Strong fundamentals have helped India pip China in the MSCI EM Investable Market Index (IMI) to become the largest weight. The world’s fastest-growing economy is also set to surpass China as the top weight in the broader MSCI Emerging Markets index too.

The MSCI Emerging Markets IMI captures large, mid and small cap representation across 24 Emerging Markets (EM) countries. With 3,355 constituents, the index covers approximately 99 per cent of the free float-adjusted market capitalisation in each country.

Global brokerage Morgan Stanley said in a note that the rising index weight could be a sign of exuberance or “due to fundamental factors such as improving free-float and rising relative earnings of India Inc.”

BMW Korea is maintaining a lead in South Korea's imported vehicle market so far this year, industry data showed on Friday, as main rival Mercedes-Benz Korea is faced with a brand reputation setback after a massive fire that broke out from one of its electric vehicles.

According to the Korea Automobile Importers and Distributors Association (KAIDA), BMW Korea was the top selling imported car brand in the country from January to August, with cumulative sales totalling 47,390 units. Mercedes-Benz came in second, with 39,666 units, reports news agency.

BMW Korea's 5 Series line led the company's sales, accounting for 27.2 percent. The German automaker unveiled the revamped eighth-generation 5 Series line in October of last year.

Actor-dancer Raghav Juyal said that dance has always been his first love as he will be seen shaking-a-leg in the upcoming film “Yudhra” starring Siddhant Chaturvedi.

Raghav, who was recently seen as a negative character in “Kill” and was last seen in a dance number in the hit film "Street Dancer 3D," released in 2020, said: "It feels surreal to be back doing what I love the most — dancing on screen. Dance has always been my first love, and it's been four long years since 'Street Dancer 3D.'”

The actor said that he missed the energy, the rhythm, and the connection with the audience that dance brings.

Bangladesh's tax collection body, the National Board of Revenue, has reduced taxes on imports of onion and potato to rein in soaring prices of essential kitchen items.

The board has waived the 5 per cent regulatory duty on onion imports and reduced customs duty on potato imports from 25 per cent to 15 per cent, the tax authority said in a statement on Thursday, news agency reported.

Apart from this, the board has reduced tariffs on pesticide imports from 25 per cent to 5 per cent to increase the supply of crop protection chemicals.

The tax authority said the reduction will be active until November 30, 2024.

Indian equity indices opened lower on Friday following mixed cues from global markets.

At 9.48 a.m., Sensex was down 430 points or 0.52 per cent at 81,771 and Nifty was down 118 points or 0.48 per cent at 25,023.

The broader market trend remains positive. On the National Stock Exchange (NSE), 1138 shares were trading in the green and 992 shares in the red.

Choice Broking said, "After a gap down opening, Nifty can find support at 25,050 followed by 25,000 and 24,950. On the higher side, 25,250 can be an immediate resistance, followed by 25,300 and 25,350."

Selling is seen in the midcap and smallcap stocks. Nifty midcap 100 index is down 330 points or 0.56 per cent at 59,117. Nifty smallcap 100 index is down 33 points or 0.17 per cent at 19,487 points.

Representatives from member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for the 21st ASEAN Chiefs of Defence Forces Meeting met here to discuss key issues affecting regional security and defence cooperation.

Speaking at the meeting on Thursday, Lao Deputy Minister of National Defence and Chief of the General Staff of the Lao People's Army Khamlieng Outhakaysone expressed his gratitude to all the ASEAN member states and the ASEAN Secretariat for their support and contributions, praising their dedication to ensuring the success of this year's meeting, news agency reported quoting the local Pasaxon newspaper.

The Board of Directors of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) has approved the issue of bonus shares in the ratio of 1:1.

Every shareholder holding one fully paid-up equity share of Rs 10 each on the record date will receive one fully paid-up equity share of Rs 10 each. The record date will be separately intimated, Reliance Industries said.

“This will be the largest ever issuance of bonus equity shares in the Indian equity market. The issuance and listing of bonus shares will coincide with the upcoming festive season in India and will be an early Diwali Gift to all our esteemed shareholders,” RIL said.

Australian authorities have issued a warning over a rise in the number of children being coerced into producing sexual and violent content online.

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) on Friday cautioned parents and guardians over an online trend emerging in Australia involving young victims who are being coerced over the internet to produce extreme content, news agency reported.

The AFP said that sadistic sextortion is a growing type of internet crime where online communities target children as young as 12 and pressure them to self-produce an image or video of an explicit sexual or violent act to gain acceptance into the community.

Once the image or video is produced and sent to an offender, the recipient will then send the content to other members of the community who will extort the victim by threatening to share the explicit material with their friends or family unless more extreme content is produced.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 900th career goal for club and country, a feat which has never been done before. The six-time Ballon d’Or winner scored Portugal’s second goal during their 2-1 win over Croatia in the UEFA Nations League group fixture.

Following the tremendous achievement, Ronaldo stated that he does not break records but rather ‘they haunt him.’

"900 goals seems like any other milestone, but only I know how hard it is to work every day to score your 900th goal. It's a unique milestone in my career. I don’t break records they haunt me!,” said Ronaldo in the post match interview.

Ronaldo’s goal proved to be the difference maker on the night and helped Portugal to get off to a winning start in their Nations League Group A campaign. It was his 131st goal for the 2016 Euro winners.

President Yoon Suk Yeol approved the appointment of Kim Yong-hyun, former head of the Presidential Security Service, as defence minister and presented a certificate of appointment on Friday, his office said.

Kim, a retired three-star Army general and close aide to Yoon, was nominated to the post last month to replace then-minister Shin Won-sik, who has since served as the national security adviser, reported news agency.

Following Yoon's election in May 2022, Kim led efforts to relocate the presidential office from Cheong Wa Dae to the defence ministry's compound in Yongsan, central Seoul. He has served as the chief of the Presidential Security Service for over two years.