Business - The Purbottar

25 Jul

Global Oil Prices Surge Over 25% in Two Weeks as Middle East Conflict Escalates

anuprova EditorBusiness

Global crude oil benchmarks have soared more than 25% over the past two weeks, fueled by a sharp escalation in Middle East hostilities following the collapse of a recent interim peace agreement between the United States and Iran. The dramatic price surge reflects growing fears of severe global energy supply disruptions, as military actions and proxy strikes threaten two of the world's most critical maritime oil transit chokepoints—the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The rapid rise in energy costs has sent shockwaves through global financial markets, rekindling inflationary anxieties and sparking a sharp sell-off in government bonds…

25 Jul

Axis Trustee expands GIFT City footprint with new office to boost cross-border financial services

Business BureauBusiness

Axis Trustee Services Limited (ATSL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Axis Bank, has expanded its presence in Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City) with the inauguration of a new office aimed at strengthening its role in India's growing international financial services ecosystem. The new office was inaugurated in the presence of PradeepRamakrishnan, Executive Director of the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA), BipinSaraf, Chairman of Axis Trustee Services Limited, and Rahul Choudhary, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of ATSL. The company said the expansion will enhance its ability to support financial institutions, issuers, fund managers and investors operating in…

25 Jul

Netflix unveils trailer for Operation SafedSagarahead of August 7 premiere

Business BureauBusiness

Netflix on Monday unveiled the trailer of Operation SafedSagar, a military drama inspired by the Indian Air Force's role during the 1999 Kargil War, with the series scheduled to premiere on August 7. Based on real events, the show highlights the untold story of the Golden Arrows Squadron, whose high-altitude mission during Operation SafedSagar became a defining chapter in India's military history. Directed by Oni Sen and created by Abhijeet Singh Parmar and KushalSrivastava, the series is produced by Matchbox Shots LLP and Feel Good Films. The cast includes Siddharth, Jimmy Shergill, AbhayVerma, DiaMirza, PrajaktaKoli, AdilHussain, MihirAhuja, TaarukRaina, ArnavBhasin and…

25 Jul

Smile Train India crosses 800,000 free cleft surgeries, shifts focus to early diagnosis

Business BureauBusiness

Marking World Cleft Awareness Day, Smile Train India has announced that it has supported more than 800,000 free cleft surgeries for children across the country since 2000, while launching a renewed nationwide campaign to promote early diagnosis and awareness of cleft lip and palate. The organisation said nearly 35,000 children are born with clefts in India every year, but many miss timely treatment because of myths, misinformation, and social stigma. World Cleft Awareness Day, observed globally on July 20 and introduced by Smile Train in 2025, aims to bring cleft care into mainstream public health discussions and ensure every affected…

24 Jul

Crude Prices Heading for Sharp Weekly Surge as Escalating Middle East Tensions Threaten Vital Oil Transit Routes

anuprova EditorBusiness

Global crude oil benchmarks are on track to lock in a third consecutive week of significant gains as relentless military friction in the Middle East heightens fears over prolonged supply disruptions. Despite experiencing a modest Friday retreat, Brent crude hovered near $97 a barrel, posting a weekly surge of over 9% after briefly touching $100 earlier in the session. Market anxiety remains elevated following continued U.S. military strikes against Iranian infrastructure aimed at protecting commercial shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz—a crucial maritime conduit for global oil supplies that has experienced severe transport bottlenecks. Geopolitical risks further broadened into…

24 Jul

PhysicsWallah students shine in NEET 2026, Malda achievers celebrated

Business BureauBusiness

Education technology company PhysicsWallah (PW) has announced the performance of its students in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) 2026, with several candidates securing top All India Ranks (AIR). Among the highest performers were Ravikant Diwakar (AIR 55), Shivansh Anand (AIR 152), Divyansh Jaiswal (AIR 173), and Sakshi Kumari (AIR 192). The company said the results reflected the effectiveness of its online courses and technology-enabled PW Vidyapeeth centres, allowing students to prepare through flexible learning modes. To mark the achievement, PhysicsWallah organised a felicitation event in Malda, where local performers including Rajbir Dutta (AIR 871), Nasibur Rahaman (AIR 4042), and Sk.…

24 Jul

Nestlé India posts 25.4% sales growth in Q1 as volume demand drives strong performance

Business BureauBusiness

Nestlé India reported a strong start to the 2026-27 financial year, registering a 25.4% rise in total sales to ₹6,363.3 crore in the first quarter, driven by robust volume growth across all major product categories. The company's Profit After Tax climbed 47.9% year-on-year to ₹975.1 crore, while it maintained a healthy EBITDA margin of 24.2%, reflecting continued operational efficiency and higher investments in brand building. Chairman and Managing Director Manish Tiwary said the company’s performance was supported by sustained consumer trust, strong execution and volume-led growth, with exports rising 35.6% despite geopolitical challenges. Advertising expenditure increased by more than 40%…

24 Jul

PhysicsWallah celebrates NEET 2026 success with top rankers and Nadia achievers

Business BureauBusiness

Education company PhysicsWallah (PW) has announced strong performances by its students in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) 2026, with several candidates securing top All India Ranks (AIR), reflecting the company's focus on accessible and technology-driven medical entrance coaching. Among the top performers were Ravikant Diwakar (AIR 55), Shivansh Anand (AIR 152), Divyansh Jaiswal (AIR 173), and Sakshi Kumari (AIR 192). The company said these students prepared through its online courses, offline tech-enabled PW Vidyapeeth centres and hybrid PW Pathshala centres, highlighting the flexibility of its learning ecosystem. In Nadia, PW organised a felicitation event to celebrate local achievers,…

24 Jul

Star Health expands virtual consultations and home healthcare support in Assam during monsoon

Business BureauBusiness

Star Health and Allied Insurance Company Limited has strengthened its healthcare outreach in Assam by expanding Virtual Doctor Consultations and Home Healthcare services as the state enters the monsoon season, when cases of dengue, malaria, fever and other infectious diseases typically increase. The company said its FY25-26 data for Assam recorded a sixteen-fold increase in Home Healthcare utilisation for fever and infectious diseases, while its recently launched Virtual OPD service has witnessed growing adoption nationwide, with more customers opting for it as their first point of medical consultation. Under the initiative, policyholders can access support through the 'Talk to Star'…

24 Jul

Cancer awareness takes centre stage as Manipal Hospitals hosts Anveshana in Malda

Business BureauBusiness

Manipal Hospital EM Bypass organised another edition of its flagship media engagement initiative, Anveshana, in Malda on Monday, bringing together leading oncology specialists to raise awareness about cancer prevention, early diagnosis and advances in treatment. The event also marked the launch of the Media Privilege Card, aimed at strengthening collaboration with journalists and improving access to credible healthcare information. The programme comes amid a rising cancer burden in India. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the country is expected to record nearly 15.7 lakh new cancer cases by 2025, up from around 14.6 lakh in 2022. Experts…