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BSE has cautioned investors against dealing in Elegant Floriculture & Agrotech India and Spright Agro scrips based on recommendations coming from unauthorized or unregistered entities through Whatsapp, Telegram, SMS, calls, social media platforms or by any other means.It said that investors should remain cautious against getting trapped through claims of high or assured returns from trading in the securities market.Elegant Floriculture & Agrotech India is a penny stock with market capitalization of Rs 16 crore on the BSE. The stock today ended at Rs 8.07, falling by Rs 0.42 or 4.95% over the Wednesday closing price. The stock today hit a 5% lower circuit of Rs 8.07. There was a spurt in its volumes by over 1.10 times in today's trade. In another media release, the exchange warned against certain entities that are allegedly engaged in unauthorized activities like investment/trading recommendations without research analyst registration.These entities are Vijay Wealth Advisor, Baadshah Badshah Broking, Baadshah Broking Baadshah, Pankaj Bhardwaj Way2laabh TM Pankaj Bhardwaj Way2laabh.All these entities are operating through their Telegram channels."Please note that these individuals/entities are neither registered as members nor as Authorized Person of any registered member of the BSE Limited. Further they are either providing securities market tips to investors or assured/guaranteed returns on investment in stock market or offering to handle trading accounts of investors by asking investors to share their Login ID/Password," the BSE release said.The investors can verify the registration of exchange intermediaries by visiting the BSE website.BSE has also advised investors to not share their trading credentials such as user ID/password with anyone for trading in their account/handling of the portfolio.The exchanges and market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) have been warning investors against participating in such types of prohibited schemes.The participation is at investors' own risk, cost and consequences as such schemes are neither approved nor endorsed by the exchanges.(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of Economic Times)

India on Thursday announced around USD 680 million special economic package for Mauritius and signed seven agreements to further expand bilateral ties in several critical sectors such as maritime security with Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserting that a free and secure Indian Ocean is a shared priority for both sides.Modi hosted his Mauritian counterpart Navinchandra Ramgoolam at his parliamentary constituency in Varanasi, in reflection of rich cultural links between India and Mauritius as he described the two countries as "not just partners but a family".In his media statement, Modi said India remains fully committed to strengthening the security of Mauritius's exclusive economic zone and that both sides will work towards enabling bilateral trade in local currencies following successful launch of UPI and RuPay cards in Mauritius.Under the special economic package, India will assist Mauritius implement at least 10 projects that include strengthening key infrastructure like port, airport, and roads and to set up new schools and hospitals."This package is not an assistance. It is an investment in our shared future," Modi said.The seven agreements will facilitate boosting cooperation in areas of education, power, hydrography and space research.The most important pact signed following the Modi-Ramgoolam talks appears to be the one on hydrography under which both sides will work together on joint surveys, navigation charts, and hydrographic data of the exclusive economic zones of Mauritius."India and Mauritius are two nations, but our dreams and destiny are one," Modi said.In his remarks to the media, the prime minister also congratulated Ramgoolam and the people of Mauritius on the conclusion of the Chagos agreement, describing it as a "historic victory" for the island nation's sovereignty."India has always supported decolonization and the full recognition of Mauritius's sovereignty. And in this, India has stood firmly with Mauritius," he said.In May, the United Kingdom decided to hand over the sovereignty of Chagos Islands including tropical atoll of Diego Garcia to Mauritius under a historic deal.The UK is giving up the rights of the islands after more than 50 years.Under the agreement, the UK will have full responsibility for security of strategically-located Diego Garcia.Ramgoolam, currently on a state visit to India from September 9 to 16, said India-Mauritius ties have entered into a dynamic and forward looking phase.Modi also referred to close cooperation between the two countries in the maritime sphere."India has always stood as the first responder and a net security provider in the Indian Ocean region. The refitting of the Mauritius Coast Guard ship is being undertaken in India. In addition, 120 of their officers are also being trained in India," he said."Today, an agreement has been concluded on cooperation in the field of hydrography. Over the next five years, we will work together on joint surveys, navigation charts, and hydrographic data of the EEZ," he said.Modi said Mauritius is a key part of India's Neighbourhood First policy and our Vision 'MAHASAGAR' (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Region).He unveiled the MAHASAGAR vision for India's engagement with the Global South during his visit to Mauritius in March.Modi also announced a decision to establish a new directorate of science and technology in Mauritius."Very soon, we will also launch the training modules of Mission Karmayogi in Mauritius." The Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, and the Indian Institute of Plantation Management have entered into agreements with the University of Mauritius, he said.These agreements will elevate our partnership in research, education, and innovation to new heights, he added.Modi also referred to cultural links between India and Mauritius."It is a matter of pride for me to welcome you to my parliamentary constituency. Kashi has always been a symbol of India's civilization and cultural heritage," he said."Centuries ago, our culture and traditions travelled from India to Mauritius, and became a part of everyday life there. Just like the eternal flow of Maa Ganga in Kashi, the continuous stream of Indian culture has enriched Mauritius," he said."And today, when we are welcoming friends from Mauritius in Kashi, it is not just a formality but a spiritual union. That is why I proudly say that India and Mauritius are not just partners but a family," he added.Modi reached his Lok Sabha constituency around 11:30 am and proceeded to Hotel Taj, where he met Ramgoolam for nearly two hours.Officials said while Modi left for Uttarakhand to take stock of the flood situation there, Ramgoolam will stay back in Varanasi.Ramgoolam's India visit began on September 9 and concludes on September 16.Earlier, amid the sound of drums and conch shells, Modi's convoy entered the city with BJP leaders, party workers and local residents lining up along the route to welcome him, chanting "Har Har Mahadev" and showering flower petals. Some people were also seen carrying Mauritius flags to mark the occasion.Following the bilateral talks, Modi left the hotel a little after 2 pm, travelled to the police lines - about two km away - and then took a chopper to the airport, before departing for Uttarakhand.Ramgoolam, who arrived in Varanasi on Wednesday, was received by Governor Patel and Finance Minister Suresh Khanna. He is scheduled to attend the Ganga 'aarti' this evening and visit the Kashi Vishwanath temple on Friday morning.The delegation will also be presented with a cultural programme, highlighting the historic ties between the two nations, District Magistrate Satyendra Kumar said.

U.S. consumer prices increased by the most in seven months in August amid higher costs for housing and food, but a surge in first-time applications for jobless benefits last week kept the Federal Reserve on track to cut interest rates next Wednesday.The larger-than-expected rise in the Consumer Price Index reported by the Labor Department on Thursday resulted in the biggest year-on-year increase in inflation since January. Higher inflation and softening labor market conditions fanned fears of stagflation, and pose a dilemma for the U.S. central bank, beyond Wednesday's anticipated rate decision.The broad increase in inflation partly reflected businesses passing on higher costs from President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs to consumers and a rebound in demand for travel. Tourist traffic to the U.S. tanked during the spring and early summer amid boycotts and the White House's immigration crackdown."Even though a September cut is a fait a compli, the future trend looks less certain," said Sung Won Sohn, a finance and economics professor at Loyola Marymount University."The interaction of rising inflation and softening employment creates a difficult policy dilemma for the Fed. Cutting rates too quickly risks embedding tariff-driven inflation, while delaying cuts risks amplifying unemployment."The CPI rose 0.4% last month, the biggest gain since January, after increasing 0.2% in July, the Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics said. The CPI was driven by a 0.4% jump in the cost of shelter. Food prices increased 0.5%, with prices at the supermarket soaring 0.6%.Fruit and vegetable prices increased 1.6% as tomatoes surged 4.5%, the biggest gain since January 2020. Apples and bananas were also more expensive. Beef prices rose 2.7% and increased 13.9% from a year ago. Coffee prices jumped 3.6% and were up 20.9% from a year ago. Tariffs likely accounted for some of these increases. Past droughts that decimated the national herd were also probably behind the higher beef prices.Labor shortages at farms as the Trump administration rounds up undocumented migrants for deportation were also adding to higher food prices, economists said. Gasoline prices rose 1.9%.In the 12 months through August, the CPI advanced 2.9%, the largest increase since January, after climbing 2.7% in July.Economists polled by Reuters had forecast consumer prices would rise 0.3% in August and increase 2.9% on a year-over-year basis.Financial markets have fully priced in a quarter-percentage-point reduction in rates next Wednesday, with the Fed expected to deliver two similar-sized additional cuts this year.The U.S. central bank, which tracks the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price indexes for its 2% inflation target, paused its easing cycle in January because of uncertainty over the inflationary impact of import duties.The pass-through from import duties has been gradual, but businesses have now depleted their pre-tariff inventories. Business surveys have for some time been signaling imminent price increases. Economists were divided on whether the pass-through from tariffs would be a one-off event or prolonged.Stocks on Wall Street rose. The dollar slipped against a basket of currencies. U.S. Treasury yields fell.THE INCREASE IN INFLATION WAS BROADExcluding the volatile food and energy components, the CPI rose 0.3% after a similar gain in July. The rise in the so-called core CPI inflation was broad. Core goods prices increased 0.3%, with tariff-exposed products like new motor vehicles, apparel and household furnishings and operations costing more.Used cars and trucks prices rose 1.0%. The cost of services increased 0.3% as airline fares soared 5.9%, and hotel and motel room prices surged 2.3%. Owners' equivalent rent rose 0.4%. In the 12 months through August, the core CPI inflation increased 3.1%, matching July's rise. Healthcare costs fell as a recent sharp rise in dental services reversed."We suspect the broadening cost burden from tariffs will keep the monthly pace of goods inflation elevated through early next year, but the spillover into services inflation should be limited by the weakness in the jobs market, choosier consumers and anchored inflation expectations," said Sarah House, a senior economist at Wells Fargo.Economists estimated that core PCE inflation increased 0.2% in August after rising 0.3% for two straight months, which would translate to an annual increase of 3.1%. That would be an acceleration from a 2.9% increase in July.The labor market's struggles were underscored by a separate report from the Labor Department showing initial claims for state unemployment benefits jumped 27,000 to a seasonally adjusted 263,000 for the week ended September 6, the highest level since October 2021.But the data could have been impacted by the Labor Day holiday. There was also an unexplained 15,304 surge in unadjusted applications in Texas. Economists speculated some people could have incorrectly filed regular claims for the state's Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) following the July floods that was extended to the end of September."The magnitude of the Texas spike looks similar to a natural disaster. One possibility is that it is related to the early July flooding in Texas," said Abiel Reinhart, an economist at J.P. Morgan. "DUA applications are not counted in the regular state jobless claims figures, but what is possible is that many people filed a normal claim by mistake."Still, labor market conditions have weakened. The number of people receiving benefits after an initial week of aid was unchanged at 1.939 million during the week ending August 30, the claims report showed.The government said this week that nonfarm payrolls could have been overstated by 911,000 jobs in the 12 months through March. That followed the release last Friday of the monthly employment report, which showed job growth almost stalled in August and the economy shed jobs in June for the first time in four and a half years amid tariff uncertainty."Even if the increase in initial claims overstates any renewed weakness in the labor market, claims have been drifting higher," said Nancy Vanden Houten, lead U.S. economist at Oxford Economics.

India’s home textile makers could be staring at a 5–10% decline in revenue this fiscal after the US imposed 50% tariffs on August 27, according to Crisil Ratings. With exports to the US contributing nearly three-fourths of the industry’s revenue, the blow is significant, but Crisil says it could be cushioned by a few mitigating factors.Crisil’s analysis of about 40 companies, which together account for 40–45% of the industry’s revenue, suggests that frontloaded sales before the tariffs kicked in, limited capacity of competing nations such as China, Pakistan, and Turkey, and diversification into new markets will soften the impact. Companies typically front-load orders to gain strategic advantages, most commonly to avoid rising costs and disruptions from expected tariffs, supply chain instability, or policy changes.“Home textiles are discretionary products, and their exports to the US grew a modest 2–3% in the first quarter as retailers remained cautious amid inflationary concerns. But prior to the implementation of higher tariffs from August 27, exports had spiked because of some frontloading of orders,” said Manish Gupta, Deputy Chief Rating Officer, Crisil Ratings. He added that India is likely to retain its competitive edge in the US market.Still, companies deriving more than half of their revenue from the US are expected to feel a sharper impact. To counter this, exporters are eyeing the European Union and the UK, which together made up about 13% of India’s home textile exports last fiscal. The recent FTA with the UK is expected to aid textile exporters by removing the 10–12% duty that had previously hurt them against competitors. The deal now gives India parity with Cambodia, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, which already enjoy duty-free access.However, scaling up in these new markets will take time, says Crisil. “Operating profitability on exports to the US may decline sharply over the remainder of this fiscal as Indian exporters absorb part of the higher tariffs and contend with weaker demand,” said Gautam Shahi, Director, Crisil Ratings. He warned that potential oversupply could also weigh on profitability in both overseas and domestic markets.Crisil expects industry-wide operating profitability to contract by 200–250 basis points this fiscal. This will drag cash accruals lower, weakening credit metrics. The interest coverage ratio is likely to drop to around 4 times from 5.4 times last fiscal, while the debt-to-Ebitda ratio could deteriorate to 2.4–2.6 times from 1.9 times. The pressure will be more acute for players heavily reliant on the US.Can the tide change?Stocks witnessed a sharp surge yesterday after Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s social media posts on September 10. Trump said the two nations continue to address trade barriers and voiced confidence in reaching a successful agreement. Prime Minister Modi also echoed the same optimism on X (formerly Twitter), saying, “I am confident that our trade negotiations will pave the way for unlocking the limitless potential of the India–US partnership.”Stock performanceGokaldas Exports, one of India’s leading exporters, has dropped over 30% year-to-date. The likes of Welspun Living, Pearl Global, Trident, Raymond Lifestyle, and Kitex Garments have fallen as much as 40% over the same period.(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times)

Watermelon rinds, greasy pizza boxes, and yard trimmings. In many cities, these items would head straight to a landfill. But in New York, they are the raw ingredients for something surprisingly valuable: "black gold." "We're making this awesome compost that we can use throughout the city and improve soil health," said Jennifer McDonnell, Deputy Commissioner for Solid Waste Management at the New York City Department of Sanitation. At the Staten Island Compost Facility, managed by Denali Water Solutions, landscaper waste has long been processed - but it now also handles residential organic waste. On an average day, the facility takes in 100 to 150 tons of organic material, going up to 250 tons when leaf fall is heavy. Upon arrival, the waste is shredded, screened, and transferred into aerated static pile bunkers where composting begins. The piles heat up to over 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8°C), hot enough to kill pathogens and weed seeds. Over the course of several weeks, fungi, bacteria, and insects break down the material. After curing and screening, the end product forms a dark, nutrient-rich compost. The city sells some to landscapers and distributes the rest free of charge to residents, schools, and community gardens. "We've given out, we think, almost 6 million pounds of compost to the residents of New York City this year," McDonnell said. The compost helps improve soil health, manage stormwater, and keep city greenspaces thriving. Nationwide, food scraps and yard waste are the largest share of household trash, according to the National Resources Defense Council. When sent to landfills, they generate methane, a potent greenhouse gas. "If we want to take a bite out of the climate crisis, we've got to get our food scraps out of landfills and into composting," said Eric Goldstein, New York City Environment Director at the council. The city's organics collection program requires all residents to separate food scraps, food-soiled paper, and yard waste from trash. While enforcement was paused earlier this year, it is expected to resume in 2026.

Trent, Tata Group’s retail star that delivered a staggering 640% return in five years, is losing steam. The stock is down nearly 40% from its record high of Rs 8,345, and Kotak Institutional Equities warns it could slip below Rs 5,000, maintaining its Reduce call.The brokerage has slashed its FY2026–28 earnings estimates by 3–7%, citing slower same-store sales growth (SSSG) and muted revenue prospects. Kotak said that while the recent GST cut on apparel in the Rs 1,000–2,500 price range is positive, it is unlikely to materially lift Trent’s near-term growth.Westside, which contributes around 35% of Trent's standalone revenues, will see some impact. However, the company is expected to pass on the benefit to consumers. Zudio, with merchandise largely below Rs 1,000, remains unaffected by the tax change, it said in a note on September 10.The report flagged concerns about store densification. Trent has been expanding aggressively in existing cities, a move that could cannibalise revenue at older stores and keep SSSG under pressure. The company has added only 20 stores in the first half of FY2026, lower than the 26 stores added in the same period last year. Trent’s revenue growth has also been slowing, with quarterly SSSG falling from double digits in early FY2025 to low single digits by 1QFY26. Correspondingly, year-on-year revenue growth has eased from over 50% in FY24 to 20% in the latest quarter. Kotak now models revenue to grow at a slightly slower pace, trimming forecasts by about 2% for FY2026–28.Also read: Patanjali Foods shares crash 67%! But that's just opticalThe company's margins, however, are expected to remain steady. The company has benefited from RFID implementation across its supply chain, which has led to significant employee cost savings and improved efficiency. Kotak expects Trent to fully realise these benefits in FY2026, although the margin upside may taper off beyond that.Kotak considers valuations to be expensive against its revised growth outlook. With risks from store cannibalisation and slowing revenue momentum, the brokerage believes the stock may fall below Rs 5,000 in the near term and maintain its Reduce stance with a fair value of Rs 4,900. The new price target implies a downside of 6% from the last close of Rs 5,193. Also read: Oracle shares surge: Oracle shares surge 43%, co-founder Ellison tops Musk as world's richestAt about 2:30 pm, shares of the company were trading at Rs 5,153, lower by almost a per cent. Trent shares have slipped 27% on a year-to-date basis.(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of the Economic Times)