Daily Recap: Business — 18 October 2026

Business news centers on how companies and governments are repositioning for the next phase of capital investment in technology, energy and markets. IPO planning, strategic retreats and fresh controls on critical industrial know-how point to a more selective, more geopolitical en...

Foreign portfolio investors pull Rs 52,100 crore from Indian equities in October so far, taking total outflows for 2026 to roughly Rs 3.12 lakh crore. The scale of selling far exceeds last year’s withdrawals and underscores sustained pressure on Indian markets from overseas investors through the year.

China proposes export controls on 12 solar-manufacturing technologies, tightening oversight of key equipment and production processes used to make solar components. The move signals a more guarded approach to strategic clean-energy know-how as global competition intensifies around supply chains and advanced manufacturing capability.

Accenture is exploring a possible sale of its Greater China business in a process that could value the unit at as much as $1.5 billion. JPMorgan is advising on the review, though a transaction is not assured and the company could ultimately decide against any divestment.

Anthropic says it will place 5% of its shares into a new public benefit fund before any initial public offering. The planned structure builds a social-purpose element into the AI company’s ownership ahead of a possible listing and sets out a longer-term governance model.

Microsoft has withdrawn from a UK data centre agreement tied to British AI cloud startup Nscale, stepping back from planned capacity at a site in Loughton, Essex. The change comes just weeks before Nscale’s IPO efforts, removing a significant relationship as the company prepares to approach public markets.

NTPC is starting feasibility studies for new nuclear power sites in more Indian states as it targets 30 gigawatts of nuclear capacity by 2047. The plan forms part of a wider government push to expand non-fossil electricity generation and scale nuclear power over the long term.

Hundreds of workers affected by the Whyalla Steelworks blast furnace closure are being offered alternative employment opportunities. The effort aims to move displaced staff into new roles as the shutdown disrupts the local workforce and raises pressure to cushion the economic impact on the community.

Bharti Airtel has launched three prepaid plans focused only on voice calls and SMS, with prices starting at Rs 185. The packages offer unlimited local, STD and roaming calls plus 300 SMS, but no bundled data, following a regulatory push for simpler service options.