India-New Zealand FTA to create new opportunities for exporters

NEW DELHI: The India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is set to ease mobility for Indian students and skilled professionals, while opening up fresh opportunities for exporters, manufacturers and service providers in a deal that is expected to widen New Delhi’s influence in the Indo-Pacific region. .The agreement removes numerical caps on Indian students in…

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India–New Zealand FTA decoded: Why the deal is more about services, jobs and mobility than trade volumes-GTRI explains

India and New Zealand have concluded negotiations on a free-trade agreement, but its immediate impact on merchandise trade is likely to be limited given bilateral flows of just $2.1 billion in FY2025, according to a Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) analysis.The agreement, finalised on December 22 following a phone call between Prime Minister Narendra Modi…

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Christmas Day 2025 shopping: Need last-minute essentials; here’s which US stores are open or closed on December 25

With most major retailers across the US either closing early on Christmas Eve or remaining shut for the entire Christmas Day, shoppers planning last-minute errands are being advised to check store timings carefully before stepping out.According to an AP report, operating hours can vary widely by location, with some chains opting for limited or modified…

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Santa Claus rally: Small and midcaps lead December gains; here’s what the numbers say

As Indian equities head into the final trading sessions of the year, the familiar question around the Santa Claus rally has resurfaced, with historical data and recent market signals pointing towards smaller stocks once again stealing the spotlight.Data from SAMCO Securities shows that smallcap stocks have delivered the strongest performance during the Santa Claus period…

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US markets today: Wall Street opens higher in holiday-shortened week; S&P 500 nears record

US stock markets opened the holiday-shortened week on a positive note on Monday, with major indices posting modest gains amid light trading volumes and heightened moves in commodities.The S&P 500 rose 0.4% in early trade, hovering just below the all-time high it set earlier this month. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 170 points,…

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Railway stocks rebound: IRCTC and Jupiter Wagons lead gains; Budget capex hopes lift stocks

Shares of several railway-linked companies surged in afternoon trade on December 22, as stock-specific triggers and rising pre-Budget expectations sparked fresh buying interest across the sector.Jupiter Wagons, IRCTC, RailTel and RVNL were among the top gainers, with some stocks rising as much as 15%, according to an ET report. The rally comes just over a…

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India-New Zealand FTA: Pact allows dairy processing for re-export; Piyush Goyal rules out market opening

The concluded India–New Zealand free trade agreement includes a tightly ring-fenced investment arrangement that will allow New Zealand firms to process dairy inputs in India exclusively for re-export, while keeping India’s domestic dairy market fully protected, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Monday, PTI reported.Under the arrangement, firms from New Zealand can bring…

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Worldwide US alert: Embassy offers pointers to H-1B, H-4 visa applicants amid social media checks; what has changed

As the US kicks off screening of social media, US embassy in India issued a worldwide alert for all H-1B and H-4 visa applicants. It called on the applicants to expect longer processing time, so to apply accordingly.“Beginning December 15, the Department of State expanded online presence reviews to ALL H-1B and H-4 applicants as…

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