CTO Kanishk Agrawal recognized for applied systems thinking at ET Business Excellence Summit 2025
The summit sessions highlighted how modern enterprise platforms require not just scalability, but also traceability, system-level feedback, and adaptability. Agrawal's work reflects this shift, focusing on architectures that embed telemetry and data observability directly into software development and operational workflows.
With a background spanning systems architecture,
platform engineering
, and infrastructure design, Agrawal's contributions align with a broader shift in enterprise technology—where engineering leaders are expected to build resilient systems that are both operationally robust and adaptable to change.
As enterprises confront growing demands for responsiveness and accountability in digital systems, architecture-led leadership is becoming central to long-term strategy. The discussions at the summit underlined this transition, with an emphasis on systemic clarity, rather than short-term deployment metrics.
Agrawal is an alumnus of BITS Pilani and IIM Calcutta.
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Time of India
7 hours ago
- Time of India
Trump's tariffs could squeeze US factories, boost costs by up to 4.5 per cent, new analysis finds
As President Donald Trump prepares to announce new tariff increases, the costs of his policies are starting to come into focus for a domestic manufacturing sector that depends on global supply chains, with a new analysis suggesting factory costs could increase by roughly 2 per cent to 4.5 per cent. "There's going to be a cash squeeze for a lot of these firms," said Chris Bangert-Drowns, the researcher at the Washington Centre for Equitable Growth who conducted the analysis. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Management PGDM Finance Healthcare Degree MBA Data Science others Artificial Intelligence Public Policy Operations Management Data Analytics Others Data Science Project Management Leadership Product Management Cybersecurity Design Thinking CXO Digital Marketing Skills you'll gain: Duration: 9 Months IIM Calcutta CERT-IIMC APSPM India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 11 Months IIM Kozhikode CERT-IIMK General Management Programme India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 9 Months IIM Calcutta CERT-IIMC APSPM India Starts on undefined Get Details Those seemingly small changes at factories with slim profit margins, Bangert-Drowns said, "could lead to stagnation of wages, if not layoffs and closures of plants" if the costs are untenable. The analysis, released Tuesday, points to the challenges Trump might face in trying to sell his tariffs to the public as a broader political and economic win and not just as evidence his negotiating style gets other nations to back down. The success of Trump's policies ultimately depends on whether everyday Americans become wealthier and factory towns experience revivals, a goal outside economists say his Republican administration is unlikely to meet with tariffs. Live Events Trump has announced new frameworks with the European Union , Japan, the Philippines, Indonesia and Britain that would each raise the import taxes charged by the United States. He's prepared to levy tariffs against goods from dozens of other countries starting on Friday in the stated range of 15 per cent to 50 per cent. The US stock market has shown relief the tariff rates aren't as high as Trump initially threatened in April and hope for a sense of stability going forward. Trump maintains the tariff revenues will whittle down the budget deficit and help whip up domestic factory jobs, all while playing down the risks of higher prices. "We've wiped out inflation," Trump said last Friday before boarding Marine One while on his way to Scotland. But there's the possibility of backlash in the form of higher prices and slower growth once tariffs flow more fully through the world economy. A June survey by the Atlanta Federal Reserve suggested companies would on average pass half of their tariff costs onto US consumers through higher prices. Labour Department data shows America lost 14,000 manufacturing jobs after Trump rolled out his April tariffs, putting a lot of pressure as to whether a rebound starts in the June employment report coming out Friday. With new tariffs in place, there are new costs for factories The Washington Centre for Equitable Growth analysis shows how Trump's devotion to tariffs carries potential economic and political costs for his agenda. In the swing states of Michigan and Wisconsin, more than 1 in 5 jobs are in the critical sectors of manufacturing, construction, mining and oil drilling and maintenance that have high exposures to his import taxes. The artificial intelligence sector Trump last week touted as the future of the economy is dependent on imports. More than 20 per cent of the inputs for computer and electronics manufacturing are imported, so the tariffs could ultimately magnify a hefty multitrillion-dollar price tag for building out the technology in the US. The White House argues American businesses will access new markets because of the trade frameworks, saying companies will ultimately benefit as a result. "The Made in USA' label is set to resume its global dominance under President Trump," White House spokesman Kush Desai said. Still lots of uncertainty, but world economy faces a new toll There are limits to the analysis. Trump's tariff rates have been a moving target, and the analysis looks only at additional costs, not how those costs will be absorbed among foreign producers, domestic manufacturers and consumers. Also, the legal basis of the tariffs as an "emergency" act goes before a US appeals court on Thursday. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in an interview last week on Fox Business Network's "Kudlow" show countries were essentially accepting the tariffs to maintain access to the US market. "Everyone is willing to pay a toll," he said. But what Bessent didn't say is US manufacturers are also paying much of that toll. "We're getting squeezed from all sides," said Justin Johnson, president of Jordan Manufacturing Co in Belding, Michigan, northeast of Grand Rapids. His grandfather founded the company in 1949. The company, which makes parts used by Amazon warehouses, auto companies and aerospace firms, has seen the price of a key raw material - steel coil - rise 5 per cent to 10 per cent this year. Trump has imposed 50 per cent tariffs on imported steel and aluminum. Jordan Manufacturing doesn't buy foreign steel. But by crippling foreign competition, Trump's tariffs have allowed domestic US steelmakers to hike prices. Johnson doesn't blame them. "There's no red-blooded capitalist who isn't going to raise his prices'' under those circumstances, he said. Trump says no inflation from tariffs, but businesses see higher prices The Trump White House insists inflation is not surfacing in the economy, issuing a report through the Council of Economic Advisers this month saying the price of imported goods fell between December of last year and this past May. "These findings contradict claims that tariffs or tariff-fears would lead to an acceleration of inflation," the report concludes. Ernie Tedeschi, director of economics at the Budget Lab at Yale University , said that the more accurate measure would be to compare the trends in import prices with themselves in the past and that the CEA's own numbers show "import prices have accelerated in recent months." The latest estimate from the Budget Lab at Yale is the tariffs would cause the average household to have USD 2,400 less than it would otherwise have. Keeping the economy on a knife's edge Josh Smith , founder and president of Montana Knife Co., called himself a Trump voter but said he sees the tariffs on foreign steel and other goods as threatening his business. For instance, Smith just ordered a USD 515,000 machine from Germany that grinds his knife blades to a sharp edge. Trump had imposed a 10 per cent tax on products from the EU that is set to rise to 15 per cent under the trade framework he announced Sunday. So Trump's tax on the machine comes to USD 77,250 - about enough for Smith to hire an entry-level worker. Smith would happily buy the bevel-grinding machines from an American supplier. But there aren't any. "There's only two companies in the world that make them, and they're both in Germany," Smith said. Then there's imported steel, which Trump is taxing at 50 per cent. Until this year, Montana Knife bought the powdered steel it needs from Crucible Industries in Syracuse, New York. But Crucible declared bankruptcy last December, and its assets were purchased by a Swedish firm, Erasteel, which moved production to Sweden. Smith beat the tariffs by buying a year's worth of the steel in advance. But starting in 2026, the specialty steel he'll be importing from Sweden is set to be hit with a 50 per cent duty. "The average American is not sitting in the position I am, looking at the numbers I am and making the decisions each day, like, Hey, we cannot hire those extra few people because we might have to pay this tariff on this steel or this tariff on this grinder,'" he said. "I want to buy more equipment and hire more people. That's what I want to do."
Time of India
8 hours ago
- Time of India
US stock market futures surge in record-breaking tsunami as S&P 500, Nasdaq hit all-time highs and Dow rallies ahead of big tech earnings and Fed decision
The US stock market opened the week on a cautious yet optimistic note as stock futures for the Dow Jones, S&P 500, and Nasdaq ticked higher early Tuesday. Investors are bracing for what could be one of the most influential weeks of 2025, packed with earnings from tech giants, a critical Federal Reserve decision, major economic data releases, and the looming impact of new global trade tariffs. S&P 500 rose ~0.09% , marking another record close. Nasdaq Composite climbed ~0.29% , also hitting all-time highs. Dow Jones Industrial Average increased ~0.10% Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Management PGDM Data Science others Project Management Public Policy MCA CXO healthcare Technology MBA Product Management Finance Operations Management Artificial Intelligence Healthcare Leadership Cybersecurity Others Design Thinking Data Science Data Analytics Degree Digital Marketing Skills you'll gain: Duration: 9 Months IIM Calcutta CERT-IIMC APSPM India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 11 Months IIM Kozhikode CERT-IIMK General Management Programme India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 10 Months IIM Kozhikode CERT-IIMK GMPBE India Starts on undefined Get Details Stock market momentum builds ahead of earnings tsunami Last week, the stock market closed at record highs, largely driven by easing inflation signals, upbeat earnings, and a trade breakthrough between the US and the European Union. The S&P 500 surged to an all-time high, with the Nasdaq also hitting new records following strong performances from chipmakers and AI-linked tech companies. Much of that momentum now faces a test as a flood of second-quarter earnings reports begins pouring in. More than 150 S&P 500 companies are set to report this week, including some of the most heavily weighted stocks in the index. Among the key companies reporting are: Meta Platforms (Wednesday) Apple (Thursday) Microsoft (Wednesday) Amazon (Thursday) Alphabet (Google's parent, Wednesday) Along with UPS, Boeing, AstraZeneca, P&G, UnitedHealth, and McDonald's across sectors. So far, earnings season has outperformed expectations. According to FactSet, around 80% of companies reporting have beaten Wall Street estimates, suggesting continued resilience despite rising costs and global uncertainty. Live Events Top stock performers today (July 29, 2025) Sarepta Therapeutics (SRPT) ▪️ Surged around +35% ▪️ Boosted by FDA approval to resume shipments of its gene therapy drug Elevidys Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) ▪️ Gained approximately +7.6% ▪️ Jumped after strong Q2 earnings and raised forecast Tesla (TSLA) ▪️ Rose by +3% ▪️ Driven by a new $16.5 billion AI chip manufacturing deal with Samsung Nvidia (NVDA) ▪️ Up about +1.9% ▪️ Continued to gain on strong demand for AI and data center chips Federal reserve meeting in focus as rate outlook drives market mood The Federal Reserve's July meeting concludes Wednesday, and while no rate hike is expected, investor attention is sharply focused on the central bank's tone and guidance. The Fed has been walking a tightrope between controlling inflation and supporting economic growth. With inflation data showing signs of cooling—particularly the core Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) index—many analysts expect the Fed to maintain current interest rates, while possibly hinting at rate cuts later this year. Market futures currently imply a 60–70% chance of a rate cut by September, according to CME FedWatch data. However, a hawkish tilt from Fed Chair Jerome Powell could dampen market sentiment, especially if the central bank stresses inflation risks or delays easing. Trade tensions rise as August 1 tariff deadline a pproaches Another major development weighing on the market is the August 1 deadline for the US to finalize trade agreements with several nations or impose significant new tariffs. While the US–EU deal last week helped calm investor nerves by capping tariffs at 15%, trade relations with China, India, and some Southeast Asian economies remain uncertain. If no further deals are struck by the deadline, a wave of automatic tariffs could trigger global supply chain disruptions, potentially re-inflating prices on imports and complicating the Fed's inflation battle. Markets are keeping a close watch on these negotiations, as unresolved tensions could reverse recent gains in equities. Major US stock indices performance: 🔹 S&P 500 Index (SPX) YTD 2025 Return : +18.7% Recent High : Record close at 5,495 Key Drivers : Strong tech earnings, easing inflation, global trade optimism Outlook : May face volatility from Fed meeting and valuation risks 🔹 Nasdaq Composite (IXIC) YTD 2025 Return : +27.5% Recent High : Record close at 18,320 Key Drivers : AI and chip stocks, tech-led rally, retail investor surge Outlook : Highly sensitive to Big Tech earnings this week 🔹 Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) YTD 2025 Return : +8.9% Current Level : Around 41,000 Key Drivers : UnitedHealth, Boeing, Apple weightings; earnings-driven Outlook : Slightly lagging due to industrial exposure but still resilient 🔹 Russell 2000 (Small caps) YTD 2025 Return : +5.2% Current Trend : Underperforming vs. large caps Key Drivers : Interest rate sensitivity, lack of AI exposure Outlook : May rally if Fed signals dovish tilt or soft landing 🔹 CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) Current Level : ~13.7 Trend : Low volatility, near historic lows Implication : Calm ahead of potentially stormy week Investors eye key economic data to assess market direction Beyond earnings and the Fed, a slew of economic data is set to shape investor sentiment throughout the week. These include: July Consumer Confidence Index (Tuesday) ADP private payrolls report (Wednesday) Q2 GDP preliminary reading (Thursday) June PCE inflation data (Friday) July Non-Farm Payrolls (Friday) ISM Manufacturing PMI (Thursday) Consumer sentiment reports Each data point carries the potential to shift expectations around the Fed's next move, inflation path, and corporate profitability. Strong data could fuel optimism, but any negative surprise might invite a sharp correction. Tech stocks and ai-focused firms lead growth optimism Tech and AI-related stocks continue to dominate market enthusiasm in 2025. Shares of NVIDIA, Broadcom, Palantir, and AMD have all surged this month on AI demand and chip expansion. Now, with 'the Magnificent Seven'—Meta, Apple, Alphabet, Microsoft, Amazon, Nvidia, and Tesla—all set to report or influence market tone, their earnings performance could define the next leg of this rally. High expectations have left little room for disappointment, so even small misses could trigger outsized reactions. Some analysts have flagged the rising concentration risk in tech-heavy indices, with the top 10 S&P 500 companies now accounting for nearly 35% of the index's total weight—a level last seen during the dot-com bubble. Valuation concerns linger despite strong performance With the S&P 500 and Nasdaq hitting record highs, many investors are starting to question how sustainable the rally is. According to recent analysis, the S&P 500 is trading at nearly 21 times forward earnings, well above its 10-year average. While AI growth and strong earnings help justify some of the premium, any policy missteps, earnings miss, or geopolitical shock could bring volatility. Analysts warn that investor euphoria is returning to meme stocks, small caps, and risky sectors, which may point to a frothy environment. Market outlook for august 2025 remains cautiously optimistic As July comes to a close, investor sentiment is cautiously optimistic. Solid earnings and easing inflation have provided a strong foundation, but the upcoming Fed meeting, tariff decisions, and economic data may act as the ultimate stress test. Here's what could drive the market in August: Key Driver Market Implication Earnings performance Continued beats could support higher valuations, while misses could spark pullbacks Fed policy shift Dovish language may extend the rally; hawkish tone could cause short-term correction Tariff decisions More trade deals = bullish sentiment; new tariffs = inflation and risk-off mood Tech sector leadership Mega-cap resilience critical to sustaining gains Valuation rebalancing Correction risk rises if macro or earnings disappoint Why this week could shape the rest of 2025 The US stock market today is treading carefully, navigating a perfect storm of earnings, macroeconomic updates, and policy decisions. For investors, staying informed and agile is critical. Whether you're a long-term investor or short-term trader, this week's developments—especially the Fed's tone, Big Tech results, and trade headlines—could determine not only the market's direction in August but set the tone for the rest of 2025. FAQs: Q1: What is driving the US stock market today? Earnings reports, Fed updates, and trade news are moving the market. Q2: Which stocks should investors watch this week? Apple, Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, and Boeing are key stocks to watch.
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Business Standard
9 hours ago
- Business Standard
Fat paycheck, fatter EMI? Some home loan mistakes to avoid at all costs
A Bengaluru-based Reddit user recently shared how he feels financially suffocated after taking a Rs 1.2 crore home loan, despite earning Rs 2.2 lakh a month. While his EMI is Rs 75,000, the real struggle lies in everything that follows- family expenses, lack of liquidity, and zero mental peace. Experts say this case, though extreme, is far from rare. Many high earners overcommit to large home loans too early and end up 'asset-rich, cash-poor.' According to experts, here is a breakdown of the key mistakes the Reddit user likely made and what others should keep in mind before signing on a big loan. Thinking high income means high affordability 'He earns Rs 2.2 lakh, but Rs 75,000 EMI already eats up 34 per cent of his income,' says Vineet Agrawal, co-founder, Jiraaf. 'Factor in rent-like maintenance, bills, dependents, and basic savings and you're suddenly tight.' Manish Goel, managing director of Equentis Wealth, notes a behavioural pattern. 'Young earners often spend aggressively on lifestyle, car EMIs, and risky investments. This crowding out of savings leads to chronic liquidity strain.' Taking a Rs 1.2 crore home loan too early in life At 30–35, committing to a 20-year EMI removes flexibility. 'This is a decade where goals shift, marriage, children, job changes,' says Vijendra Singh Shekhawat, chartered accountant & chief executive officer at Choice Finserv. 'A Rs 1.2 crore loan at 7.9 per cent means nearly Rs 1 crore in interest over 20 years unless you prepay.' Agrawal adds, 'With rising living costs, even a Rs 2 lakh salary doesn't mean you are loan-ready. Ideally, home ownership should follow, not precede, financial foundation.' Trusting loan approvals as a green signal Banks may approve loans where EMI is up to 50–60 per cent of net salary. But that doesn't mean you can afford it. 'Approval is based on income and credit, not your entire financial picture,' says Amar Ranu, head of products & insights at Anand Rathi Share and Stock Broker. Shekhawat agrees. 'Lenders don't factor your family obligations, insurance gaps, or investment goals. Responsibility lies with the borrower to self-assess.' No pre-loan emergency or insurance planning Many first-time borrowers skip creating a buffer. 'If you're committing Rs 75,000 every month, you need an emergency fund of at least 6–12 months of expenses,' says Ranjit Jha, chief executive officer of Rurash Financials. Agrawal also recommends locking in term life and health insurance before any big loan. 'It is not optional. If something happens, your family gets stuck with the burden.' Planning to prepay without a strategy The Redditor mentions wanting to close the loan in 5–7 years. But experts say aggressive prepayment should be done only after building emergency funds and securing long-term investments. 'People start dumping bonuses into loans and stop SIPs, that's not sustainable,' says Goel. 'You can repay faster, but only if your financial ratios stay healthy.' Jha suggests a hybrid route: 'Keep investing, and use bonuses or annual hikes for partial prepayments. That way, you cut tenure without choking cash flow.' Checklist: Are you really loan-ready? Before signing up for any large home loan, ensure you: · Keep EMI below 30–35 per cent of your take-home · Have 6–12 months of expenses saved as an emergency fund · Continue investing monthly (don't stop SIPs) · Have term insurance equal to the loan amount · Carry comprehensive health insurance · Use realistic income estimates, not CTC The bottom line: A home should bring security, not stress 'Buying a house is aspirational, but it shouldn't come at the cost of your mental and financial peace,' says Agrawal. "Plan first, buy later." You may qualify for a big loan. But whether you can comfortably live with it is an entirely different question.
