Social media platforms such as Instagram and YouTube had already made access easier than ever—people sat at their homes, browsed through videos, subscribing to influencer-led recommendations and buying products. Platforms took note of the shopping habit and launched their own video and live formats. Amazon, for instance, launched Live in 2022 while players such as Myntra and Meesho joined in after a couple of years or so.

Jio Platforms' IPO becomes first public offer globally to cross 1 cr applications
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/jio-platforms-ipo-becomes-first-globally-to-cross-1-crore-applications-subscriptions-top-6-times-report/articleshow/135131792.cms

Demand at home supporting growth momentum: RBI
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/demand-at-home-supporting-growth-momentum-rbi/articleshow/135154655.cms

The report said headline CPI inflation rose to a 23-month high of 5.5% in Sept from 4.8% in Aug, with price increases spreading across food, fuel and core items. Core inflation rose to 4.3%, while core inflation excluding precious metals reached 3.2%. WPI inflation climbed to 11.4% under the 2022-23 base series. The report highlighted early signs of inflation generalisation, with a rising share of CPI items recording inflation above 6%.

Record haul: Jio IPO collects Rs 7.5 lakh crore; nearly 1.3 crore investors make bids
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/record-haul-jio-ipo-collects-rs-7-5-lakh-crore-nearly-1-3-crore-investors-make-bids/articleshow/135155570.cms

In the unofficial market, speculators are betting that the company will be listing at about Rs 1,370, a mark-up (also called the grey market premium or GMP) of about Rs 250 over the upper limit of the IPO price band of Rs 1,065 to Rs 1,119. The current GMP is slightly off Rs 273, the highest level seen a day before the IPO opened.

Amid volatile trades, sensex falls for 4th day
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/amid-volatile-trades-sensex-falls-for-4th-day/articleshow/135155569.cms

The day’s slide came despite Rs 888-crore net buying by foreign funds and another Rs 3,235-crore net buying by domestic institutions, BSE data showed. Early on Friday, Brent crude had hit a nearly six-month high at $114 per barrel. As a result, the rupee also weakened and inched closer to the 95-to-a-dollar mark again and closed at 94.93.

At $43 billion, RBI’s net dollar purchase hits new high
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/at-43-billion-rbis-net-dollar-purchase-hits-new-high/articleshow/135155568.cms

India’s foreign exchange reserves fell by $5.01 billion to $721.02 billion in the week ended Oct 16, down $64.7 billion from their all-time high of $785.71 billion in the week ended Sept 4, as pressure on the rupee continued. Foreign currency assets, the largest component of reserves, declined by $5.76 billion during the latest week. The fall was partly offset by a $706 million increase in the value of gold reserves.

India seventh most targeted by cyberattacks: MS executive Nicholas Butts
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/india-seventh-most-targeted-by-cyberattacks-ms-executive-nicholas-butts/articleshow/135155567.cms

Butts cited Storm 3168, also called Jadepuffer, which he described as a China-based ransomware operation using AI agents against customers worldwide. He also pointed to Russian and Chinese state-sponsored actors deploying agents for espionage, including a group Microsoft tracks as Storm 0940. AI was also lowering the barriers for smaller criminal operations, he said.

From fuel price hikes to cost-of-living concerns, US consumer sentiment nears record low
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/international-business/from-fuel-price-hikes-to-cost-of-living-concerns-us-consumer-sentiment-nears-record-low/articleshow/135164123.cms