Top of the Morning
Top of the Morning is a daily podcast hosted by Nelson John, in which we bring you all the action from the global markets and the business world to kick-start your day on a well-informed note. This is a Mint production, brought to you by HT Smartcast
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Formula 1 Is Coming Back to India | Why Lula Flew to India With 300 Businessmen | Karnataka Wants To Ban Phones For Under-16s
<p>Good Morning, I'm Nelson John. The US Supreme Court killed Trump's sweeping tariffs and Indian exporters in textiles, leather, gems, pharma, and engineering now face just 10 percent instead of 25. Real competitive edge over China, Vietnam, and Bangladesh but India already made concessions for a deal at 18 percent. That conversation is now live in Washington. Europe is rearming with $800 billion and Indian defense manufacturers are squarely in the frame. Karan Adani says he is personally working to bring Formula 1 back to India the Buddh Circuit comes bundled with the Jaypee acquisition, and this time there is a serious business case...
The Adani-Telecom Standoff | India's Chief AI Officer Boom | Gold vs Equities vs Bonds
<p>Good Morning, I'm Nelson John. Today on Top of the Morning: India's boardrooms are creating a new C-suite role the Chief AI Officer. We also break down gold vs equities in 2026, the connectivity battle at Navi Mumbai Airport, Sridhar Vembu's bold AI prediction, and what the latest fresher hiring data means for India's young job seekers.</p><p> </p><p>Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices</p>
Micron Fires Up India's First Chip Factory | PFC-REC Merger | RBI Rewrites the Rules on Capital Market Lending
<p>Good Morning, I'm Nelson John. On today's Top of the Morning: Gold just had its worst crash in 40 years, falling 21% from record highs after Trump named Kevin Warsh as the next Fed Chair. India is rolling out its first commercial semiconductor chip from Micron's Gujarat facility this month. The trade deficit blew out to $34.68 billion in January, nearly doubling year-on-year, driven by a surge in gold and silver imports right before the crash. PFC and REC are merging into a $61 billion power finance giant. And the RBI just opened the door for banks to fund M&A deals up...
India's AI Impact Summit | India's 38-Nation Trade Web | Global Growth Hits a Wall
<p>Good Morning, I'm Nelson John and today on Top of the Morning we're looking at a world in recalibration. India is about to host the biggest AI summit ever held in the Global South, but AI fears just wiped 5.7 lakh crore off Indian IT stocks. A new Fed Chair is about to change the game in Washington. India now has trade deals spanning 38 countries. And the UN says global growth is slowing but holding. Five stories, one theme. The rules are being rewritten. Listen now.</p> <p><br></p><p> </p><p>Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...
India's Telecom Slowdown | SBI Overtakes TCS | RBI Takes On Mis-Selling
<p>Good Morning, Welcome to Top of The Morning, I'm Nelson John.</p> <p><br></p> <p>A new analysis reveals US states have paid $199 billion in tariffs since March 2025, with $134 billion coming from key midterm battleground states. India's telecom sector posts its slowest growth in six quarters as tariff hike benefits fade. SBI surpasses TCS to become India's fourth largest company after record quarterly profits, a shift not seen in 15 years. And the RBI issues sweeping new guidelines to stop banks from mis-selling products and using dark patterns. Four stories about who really pays the price when the rules...
Sending Money Abroad Got Cheaper | New Tax Rules: Simpler Forms, Harder Choices | Neopolis: Hyderabad's New Manhattan |
<p>Good Morning, I'm Nelson John. On today's episode of Top of the Morning: Hyderabad's real estate market is on fire with 200 million square feet sanctioned in 2025 alone, and a new district called Neopolis is being called the city's Manhattan with land prices crossing 150 crore per acre. Meanwhile, Sattva Group just entered Mumbai with a massive 11,000 crore redevelopment bet across six projects. On the tax front, the new draft income tax rules look simpler on paper but actually make choosing between old and new regimes harder than ever. And if you send money abroad, TCS on education and medical remittances...
The SaaSpocalypse | SGB Tax Changes | MGNREGA to VB-G RAM G | Credit Score Expansion
<p>Good Morning, I'm Nelson John. This week saw $285 billion vanish from global software stocks after Anthropic's AI plugins launched. The India-US trade deal enters its final stretch with tariffs dropping to 18%. Your credit score is now being pulled by employers, insurers, and telecom companies. Sovereign gold bonds bought from secondary markets lose their tax-free status starting April. And MGNREGA is being phased out for a new scheme with a completely different funding structure. Five stories, one morning. Listen now.</p><p> </p><p>Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices</p>
IndiGo Faces Antitrust Probe | Vodafone's Banking Test & The Metals Correction Explained
<p>Good Morning, I'm Nelson John. In today's episode, we unpack five stories that reveal what happens when business as usual stops working.</p> <p><br></p> <p>IndiGo's December meltdown 4,500 cancelled flights just triggered a Competition Commission investigation. When you control 60% of the market and create artificial scarcity during peak demand, regulators take notice.</p> <p><br></p> <p>Vodafone Idea is back seeking ₹35,000 crore from banks. Supreme Court relief on AGR dues helps, but ₹1.25 trillion in spectrum payments and 7 million lost subscribers tell a different story.</p> <p><br></p> <p>Gold and silver just corrected sharply down 12% and...
India's Russian Oil Problem | Iran Talks After Drone Shootdown | Gold Market Chaos
<p>Good Morning, I'm Nelson John. Today on Top of the Morning: President Trump claims India agreed to stop buying Russian oil, but industry insiders say 1.2 million barrels daily will keep flowing for months because contracts are already locked. Then, a US fighter jet shoots down an Iranian drone heading for an aircraft carrier just hours before announcing talks are still on for Friday in Istanbul. Gold and silver pulled off one of the wildest rides in decades, crashing 20% to 40% from record highs before bouncing back this week, exposing what analysts call a broken market structure. And the Reserve Bank...
China's $1.2T Surplus vs India's Trade Gamble | ₹60,000 Crore Gap: Who Pays?
<p>Good Morning, I'm Nelson John. Today on Top of the Morning: India's Budget 2026 promises fiscal discipline while betting ₹12.2 lakh crore on infrastructure. Meanwhile, China posts a record $1.2 trillion trade surplus, proving tariffs couldn't stop its export machine. And closer to home, the government's ₹1.4 trillion telecom receipt target could spell trouble for Airtel's AGR relief hopes. Budget math, trade wars, and telecom tensions — all connected, all consequential.</p> <p><br></p><p> </p><p>Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices</p>
