Consumer Protection Crackdown (India): India’s consumer watchdog fined PhysicsWallah ₹5 lakh and McAfee ₹1 lakh for dark patterns, including pre-selected donations without clear consent and “free” course access that required unnecessary personal data. FMCG Outlook (India): HUL’s Nitin Paranjpe said the company is staying confident on long-term growth, leaning on premiumisation, digital-first brands, and data-led operations despite near-term headwinds. Public Digital Infrastructure (India): A fresh DoT circular highlights PM-WANI’s scale—nearly 3.9 lakh hotspots and 2.45 crore users—using a decentralised model that lets small businesses run public Wi-Fi without licences or registrations. Retail & Payments (Japan/Thailand): Japan’s Yamada and Edion plan a merger to form a larger consumer electronics chain, while a Bangkok viral case alleges a Chinese restaurant refused baht and pushed renminbi payments, reigniting scrutiny of foreign-run payment practices. Connected Consumer Tech (Asia): Kenwood launched a new hi-fi range built on Frontier’s AURIA connected-audio platform, targeting premium mass-market buyers. Energy Transition Hardware (China/India): China’s copper demand is surging with AI servers and EVs, and India-focused Citi coverage lifted GE Vernova T&D India and Hitachi Energy India on expectations of a major transmission-and-distribution investment cycle. Auto Supply Shifts (UK/China): Nissan is exploring using spare Sunderland capacity to produce Chery vehicles, a sign of how Chinese brands are reshaping UK manufacturing. Smartphone Market (India): HMD’s Vibe 2 5G sold out in under an hour on Flipkart, reinforcing demand for big-battery, budget 5G devices. M&A Readiness (Asia): match.asia launched “Exit HealthCheck” to help SMEs avoid common deal-stoppers like valuation gaps and due-diligence shortfalls.