Lapaas Voice

AI companies have driven a 556% surge in US convertible bond issuance to $13.6B by Feb 18, 2026 (18 deals), vs 2025's same period—topping last year's record $120B pace.​

Oracle raised $5B mandatory convertibles for AI infrastructure; Microchip secured $800M zero-coupon bonds at 40% premium amid volatility aiding low-coupon terms.​

Goldman Sachs forecasts 2026 matching/exceeding 2025 totals, ~50% AI-linked (incl energy/utilities); growth firms favor convertibles for cheap equity-like financing.​

Experts note volatility boosts investor appeal; healthcare/IPOs may join as valuations rebound post-2025 lows.​

8 hours ago | [YT] | 148

Lapaas Voice

Trump's new 10% global tariff (EO signed Feb 20, 2026) applies on top of existing duties via Trade Act Section 122 (150-day temp measure); effective Feb 24 with exemptions for pharma, minerals, fertilizers, some ag/electronics.​

India impact: Prior interim deal reduced reciprocal tariffs to 18% total (from 50%, dropping Russia oil penalty); new 10% adds ~13.5% incl base 3.5%—hits textiles, gems, leather, engineering, seafood (~$87B exports, 55% affected).

CEA Nageswaran: Could shave 0.2-0.5% off FY26 GDP; benefits rivals like Vietnam/Bangladesh; export orgs flag order/job risks despite US-India energy commitments.​

12 hours ago | [YT] | 152

Lapaas Voice

U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 on Feb 20, 2026: Trump's global tariffs under IEEPA are illegal—lacks congressional authorization for unlimited scope/amount; Constitution vests tariff power in Congress.

Invalidated: "Liberation Day"/reciprocal tariffs (up to 145% China, 50% India/Brazil); fentanyl-related 25% on Canada/China/Mexico.​

$130-175B refunds possible: Collected from 301K+ importers; no automatic—firms sue Court of International Trade (2-yr window); admin warns economic "mess".​

Trump response: Called ruling "disgrace," plans new tariffs via Trade Act Section 122 (15% temp), Smoot-Hawley (up to 50%), vows no changes.​

17 hours ago | [YT] | 109

Lapaas Voice

BSNL plans a soft launch of 5G services in Delhi within six months, as stated by CMD Robert Ravi at the India AI Impact Summit 2026.

Builds on indigenous 4G tower upgrades (already 92K+ commissioned), enabling quick 5G rollout using C-DOT/Tejas/TCS tech to compete with Jio/Airtel.

Includes AI-driven network optimization, call drop fixes, VoWiFi expansion, and rural Edge AI via BharatNet for high-speed connectivity nationwide.

Prior targets eyed Delhi/Mumbai by Dec 2025; now focuses quality teams per circle and complaint resolution to close gap with private operators.

1 day ago | [YT] | 195

Lapaas Voice

OpenAI partnered with Tata Group to secure 100 MW of AI-ready data center capacity in India via TCS's HyperVault, scaling to 1 GW under the Stargate project and "OpenAI for India" initiative.

Enables low-latency runs of advanced models domestically, meeting data residency/compliance needs for enterprises/government amid India's 100M+ weekly ChatGPT users.

Tata will deploy ChatGPT Enterprise across hundreds of thousands of TCS employees and use Codex for AI-native dev; first non-US partner for OpenAI certifications.

Builds on Tata's ₹180B ($2B) HyperVault investment (TPG-backed); OpenAI adds Mumbai/Bengaluru offices.

1 day ago | [YT] | 170

Lapaas Voice

ED attached $55.69M (₹505 crore) in US/Singapore bank accounts of Winzo's overseas entities (Winzo US Inc., Winzo SG Pte Ltd), controlled by founders Paavan Nanda and Saumya Singh Rathore.

Allegations: Matched real-money users against undisclosed bots/AI/algorithms (PPP/EP/Persona), restricted withdrawals, generated ₹3,522 crore "proceeds of crime" rake via FY22-Aug 2025 manipulations.

Probe timeline: Nov 18 2025 raids on Winzo offices; Dec 30 searches at accounting firm; Jan 23 2026 PMLA chargesheet; total attachments now ₹1,194 crore.

Claims user faced financial distress/suicidal tendencies from rigged games; funds laundered via oversea shells—investigation ongoing amid RMG sector scrutiny.

1 day ago | [YT] | 188

Lapaas Voice

Discounts on Venezuelan Merey crude (heavy, high-sulphur) to Indian refiners have shrunk to record lows below $10/bbl (as low as $6.50/bbl), down from $12-19/bbl decade average, per customs data and traders.​

High freight costs from longer shipping routes (5x Middle East, 2x Russia) and tighter supply dynamics erode prior appeal vs. discounted Russian barrels.​

SBI Research notes $10-12/bbl discount would make Venezuelan switch viable (potential $3B annual savings), but current pricing keeps Russia dominant despite US sanctions easing imports.

2 days ago | [YT] | 209

Lapaas Voice

India's ad market hit Rs 1.55 lakh crore (up 12% YoY) in 2025 per PMAR 2026 preview, with digital commanding 60% share (Rs 93,156 crore, +22%).​

Expanded definition includes quick commerce ads (Rs 4,000 crore) + MSME digital spends (Rs 35,814 crore); legacy metrics show digital at 46% of Rs 1.15 lakh crore base (+7%).​

Digital drivers: retail media, Q-comm "media-to-money" ecosystems; TV+CTV resilient at Rs 38,855 crore (CTV doubled to Rs 6,000 crore).​

2026 outlook: total AdEx Rs 1.75 lakh crore (+12-13%), digital to 64% (Rs 1.12 lakh crore); linear TV down 5%, CTV projected at Rs 8,000 crore (+33%).​

2 days ago | [YT] | 211

Lapaas Voice

India targets $200B+ in AI infrastructure investments over next two years (incl. $70B pledged by Google/Amazon/Microsoft), positioning as global AI hub via tax incentives, $1.1B state VC, policy support.

IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced at India AI Impact Summit (New Delhi, Feb 2026), adding $17B for deep-tech/AI apps; scales IndiaAI Mission compute from 38K to +20K GPUs soon.

Includes data centers, chips, power; leverages export-oriented cloud tax relief thru 2047, extended deep-tech startup benefits (20 yrs, ₹3B revenue cap).

Challenges: power/water for data centers; 50%+ clean energy mix cited as edge amid Adani's $100B hyperscale pledge by 2035.

2 days ago | [YT] | 199

Lapaas Voice

Housing conversion time (lead-to-sale) hits 3-year low at ~15-27 days across segments, with ₹2-3 crore homes selling fastest (15 days).​

₹2-3 crore segment dropped from 28 days (2024) to 15 days (2025), driven by strong buyer confidence, limited supply, and FOMO effect.

₹1-2 crore homes take longest (~30 days), reflecting selective luxury buying amid abundant high-end supply.

Affordable homes (<₹50 lakh) improved to 19 days from 28, boosted by rising rents, faster loans, and scarce primary options. Overall trend signals robust demand, buyer empowerment from branded developers, and shift to value-driven decisions.​

3 days ago | [YT] | 174