Daily Strategic Briefing

All IT work to involve AI by 2030, says Gartner, but jobs are safe

Analyst firm doesn’t rate OpenAI as an enterprise-ready vendor All work in IT departments will be done with the help of AI by 2030, according to analyst firm Gartner, which thinks massive job losses won’t result.…

Microsoft, Linode, warn of cloud latency spikes due to Middle East submarine cable problems

PLUS: Lenovo to sell bonkers clip-on-screen; AWS NZ rumblings; Google helps catch South Korean phish Asia In Brief  Microsoft has warned that customers of its Azure cloud may experience heightened latency due to a submarine cable outage in the Red Sea.…

Snake eating tail: Google’s AI Overviews cites web pages written by AI, study says

Researchers also found that more than half of citations didn’t rank in top 100 for term Welcome to the age of ouroboros. Google’s AI Overviews (AIOs), which now often appear at the top of organic search results, are drawing around 10 percent of their sources from documents written by ... other AIs, according to a recent report.…

After nearly half a century in deep space, every ping from Voyager 1 is a bonus

Powered by plutonium, running on pure stubbornness It is almost half a century since Voyager 1 was launched from Cape Canaveral in Florida on a mission to study Jupiter, Saturn, and the atmosphere of Titan. It continues to send data back to Earth.…

As Xi and Putin chase immortality, let's talk about digital presidents-for-life

And maybe even dictator Brain-in-a-box-as-a-Service Opinion  China's President Xi Jinping and Russia's Vladimir Putin were this week reportedly overheard chatting about the possibility that organ transplants might help them achieve immortality.…

Koah raises $5M to bring ads into AI apps

Summary:

One investor says Koah is “building the essential monetization layer for consumer AI.”

What is Mistral AI? Everything to know about the OpenAI competitor

Summary:

Mistral AI, the French company behind AI assistant Le Chat and several foundational models, is officially regarded as one of France’s most promising tech startups and is arguably the only European company that could compete with OpenAI. It is reportedly in the process of raising another round that would value it at $14 billion, up […]

Why is an Amazon-backed AI startup making Orson Welles fan fiction?

Summary:

This is a bad idea.

OpenAI reorganizes research team behind ChatGPT’s personality

Summary:

OpenAI is shuffling the team that shapes its AI models’ behavior, and its leader is moving on to another project within the company.

Screw the money — Anthropic’s $1.5B copyright settlement sucks for writers

Summary:

Writers aren’t getting this settlement because their work was fed to an AI — this is just a costly slap on the wrist for Anthropic because it illegally downloaded books instead of buying them.

PlatinumRx is betting on generic substitutes to cut India’s soaring medicine bills

The Bengaluru-based online pharmacy, which has raised $6 million funding led by Stellaris Venture Partners, wants to break India’s branded generics cartel with cheaper, vetted substitutes for chronic care patients.

StockGro raises Rs 50 Cr in venture debt from Trifecta Capital funds

The funding comes as StockGro expands its product suite. Last month, the Bengaluru startup launched Stoxo, billed as an AI-powered stock market research engine for retail traders and investors.

FirstClub secures $23M to push quality-first quick commerce platform

Backed by Accel and RTP Global, FirstClub is betting that India’s quick commerce boom will shift from speed to standards, with families paying more for quality everyday essentials.

Reveal HealthTech raises $7.2M to push AI deeper into US healthcare

Reveal plans to use fresh capital to scale platforms like BioCanvas and strengthen US market push.

[Weekly funding roundup Aug 29-Sept 5] VC inflow shows a modest increase

The month of September has not exactly started on a bright note for the Indian startup ecosystem, as venture capital funding continues to remain at a modest level.

JK Lakshmi Cement Delivers 274% TSR in 5 Years, Outpaces EPS Growth

JK Lakshmi Cement delivered a 274% TSR in 5 years, outperforming EPS growth. Recent 12% gain in 3 months shows positive momentum; dividends boosted TSR. Source: Simply Wall Street

Amines & Plasticizers Ex-Dividend on Sept 12, Offers ₹0.50/Share

Amines & Plasticizers will trade ex-dividend on Sept 12, offering a dividend of ₹0.50/share, yielding 0.2% at ₹228.39/share. EPS grew 10% annually over 5 years, with a low 6.7% profit payout, signaling sustainable dividends and reinvestment potential. Source: Simply Wall Street

BEPL to Go Ex-Dividend on Sept 12, ₹1/Share Yielding 3.8%

Bhansali Engineering Polymers (BEPL) will go ex-dividend on Sept 12 for a dividend of ₹1/share, yielding 3.8%. BEPL's EPS grew 21% annually over 5 years, but high cash flow payout raises dividend sustainability concerns. Source: Simply Wall Street

Caplin Point Ex-Dividend Sep 12, ₹3 Payout

Caplin Point Labs to trade ex-dividend on Sep 12; dividend of ₹3/share payable Oct 21. The company shows strong earnings growth (21% CAGR) and a low payout ratio (8.5%). Source: Simply Wall Street

SAIL Gains 3% as Metal Stocks Rally

SAIL stock surged over 3% as metal stocks rallied. The rise followed a positive brokerage report on the sector. Source: ScoutQuest

Indonesia Forex Reserves Hit 9-Month Low

Country: Indonesia, Description: Indonesia’s foreign exchange reserves declined to a nine-month low of USD 150.7 billion in August 2025, from USD 152 billion in July. Despite the drop, the reserves remain at a solid level, buoyed by the government’s external debt repayments and Bank Indonesia’s proactive rupiah stabilization measures amid ongoing global financial market volatility. The current reserve position is sufficient to cover 6.3 months of imports, or 6.1 months when combined with servicing the government's external debt—well above the international adequacy benchmark of around 3 months of imports. Bank Indonesia maintains that the current level of foreign exchange reserves is more than adequate to safeguard external sector resilience, while also reinforcing macroeconomic and financial system stability. Looking ahead, Bank Indonesia remains confident in reserve adequacy, supported by strong export performance, continued surpluses in the capital and financial accounts, and sustained positive investor sentiment.

China Export Growth at 6-Month Low

Country: China, Description: Exports from China grew by 4.4% year-on-year to USD 321.8 billion in August 2025, falling short of expectations for a 5% increase and slowing from a 7.2% gain in July. This marked the softest pace of outbound shipments since February, weighed down by a temporary easing of tariff pressures and waning demand from its top consumer market. On August 11, China agreed to extend its tariff truce with the United States for 90 days, locking in place U.S. tariffs of 30% on Chinese imports and Chinese duties of 10% on US goods. For the first eight months of 2025, China’s exports climbed by 5.9% yoy, totaling USD 2.45 trillion. During the period, shipments rose to Japan (4.7%), Australia (3.4%), India (12.8%), the UK (8.2%), Canada (6.4%), Latin America (5.8%), the ASEAN countries (14.6%), and the EU (7.5%). Conversely, exports dropped to the US (-15.5%).

China Trade Surplus Beats Estimates

Country: China, Description: China’s trade surplus came in at USD 102.33 billion in August 2025, surpassing market expectations of USD 99.2 billion and higher than the USD 91.29 billion recorded in the same month a year earlier, as exports continued to outpace imports. Exports grew 4.4% year-on-year, falling short of forecasts for a 5% increase and easing from a 7.2% rise in July, as a temporary boost from Beijing's tariff truce faded. Meanwhile, imports rose by 1.2%, below expectations of a 3% increase, and slowing from a 4.1% gain in July, as a persistent property sector downturn, rising job insecurity, and the tapering of consumer-focused stimulus kept domestic demand subdued. China’s trade surplus with the US declined to USD 20.32 billion in August, down from USD 23.74 billion in July. For the first eight months of 2025, China registered a total trade surplus of USD 785.3 trillion, with exports up 5.9% year-on-year, while imports fell by 2.2% compared to the same period in 2024.

China Import Growth Below Forecasts

Country: China, Description: China’s imports rose 1.3% yoy to USD 219.4 billion in August 2025, marking the third month of increase but missing market estimates of 3.0%. The pace also slowed from July’s 4.1% rise, the fastest pace in a year, as softer domestic demand and the impact of U.S. tariffs weighed on trade momentum. China and the U.S. on August 11 agreed to extend a tariff truce for another 90 days, locking in place U.S. levies of 30% on Chinese imports and 10% Chinese duties on U.S. goods. While the move eased fears of escalation, high tariffs continued to dampen trade flows and business mood. Economists said imports were also pressured by sluggish industrial activity, weak consumer demand, high youth unemployment, and a struggling property sector. Analysts expect subdued growth ahead without stronger domestic stimulus or progress in U.S.-China talks. Year-to-date, imports fell 2.2% to USD 1.66 trillion, with falls from the U.S. (-11.0%), the EU (-4.8%), Russia (-9.1%), and the ASEAN countries (-0.3%).

South Korean Won Holds Firm on US Jobs Data, Trade Talks

Country: South Korea, Description: The South Korean won hovered near 1,386 per dollar on Monday, holding gains from the previous session after the greenback eased on weaker US labor data. Figures for August showed that US job creation came in below expectations, adding to signs of cooling momentum in the world’s largest economy and reinforcing bets for imminent Federal Reserve rate cuts. Domestically, Seoul’s trade minister highlighted plans to continue follow-up negotiations with the US to safeguard national interests, seeking to minimize the impact of American tariffs on Korean firms under a still-unsettled bilateral framework. Looking ahead, sentiment also turned cautious before key US inflation releases later this week, which are set to guide expectations over the Federal Reserve’s rate path and broader dollar direction.

China's export growth hits six-month low amid trade woes

Summary: Exports rose just 4.4% in August as manufacturers scaled back shipments due to ongoing U.S.-China trade uncertainties., Description: China's export growth slowed to its weakest pace in six months during August, as a temporary tariff truce with the United States began to lose its effect and manufacturers scaled back shipments amid ongoing trade uncertainties. Official data released Monday by China's General Administration of Customs showed exports rose 4.4% year-over-year in dollar terms during August, falling short of the...

Trump backs deportation but wants foreign experts to train Americans

Summary: The president defended ICE's raid on a Georgia battery plant while acknowledging America needs skilled foreign workers to fill manufacturing gaps., Description: President Donald Trump expressed support for the deportation of South Korean workers from a Georgia battery plant while simultaneously calling for a pathway to legally bring foreign experts to train American workers, highlighting the tension between his immigration enforcement and manufacturing priorities. The president's remarks came after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents...

Red Sea cable cuts disrupt internet across Asia, Middle East

Summary: Multiple undersea cables near Saudi Arabia were severed, causing slower connections for millions in waters where Houthis have attacked ships., Description: Undersea cable cuts in the Red Sea disrupted internet access across parts of Asia and the Middle East on Saturday, affecting millions of users and raising fresh concerns about the vulnerability of critical global infrastructure amid ongoing tensions in the region. The cause of the incident remained unclear, though the disruptions occurred in waters where Iran-backed Houthis have been conducting...

US readies new Russia oil sanctions with EU backing

Summary: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says secondary tariffs on Russian oil buyers could force Putin to negotiate if Europe coordinates., Description: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent outlined new economic pressure tactics against Russia on Sunday, signaling potential coordinated action with European allies following Russia's largest aerial assault on Ukraine since the war began. In an interview on NBC's "Meet the Press," Bessent said the United States is prepared to impose additional "secondary tariffs" on countries purchasing Russian oil,...

Alcaraz beats Sinner to claim second US Open title

Summary: The 22-year-old Spaniard defeated the world No. 1 in four sets to reclaim the top ranking and earn his sixth Grand Slam., Description: Carlos Alcaraz captured his second US Open title on Sunday, defeating world No. 1 Jannik Sinner 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 in a thrilling four-set match at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The victory earned the 22-year-old Spaniard $5 million in prize money and returned him to the world No. 1 ranking for the first time since September 2023. The match marked the third consecutive Grand Slam final between the...