Daily Strategic Briefing

Tanzania back online after politically motivated five-day outage

Net access cut on election eve, resumed after widely-loathed president was sworn in after disputed poll The African nation of Tanzania has reconnected to the internet after a five day outage.…

Amazon complains that Perplexity's agentic shopping bot is a terrible customer

Perplexity likens Amazon's legal threat to an attempt to ban access to ... wrenches? Amazon.com has sent a cease and desist letter to Perplexity in which it insists the AI company prevent its Comet browser from making automated purchases on behalf of users.…

Google imagines out of this world AI - running on orbital datacenters

Chocolate Factory's latest moonshot aims to put AI supercomputing cluster in sun-sychronous orbit Google on Tuesday announced a new moonshot – launching constellations of solar-powered satellites packed to the gills with its home-grown tensor processing units (TPUs) to form orbital AI datacenters.…

Uncle Sam wants to scan your iris and collect your DNA, citizen or not

DHS rule would expand biometric collection to immigrants and some citizens linked to them If you're filing an immigration form - or helping someone who is - the Feds may soon want to look in your eyes, swab your cheek, and scan your face. The US Department of Homeland Security wants to greatly expand biometric data collection for immigration applications, covering immigrants and even some US citizens tied to those cases.…

Copilot can replace Search in latest Windows 11 test builds, but it's not a good idea

When you opt in, your taskbar becomes an extension of the Copilot app, but with some search added in hands on  With Microsoft cramming Copilot into every nook and cranny of its software, it’s no surprise that everyone’s favorite AI assistant is now set to take over the search box. As of the latest Windows Insider Dev and Beta builds, the "Ask Copilot anything" box is available if you know how to switch it on.…

NVIDIA, Qualcomm join U.S., Indian VCs to help build India’s next deep tech startups

Summary:

Qualcomm Ventures has joined six Indian venture firms, collectively adding more than $850 million to boost India’s deep-tech ecosystem.

Amazon sends legal threats to Perplexity over agentic browsing

Summary:

Amazon won’t allow agents on its site that don’t identify themselves as such. Perplexity is not pleased.

People Inc. forges AI licensing deal with Microsoft as Google traffic drops

Summary:

People Inc. signs an AI licensing deal with Microsoft, which will use its media content in Copilot.

Rivian creates another spinoff company called Mind Robotics

Summary:

It’s the second time this year Rivian has spun out a new company, after it created micromobility startup Also in March.

Google’s AI Mode gets new agentic capabilities to help book event tickets and beauty appointments

Summary:

For example, you can ask “find me 2 cheap tickets for the Shaboozey concert coming up. prefer standing floor tickets.” AI Mode will then search across multiple websites to find real-time ticket options that meet your specific requests.

Zynk raises $5M to expand instant cross-border payment network

Zynk describes itself as a provider of embedded just-in-time liquidity and optimized cross-border settlement rails, aiming to “make global payments instant and frictionless.”

Biotech startup Helex raises $3.5M to advance gene therapies for kidney diseases

Hyderabad- and Cambridge-based biotech startup Helex will use the capital to advance its gene therapy platform and develop targeted treatments for inherited kidney disorders.

Silver jewellery brand Goyaz raises Rs 130 Cr from Norwest

The funding will support Goyaz’s next phase of expansion, including widening retail presence in key cities, improving design and manufacturing, and strengthening online and offline integration.

Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund closes maiden fund at Rs 100 Cr

The fund, which managed to raise the target corpus in under a year, will not look to initiate a green shoe option of Rs 50 crore to expand investments.

Fintech firm SalarySe raises $11.3M in Series A round

The newly-raised capital will be used to scale the firm’s payments, credit, and money management features and make it affordable, personalised, and seamless for its users.

Marksans Pharma's UK Unit Secures MHRA Nod for Exemestane Tablets

Marksans Pharma's UK unit gets MHRA approval for Exemestane 25mg tablets. Approval boosts Marksans Pharma's product portfolio in the UK market. Source: ScoutQuest

Yatharth Hospital Names Ramesh Krishnan as Independent Director

Yatharth Hospital appoints Mr. Ramesh Krishnan as Additional Director, Non-Executive Independent, effective Nov 5, 2025. The appointment is for a term of 5 years, subject to shareholder approval, ending Nov 4, 2030. Source: BSE

112 Firms, incl. Sun Pharma, Grasim, Britannia, to Announce Q2 Results Today

Sun Pharma, Grasim, Britannia among 112 firms set to announce Q2 FY26 results today. Indian stock market closed for Guru Nanak Jayanti; Q2 results to provide sector trends. Source: Livemint

Paytm Teams Up with Groq for Faster, Smarter Payments

Paytm partners with Groq to enhance AI-powered payments platform. Integration aims to improve transaction speed, fraud detection, and customer experience. Source: ScoutQuest

Sun Pharma, Delhivery, Britannia Q2 Results Today; Profits Expected

Aurobindo, Blue Star, Britannia, Delhivery, Sun Pharma, and Piramal Pharma to announce Q2 FY26 results today. Estimates predict net profits for Sun Pharma at Rs 2,881.1 cr, Delhivery Rs 592.1 cr, and Britannia Rs 310 cr. Source: NDTV Profit

Thailand Consumer Prices Fall More Than Forecast

Country: Thailand, Description: Consumer prices in Thailand fell 0.76% year-on-year in October 2025, exceeding market expectations of a 0.70% drop and following a 0.72% decrease in September. This continued a seven-month streak of falling prices, underscoring concerns about weakness in the economy and keeping inflation well below the central bank’s 1%–3% target range. The Bank of Thailand noted that the decline in consumer prices was largely attributable to supply-side factors, with notable softness observed in both oil prices and prices for a broad range of goods, which together served as the main drivers of the overall reduction. Meanwhile, core consumer prices, which exclude volatile items such as food and energy, continued to show a positive, albeit soft, increase of 0.61% on an annual basis. This was slightly below market expectations of 0.64% and down from the 0.65% increase in September, marking the lowest pace of core inflation since July last year.

India on Track to Meet 4.4% Fiscal Deficit in FY 2025/26

Country: India, Description: India’s Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, said the government remains confident of meeting the FY 2025/26 fiscal deficit target of 4.4% of GDP for the year ending March 2026, according to The Economic Times. The Union Budget, presented in Parliament in February by the Finance Minister, had pegged the fiscal deficit at INR 15.69 trillion, or 4.4% of GDP for 2025-26, down from 4.8% in 2024-25. The lower fiscal deficit target is expected to be supported by strong tax collections. Under the revised Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act, the government is mandated to reduce the fiscal deficit to below 4.5% by FY 2025-26. Last week’s data showed that the Indian central government recorded a budget deficit of INR 5.73 trillion in the first half of the 2026 fiscal year, or 36.5% of the annual estimate, widening from INR 4.75 trillion in the same period last year. However, the deficit was brought down from INR 5.98 trillion recorded in the first five months.

Philippine Peso Slips on Tepid Inflation

Country: Philippines, Description: The Philippine peso depreciated to around PHP 58.8 per dollar, following tame inflation that could create room for further rate cuts. Annual inflation stood at 1.7% in October, below the expected 1.8% and remaining within the central bank’s 2%–4% target range. Core inflation also eased to 2.5% from 2.6%, strengthening the case for additional BSP rate cuts after the unexpected reduction in early October and the central bank’s signal that borrowing costs could be lowered by another 25 bps in December. Investors are also speculating that the upcoming Q3 GDP data later this week could slow and further support the case. A stronger US dollar added pressure on the peso amid fading expectations of further US monetary easing.Meanwhile, Governor Eli Remolona recently downplayed speculation that the central bank targets specific exchange rates, calming markets after the BSP reiterated that the peso is mainly guided by market forces, which pushed the currency to hit record lows in October.

Indonesia Stocks Slide Further Ahead of Q3 GDP Releases

Country: Indonesia, Description: Indonesia’s IDX Composite slipped 21 points, or 0.3%, to 8,227 in Wednesday morning trade, marking a second consecutive decline following Wall Street’s overnight sell-off after Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs CEOs questioned the sustainability of lofty valuations. Investor caution was also weighed by private survey data showing services activity in top trading partner China rose the least in three months during October, signaling a loss of economic momentum amid ongoing trade challenges. Attention also turned to Indonesia’s Q3 GDP data due later today, with concerns that President Prabowo Subianto’s pro-growth agenda could drive higher imports and strain the current account. Still, losses were capped by the prospect of lower interest rates locally as Bank Indonesia commits to supporting growth. Producer manufacturing and energy minerals led falls, with notable drops from Jaya Sukses Makmur Sentosa (-6.0%), Archi Indonesia (-4.3%), AKR Corp. (-3.2%), and Gudang Garam (-2.45%).

New Zealand Dollar Hits 7-Month Low After Soft Jobs Data

Country: New Zealand, Description: The New Zealand dollar slipped to $0.564 on Wednesday, its lowest level in seven months, as weak labor market data reinforced expectations of monetary easing later this month. Unemployment rate inched up to 5.3% in the third quarter from 5.2% in the second quarter, marking the highest level in nearly nine years and in line with forecasts. Employment was also unchanged from the previous three months, compared to the estimated 0.1% rise. This prompted markets to fully price in a 25bps rate cut by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand at its November 26 meeting, with even odds for an additional cut in 2026. A stronger US dollar added to the downward pressure on the kiwi after some Federal Reserve officials cast doubt on a December rate cut. The kiwi struggled near a 12-year low against the aussie, amid the diverging monetary policy paths between the two Antipodean countries, with the Reserve Bank of Australia opting to leave rates unchanged on Tuesday.

Asian stocks plunge as Wall Street CEOs warn of correction

Summary: Japan's Nikkei fell 4.4% and South Korea's KOSPI dropped 4.5% as Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs CEOs warned of potential 10-15% drawdown., Description: Asian stocks plummeted in their sharpest selloff in seven months Wednesday as concerns about stretched technology valuations triggered widespread selling after Wall Street heavyweights warned of an impending market correction. Japan's Nikkei 225 index tumbled 4.4%, retreating from record highs reached just a day earlier. South Korea's KOSPI index fell even more dramatically, plunging 4.5% after...

Typhoon Kalmaegi kills at least 66 in Philippines flooding

Summary: Cebu province recorded 49 deaths, with 26 still missing after record rainfall dumped 183 millimeters in 24 hours., Description: Typhoon Kalmaegi has killed at least 66 people in the central Philippines, with the death toll continuing to rise as rescue operations uncover more victims from catastrophic flooding that officials are calling the worst in recent memory. The storm devastated Cebu province, which is still recovering from a deadly earthquake just over a month ago. Cebu province accounted for 49 of the fatalities,...

Zohran Mamdani wins NYC mayoral election defeating Cuomo

Summary: The 34-year-old democratic socialist secured 52% of the vote, becoming the city's first Muslim mayor and youngest leader in over a century., Description: Zohran Mamdani made history on Tuesday night, becoming New York City's first Muslim mayor and youngest leader in over a century after defeating former Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa in a record-breaking election that saw more than 1.7 million voters cast ballots. The 34-year-old democratic socialist secured victory with 52% of the vote compared to Cuomo's 40%, according to...

UPS cargo jet crashes after takeoff in Louisville

Summary: Flight 2976 crashed shortly after takeoff carrying three crew members, sparking a massive fire and prompting a shelter-in-place order., Description: A UPS cargo plane carrying three crew members crashed shortly after takeoff from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport on Tuesday evening, sparking a massive fire and prompting authorities to issue a shelter-in-place order for areas within five miles of the airport. UPS Flight 2976, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11 bound for Honolulu, crashed at approximately 5:15 p.m. local time after...

Brussels Airport closes after drone sightings

Summary: Belgium's busiest airport suspended flights after multiple drone sightings, following four nights of similar incidents over a military base storing nuclear weapons., Description: Brussels Airport suspended all flights Tuesday evening after multiple drone sightings near the facility, marking the first time Belgium's busiest airport has closed due to drone activity. Liege Airport also halted operations after similar sightings, as mysterious drone incidents continue to plague Belgian airspace and military installations. The closures began around 7 p.m. local time when air...

Senate fails 14th shutdown vote as crisis ties record

Summary: The 35-day funding lapse threatens air travel and food assistance for millions as bipartisan talks continue behind the scenes., Description: The Senate failed for the 14th time Tuesday to advance a bill ending the government shutdown, as the crisis officially tied the record for the longest funding lapse in U.S. history at 35 days and shows no signs of resolution. The procedural vote on the House-passed continuing resolution fell short at 54-44, missing the required 60 votes needed to move forward. The measure would have funded the...

White House to distribute partial SNAP benefits despite Trump threat

Summary: The administration will use $4.65 billion in emergency funds for 50% payments, reversing Trump's earlier threat to withhold benefits., Description: The White House confirmed Tuesday that it will distribute partial food assistance benefits despite President Trump's earlier threat to withhold payments until the government shutdown ends, following federal court orders requiring the use of emergency funds. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration is "fully complying" with court orders mandating partial Supplemental Nutrition...

White House nears deal for $149 weight loss drugs

Summary: Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk would slash prices by over 75% in exchange for Medicare coverage under Trump's pricing initiative., Description: The Trump administration is poised to announce an agreement with pharmaceutical giants Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk that would slash the price of popular obesity medications to as low as $149 per month in exchange for Medicare coverage, according to multiple sources familiar with the negotiations. The deal, which could be unveiled as early as this week, represents a significant shift in the...