. Now, we are exporting defence products worth more than Rs 24,000 crore. This is the power of India. This is the new defence sector of the new India.'Singh also referred to the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, in April, where 26 people were killed. He said India responded strongly with Operation Sindoor. He said terrorists killed people after asking their religion, but India does not believe in such killings.'We do not even kill ants,' he said. 'We have resolved that we will kill people (terrorists) not by their religion but by their deeds.'He added, 'India will not spare anyone who instigates us.'On the rail coach unit, Singh said it would be a big gift for Raisen and Vidisha regions in Madhya Pradesh and provide jobs for 5,000 said Madhya Pradesh is rapidly developing in industries, having recently received investment proposals of more than Rs 30 lakh crore.'If the leadership is excellent, development happens rapidly. I think that after a few years, people will start calling Madhya Pradesh a modern state,' he said the area around the rail coach unit would also develop quickly once it is he performed the bhoomi pujan for the BEML rail coach unit at Umaria village in Raisen district. The project is called BRAHMA (BEML Rail Hub for Manufacturing) and will cost Rs 1,800 crore. Its initial capacity will be 125 to 200 coaches a year, which is planned to increase to 1,100 coaches a year in five Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and other officials attended the ceremony. A video message from Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw was also shown. Inputs from agencies


India.com
15 minutes ago
- India.com
ED Seeks 7-year Imprisonment For Robert Vadra In Gurugram Land Deal Case
The Enforcement Directorate has asked a special PMLA court in Delhi to award the highest punishment — seven years in prison — to Robert Vadra and others accused in the 2008 Gurugram land deal case. According to the agency's prosecution complaint, the ED has also urged the court to permit the government to seize 43 immovable properties that it claims were bought by Vadra and his associates using using proceeds of crime (PoC) generated through money laundering. The Special PMLA court in Delhi has fixed August 28 to take cognisance of the ED complaint and issued a notice to Vadra. While elaborating on the mode of generation of PoC of money laundering by Robert Vadra in the land deal, the ED alleged in the complaint that the husband of Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other accused also committed a penal offence of dishonest or fraudulent execution of a deed of transfer containing false statements (Section 423 of Indian Penal Code). In its prosecution complaint filed in a Special PMLA court in Delhi, the ED sought a maximum of seven years imprisonment for Vadra and other accused under Section 4 (Punishment for money laundering) and suggested penal or criminal action for the fraudulent execution of the deed. 'The transfer deed was executed containing a false statement of consideration with regards to receipt of sale consideration by the seller from the buyer and with regards to the total amount of consideration as well, thereby violating the provisions of section 423 of IPC. The buyer had never issued the cheque to the seller and the cheque mentioned in the sale deed did not pertain to the buyer,' said the chargesheet. Alleging a loss of Rs 44 lakh caused to Haryana government in stamp duty, the ED said: 'The sale deed refers the valuation of the said land at Rs 7.50 crore, on the contrary the seller got the payment of Rs 7.95 crore on August 9, 2008 (against sale consideration and stamp duty); and Rs 7.43 crore on August 16, 2008 (additional sale consideration). The undervaluation of the land directly leads to evasion of stamp duty.' Earlier, the ED justified its decision to file the PMLA case in the Special Court in Delhi by claiming that all the accused, except one, reside in Delhi and all the entities associated with the accused, which are involved in the process of money laundering, are registered in the Delhi jurisdiction. It is submitted that the FIR in this case was filed by the Gurugram Police. However, the offence of money laundering was committed by the accused at various places/states including Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan. 'Further, most of the bank accounts of the entities associated with Vadra, identified as accused number 1, are also situated in Delhi and used by the accused in Delhi to acquire assets or to satisfy the liabilities of companies registered in Delhi,' it said. The ED said that Vadra received Rs 58 crore as proceeds of crime (PoC) of the involved money laundering and claimed that its investigation led to the provisional attachment of 43 immovable properties, totalling Rs 38.69 crore, identified as direct or value equivalent to Proceeds of Crime. Seeking confiscation of the 43 immovable properties, the ED said: 'The complaint is filed with the prayer to punish the accused persons under Section 4 (Punishment for money laundering,) which is a rigorous imprisonment for three to seven years and confiscation by the government of the properties earned by the accused as proceeds of crime.' (With IANS Inputs)