**💹 Economy/Policy**
– Advance tax collection rose **3% YoY**, while net direct tax collection turned positive in September.
– India examining implications of **US withdrawal of Chabahar port exemptions**, says MEA.
– Pulses import value fell **52% YoY** to \$841M during Apr–Aug, easing trade deficit pressures.
**📈 Equity Markets**
– Nifty50 closed **24,310 (+0.3%)**, Sensex gained **0.2%**, led by banks and autos.
– US markets ended lower: **Dow -0.5%, Nasdaq -0.2%** as tech faced tariff fears.
– Asian markets opened mixed today: **Nikkei +0.4%, Hang Seng -0.6%**.
**🏦 Companies**
– Oracle in talks for a **\$20B AI cloud deal with Meta**, signalling rising hyperscaler tie-ups.
**🌍 Global/World**
– Trump imposes **\$100,000 annual fee on H-1B visas**, while also launching a **‘Gold Card’** for skilled workers. Likely negative for Indian IT.
– Trump, Xi make progress on **TikTok deal**, plan to meet in South Korea.
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