Author: GP Editor

H. Shankar on Wednesday assumed charge as Managing Director of the Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited (CPCL). A mechanical engineer with an MBA, Mr. Shankar has been instrumental in strengthening the CPCL’s position in the energy sector. He was inducted into the Board of CPCL as Director (Technical) in October 2020, and was holding additional charge as Managing Director since July 16, 2024. With over three decades of experience in the oil and gas sector, he is a strong advocate of industry-academia collaboration, a press release from the company said. Published – April 03, 2025 12:39 am IST

The Sunday Crossword No. 3352

India imposes its “own uniquely burdensome” testing and certification requirements in sectors such as chemicals, telecom products, and medical devices, making it “difficult or costly” for American companies to sell their products in the country, the White House said.Click here for the live updates on U.S. President’s announcement In a fact sheet issued after US President Donald Trump announced sweeping reciprocal tariffs on countries that levy taxes on US goods, the White House stated that non-tariff barriers—meant to limit the quantity of imports/exports and protect domestic industries—also deprive US manufacturers of reciprocal access to markets around the world. Citing the…

File picture of an electronic stock board showing Japan’s Nikkei index. | Photo Credit: AP Asian markets and U.S. futures tumbled Thursday (April 3, 2025) following U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement of big increases in tariffs on imports of goods from around the world.Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 index dipped more than 3.4%, but recovered slightly. It was down 2.9% at 34,699.52.Mr. Trump said he was imposing a 24% “reciprocal tariff” on Japan, one of the United States’ closest allies.Donald Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs: Follow LIVE updates hereSouth Korea, also an ally, was hit with a 25% tariff. Its benchmark Kospi slumped…

The trade war that US President Donald Trump has escalated in his second term is a challenge for all Asian economies, large and small, in an era when the most populous region of the world is expected to drive global economic growth. Export manufacturing and free trade helped transform China and other Asian countries into economic powerhouses over the past decades. Trump’s barrages of tariffs, aimed at compelling companies to keep or set up their factories in the United States, are rupturing trade agreements often made at great political cost to trading partners. The White House says the criteria for…

When he watched Mani Ratnam’s 1986 classic Mouna Ragam, when he was just a little over ten, S Sashikanth was mesmerised by the beauty of what the filmmaker, along with art director Thota Tharani, had imagined. “I still remember all the details…the ten-foot main entrance, the spiral staircase, the wooden jaali, the circular courtyard, and the furniture. That whole film was beautiful.” Sashikanth decided then he would either become an architect or a filmmaker. As one could imagine, becoming an architect was much easier than becoming a filmmaker. After graduating (he had by then assisted Tharani in Shankar’s Mudhalvan), Sashikanth…

Apple plans to expand India-based output to 25% by 2028, up from 14% in FY24, said a report put out by Capgemini Research Institute on Wednesday.Indian manufacturing facilities produced 14% of Apple’s total iPhone output in FY24, making India the largest producer of Apple smartphones outside China, as per the report titled, ‘The Resurgence of manufacturing: Reindustrialisation strategies in Europe and the US.’‘’Apple plans to expand India-based output to 25% by 2028,’‘ it said.Broadening the scenario, it said, in recent years, U.S. organisations have been looking at “friendlier” shores such as India, Mexico, Vietnam and Malaysia, as possible manufacturing bases.In Southeast Asia,…

Domestic economic conditions are supportive to the rupee and this may lead to the  domestic currency trading between ₹85.5 to ₹87.5 a dollar in fiscal 2026, according to a research note by Bank of Baroda.Improved growth prospects, slowing inflation and stable external deficits will benefit the rupee. The risks from the U.S. tariff actions, however, is not immediately certain, the report said.   The rupee spot price depreciated 2.5%, closing at ₹85.45 a dollar as on March 31, 2025, according to data from Google Finance. The Indian rupee, however, performed better than most currencies as, it was the only currency…

The U.S. cities most vulnerable to a trade war with Canada turn out to largely be in the states that helped return Donald Trump to the White House — a sign of the possible political risk he’s taking with his tariff plans.A new analysis released last week by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce detailed the areas most dependent on exports to Canada, with San Antonio and Detroit topping the list of 41 U.S. metro areas. The findings show that the United States’ 25% tariffs on Canada and Canada’s retaliations could inflict meaningful damage in key states for U.S. politics.The analysis…

Rising cyberthreats, contractual requirements as well as regulatory changes are making businesses opt for and renew cyberinsurance policies, an insurance web aggregator’s study findings showed. Cyberinsurance is no longer perceived as an optional risk-transfer tool but a core component of enterprise risk management. Businesses have come to recognise the recurring and evolving nature of cyber risks. Nearly 100% of cyberinsurance clients are renewing policies, Policybazaar said on the study by its corporate insurance arm PBFB.Companies with more than Rs. 10 crore turnover are leading the offtake, especially those in BFSI, IT and tech, healthcare and logistics industries besides startups. BFSI…