Business news centers on strong activity in the real economy and payments, even as capital markets send a more mixed signal. India posts record tax and digital-payment numbers and higher coal output, while trade data from South Korea points to a powerful rebound in global tech de...
Business news centers on strong activity in the real economy and payments, even as capital markets send a more mixed signal. India posts record tax and digital-payment numbers and higher coal output, while trade data from South Korea points to a powerful rebound in global tech demand.
India’s GST collections jump 22.9% from a year earlier to a record Rs 2.31 lakh crore in October, underscoring strong formal economic activity and festive-season demand. Net GST revenue rises even faster than gross collections, helped by the month’s refund pattern, giving the government another robust indirect-tax reading.
UPI sets fresh monthly records for both transaction volume and value in October as festive spending lifts everyday digital payments. The gains reflect heavier use across shopping, bill payments and money transfers, reinforcing how deeply the instant-payments system is embedded in routine consumer and merchant activity in India.
Foreign portfolio investors pull out Rs 34,843 crore from Indian equities in October, marking a second straight month of heavy selling. Even so, flows improve late in the month, with investors turning net buyers in the final stretch, suggesting risk appetite stabilizes after sustained earlier withdrawals.
Coal India raises October output by 19% and records its highest-ever monthly supplies, especially to the power sector. The rebound follows a monsoon-related slowdown and aligns with stronger electricity demand, offering a sign that fuel availability improves as consumption picks up and utilities require larger coal deliveries.
South Korea’s exports surge 93.7% from a year earlier to a record $115.3 billion in October, propelled by strong semiconductor shipments. Imports also increase and the trade surplus widens, making the data a notable signal of recovering global electronics demand and renewed momentum in one of Asia’s key exporting economies.
Anthropic’s IPO filing puts the economics of generative AI under sharper scrutiny as investors weigh rapid growth against persistent losses and heavy computing needs. A notable detail is that the company’s internal AI usage, measured at retail-equivalent prices, exceeds employee compensation, highlighting how central compute costs are to its business model.
Macau’s gaming revenue falls about 10% in October from a year earlier, extending its recent run of declines to a fifth straight month. The drop comes despite higher visitor traffic during Golden Week, indicating that increased arrivals do not translate into enough casino spending to reverse the broader slowdown.
South Korea’s October export growth is also notable for its historical scale, with shipments nearly doubling from a year earlier in the fastest expansion since 1974. The figure underscores the force of the rebound in trade, particularly in technology-linked exports, and reinforces October as an unusually strong month for external demand.
Top Business stories
- India’s GST collections rise 22.9% in October to a record Rs 2.31 lakh crore (7 sources)
- FPIs withdraw ₹34,843 crore from Indian equities in October, turn net buyers late month (6 sources)
- UPI hits record monthly transactions and value during India’s festive season (4 sources)
- Anthropic’s IPO filing highlights internal AI use, losses, and investor scrutiny (4 sources)
- Coal India posts 19% rise in October output and highest-ever monthly supplies (3 sources)
- Macau gaming revenue drops 10% in October despite Golden Week visitor surge (3 sources)
- South Korea export surge lifts chip shipments amid AI-driven demand (3 sources)
- South Korea exports nearly double in October, fastest growth in decades (2 sources)
Clara Chronicle
Author at IfHighLow
