Byju’s Sued in U.S. | Kohli’s Next Move: From Puma to Agilitas | India’s Growth Takes a Hit

This is Nelson John, and I'll bring you the top business and tech stories, let's get started. Wall Street Reverses Course After Tariff Jitters Wednesday’s rally? Short-lived. U.S. stock markets nosedived Thursday, giving back most of their gains after optimism over Trump’s temporary tariff pause faded fast. The S&P 500 fell 3.46%, the Dow lost 1,014 points, and the Nasdaq dropped 4.31%, dragged down by a brutal tech sell-off—Tesla plunged 8%, Nvidia and Meta slid 7%, and Apple fell 4%. What triggered the sell-off? A White House clarification revealed that tariffs on Chinese imports will spike to 145%, not 125% as previously suggested. Even a soft inflation report couldn’t soothe investor nerves. Message from the market: relief rallies are fragile, and volatility may be the new normal. 🇺🇸🇮🇳 U.S. Suspends Extra Tariffs on India for 90 Days In a significant breather for India, the U.S. has suspended additional 26% import duties for 90 days until July 9, after Trump’s sweeping April 2 order targeted over 60 countries. However, a 10% baseline tariff remains. India, which exports 18% of its goods to the U.S., is among the 75 nations engaging with Washington to fix non-reciprocal trade imbalances. China, Hong Kong, and Macau, notably, are excluded from this relief. With global trade reshuffling, India may have gained time—but uncertainty looms beyond July. 📉 India’s Growth Outlook Slips on Tariff Pressures Moody’s Analytics has cut India’s 2025 GDP forecast to 6.1%, down from 6.4%, blaming the economic drag from U.S. tariffs. Though Trump paused most hikes temporarily, the blanket 10% duty could still hurt. India’s Q3 GDP came in at 6.2%, but to meet the fiscal target of 6.5%, Q4 would need to clock a steep 7.6% growth. The RBI has responded by cutting interest rates by 25 basis points to 6% and shifting to an “accommodative” stance, with more rate cuts expected. With exports like gems and textiles under pressure, domestic demand may be India’s buffer—but risks are clearly rising. ⚖️ Byju’s Sued in U.S. Over Missing $533 Million In a blockbuster lawsuit, Byju’s U.S. finance arm, Alpha Inc., has sued founder Byju Raveendran, his wife Divya, and top executives for allegedly stealing $533 million from a $1.2 billion loan. Filed in Delaware, the lawsuit accuses them of fraud, fund diversion, and blocking creditor access. Byju’s calls it a “nefarious ploy” to seize control and blames GLAS Trust and EY for misleading U.S. courts and sabotaging India’s insolvency process. Meanwhile, Byju’s has filed its own FIR in India, accusing GLAS, EY, and former resolution professionals of bribery and conspiracy. Once a startup poster child, Byju’s now finds itself in the eye of a global financial storm. 👟 Kohli’s Next Move: From Puma to Homegrown Agilitas Virat Kohli is stepping up his entrepreneurial game. With his ₹110 crore deal with Puma ending, Kohli is joining Indian sportswear startup Agilitas as investor and brand ambassador. Founded by former Puma India MD Abhishek Ganguly, Agilitas will now scale Kohli’s lifestyle brand One8 in India and globally. The official reveal is expected during the IPL season. Backed by ₹530 crore from Convergent Finance and Nexus Ventures, Agilitas also owns Lotto India and shoemaker Mochiko, signaling serious ambitions to challenge global giants. For Kohli, this isn’t just another endorsement—it’s a brand-building innings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices