According to an official statement released on Wednesday, India’s steel industry maintained its growth trajectory in April, with a 5. 8% rise in crude steel output to 14. 09 million tonnes, up from 13. 31 million tonnes in the same month of the previous year.

This increase was supported by sustained buoyancy across infrastructure and manufacturing, which kept domestic demand strong.

The robust demand in the nation also helped to increase domestic steel prices throughout the month in all major product categories.

The output of pig iron fell by 6% year over year to 0. 69 million tons in April, while the production of hot metal increased by 5. 4% year over year. The output of finished steel increased 3. 4% year over year to 13. 05 million tonnes. The finished steel consumption in April 2026 was 12. 99 million tons, up 8. 1% year-over-year due to the robust performance of the infrastructure and manufacturing end-use sectors.

In terms of trade, India was a small net importer during the month, with imports of 0. 68 million tons and exports of 0. 47 million tons. In April 2026, imports of 0. 52 million tons and exports of 0. 38 million tons were recorded, representing increases of 30. 8% and 24. 9%, respectively, over April 2025.

As of the fiscal year 2025–26, India’s overall steel capacity was around 220 MTPA, putting it on track to meet the National Steel Policy goal of 300 MTPA by 2030. Tata Steel just opened the first of its kind Rs 3,200 crore scrap-based EAF green steel factory (0. 75 MTPA) in Punjab at Ludhiana, while other important players such SAIL, Tata Steel, JSW Steel, JSPL, and AMNS continued to invest in increasing their capacity.

The price of TMT/Rebar increased by roughly 2. 6% month over month, and it also showed a 3% increase year over year, which was the first positive reading after several months of weakness. The statement highlighted that flat steel prices rose more sharply, with a month-on-month increase of 6. 3% for HR Coil and 7. 3% for GP Sheet, indicating an increase in demand.

As the nodal agency for measuring, reporting, verifying, and certifying green steel, NISST maintained its position under the Ministry of Steel’s ‘Green Steel‘ program. As of March 31, 2026, NISST had granted green steel certifications to 90 manufacturers throughout 15 states, covering a range of products such as TMT Bars, HR/CR Coils, Wire Rods, and Pipes. The majority of the certified products received the highest 5-star rating, indicating that secondary and mid-sized steel producers had embraced the program.

The cost of raw materials in April 2026 reflected a varied but generally steady trend. Reflecting increased demand from the steel industry, prices for iron ore produced domestically increased significantly, with NMDC lump and fine prices increasing by 10–11% month over month.

The worldwide ocean transportation of iron ore remained mostly unchanged. For integrated BF-BOF manufacturers going into Q1 FY 2026–27, higher input costs were sustained as international coking coal prices increased marginally month-on-month. According to the statement, the electric route steelmakers benefited from the comparatively stable prices of scrap globally.

Ongoing infrastructure investment and increasing manufacturing output put the Indian steel sector in a strong position to maintain its growth rate. The industry’s top priorities for the coming year will continue to be managing raw material price fluctuations, energy security, and changes in international commerce, the release said.

According to HSBC India Services PMI data released on Wednesday, India’s service sector activity increased in April due to strong domestic demand and increased business activity, with the Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) reaching a five-month high of 58. 8.

The HSBC India Services PMI Business Activity Index, which is seasonally adjusted, increased from 57. 5 in March to 58. 8 in April, representing the fastest rate of growth since November.

According to survey respondents, new business inflows increased at the quickest rate in five months, driven by competitive pricing, e-commerce activities, and high demand for logistics and relocation services.

Pranjul Bhandari, Chief India Economist at HSBC, stated that demand is shifting from foreign markets to Indian consumers in the midst of the Middle East conflict, as evidenced by increased activity and new orders despite a decline in new export orders.

The rate of input price inflation decreased somewhat from March when it came to expenses.

Output price inflation remained somewhat modest, even with increasing cost constraints, suggesting that some companies absorbed higher expenses rather than passing them on to customers.

Nonetheless, service providers maintained a positive outlook for the upcoming year, fueled by hopes for higher demand, promotional efforts, and increased client queries, even if sentiment was somewhat dampened by worries about geopolitical unrest and rising expenses.

In the meanwhile, recruitment increased throughout the industry, with businesses hiring entry-level employees and temporary employees to keep up with growing demand. The recruitment increase also helped firms somewhat decrease the amount of outstanding business they had during the month.

On a larger scale, India’s private sector activity picked up steam in April as well, with the HSBC Composite PMI Output Index increasing from 57 in March to 58. 2.

Notably, India’s manufacturing PMI rose to 54. 7 in April, up from 53. 9 in March, as output, new orders (including exports), and employment all saw modest growth.

In the 49th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, which took place at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Uppal, Hyderabad, on Wednesday, the Sunrisers Hyderabad defeated the Punjab Kings by a margin of 33 runs thanks to a superb all-around effort.

Their powerful hitting, followed by regulated bowling, played a key role, while PBKS’ bad fielding cost them dearly in this high-scoring game. Punjab was plagued by missed catches from Heinrich Klaasen and Ishan Kishan. By taking advantage of crucial half-centuries, the couple contributed to SRH’s dominant score, which ultimately allowed them to dominate the match.

SRH once more demonstrated their aggressive approach at the beginning of the game by batting first. With a fast start, Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma established the tempo and maintained their dominance throughout the Power-play. They started out strong, pushing SRH ahead and putting pressure on the PBKS bowlers. The momentum barely shifted, even after the loss of a quick wicket.

The actual harm was done in the middle overs when PBKS allowed the match to get away from them. Taking advantage of several lifelines—such as missed catches and a missed stumping—Ishan Kishan made the most of his chances. He maintained a high scoring pace by skillfully changing gears, scoring a quick 55. Additionally, Heinrich Klaasen had an early break. He helped SRH reach the 200-run barrier with ease by making Punjab pay for it with a well-written half-century.

Their contributions, coupled with a late surge, propelled Sunrisers Hyderabad to a massive score, giving the Punjab Kings a difficult target to chase. The game was ultimately swung in SRH’s favor by the fielding errors, particularly the missed opportunities from two well-set hitters.

The Punjab Kings, in turn, had trouble maintaining the consistent momentum necessary for such a difficult pursuit. The innings lacked the consistency to threaten the massive score of SRH, despite some flashes of brilliance.

The Sunrisers Hyderabad had a fantastic start with the ball, completely dominating the chase by tearing through the top order of the Punjab Kings in the first six overs.

The damage was quick and severe; in the first seven balls, both openers, Priyansh Arya (1 off 3) and Prabhsimran Singh (3 off 4), were dismissed, representing their lowest total output in their 26 innings together. Nitish Kumar Reddy immediately removed Prabhsimran, and Pat Cummins established the tone with astute leadership, fooling Arya with a short ball after pushing mid-on back.

Shreyas Iyer then fell victim to a well-executed hard-length delivery to mid-off, at which point Eshan Malinga increased the pressure. Even with the scoring rate, PBKS were already on the back foot, needing 179 runs from 84 balls at 57/3 during the powerplay.

Marcus Stoinis and Cooper Connolly tried to stabilize the innings in the midst of the initial collapse by putting up an unbroken, counter-attacking 33-run partnership, with each player scoring 22 runs. Connolly hit boundaries off Malinga to keep the score moving as Stoinis went on the attack, blasting Sakib Hussain for 19 in an over.

PBKS was able to somewhat recover because to their collaboration, but the chase was still difficult given that three important wickets had fallen, giving SRH the upper hand.

Cooper Connolly stood out with a consistent knock, hitting a well-made half-century off 34 pitches. Despite the rising necessary rate, he demonstrated maturity by attempting to anchor the innings and maintain PBKS in the contest.

But the target remained out of reach. The challenge appeared almost insurmountable at one point, when they needed 106 runs in 31 balls. The SRH bowlers kept control, varying their lengths effectively and making use of the slower pitch. More wickets in rapid succession reduced Punjab’s expectations and prevented any late surge.

With a 33-run victory, Sunrisers Hyderabad moved to the top of the standings thanks to Connolly’s persistence, which was one of the few highlights in a difficult pursuit. Connolly ended with an undefeated 107 as he raised his first T20 hundred.

Brief scores:
Sunrisers Hyderabad 235/4 in 20 overs (Heinrich Klaasen 69, Ishan Kishan 55; Yuzvendra Chahal 1-32)
Punjab Kings 202/7 in 20 overs (Cooper Connolly 107 not out, Marcus Stoinis 28; Pat Cummins 2-34, Shivang Kumar 2-45)

According to a research, companies are falling behind as employees use artificial intelligence to broaden the scope of their jobs, resulting in a growing divide between AI-enabled capabilities and organizational systems.

According to a study by Microsoft, a major US tech business, 58% of users indicated that they are now generating work with AI that they couldn’t have a year ago. This percentage increased to 80% of survey participants who were Frontier Professionals.

Additionally, it stated that in Microsoft 365 Copilot, 49% of discussions include cognitive activity, information analysis, problem-solving, evaluation, and creative thought.

According to the paper, AI is increasing individual potential, but institutional variables dictate whether that potential may be transformed into impact.

The report also emphasized that human agency is the new competitive advantage, with quality control of AI output (50%) and critical thinking (46%) ranking first among the skills that workers believe are most important.

The idea was that AI would rob us of our ability to think critically. However, new research indicates that as AI assumes more execution, employees are getting more control over decision-making, creativity, and results. The report stated that the majority of businesses are not structured to benefit from it.

The tech firm warned of a “transformation paradox” in which 65% of AI users are afraid of falling behind if they don’t embrace AI quickly, while 45% say that it’s safer to continue with their present goals rather than change their work.

In addition, culture, managerial support, and talent practices accounted for around 67% of the impact of AI, which is more than twice as much as the impact of individual variables like attitude and behavior.

Whether or not people have the skills is the critical question; rather, it is whether the company has developed the culture, management strategies, and talent systems necessary to encourage and promote innovation, the report said.

In another move in India’s efforts to bolster its local chip production sector, the Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved two additional semiconductor initiatives on Tuesday under the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM).

With a total investment of about Rs 3,936 crore, the projects are anticipated to employ around 2,230 qualified workers in Gujarat.

The permissions cover a semiconductor packaging plant and the nation’s first commercial Mini/Micro-LED display facility using gallium nitride (GaN) technology.

One of the main initiatives will be created by Crystal Matrix Limited in Dholera, Gujarat. The facility will concentrate on compound semiconductor production and assembly, testing, marking, and packaging (ATMP), with a particular focus on creating Mini/Micro-LED display modules. In addition to epitaxy on six-inch wafers, it will also provide GaN foundry services.

The facility is anticipated to manufacture 24,000 sets of RGB wafers as well as 72,000 square meters of display panels each year. These items are likely to be used in a variety of devices, such as televisions, commercial displays, smartphones, automotive displays, and upcoming technologies like smartwatches and extended reality (XR) devices.

The second project, which will establish an Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT) facility in Surat, has been approved for Suchi Semicon Private Limited. The intended manufacturing capacity of this facility is over 1,033 million discrete semiconductors annually.

The chips are anticipated to serve important sectors like power electronics, analog integrated circuits, and industrial systems, as well as major industries like the automobile, industrial automation, and consumer electronics industries.

The overall number of projects approved under the India Semiconductor Mission has now reached 12 thanks to these two additions, with a total investment of about Rs 1. 64 lakh crore.

According to the government, these projects will complement India’s increasing prowess in chip design and greatly improve the nation’s semiconductor industry.

The government emphasized that India’s semiconductor momentum is also being fueled by the robust design infrastructure support given to 315 academic institutions and 104 businesses.

Many previously approved projects are currently in various phases of completion, with two units having already started commercial deliveries and two more anticipated to start operating soon.

In order to improve real-time governance, the Central Prabhari Officer (CPO) portal has been launched, according to NITI Aayog on Wednesday.

According to a statement from NITI Aayog, the site also seeks to enhance stakeholder coordination and expedite last-mile delivery under the Aspirational Districts and Blocks Programme (ADP/ABP).

The CPO platform is a major step toward establishing a governance system that is transparent, responsive, and trustworthy, according to Nidhi Chibber, CEO of NITI Aayog.

The platform, she emphasized, allows for the real-time submission and tracking of field observations, guaranteeing that insights from the ground directly inform policy decisions and administrative interventions.

Through this site, Central Prabhari Officers would send their field observations and suggestions live via mobile.

After the data is submitted, it becomes live, and the Districts may then see the recommendations made by their CPO, respond appropriately, and submit their responses accordingly.

In this procedure, the State Planning Secretaries would have a bird’s-eye perspective, coordinating across Departments to implement recommendations and document their input. At the same time, officers in line ministries and departments, as well as at NITI Aayog, would be able to supervise these inputs.

Data-driven governance and the crucial function of Central Prabhari Officers (CPOs) in giving field-level insights were emphasized by Rohit Kumar, Additional Secretary and Mission Director, ADP/ABP, NITI Aayog.

According to a formal statement, he mentioned that the CPO Portal is intended to be a sophisticated digital platform for collecting real-time observations, facilitating communication, and expediting administrative response at all levels of government.

The CPO website acts as a single digital interface connecting field observations and administrative measures.

The statement stated that the platform is anticipated to considerably increase implementation efficiency and responsiveness in Aspirational Districts and Blocks by providing instant visibility, structured monitoring, and accountability.

In Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, the Arun Jaitley Stadium felt like a yellow-painted fortress despite a crowd of 32,160 for the match between the Delhi Capitals and Chennai Super Kings.

As Sanju Samson produced a knock worthy of the setting—an impressive 87 not out off 52 balls, masterfully combining timing and power to lead CSK to a resounding eight-wicket victory with 15 balls remaining—the stands resounded with shouts of “CSK, CSK. ”

The five-time champions remain in sixth place after the win, but importantly, they are only two points behind the congested playoff field. Akeal Hosein (1-19) and Noor Ahmad (2-22) established the tone on a sticky pitch that provided grip and spin, limiting DC to 155/7.

Next, Samson used powerful strokes of command to bring CSK home, striking six sixes and seven fours.

The most remarkable thing was how Samson’s power on the pitch diminished, but also how he played intelligently and relentlessly pursued the chase in the style of a traditional CSK.

Additionally, in order to maintain pressure on DC’s bowlers, gain two crucial points for CSK, and spread joy in the sea of yellow shirts in the stands, he and Kartik Sharma formed an unbroken partnership of 114 runs off 66 balls, with Sharma scoring a remarkable 41 not out off of 31 balls.

As Ruturaj Gaikwad was fortunate to have an outside edge off Mitchell Starc to get a four, Samson skillfully lofted Axar Patel for six, and CSK patiently started their pursuit of 156. In an effort to take wickets, DC quickly brought in their big guns, including Mitchell Starc, Axar, and Lungi Ngidi, but they were unable to make any headway.

Finally, in the fourth over, a struggling Gaikwad flicked Ngidi to deep square leg for the game-winning shot.

Before bringing the Power-play to a conclusion at 44/1, Urvil Patel ignited the inning by hitting two massive sixes off Ngidi. Axar, however, put an end to Urvil’s aggressiveness by getting one to grip and turn, but the batsman failed to hit it and KL Rahul stumped him quickly.

Samson hit Kuldeep Yadav’s bad short ball for six after Kartik pulled Axar for four. Samson skillfully employed his wrists and feet to club T Natarajan for fours over long-off and extra cover when he entered.

Samson went on a rampage against Kuldeep after Kartik lofted him inside out over deep extra cover for six; he pulled a short ball contemptuously over deep midwicket and then launched a floaty leg-break high to the second tier at long-on. As the pressure increased, Kuldeep bowled flatter and faster down leg, but Samson skillfully paddled him for four runs.

The crowd chanted ‘CSK, CSK’ as Samson raised his fifty off 32 balls by the time he pushed a flighted ball to long-off. Starc’s comeback offered no relief since Samson leaned into a drive on an overpitched ball and then threw his bat in the channel outside off-stump to beat backward point and pick consecutive boundaries.

Using a combination of timing and raw power, Samson kept up his onslaught as he broke apart Natarajan’s variations. Samson pulled the short ball cleanly over square leg for six with a rock back, then lofted a slower ball over long-off for six before smashing it through mid-wicket for four.

Samson nailed the cover drive off Ngidi for four, leaving the crowd speechless, while Kartik used paddle and drive to get his boundaries. The couple then easily scored the remaining runs, giving CSK yet another clinical victory.

In the past, when faced with a two-paced pitch, DC chose to bat first, but they ran into difficulties as CSK’s spinners were able to get the ball to turn and grip, while the pacers bowled hard lengths. Tristan Stubbs recovered from a score of 69/5 by holding one end and hitting a 31-ball 38, while impact player Sameer Rizvi answered with sweeps and pulls to score an undefeated 40 off 24 balls.

To boost DC to a respectable total, the duo scored 65 runs from 47 balls for the sixth wicket. The start of DC’s innings was promising, but it soon turned into a typical story of collapse and recovery. Nissanka crushed Hosein’s opening delivery for four, then sliced it past backward point for another boundary.

Despite Hosein’s few turns and loud lbw appeal in the first over, KL Rahul managed to find the boundary with a beautiful extra cover drive before slicing him for another boundary. However, Nissanka was undone by Mukesh Choudhary’s shift in tempo, as he pulled to mid-on without using his feet.

DC’s power-play was inconsistent, as Hosein managed to gain one to hold and defeat an oncoming Rahul in flight, as he cut to cover, and DC finished the power-play at 37/2.

Karun Nair made a brief retaliation, but Noor immediately drove the ball to short fine leg. Rana swept to backward square leg off the wrist-spinner, scoring two for CSK. Axar Patel’s lean streak persisted when he mistimed a back-foot drive to cover. DC were facing another subpar score of 69/5 in 11 overs before Rizvi and Stubbs entered the game.

Noor dumped Stubbs early on Gurjapneet, and Stubbs took advantage of the break by hitting and lofting the pacer for a pair of sixes. Rizvi quickly established a groove, deliberately pulling off Mukesh for six runs and then executing creative sweeps off the pricey Anshul Kamboj.

Stubbs attempted to pull too high off Overton, and he was caught at deep backward square, just as the partnership had brought DC back to life. Ashutosh Sharma hit two sixes off Kamboj before being run out since his lengths were not precise.

With a lofted drive over long-off, Rizvi made sure that DC surpassed 150, even though 58 runs off the previous five overs were never enough to contain an invading Samson.

Brief scores:
Delhi Capitals 155/7 in 20 overs (Sameer Rizvi 40 not out, Tristan Stubbs 38; Noor Ahmad 2-22, Jamie Overton 1-5)
Chennai Super Kings 159/2 in 17.3 overs (Sanju Samson 87 not out, Kartik Sharma 41 not out; Axar Patel 1-25, Lungi Ngidi 1-30)

The cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase announce that it would be cutting 14% of its workforce as a result of changes in the nature of work brought about by artificial intelligence (AI), in order to become lean, agile, and AI-native.

The firm stated that “an invitation to meet with an HRBP and a senior leader in your organization” will be included in an email to the personal accounts of all affected team members with further details.

“The Coinbase system access has been eliminated today. Although it may seem abrupt and severe, it is the only responsible course of action considering our responsibility to safeguard customer data,” said Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong in an X post.

“Today I’ve made the tough choice to cut the size of Coinbase by 14 percent. Two forces are converging at the same moment. We must be front footed in order to react to both, he said.

The market is the first thing to consider. According to the CEO, Coinbase is well-capitalized, has a diverse range of income sources, and is in a good position to withstand any challenge.

“But our industry is still unpredictable quarter to quarter. We’ve gotten through that cyclicality numerous times in the past and come out on the other side stronger, but right now we’re in a down market and need to make changes to our cost structure so that we can be leaner, faster, and more productive when we enter our next phase of growth,” Armstrong said.

Secondly, AI is transforming the way we work.

“I’ve seen engineers employ AI to ship in days what used to take a team weeks to accomplish in the last year. Many of our processes are now being automated, and non-technical teams are releasing production code. He said that the speed of what is possible with a small, focused team has significantly altered and is increasing every day.

Moreover, he said that the firm is making early and intentional steps to redesign Coinbase to be lean, quick, and AI-native.

The CEO continued, “We must go back to the speed and focus of our startup’s founding, with AI at our core. ”

US employees will be entitled to at least 16 weeks of base compensation (plus 2 weeks for each year of employment), their next equity vest, and six months of COBRA benefits.

Those with a work visa will get additional help with their transition. Similar support will be provided to those outside the United States, taking into account local circumstances and any consultation requirements.

The resounding win for the BJP in Assam was hailed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, who called the party’s hat-trick mandate the confirmation of the people’s faith and confidence in the double-engine government led by Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Prior to joining in the triumph festivities at the party’s headquarters in the national capital, the Prime Minister tweeted on X, “Assam blesses BJP-NDA once again! ”

“The BJP-NDA’s victory in the Assam Vidhan Sabha elections demonstrates the unwavering support for our Alliance’s focus on development and making a positive difference in people’s lives,” he added in a tweet.

The Prime Minister thanked the people of Assam for putting their faith in the BJP for the third time in a row and pledged to continue striving for the state’s change.

He thanked the party workers for their efforts around the clock among the people of Assam, saying, “I salute all BJP-NDA Karyakartas for their round-the-clock efforts among the people of Assam. ” The expansion of our Party and Alliance throughout the previous ten years is noteworthy. Because of their efforts, our upbeat message has resonated with the populace.

Having completed 10 years in office in Assam, Home Minister Amit Shah also expressed his gratitude to the people of the state for giving the BJP-led government a hat-trick mandate, adding that this was a sign of the people’s faith in the double-engine government’s ability to create a safe, tranquil, and prosperous state.

“The BJP’s ‘double engine’ government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in Assam has been given unwavering trust, as seen by this consistent third major victory for the NDA. According to a tweet on X, “this administration has turned Assam from a place of turmoil to a place of hope and progress. ”

Additionally, he stated that this love has only solidified the BJP-led NDA government’s commitment to providing people with better services and meeting their expectations and aspirations.

At sixty years old, Milind Soman, an actor and fitness fanatic, is still breaking records.

In his most recent social media message, he stated that he had completed a 15-kilometer swim across the Strait of Gibraltar from Europe to Africa.

Milind’s most recent post on the photo-sharing app also stated that he earned his most recent accomplishment on May 1 of this year.

Milind shared bits of his voyage with his Instagram family, stating that on May 1st, he crossed the 15-kilometer Strait of Gibraltar from Tarifa in Spain to the coast of Morocco. What a gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous swim! a more extended post is forthcoming.

During his trip to Goa in April, the ‘Emergency’ performer completed a 20-kilometer swim, with his significant other, Ankita Konwar, doing 8 kilometers. Milind finished the journey in eight hours.

He posted on his social media handle, Swam 20km for the first time! and described the event as amazing. It took almost eight hours. Extremely pleased Long-distance swimming in the ocean is one of the most amazing experiences because the tides, weather, currents, and other factors make it a really exciting journey. A huge thank you to @ankita_earthy, who also completed an 8-kilometer swim, and my pals Elias, Nicole, and Mihir, who are always there from the Goa Open Water Swim Club. World Health Day.

By sharing glimpses from their many adventures together, Milind and Ankita continue to achieve fitness goals.

The couple celebrated their eighth wedding anniversary on April 23.

Milind thanked Ankita for making every moment of his life unique as he celebrated the event.

He shared a few uncommon pictures of the two on social media and said, “Tu hai toh dil dhadakta hai. ” It seems like eight years have gone by in an instant, but every moment has been exceptional because of your presence, love, warmth, and sweetness… Happy anniversary, my sweetheart!