Market News

During Friday's trading session, domestic indices experienced significant losses. The NSE Nifty 50 dropped by 165.50 points or 0.85% to reach 19,331.80, while the BSE Sensex plummeted by 505.19 points or 0.77% to reach 65,280.45.

For the third consecutive day, the Bank Nifty maintained its trading range between 45,000 and 45,660. It appears to be in a consolidation phase following a significant upward movement.

This week didn't see a lot of loss/gain action in the sectorial indices (Bank nifty being the only one with noticeable action).

On Thursday, the White House announced that the United States has agreed to provide cluster munitions to Ukraine, despite ongoing appeals from human rights groups to halt the use of these highly contentious weapons due to their association with significant civilian casualties.

Cluster munitions, also called cluster bombs, consist of canisters that house numerous smaller bomblets, also known as submunitions. These canisters can be deployed in various ways, including launching them from missiles, dropping them from aircraft, or firing them from naval guns, artillery, or rocket launchers.

According to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), in certain recent conflicts, approximately 40% of the bomblets did not detonate as intended. Consequently, cluster bombs, similar to landmines, threaten civilian lives long after their wartime use. These unexploded bomblets can continue to cause civilian casualties and injuries for many years following their deployment. The presence of unexploded bomblets underscores the grave risk cluster munitions pose to civilian populations. This reality has prompted ongoing calls from human rights organizations to halt the use of these weapons due to their potential for significant harm to civilians even long after conflicts have ended.

Knowledge time!

The word for this week is:

For all you people out there who have no clue what goes on in your local vegetable market, here's some surprising news for you!

Tomatoes, the humble kitchen staple, are currently being sold at exorbitant prices in the northern region. In Gangotri Dham, they are sold at ₹250 per kilogram, while in Uttarkashi district, prices range from ₹180 to ₹200 per kilogram. A vegetable seller mentioned that the sudden increase in tomato prices has affected the region.

Due to the sudden temperature increase experienced in March and April, Bengaluru has witnessed tomato prices ranging from ₹101 to ₹121 per kilogram. The rise in prices can be attributed to pest attacks on tomato crops, which have affected the yield and subsequently led to higher market rates for tomatoes. The adverse impact of pests on the tomato harvest has contributed to the increased cost of tomatoes in Bengaluru.

Fast food chain McDonald's has made the decision to remove tomatoes from its burgers and wraps in various locations across India.

A tragic incident occurred in Kerala's Alappuzha district where a 15-year-old boy passed away due to a rare infection caused by Naegleria Fowleri, commonly known as "brain-eating amoeba." The boy had experienced a high fever for a week and suffered a rapid deterioration in his health. It is believed that the infection was contracted from a stream near his home where he used to take baths. Naegleria Fowleri is known to thrive in natural environments, particularly in warm water habitats. However, it cannot survive in saline conditions and is not found in seawater. The amoeba relies on bacteria in sediment found in lakes and rivers for survival.

Experts state that although Naegleria Fowleri has existed in nature for a long time, cases of infection are extremely rare. In recent times, there have been reports of infections resulting in fatalities, including a 50-year-old man from South Korea last December and another man from Florida in March. Dr PN Renjen, Senior Consultant in Neurology at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals in New Delhi, explains that the exact reasons for the infection are not fully understood. However, the growth of the amoeba is favoured by warm water temperatures, particularly during the summer months, which are not uncommon in India.

It is crucial to raise awareness about preventive measures to reduce the risk of such infections, especially when bathing or participating in water activities in warm freshwater environments. 

With these new diseases on the rise every day, stay hydrated, and stay safe!

(answer mentioned below)