Gajendran Mayandithevar

US President Donald Trump made a surprise audio call during the US Embassy's 250th Independence Day celebrations in Delhi, expressing his admiration for PM Modi and calling him "great" and "my friend." Trump emphasized the close US-India relationship, stating India can count on the US "100%" and that the two nations have "never been closer".

US is finding out it needs India. That’s why Rubio is here. India should play its cards well, and leverage strategic complementarities, especially to balance China. Washington too knows the math doesn’t work minus New Delhi

Emerging US-Iran deal details spark alarm among hawkish Republicans, who expected Iranian collapse. Instead, Iran appears strategically intact, having demonstrated leverage by disrupting the Strait of Hormuz and surviving US-Israel military pressure. This outcome has exposed fractures within Trump's coalition and emboldened Tehran's negotiating stance.

The exuberance of Indian investors has pushed valuations so high that MNCs as well as PE/VC funds are seizing the opportunity to exit

Mark Zuckerberg's goodbye memo to 8,000 fired Meta employees on May 20 doubled as a message to the 70,000 staff still standing. The Meta CEO made two promises: no further company-wide layoffs in 2026, and better communication after weeks of internal anxiety. The memo lands as Meta funnels $125-145 billion into AI infrastructure, shifts 7,000 staff to AI projects, and cancels 6,000 open roles.

Gold prices are expected to remain steady this week, influenced by US-Iran talks and upcoming US economic data. Silver, however, may continue to outperform due to geopolitical tensions and high crude oil prices. Investors await signals on the Federal Reserve's next policy move amidst shifting statements from Washington and Tehran.