Daily Strategic Briefing

MIT study reveals ChatGPT use significantly reduces brain activity

Summary: Researchers found AI users showed 32% less cognitive engagement and 83% couldn't recall their own essays minutes later., Description: According to a MIT study, using ChatGPT for writing tasks significantly reduces brain activity and learning, with researchers discovering that AI users showed the weakest neural connectivity compared to those using search engines or relying solely on their own thinking abilities.

Anti-government protests in Kenya leave 8 dead and 400 injured

Summary: Gen Z demonstrators filled streets across 23 counties demanding accountability, with police using live ammunition against crowds., Description: At least eight people have been killed and approximately 400 others injured during nationwide anti-government protests in Kenya marking the first anniversary of the 2024 "Youth Reawakening" demonstrations, according to reports from the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights and other monitoring groups, as thousands of predominantly Gen Z protesters filled streets across 23 counties demanding...

Interior Dept. fast-tracks offshore mineral permits

Summary: New policies extend exploration permits and streamline reviews as Trump administration seeks to reduce reliance on foreign mineral supplies., Description: The Interior Department announced sweeping policy changes Wednesday to accelerate offshore critical minerals development, streamlining permitting processes and extending exploration timeframes as the Trump administration pushes to reduce America's reliance on foreign mineral supplies. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement will implement the...

Mexico threatens SpaceX lawsuit over rocket debris

Summary: President Sheinbaum says officials are studying which international laws were violated after debris scattered along Mexico's coastline., Description: Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum threatened legal action against SpaceX on Wednesday over rocket debris and contamination affecting her country's coastline, escalating tensions between Mexico and Elon Musk's space company. The announcement marks the latest diplomatic friction between the two nations over cross-border environmental impacts from private space launches. "There is indeed...

House Republicans subpoena ActBlue execs over 2024 donation probe

Summary: Republicans escalated their investigation after executives declined voluntary testimony about alleged fraudulent donations from foreign sources during 2024., Description: House Republicans have escalated their investigation into ActBlue by issuing subpoenas to two senior employees, including former Vice President of Customer Service Alyssa Twomey, after they declined voluntary testimony regarding allegations that the Democratic fundraising platform accepted fraudulent donations, potentially from foreign sources, during the 2024 election cycle.

Trump Org explored Tel Aviv hotel deal before missile strike

Summary: Eric Trump discussed branding agreement for luxury tower in Sarona district weeks before Iranian missiles hit the upscale neighborhood., Description: The Trump Organization was exploring a luxury hotel management deal in Tel Aviv's Sarona district just weeks before Iranian missiles struck the upscale neighborhood during the recent 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran, according to reports and company statements. Eric Trump, who runs the family business, had discussed a potential branding and management agreement for what would become Tel...

Wisconsin Supreme Court limits Governor Tony Evers' veto powers

Summary: The unanimous ruling struck down Tony Evers' partial veto of a literacy bill and affirmed legislative control over emergency funding., Description: The Wisconsin Supreme Court has unanimously curtailed Governor Tony Evers' expansive veto powers, striking down his partial veto of a Republican literacy bill and affirming the Legislature's authority to place program funding into an emergency fund controlled by its budget committee, marking a significant shift in the court's approach to executive power that had stood for nearly a century.

India's economy hits 7.4% growth in final quarter

Summary: Construction boom and government spending drove the surge, though full-year growth slowed to a four-year low of 6.5%., Description: India's economy accelerated to a four-quarter high of 7.4 percent growth in the final three months of fiscal year 2025, surpassing the Reserve Bank of India's forecast of 7.2 percent, according to data released by the National Statistics Office in May. The robust quarterly performance provided a bright finish to a year that otherwise marked India's slowest economic expansion since the pandemic,...

ACIP holds first meeting with new panel appointed by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Summary: The reconstituted committee will examine cumulative effects of childhood vaccines and review shots not evaluated in seven years., Description: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's vaccine advisory committee held its first meeting on Wednesday since Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. dismissed all previous members and appointed his own hand-selected panel, with the new chair announcing plans to study the childhood immunization schedule and review vaccines that haven't been examined for over seven years.

Nvidia nears record high as AI rally adds $1 trillion

Summary: Loop Capital raised its price target to $250, citing expectations that AI compute markets could justify a $6 trillion market cap., Description: Nvidia shares climbed Wednesday, inching closer to a record high as the artificial intelligence chipmaker extended a rally that has added roughly $1 trillion in market value since April. The stock rose nearly 1% in premarket trading, targeting its record closing price of $149.43 set in January. The advance follows a 2.6% jump Tuesday that brought shares to $147.90, their highest level since the...

Meta’s recruiting blitz claims three OpenAI researchers

Summary:

In the fight for top AI talent, Meta just reportedly snagged a win, poaching three OpenAI researchers despite rival Sam Altman’s public mockery of Mark Zuckerberg’s lavish hiring tactics. The latest victory in Zuckerberg’s widely-reported recruiting blitz: Lucas Beyer, Alexander Kolesnikov, and Xiaohua Zhai – who established OpenAI’s Zurich office – have joined Meta’s superintelligence […]

Federal judge sides with Meta in lawsuit over training AI models on copyrighted books

Summary:

A federal judge sided with Meta on Wednesday in a lawsuit brought against the company by 13 book authors, including Sarah Silverman, that alleged the company had illegally trained its AI models on their copyrighted works.

Sam Altman comes out swinging at The New York Times

Summary:

From the moment OpenAI CEO Sam Altman stepped onstage, it was clear this was not going to be a normal interview.

Creative Commons debuts CC signals, a framework for an open AI ecosystem

Summary:

CC signals will allow dataset holders to detail how their content can or cannot be reused by machines, as in the case of training AI models.

Rubrik acquires Predibase to accelerate adoption of AI agents

Summary:

Predibase helps companies train and fine-tune open source AI models, which will help Rubrik customers deploy AI agents faster.

Energy Commodities Updates: Natural Gas UK GBP Falls by 1.64%

Country: Commodity, Description: Top commodity losers are Natural Gas UK GBP (-1.64%) and Natural Gas EU Dutch TTF (-1.40%). Gains are led by Brent Crude Oil (0.30%) and Crude Oil WTI (0.29%).

FTSE 100 Little Changed on Thursday

Country: United Kingdom, Description: The FTSE 100 hovered near the flatline on Thursday as investors remained focused on geopolitical and defense developments. Markets monitored the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Iran, along with NATO’s decision to raise its defense spending target from 2% to 5% of GDP by 2035. In corporate news, Shell stated it has no immediate plans to bid for BP, following a Wall Street Journal report of potential takeover talks. Shell shares were flat, while BP slipped 0.5%. Other major stocks like AstraZeneca, HSBC, and Unilever also declined between 0.5% and 1%. On the upside, defense firm BAE Systems gained 1.5% amid optimism over higher military spending. Gold miners Fresnillo and Endeavour rose 2.2% and 1.5%, respectively, as gold prices advanced. Base metal miners Anglo American, Antofagasta, and Rio Tinto also advanced between 1.2% and 1.7% on rising commodity prices.

DAX on Higher Note

Country: Germany, Description: Germany’s DAX index advanced 0.5% on Thursday, surpassing the 23,600 threshold and outperforming its European counterparts. Investor focus remained on the ceasefire developments between Israel and Iran and NATO’s pledge to raise defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2035. German plans for record-breaking public investment also supported sentiment. In domestic economic news, the GfK Consumer Climate Indicator slipped from -19.9 in June to -20.3 in July, signaling weaker sentiment that could weigh on household spending. On the corporate front, defense stocks advanced firmly, with Rheinmetall and Hensoldt rising more than 2%, while Renk added 1.8%. Banks, techs and auto companies also posted solid gains.

Sweden Business Sentiment Hits 8-Month Low

Country: Sweden, Description: Sweden’s business confidence dropped to 94.8 in June 2025 from a downwardly revised 98.4 in May, signaling a weaker-than-normal sentiment among businesses. This marked the lowest reading since last October, with confidence falling across all sectors, most notably in trade. Companies’ demand outlook deteriorated (-31 vs -27 in May) and remains weaker-than-normal, especially in the retail sector, where many report poor current sales situation. Additionally, While hiring plans weakened slightly (-1 vs 1), pointing to a stable workforce over the next three months, employee numbers declined over the past quarter (-6 vs -3). Meanwhile, sales prices are expected to rise less than in May (14 vs 20), with increases in service and trade but declines in manufacturing, especially motor vehicles, and construction.

Stocks in United Kingdom Hit 4-week Low

Country: United Kingdom, Description: GB100 decreased to a 4-week low of 8714.00 Index Points. Over the past 4 weeks, United Kingdom Stock Market Index (GB100) lost 0.72%, and in the last 12 months, it increased 6.54%.

European Stocks Cautiously Higher

Country: Euro Area, Description: Both the STOXX 50 and the STOXX 600 gained 0.3% on Thursday, attempting to reverse losses from the previous session, with traders continuing to follow the situation in the Middle East while digesting fresh corporate news. Shares of H&M jumped more than 7% after the company reported weaker-than-expected sales in the fiscal second quarter but pointed to an uptick in demand to kick-start the summer season. Shell (0.2%) and BP (0.1%) were slightly higher after the former said that it has “no intention” of making an offer for the latter. Stellantis on the other hand, was down nearly 0.9%, with the company starting to review its long-term strategic plan. Meanwhile, NATO’s decision to raise defense spending targets from 2% to 5% of GDP by 2035 fueled a rally in European defense stocks, including Rheinmetall (1.4%) and BAE Systems (1.4%). On the data front, the Germany’s GfK Consumer Climate Indicator edged down slightly in July.

Australian Stocks End Lower

Country: Australia, Description: The S&P/ASX 200 edged down 0.1% to close at 8,551 on Thursday, after pausing in the previous session, weighed by tech losses after software giant Xero fell on a discounted capital raise to fund its Melio Payments acquisition. Technology stocks dropped 2.1% to a three-week low, led by a 5.3% slide in Xero after it resumed trading following its $3 billion Melio Payments deal, funded by a discounted A$1.85 billion capital raise. Broader sector moves were mixed, with industrials down 0.4%, real estate off 0.7%, and financials flat after recent highs. Conversely, miners rose 0.1% on firmer copper prices, and healthcare gained 0.4%. On the geopolitical front, sentiment improved as the fragile Israel–Iran ceasefire appeared to hold, with traders focused on upcoming US–Iran nuclear talks and a looming reciprocal tariff deadline. Attention also turns to May retail sales data due next week, which could reinforce concerns over Australia’s growth outlook and support the case for a July rate cut.

China Stocks Dip After 3-Day Rally

Country: China, Description: The Shanghai Composite fell 0.22% to close at 3,448 while the Shenzhen Component indexes lost 0.48% to 10,343 on Thursday, ending a three-day winning streak as investors weighed geopolitical developments and domestic policy signals. Sentiment was dampened by lingering uncertainty around China’s policy direction, despite Premier Li Qiang’s reassurances that Beijing is “strengthening macro policies, actively expanding domestic demand, and forcefully boosting consumption” to support economic growth. Investors are now turning their attention to the upcoming July Politburo meeting for more concrete stimulus signals. Geopolitical tensions also remained in focus, though risks appeared to ease as the Iran-Israel ceasefire held and US-Iran talks were reportedly planned for next week—helping to stabilize expectations around global oil supply. Among notable decliners were East Money (-3.6%), Gotion High-Tech (-1.9%), BYD Company (-3.4%), Guotai Holdings (-4.3%), and Hithink Royalflush (-3%).

Sweden Consumer Confidence Improves in June

Country: Sweden, Description: Sweden’s consumer confidence indicator rose to 84.6 in June 2025 from an upwardly revised 83.6 in May. This marks the highest reading in three months, as consumers became slightly less pessimistic about the economy over the past twelve months (-2.6 vs -3.1) and the next twelve months (-1.5 vs -2.4). Meanwhile, views on current household finances became slightly more negative (-3.6 vs -3.4), while expectations for the year ahead remained unchanged (-3.5). Attitudes toward major purchases over the next twelve months also held steady (-4.1). Households continue to expect unemployment to rise more than usual over the coming year, with a slightly elevated perceived risk of personal job loss. Inflation expectations for the year ahead fell to 8.6% in June from 8.9% in May, though current inflation is still perceived at 15.7%.

Indonesia Working on New e-Commerce Tax Rule

Country: Indonesia, Description: Indonesia is preparing new regulations requiring e-commerce platforms to collect and remit sellers’ sales income tax in a bid to tackle the shadow economy, Reuters reported. The regulation will mandate online marketplaces to withhold and remit a 0.5% income tax from sellers with annual revenues between Rp500 million (USD 30,000) and Rp4.8 billion. This tax initiative, initially postponed, is now scheduled for implementation in July 2025. “The government aims to ensure a level playing field between online merchants and brick-and-mortar retailers,” a source told Reuters on Tuesday, June 24, 2025. This development comes as Indonesia’s state revenue faces pressure. The Ministry of Finance reported that from January to May 2025, government revenue fell 11.4% year-on-year to Rp995.3 trillion, primarily due to weak commodity prices and sluggish economic growth.

Battery Smart raises $21M in ongoing Series B funding round

The battery swapping operator raised $65 million in June last year led by LeapFrog Investments with participation from Blume Ventures and British International Investment, among others.

NRI-focused fintech Aspora closes $53M round to broaden reach

The fresh capital will support Aspora’s push into new markets, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and Singapore.

EV startup Okinawa receives a shot in the arm, raises Rs 60 Cr

The fundraise comes as the company looks to navigate funding troubles, thinning market share, and plunging revenues after being sent notices by the government for misusing subsidies given to EV-makers.

B2B maintenance services startup CLR Facility Services bags $15M from BII to expand workforce

With this capital infusion, CLR plans to more than double its workforce to 50,000 employees over the next five to seven years.

Mahaveer Finance bags Rs 200 Cr from Elevation Capital, BanyanTree, First Bridge

The company will use the funding to deepen its presence across South India, expand its technology infrastructure, and improve access to formal credit for small entrepreneurs currently reliant on informal moneylenders.

Fine jewellery brand GIVA raises Rs 530 Cr in Series C funding led by Creaegis

GIVA will use the capital to scale its retail and digital footprint, enhance tech-enabled supply chain capabilities, deepen its offerings in lab-grown diamond jewellery, and expand into new categories.

Flipspaces raises Rs 50 Cr from Asiana Fund to expand global footprint

Flipspaces also aims to invest in its proprietary technology platform and explore strategic acquisitions in new markets and adjacent categories.

Oben Electric closes Rs 100 Cr Series A round with fresh capital infusion

The company said the funding will be used for Oben’s next growth phase—expanding to 150+ showrooms across 50+ cities by FY26 and ramping up production at its Bengaluru facility.

JIIF invests in Rs 350 Cr consumer-focused fund by Atomic Capital

In FY 2024–25, JIIF investors deployed over Rs 60 crore across 20+ startups spanning fintech, healthtech, AI, logistics, and consumer sectors.

EKA Mobility raises Rs 200 Cr from ENAM Holdings

The company intends to use majority of the funds to set up its plants, ramp up production of its passenger and goods carrier vehicles, and expand its product portfolio over the next two years.

HDFC Bank, Grasim Hit Record Highs

HDFC Bank, HDFC Life, Grasim hit record highs on Thursday. Max Health, Bharti Airtel, AU Small Finance also reached new highs intra-day. Source: Business Standard

Vodafone Idea Eyes $2.9B Revival to Tackle Market Duopoly

Vodafone Idea plans a $2.9B comeback, aiming to challenge market duopoly. Starlink's telecom entry may spark competition with Vodafone Idea. Source: ScoutQuest

IFB Insider Sells 9,400 Shares in Open Market

IFB Industries' designated person sold 9,400 shares, 0.0232% of total holding. Prior holding was 11,400 shares (0.0281%). Sale occurred on NSE/BSE open market. Source: ScoutQuest

Intellect Design Unveils PF Cloud with AI at GIFT City

Intellect Design Arena launched PF Cloud with Purple Fabric AI at GIFT City. Platform enables enterprise-grade AI adoption with global fintech compliance. Source: ScoutQuest

Nidhi Granites Sets AGM for July 22, Revenue Hits ₹45.3 Cr

Nidhi Granites Ltd will hold its 43rd AGM on July 22, 2025, via virtual mode to discuss financials and reappoint Mr. Darpan Shah as Director. Company's FY2025 consolidated revenue rose to Rs 4527.8 lakh; bonus shares increased paid-up capital to Rs 8 crore. Source: BSE

Kotak Downgrades United Spirits on Maharashtra Excise Duty Hike

Kotak turns bearish on United Spirits after Maharashtra's excise duty hike. FY26-28 EPS estimates are cut following the regulatory change. Source: ScoutQuest

Veer Global Signs Land Deal, 48% Area Allotted to Owner

Veer Global signed a Joint Development Agreement on 20th June 2025 for land development. 48% of constructed area, 3032.17 sqm, allotted as flats to the landowner. Source: ScoutQuest

FACT Falls 4.4% to ₹991.55; Lags Sector

FACT dropped 4.4%, underperforming its sector by 3.5%, reaching Rs 991.55 intraday low. FACT shows mixed moving averages; Sensex gained 0.6%, nearing its 52-week high at 83,266.31. Source: Marketsmojo

Epsom Properties Drops 4.1% This Week, Trails Sensex Gains

Epsom Properties faces selling pressure with consecutive losses; stock declined 4.1% this week vs Sensex's 2.1% gain. Despite 15.2% YTD rise, it lags Sensex in 3-month and 5-year gains, reflecting erratic trading patterns. Source: Marketsmojo

Abbott India Hits ₹32,775, Up 3.4% on Strong Momentum

Abbott India hits all-time high of Rs. 32,775, gaining 3.4% today with strong upward momentum. The stock outperformed Sensex across all time frames, delivering 81.6% 3-year gains vs. Sensex's 57.4%. Source: Marketsmojo