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May 6 (BNP): Gold and silver prices showed mixed movement on Tuesday as investors closely tracked geopolitical tensions in the Middle East alongside uncertain progress in US–Iran discussions.

Market sentiment remained cautious amid renewed instability in the Gulf region. Reports of fresh hostilities and military activity in the Strait of Hormuz have raised concerns over global energy and trade routes, keeping safe-haven demand for precious metals supported.

The situation intensified after both the United States and Iran engaged in actions in the region, further unsettling an already fragile security environment. These developments have added volatility to global markets, influencing investor positioning in gold and silver.

Despite ongoing geopolitical risks, prices remained largely stable as traders balanced safe-haven demand with broader economic considerations and expectations around diplomatic negotiations.

Overall, precious metal markets continue to react to evolving geopolitical headlines, with investors remaining alert to developments that could impact global stability and commodity flows.

Paramaribo (Suriname), May 6 (BNP): External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, on his first official visit to Suriname, emphasized the strong historical and cultural bonds between the two countries, describing the relationship as one rooted in shared heritage and enduring people-to-people connections.

 Pic Credit: https://x.com/DrSJaishankar

He noted that India’s engagement with Suriname goes beyond traditional diplomacy, reflecting deep civilisational linkages shaped by migration history and cultural affinity, particularly among the Indian-origin community in the Caribbean and South American region.

The Minister highlighted that these longstanding ties continue to serve as a foundation for expanding cooperation in key areas such as trade, development partnership, digital initiatives, capacity building, and cultural exchange.

Reaffirming India’s commitment, Jaishankar said both nations are working to further strengthen bilateral relations and explore new avenues of collaboration that benefit their people.

The visit is seen as part of India’s broader outreach to deepen engagement with partner countries through cultural and developmental diplomacy.

New Delhi, May 6: maspar, India’s leading premium home furnishings brand, has reopened its flagship store at DLF Mall of India, Noida. The store has resumed operations with a refreshed layout, new theme, and updated structure designed to enhance the shopping experience for homeowners and design professionals across NCR.

The redesigned space moves beyond traditional retail, offering a stylised structure with curated inspiration zones where customers can explore complete room concepts across bedding, bath, curtains, upholstery, and accessories. The store also introduces a dedicated Personalised home styling Assistance service, enabling clients to create tailor‑made living environments with expert guidance.

Mr Abhinav Mahajan, Director Retail, maspar said,

“We were among the first to open in this mall. Understanding changing customer preferences and experience requirements, we decided to bring an eye-level experience to home furnishings purchases. A completely new Maspar experience. This relaunch is about creating a destination where homeowners, architects, and designers can explore coordinated, sustainable, and luxurious home styling solutions.”

Aligned with maspar’s Green Thread initiative, the renovated outlet is maspar’s 6th exclusive store. Maspar today has a retail presence at 115 locations across 15 states in India. The maspar brand is also available in leading retail stores in 10 countries.

These changes reflect the brand’s ongoing commitment to conscious luxury, complementing its use of bamboo and organic cotton in textiles.

This relaunch follows maspar’s recent flagship opening in Mumbai’s Andheri West and builds on the brand’s recognition at the IHE Excellence Awards. By reimagining its presence in one of India’s premier shopping destinations, maspar reinforces its position as a leader in premium home furnishings, combining innovation, sustainability, and design expertise.

 

New Delhi, May 6 (BNP): The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved a series of major decisions aimed at strengthening infrastructure, judicial capacity, agriculture, industry, and maritime development.

Under the PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan, the Cabinet approved three multitracking railway projects covering 19 districts across Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana, aimed at improving connectivity and logistics efficiency.

In judicial reforms, the Cabinet approved the introduction of the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026, to increase the strength of the Supreme Court of India from 33 to 37 judges (excluding the Chief Justice), supporting faster delivery of justice.

For the agriculture sector, the government fixed the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) of sugarcane at ₹365 per quintal for the 2026–27 season, benefiting millions of farmers and workers engaged in the sugar industry.

The Cabinet also approved the “Mission for Cotton Productivity” with an outlay of ₹5,659.22 crore to boost cotton yields, promote advanced farming technologies, and enhance India’s competitiveness in global textile markets by 2030–31.

In a major maritime infrastructure push, the government announced the development of a state-of-the-art Ship Repair Facility at Vadinar, Gujarat. The project will significantly expand India’s ship repair ecosystem and is expected to generate both direct and indirect employment. It will also promote skill development and support the growth of maritime ancillary industries and MSMEs in the surrounding region.

These initiatives collectively aim to strengthen infrastructure, improve governance efficiency, support farmers, boost industrial growth, and enhance India’s maritime capabilities.

May 6 (BNP): India’s services sector gained momentum in April, rising to a five-month high as stronger demand and new business orders supported overall expansion, according to the latest HSBC Services PMI data compiled by S&P Global.

The seasonally adjusted index increased to 58.7 in April from 58.5 in March, marking the 45th consecutive month above the 50-point threshold that separates growth from contraction.

The improvement was driven by a sharp rise in new orders, which also encouraged companies to increase hiring at a faster pace to meet rising workload. Employment growth reached a ten-month high as firms expanded capacity to handle stronger business inflows.

International demand also strengthened, with export orders rising at their fastest pace since July 2024, supported by clients from Asia, Europe, West Asia, and the United States. Finance and insurance sectors led the growth, while consumer services also showed strong performance.

Although input cost pressures eased to a six-month low, companies raised selling prices at a quicker rate, reflecting higher wage and transportation expenses.

Despite a slight dip in business confidence, firms remained broadly optimistic about continued growth in the coming months, supported by steady demand conditions and improving market activity.

New Delhi, May 6 (BNP): Indian companies have announced a record $20.5 billion investment commitment in the United States during the SelectUSA Summit, highlighting strong and growing economic engagement between the two countries.

About 12 Indian firms confirmed immediate investment deals across key sectors including technology, manufacturing, and clean energy. These investments are expected to support job creation, strengthen industrial partnerships, and enhance supply chain linkages between India and the US.

The announcement reflects increasing confidence among Indian businesses in the US market and underscores expanding bilateral commercial cooperation. The investments are also seen as a step toward deeper economic integration and long-term strategic business partnerships between the two nations.

New Delhi, May 6 (BNP): The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the fifth version of the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS 5.0) to support businesses facing liquidity stress due to ongoing disruptions linked to the West Asia situation.

The scheme aims to facilitate an additional credit flow of around ₹2.55 lakh crore, with special support of ₹5,000 crore allocated for the aviation sector. It will provide government-backed guarantees through the National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company Limited to reduce lending risk and encourage credit expansion.

Under the revised framework, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) will receive 100% guarantee coverage on additional credit, while non-MSMEs and airlines will be covered up to 90%. Eligible borrowers include entities with standard loan accounts as of March 31, 2026.

The scheme allows additional working capital support of up to 20% of peak utilization during Q4 of FY 2025–26, capped at ₹100 crore per borrower. For airlines, funding support can go up to 100% of requirements, subject to defined limits.

Loan tenures have been set at five years for MSMEs and non-MSMEs, and seven years for airlines, including moratorium periods. The guarantee coverage will remain valid throughout the loan duration.

The government stated that ECLGS 5.0 is designed to ensure business continuity, safeguard employment, and stabilize supply chains, particularly for MSMEs and the aviation sector, while helping the economy navigate external global shocks.

The scheme builds on earlier ECLGS versions introduced to mitigate economic disruptions and strengthen the resilience of India’s business ecosystem.