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2,000-year-old Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions found in Egypt reveal ancient Tamil traders

2,000-year-old Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions found in Egypt reveal ancient Tamil traders

by | Feb 12, 2026 | Business


A Tamil Brahmi inscription with the name Cikai Koṟraṉ in one of the tombs at the Valley of the Kings in Egypt.
| Photo Credit:

In a discovery that rewrites the maritime history of ancient India, researchers have identified 2,000-year-old Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions inside the high-security royal tombs of the valley of the Kings in Egypt.

The findings, which confirm that ancient Tamil traders travelled deep into the Egyptian interior for exploration and tourism, were presented by Swiss scholar Professor Ingo Strauch on the inaugural day of the four-day International Conference on Tamil Epigraphy here on February 11.

Professor Strauch, from the University of Lausanne, Switzerland, along with Professor Charlotte Schmid of the French School of Asian Studies, Paris, documented approximately 30 inscriptions in Tamil-Brahmi and Prakrit across six rock-cut tombs, including the tomb of Ramesses VI. The most significant discovery is the name ‘Cikai Korran’, which appears in eight different locations.

The researchers noted that one inscription specifically reads ‘Cikai Korran vara kanta’, which translates to ‘Cikai Korran came and saw’, mirroring the style of Greek tourist graffiti found in the same complex.

Addressing the delegates, Professor Strauch said, while earlier evidence of Tamil presence in Egypt was confined to port cities like Berenike, these inscriptions prove that Indian merchants were not merely transient sailors.

He noted that the merchants stayed for extended periods and possessed the curiosity to visit inland heritage sites far from the coast.

The name Cikai, meaning tuft or crown, and Korran, meaning leader, suggest the individual was a person of significant status within the merchant guilds of the early historic period, he added.

The conference, organised by the Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology, was inaugurated by Minister for Finance and Archaeology Thangam Thennarasu.

The Minister emphasised that inscriptions provide an authentic chronological record of society that is free from the interpolations often found in later literary works.

He noted that Tamil Nadu accounts for nearly 30,000 of the documented inscriptions in India, offering an unbroken history from the 6th century BCE.

The conference is on till February 14 and its agenda includes the release of a comprehensive volume on traditional water management systems based on ancient sluice inscriptions, documenting how early societies managed irrigation and public resources.

Over the next two days, the event is scheduled to feature sessions on hero stones, trade guild records, and the digital mapping of archaeological sites across the state.

Published on February 12, 2026



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Crude oil futures gain as markets monitor US-Iran developments

Crude oil futures gain as markets monitor US-Iran developments

by | Feb 12, 2026 | Business


Crude oil futures traded higher on Thursday morning as markets continued to focus on US-Iran tensions with market players concerned that any military action could pose a risk to oil supplies.

At 9.56 am on Thursday, April Brent oil futures were at $69.76, up by 0.52 per cent, and March crude oil futures on WTI were at $65.03, up by 0.62 per cent. On Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), February crude oil futures were trading at ₹5,888 during the initial hour against the previous close of ₹5,896, down by 0.14 per cent, while March futures were trading at ₹5,901 against the previous close of ₹5,907, down by 0.10 per cent.

US President Donald Trump warned Iran of a possible military action, if it fails to agree to a deal with US.

In a post on the social media platform Truth Social, he said: “I have just finished meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu, of Israel, and various of his Representatives. It was a very good meeting, the tremendous relationship between our two Countries continues. There was nothing definitive reached other than I insisted that negotiations with Iran continue to see whether or not a Deal can be consummated. If it can, I let the Prime Minister know that will be a preference. If it cannot, we will just have to see what the outcome will be. Last time Iran decided that they were better off not making a Deal, and they were hit with Midnight Hammer — That did not work well for them. Hopefully this time they will be more reasonable and responsible.”

Meanwhile, the latest data showed an increase in US crude oil inventories for the week ending February 6. According to the US EIA (Energy Information Administration), US commercial crude oil inventories increased by 8.5 million barrels for the week ending February 6.

Total motor gasoline inventories increased by 1.2 million barrels from last week, and distillate fuel inventories decreased by 2.7 million barrels last week.

Total products supplied in the US over the last four-week period averaged 20.8 million barrels per day, 2.4 per cent above the same period last year. Over the past four weeks, motor gasoline product supplied averaged 8.3 million barrels per day, 0.7 per cent below the same period last year. Distillate fuel product supplied averaged 4.1 million barrels per day over the past four weeks, down by 3.2 per cent from the same period last year. Jet fuel product supplied was down 2.3 per cent compared with the same four-week period last year.

Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries’ (OPEC) February oil market report said global oil demand growth forecast for 2026 remains at a healthy 1.4 million barrels a day, y-o-y, unchanged from the previous month’s assessment. Oil demand growth is expected to be supported by strong air travel demand and healthy road mobility, including on-road diesel and trucking, as well as healthy industrial, construction, and agricultural activities in non-OECD countries.

It said that global oil demand growth in 2027 is forecast to grow by a healthy 1.3 million barrels a day, year-on-year, unchanged from the previous month’s assessment.

February natural gas futures were trading at ₹292.80 on MCX during the initial hour of trading on Thursday against the previous close of ₹288.50, up by 1.49 per cent.

On the National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX), March jeera contracts were trading at ₹23,080 during the initial hour against the previous close of ₹22,995, up by 0.37 per cent.

March castorseed futures were trading at ₹6,464 on NCDEX during the initial hour against the previous close of ₹6,445, up by 0.29 per cent.

Published on February 12, 2026



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शेयर बाजार को लगी नजर; 425 अंक टूटा सेंसेक्स, निफ्टी में भी भूचाल

शेयर बाजार को लगी नजर; 425 अंक टूटा सेंसेक्स, निफ्टी में भी भूचाल

by | Feb 12, 2026 | Business


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Stock Market Today: भारतीय शेयर मार्केट में गुरुवार, 12 फरवरी वाले कारोबारी दिन की शुरुआत निगेटिव रही. प्रमुख बेंचमॉर्क इंडेक्स बीएसई सेंसेक्स और एनएसई निफ्टी 50 लाल निशान पर ट्रेड करते हुए ओपन हुए.

30 शेयरों वाला बीएसई सेंसेक्स इंडेक्स 265.21 अंक या 0.31 प्रतिशत फिसल गया. दिन की शुरुआत सेंसेक्स ने 83,968.43 के लेवल पर की है. वहीं, एनएसई निफ्टी 50 में भी गिरावट देखने को मिल रही है. निफ्टी 50  47.15 अंक या 0.18 फीसदी टूटकर 25,906.70 के लेवल पर ओपन हुआ था.

सुबह करीब 9:23 बजे तक, सेंसेक्स 381 अंक की गिरावट के साथ 83,851 अंक पर कारोबार कर रहा था. वहीं निफ्टी 50 107 अंक टूट गई थी और 25,846 के लेवल पर ट्रेड कर रही थी.

बीएसई के टॉप गेनर और लूजर

कारोबारी दिन के दौरान एनटीपीसी, आईसीआईसीआई बैंक, एक्सिस बैंक, आईटीसी और पावरग्रिड टॉप गेनर रहे थे. वहीं टॉप लूजर की लिस्ट में टेक महिंद्रा, एचसीएलटेक, टीसीएस, एटरनल और इंडिगो रहे थे.

बुधवार को कैसा रहा था मार्केट?

भारतीय शेयर मार्केट में बुधवार, 11 फरवरी का कारोबारी दिन मिला-जुला रहा था. प्रमुख बेंचमार्क इंडेक्स बीएसई सेंसेक्स लाल निशान और एनएसई निफ्टी 50 हरे निशान पर ट्रेड करते हुए बंद हुए थे. सेंसेक्स 40.28 अंक या 0.05 प्रतिशत की गिरावट के साथ 84,233.64 अंक तो वहीं, एनएसई निफ्टी 50 18.70 अंक या 0.07 प्रतिशत उछलकर 25,953.85 के लेवल पर कारोबारी दिन की समाप्ति की थी.

बीएसई बास्केट से एसबीआई एन, मारुति, इंडिगो, ट्रेंट और रिलायंस टॉप गेनर थे. टॉप लूजर की बात करें तो टीसीएस, एचसीएल टेक, एटरनल, आईटीसी और एक्सिस बैंक रहे थे. निफ्टी 100, निफ्टी बैंक, निफ्टी एफएमसीजी, निफ्टी मिडकैप 100, निफ्टी स्मॉलकैप 100 और निफ्टी ऑटो के शेयरों में तेजी देखने को मिली थी.

वहीं निफ्टी आईटी के शेयरों में गिरावट थी. गुरुवार के कारोबारी दिन बीएसई बास्केट से 14 शेयर हरे निशान पर बंद हुए थे और 16 शेयरों में गिरावट दर्ज की गई थी.

डिस्क्लेमर: (यहां मुहैया जानकारी सिर्फ़ सूचना हेतु दी जा रही है. यहां बताना जरूरी है कि मार्केट में निवेश बाजार जोखिमों के अधीन है. निवेशक के तौर पर पैसा लगाने से पहले हमेशा एक्सपर्ट से सलाह लें. ABPLive.com की तरफ से किसी को भी पैसा लगाने की यहां कभी भी सलाह नहीं दी जाती है.)

यह भी पढ़ें:  इस कंपनी में मॉर्गन स्टेनली और गोल्डमैन सैक्स की एंट्री; हुई बड़ी ब्लॉक डील , चेक करें कहीं आपने भी तो नहीं लगाया दांव

 



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Revised CPI may give RBI reason to keep interest rates on hold

Revised CPI may give RBI reason to keep interest rates on hold

by | Feb 12, 2026 | Business


The overhaul comes amid a scrutiny of RBI’s inflation forecasting model after it consistently overestimated price pressures last year, potentially contributing to a hawkish policy stance.
| Photo Credit:
FRANCIS MASCARENHAS

India will publish inflation figures based on a new index on Thursday, which analysts say may show elevated price pressures in the economy, giving the central bank reason to keep interest rates on hold. 

The new consumer price index from the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, due Thursday at 4 p.m., will reflect changes in spending patterns since the last overhaul done more than a decade ago. The data release will include figures for 2025 based on the index weights, making comparisons easier.

The weighting of volatile items such as food has been reduced to about 36.8 per cent from nearly half previously, and new spending categories like rentals for rural housing and online shopping, have been added. The base year has also been changed to 2024 from 2012.

The changes could lift the January inflation reading to about 2.77 per cent, according to the median estimate of 32 economists in a Bloomberg survey. Inflation was 1.33 per cent in December based on the previous CPI series. 

Although inflation remains well below the Reserve Bank of India’s 4 per cent target, the new figures could prompt the central bank to hold off on any further rate cuts and push up bond yields further. Last week, Governor Sanjay Malhotra kept the benchmark interest rate unchanged and indicated a prolonged pause going forward. 

The overhaul comes amid a scrutiny of the central bank’s inflation forecasting model after it consistently overestimated price pressures last year, potentially contributing to a hawkish policy stance. Officials have also been debating whether the central bank should target an inflation measure that excludes food, since the high weighting causes more volatility in the headline numbers. 

The new series will help the RBI to “make its monetary policy actions much more effective and transmission quicker,” said Amol Agrawal, who teaches economics at the National Institute of Securities Markets. “It minimises, if not eliminates policy errors that the central bank may have suffered occasionally from under the older series.” 

The revamp is closely watched by financial market participants as it could alter expectations for interest rates at a time when foreign flows are highly sensitive to policy signals. A higher inflation trajectory may keep borrowing costs elevated, influencing bond yields, equity valuations and both portfolio and longer-term foreign direct investment decisions.

Saurabh Garg, secretary in the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, said Wednesday the revised CPI will better reflect India’s economic reality following a rapid expansion in consumer spending over the years. Rising incomes means Indians are spending less on food and more on services and housing.  

The weight of core inflation, which excludes food and fuel, will rise to nearly 58 per cent in the new CPI series from 47.3 per cent previously, according to calculations by DBS Group Holdings Ltd. Core inflation is typically more responsive to monetary policy action. 

The government will also publish gross domestic product data on February 27 based on the new consumer spending patterns, which analysts say may show a sharp revision higher in the size of the economy. That could put India on track to overtake Japan as the world’s fourth-largest economy. 

Horse-cart fares

The overhaul in the CPI means prices for antiquated items such as video cassette recorders, radios and horse-cart fares will make way for airfares, online subscriptions and e-commerce sales. The index will now include electricity prices, housing costs in rural areas and standardised norms for gold and silver jewelery.

Free food items distributed under government welfare programmes will be excluded. The government also plans to publish more detailed CPI data, potentially down to the item level, incorporating inputs from states and sectors.

The new CPI series arrives as the bond market grapples with record debt supply from federal and state governments. Yields on the benchmark 10-year bond surged to their highest level in over a year last week after the central bank held rates and refrained from announcing any further bond purchase plans.

“The market is expecting a slight upward near-term bias in the new CPI of around 30–50 basis points,” said Suyash Choudhary, chief investment officer for fixed income at Bandhan AMC Ltd. “The RBI is generally expected to be on long hold with focus on proactive liquidity management.”

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com

Published on February 12, 2026



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US President Trump hails trade deal with India as 'historic'

US President Trump hails trade deal with India as 'historic'

by | Feb 12, 2026 | Business


US President Donald Trump
| Photo Credit:
REUTERS

US President Donald Trump has hailed the trade deal with India as “historic” and said America will increase its coal exports dramatically to the country and to others with which it has trade agreements.

“And under our leadership, we’re becoming a massive energy exporter. In just the past few months, we’ve made historic trade deals with Japan, Korea, India and others to increase our coal exports dramatically,” Trump said Wednesday during an event titled ‘Champion of Coal’.

“We’re now exporting coal all over the world, and the quality of our coal is supposed to be…the finest anywhere in the world,” he said.

Last week, the US and India announced they have reached a framework for an interim agreement on trade, under which New Delhi will eliminate or reduce tariffs on all American industrial goods, a wide range of food and agricultural products, as well as purchase $500 billion of US products over the next five years.

A joint statement issued by the two countries on Friday said they have reached a framework “regarding reciprocal and mutually beneficial trade.” It said that India “intends to purchase $500 billion of US energy products, aircraft and aircraft parts, precious metals, technology products, and coking coal over the next five years.” It added that the framework reaffirms the countries’ commitment to the broader US-India Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) negotiations, launched by President Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 13, 2025, which will include additional market access commitments and support more resilient supply chains.

Published on February 12, 2026



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