China's exports fell by 1.1% year on year in October, the weakest performance since February, as shipments to the United States plunged about 25%, data showed. Exports grew by 8.3% in September. The drop reflects lingering friction, even though US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed last week to de-escalate their trade dispute, reports analysed.

Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) signed an agreement with US-based GE Aerospace to acquire 113 jet engines to power the Tejas light combat aircraft fleet. The delivery of F404-GE-IN20 engines will begin in 2027, with supplies to be completed by 2032, PTI reported, citing officials. In September, HAL sealed ₹62,370-crore deal with GE Aerospace to procure 97 Tejas MK-1A light combat aircraft.

Kingshuk Mitra, senior executive at JioStar who led impact properties, agency partnerships, and branded content, has resigned from his role. With years of experience in advertising and media, he now plans to launch an independent venture that combines creativity with emerging technology solutions.

Swiggy has secured board approval to raise up to ₹10,000 crore via a mix of Qualified Institutional Placement (QIP) and other equity routes. The move is aimed at bolstering its cash reserves and capacity for growth as competition heats up in India’s quick-commerce and food delivery market.

Kumar Mangalam Birla and his family have featured in the 2025 EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List as the fourth-highest donors in the country. Their donation in FY25 stood at ₹440 crore, while their five-year total stood at ₹1,936 crore. Kumar Mangalam Birla and his family have contributed mainly towards healthcare through Aditya Birla Capital Foundation.

Mumbai-based Miko.ai has raised $10.5 million in a round led by iHeartMedia to expand its emotionally intelligent robots for children. Its flagship products, Miko 3 and Miko Mini, use AI and sensors to talk, teach, and respond to kids’ emotions. The funding will enhance global reach, media partnerships, and personalization features across 140+ countries in the edtech robotics space.

Two 25-year-old IIT Kharagpur graduates, Varun Vummadi and Esha Manideep, turned down dream offers to build Giga AI, a startup teaching machines to talk like humans. Backed by Redpoint Ventures, Y Combinator, and Nexus Venture Partners, Giga’s $61 million Series A is redefining how voice, emotion, and intelligence merge in the future of customer care.

Expedia shares soared 15% in premarket trading after the company’s Q3 revenue rose 9% year-on-year to $4.4 billion, with adjusted EPS of $7.57 beating estimates. Wells Fargo raised its price target to $272 from $212, while Piper Sandler upgraded the stock to Neutral. Analysts cited improving bookings and signs of an operational turnaround.

Cognitive automation blends robotic process automation (RPA) with artificial intelligence, such as natural language processing, computer vision, and decision models, to handle tasks that require human-like judgment. Rather than performing simple rule-based execution, it interprets documents, assesses context, makes recommendations, and routes exceptions to humans.

Utility-based agents evaluate possible actions using a 'utility function' to select the most beneficial outcome rather than merely achieving a goal. They perceive the environment, assess trade-offs (time, cost, risk), score alternatives, and act on the highest-value choice. These agents are suited to applications such as autonomous vehicles and supply-chain optimisation.