Daily Strategic Briefing

India’s IT minister moves to Zoho’s spreadsheet and word processor, urges 1.4 billion people to do likewise

Watch out, Microsoft and Google India’s minister for information technology yesterday said he’s dumping his current word processor, spreadsheet, and presentation graphics packages, will adopt the locally made alternatives from Zoho instead, and urged India’s 1.4 billion residents to do likewise.…

OpenAI's Stargate project to pave the world with AI datacenters announces five new US locations

In Texas, New Mexico, and the Midwest The Stargate project, the OpenAI-led plan to cover the world with datacenters, has announced plans to construct five new bit barns in the US.…

Boffins fool a self-driving car by putting mirrors on traffic cones

21st century tech confused by $100 of shiny stuff Mirrors can fool the Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) sensors used to guide autonomous vehicles by making them detect objects that don’t exist, or failing to detect actual obstacles.…

Feds put finger on H-1B lottery scale to favor higher earners

The higher the wage level, the more entries they'll get in the draw The H-1B lottery in the US is being tipped heavily in favor of high-wage earners under a long-awaited rule proposal unveiled on Tuesday.…

Nearly half of businesses suffered deepfaked phone calls against staff

AI attacks on the rise A survey of cybersecurity bosses has shown that 62 percent reported attacks on their staff using AI over the last year, either by the use of prompt injection attacks or faking out their systems using phony audio or video generated by AI.…

OpenAI is building five new Stargate data centers with Oracle and SoftBank

Summary:

OpenAI is continuing to build out massive AI data centers to train and serve increasingly powerful AI models.

Google’s AI Mode arrives in Spanish globally

Summary:

Google’s AI Mode is now available to Spanish-speaking users worldwide.

Google Cloud’s COO isn’t stressed about landing the AI giants

Summary:

This week on StrictlyVC Download, TechCrunch Editor-in-Chief Connie Loizos is joined by Francis deSouza, the renowned entrepreneur, operator, and, since January, COO of Google Cloud. They discuss his goals for Google Cloud and how the company maintains its competitive position by focusing on startups while giants like AWS and Oracle snap up major deals with […]

Scott Wiener on his fight to make Big Tech disclose AI’s dangers

Summary:

The California lawmaker is on his second attempt to pass a first-in-the-nation AI safety bill. This time, it might work.

How Google’s dev tools manager makes AI coding work

Summary:

Google PM Ryan Salva is responsible for tools like Gemini CLI, giving him a front-row seat to the ways AI tools are changing software development.

Rocket gets $15M in seed funding led by Salesforce Ventures, Accel

The startup plans to use the funds to support its R&D, speed up product development, and expand its global presence, including a new North American headquarters in Palo Alto, California.

AI chip firm Groq secures $750M at $6.9B valuation

Groq, which raised $640 million at a $2.8 billion valuation in August 2024, has more than doubled its valuation in less than a year and has now raised over $3 billion in total.

Lucira raises $5.5M in seed funding Led by Blume Ventures

Lucira plans to use the funding to open new retail stores, expand its design studio, and invest in technology and hiring.

EvoluteIQ receives $53M in funding round led by Baird Capital

The lion’s share of investment will go into organic development of EvoluteIQ’s business, building talent, and strengthening R&D at its centres in Bengaluru and Menlo Park in the US.

AI startup Track3D raises $10M Series A round from Ironspring Ventures, Zacua Ventures

The AI startup will use the funds to support hiring in India and further development of AI-driven features, including deviation detection, early warning systems for delays, and intelligent project-support agents.

SCI Up 3%, Mazagon Dock Gains 1%

SCI rises 3%, while Mazagon Dock and Garden Reach gain over 1%. Source: ScoutQuest

Goldman Sachs Sets Maruti Price Target at Record High

Goldman Sachs raises Maruti Suzuki's price target to its highest level. The upgrade reflects increased confidence in Maruti Suzuki's performance. Source: ScoutQuest

Elara Rates CarTrade 'Buy' on OLX Deal, Growth Potential

Elara initiates coverage on CarTrade Tech with a Buy rating. Positive outlook driven by OLX acquisition, tech investments, and growth prospects. Source: ScoutQuest

SEPC Wins Gefos Order for Residential Projects

SEPC Ltd secured an order from Gefos Solutions for construction materials. The materials will support four domestic residential projects in 8-9 months. Source: ScoutQuest

Coffee Day Sees ₹25Cr Block Deal; 2.7% Equity Traded at ₹44.45

57L Coffee Day shares traded at ₹44.45 in a ₹25Cr block deal. The traded shares represent 2.7% of Coffee Day's equity. Source: ScoutQuest

Thailand Imports Notch Record High

Country: Thailand, Description: Imports to Thailand jumped 15.8% yoy to a record peak of USD 29.71 billion in August 2025, sharply accelerating from a 5.1% growth in the previous month and exceeding market forecasts of 9.3%. It marked the 15th straight month of increase in purchases and the fastest pace since May

Thailand Posts Trade Gap for 1st Time in 4 Months

Country: Thailand, Description: Thailand unexpectedly recorded a trade deficit of USD 1.96 billion in August 2025, reversing from a USD 0.26 billion surplus in the same month last year and missing expectations of a USD 0.68 billion surplus. This was the first trade deficit since April, as exports rose less than imports. Exports grew 5.8% year-on-year, marking the slowest pace in 11 months and falling short of market forecasts of a 9.5% rise. Imports increased 15.8% year-on-year, accelerating sharply from a 5.1% rise in July and exceeding expectations of a 9.3% increase.

RBA Presses ASX for Governance Overhaul

Country: Australia, Description: The Reserve Bank of Australia on Wednesday said in a statement on its website that the Australian Securities Exchange must make “foundational changes” to its governance, culture, and risk management following last year’s trading settlement failure. It warned ASX’s clearing and settlement units still fall short of regulatory standards and pledged close oversight. “ASX is not currently meeting the regulators' expectations for an operator of critical national infrastructure,” according to RBA Assistant Governor Brad Jones, stressing the need for “resilient and secure” systems. The RBA urged improvements to ASX’s risk transformation plan and a review of its business continuity protocols. Meanwhile, ASX CEO Helen Lofthouse acknowledged the need to “accelerate our progress to rebuild trust” and stated that the exchange has implemented contingency measures, code fixes, and memory upgrades to improve resiliency.

Australia 10-Year Yield Rises After Hot Monthly CPI Data

Country: Australia, Description: Australia’s 10-year government bond yield rose toward 4.30% on Wednesday, its highest level in more than two weeks, as higher-than-expected monthly inflation data supported the case for interest rates to remain on hold. Annual headline inflation rose to a one-year high of 3% in August from 2.8% in July, slightly above market forecasts of 2.9%. The figure now sits at the upper end of the Reserve Bank of Australia’s 2–3% target band. Investors increased bets that the RBA will skip a move in interest rates next week, with the probability of a November rate cut falling to 60% from nearly 70% before the release. The broader data flow in recent weeks has also been on the slightly strong side, reinforcing the central bank’s cautious stance. Adding to this, Governor Michele Bullock said on Monday that the economy was in “a good place” with both growth and inflation, suggesting there was no urgency to cut rates in the near term.

Sweden’s Anna Breman Selected as Next RBNZ Governor

Country: New Zealand, Description: New Zealand Finance Minister Nicola Willis on Wednesday announced the appointment of Anna Breman as the country’s new central bank governor, making her the first woman to hold the role. Breman, currently the First Deputy Governor of Sweden’s central bank, the Riksbank, will assume her position at the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) on December 1. “Dr Breman comes to New Zealand with an impressive blend of technical skills and organisational leadership experience,” Willis said in a statement. Willis noted that Breman was nominated by the RBNZ Board following a global search that identified over 300 potential candidates. RBNZ Board Deputy Chair Rodger Finlay welcomed the appointment. Breman is also the first foreign national to be appointed to the role in at least 37 years. However, appointing a foreigner as central bank governor is not without precedent; for instance, the Bank of England appointed Canadian Mark Carney as governor in 2012.

Super Typhoon Ragasa kills 17, forces over 1M evacuations

Summary: A burst barrier lake in Taiwan killed 14 people, while the storm displaced thousands across the Philippines before approaching China., Description: Super Typhoon Ragasa, the most powerful storm of 2025, has unleashed devastation across Asia, killing at least 17 people and forcing over one million evacuations as it makes landfall in southern China. Taiwan bore the brunt of the catastrophe when a barrier lake burst in Hualien County, killing 14 people and leaving 124 missing after releasing 60 million tons of water into Guangfu township. The...

UN documents systematic torture in Russian detention sites

Summary: Report details abuse of Ukrainian civilians across 100 facilities, with 92% of former detainees reporting torture or ill-treatment., Description: The United Nations released its most damning assessment yet of Russian detention practices in occupied Ukraine, documenting systematic torture across more than 100 detention facilities and calling for the immediate release of an estimated 1,800 Ukrainian civilians still held captive. The report, issued Tuesday by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, details widespread abuse...

Israel intensifies Gaza City offensive amid international outcry

Summary: France and seven other nations formally recognized Palestine at the UN as Israeli forces demolished residential blocks in Gaza City., Description: Israeli forces advanced deeper into Gaza City on Tuesday, using armored vehicles laden with explosives to demolish entire residential blocks while intensifying attacks that have killed at least 36 Palestinians in the past 24 hours. The escalation comes as several Western nations formally recognized Palestinian statehood at the United Nations, deepening the international rift over Israel's...

Powell signals caution on rate cuts, stocks slide from highs

Summary: Fed chair warned against cutting rates "too aggressively" in his first speech since September's rate cut, tempering investor enthusiasm., Description: U.S. stock markets traded mixed on Tuesday as Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell delivered his first public address since the central bank's initial rate cut of 2025, signaling a cautious approach to future monetary easing that tempered investor enthusiasm following a record-setting rally. The Dow Jones Industrial Average managed a modest gain of 0.5%, while the S&P 500 slipped 0.6% and the...

Scientists warn 750 million could face 'day zero' water shortages by 2100

Summary: New research shows "day zero" droughts could become dramatically more frequent, with Mediterranean cities and African rural areas most at risk., Description: Scientists are warning of widespread water shortages that could affect hundreds of millions of people worldwide as early as this decade, according to multiple studies published in recent months. New research indicates that "day zero" drought events - when cities and regions completely run out of water - could become dramatically more frequent and severe than previously anticipated. A study...