Today's Friday Update: Week 🔚 Don't Forget to Vote!

Hello Otter community!

Lok Sabha Elections begin today. Make your vote count 🗳️ 

In today’s edition: Indians are prepared to take over aerospace; Does India-Musk friendship have China in knots?; Flipkart’s UPI records Rs. 200 cr transaction in just March!; Yesterday’s reported Israeli attacks on Iran were just rumors or that’s what Iran now claims; Oil price volatility is a raging concern but FM is all prepared; Kejriwal’s early release plans meet fresh obstacles; Rising gold prices are good news for ETF returns but bad news for jewellers

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS

1. GST Relief On the Horizon: Government mulls easing related party transaction clause for foreign companies in India 🛳️💼

2. India Celebrates Milestone: 🥳 Indigenous Technology Cruise Missile hits bullseye 🎯 off Odisha coast; Defence Minister lauds DRDO 🚀

3. India Prepares for Impact of Iran-Israel Conflict: Sitharaman's alert for economic safeguarding 🛢️Russia dominates India's oil imports, OPEC's market share shrinks

4. Gold's Surge Impacts Diamond Demand in India: Jewellers turn to 14-carat gold to cut prices 🌟🛍️

5. Flipkart's UPI Platform Success: Registers 5 Million transactions worth Rs. 200 cr in March 💰

6. ED Claims CM Kejriwal Manipulating Diet: Allegations of Kejriwal intentionally consuming sugar to elevate blood sugar levels, HC demands Tihar jail medical report 🥭🍪 

7. AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan Arrested by ED in Money Laundering Case: Party vows to fight BJP's 'dictatorship' 🚨💰

8. Indian Masala Recall Alert: Singapore orders Everest's Fish Curry Masala recall over pesticide levels found to be unfit for human consumption 🚫🐟

9. Gain Bitcoin Ponzi Scam: ED seizes Raj Kundra's properties worth Rs. 97 cr in Bitcoin money laundering case 🏠️💰️ 

10. 4th Year Running: Adani Group releases Rs. 26,500 cr of pledged shares in fiscal 2024 📈💰 Continues trend of improved cash earnings

THE MARKET MOVEMENT

1. Gold Mutual Funds Outshine Equities: 10.91% returns in last month; Invesco India Gold ETF FoF tops 📈🥇

2. Fasteners: Sterling Tools surges over 11% on signing pact with South Korea's Yongin Electronics for EV component facility 🚗💡

3. Automobile: Bajaj Auto's stellar Q4 performance fails to impress investors, brokers sound caution, stock falls 3.56% 📉💰

4. Telecom: Tata Communications stock plummets 5% as analysts warn of limited upside; EBITDA margins and Q4 results disappoint 📉😞 

GEOPOLITICS SPOTLIGHT

1. Elon Musk's 'Make in India' Move: A blow to China's PR strategy and EV dominance 🚗 Signals shift in global business dynamics 🌍️ 💼

2. Middle East Tensions Roil Markets: Brent Crude tops $90, oil prices surge, WTI tops $85 📈🛢️ S&P 500 faces worst week in 6 months 🌍📉 

3. Targetted Attacks by Islamist Militants: 🔫 Japanese nationals survive suicide bomb attack in Karachi, 2 injured in police shootout

4. Iran Refutes Israeli Attack Reports: 💥 Dismisses explosion sounds as activation of Iranian air defence system ✈️ 

TECH NEXUS

1. OpenAI Appoints First Employee in India: Hires Government Relations Head amid AI regulation challenges 🤖 💼

2. Cryptocurrencies Plunge: Bitcoin breaks below $60,000 on Israel-Iran Tensions 📉💥

3. Apple Removes WhatsApp, Threads from China App Store: Cite government order over national security concerns 📵

4. Project TESSERACT: Tesla moves forward with electric Big Rig Charging Corridor Plan despite funding setback 🚚🔋

5. Meta AI Upgrades: 🤖💻️ Boosts AI presence across platforms with Llama 3 integration and expanded features