HDFC Bank reported a net profit of Rs 19,510 crore for the second quarter of FY27, up 4.6% from a year earlier. Net interest income rose 9.7% to Rs 34,620 crore, while net interest margin came in at 3.16% on total assets. The stock fell as much as 2% after the results. Jefferies maintained its 'Buy' rating with a target price of Rs 880, and Motilal Oswal, Systematix and Emkay also stayed positive, with attention on margin recovery and the leadership transition.

A broad upswing in consumer prices last month helps reinforce expectations for additional Federal Reserve interest-rate increases in the months ahead.

Apples first foldable iPhone has seen a strong early response in India, with pre-orders selling out within an hour and estimated delivery dates for new orders moving to January 2027. Priced at Rs 2,99,900, the iPhone Duo has also witnessed a surge in demand in the US, where initial stock reportedly sold out in 15 minutes. Heres a look at its pricing, specifications and what the early response suggests about demand for Apples most expensive iPhone yet.

The United States is planning to restart three closed nuclear plants to address rising energy needs. These plants were shut down due to high electricity costs but are now sought after for carbon-free energy. Large technology companies are contracting for power from these facilities, ensuring a stable revenue. Restarting these plants will be faster and cheaper than building new reactors.

A significant selloff in semiconductor stocks affected major US indexes amid rising concerns regarding AI investment returns. The Nasdaq 100 dropped by 1.8%, continuing its longest losing streak since 2008. Market participants are questioning if AI infrastructure investments will yield profitable returns despite strong demand for chips. Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh maintained a neutral stance on interest rates during discussions at the IMF meetings.

India's foreign exchange reserves fell by nearly $60 billion in the six weeks to October 9 to $726.027 billion, driven largely by the central bank's dollar sales to defend the rupee. The rupee is among Asia's worst-performing currencies this year, pressured by higher crude oil prices, rising US Treasury yields and foreign investor outflows. Foreign currency assets and gold reserves also posted significant declines in the reporting week.

Wipro reported a 9.1% year-on-year rise in Q2FY27 revenue to Rs 24,752.7 crore, while net profit fell 1.9% to Rs 3,201 crore. The IT major expects Q3 revenue growth of -1.5% to 0.5% sequentially in constant currency terms. Nomura retained its Buy rating with a Rs 200 target, citing a slight revenue beat and confidence in delayed large deals closing.

In September, US wholesale prices rose sharply by 1.3%, fueled by a significant increase in gasoline costs, marking the biggest monthly gain since March 2022. The Producer Price Index saw a 6.3% year-over-year rise, indicating broader inflation pressures across goods and services. Learn more about the impact on the economy and Federal Reserve interest rate decisions.

Although shares in companies driving the AI boom are still among the biggest gainers on global equity markets this year, many have fallen sharply in the past few weeks, as investors reassess the cost of capital against a backdrop of rising interest rates and inflation.