Expectations ! ~ Cat is out of the gate !!!

Remember this melody and its singer !!

 

நீ வருவாய் என நான் இருந்தேன்; ஏன் மறந்தாய் என நான் அறியேன்  .. ..

கண்கள் உறங்கவில்லை இமைகள் தழுவவில்லை

கவிதை எழுத ஒரு வரியும் கிடைக்கவில்லை

அமைதி இழந்த மனம் எதையும் நினக்கவில்லை

 

Life is all about expectations ! - We love to expect, and when expectation is either disappointed or gratified, we start expecting fresh things again. 

Globally Gold rises on geopolitical risks and bets interest rates will fall says a report.  Gold is rising at the start of the trading week as fears the conflict in Gaza is about to escalate send investors into safe-haven assets. Israel is expecting Iran to mount a large-scale military attack on Israel, according to the Israeli Defence Minister, Yoav Gallant, as reported by Axios news. Such an attack would escalate the conflict substantially and threaten global stability. 

In recent years, it all about AI on whether it would transform the way people work and live or would edge out more jobs.  While companies are increasing their spends on generative artificial intelligence, there is a growing gap between expectations of company executives and what workers are reporting.     In fact, a majority of employees using gen AI tools say the tools are decreasing their productivity and enhancing their workloads as opposed to reducing it, according to a recent poll.           Meanwhile, companies are also increasing their spending on new AI tools. Forty-four percent of companies said artificial intelligence is the single-largest technology spending budget item for them in the next year and 60% described their new AI investments as “accelerating” in a recent CNBC Technology Executive Council survey. 

For Organisations, finding a better way of matching executive expectations and worker outcomes is critical if companies want investments in generative AI to pay off.  “If you invest billions of dollars into these technologies for large organizations but nobody uses those tools or technologies, obviously, you’re not going to get a return on that capability,” said Joe Atkinson, PwC Global Chief AI Officer. 

There were expectations on some quarters that Hindenburg would destabilize the trading market.  Contrary to expectations that the latest report of US short-seller Hindenburg Research which questioned the conduct of the Sebi chairperson while inspecting the Adani Group for manipulating stock prices would have a wider impact on the Indian equity market, the bulls of Dalal Street sidelined all the concerns. And, the local benchmark indices closed the Monday session with just minor cuts. At close, the BSE Sensex was down only 56.99 points or 0.07% at 79,648.92, and the NSE Nifty declined 20.50 points or 0.08% to settle at 24,347.00. In the broader market, the mid and smallcap index showed resistance and closed in green. 

          "The Indian market exhibited a mild optimism, although the initial path was eclipsed by the continuation of the Adani-Hindenburg-SEBI saga. However, the market brushed away these noises, taking positive cues from global markets,” said one head of a Research firm. He added, “Moreover, the domestic market is anticipating ease in CPI inflation, which is going to be further supported by a good monsoon. Yet, the upside risk remains still, given firm oil prices and volatility in food inflation.” 

Moving away to Sporting arena,  It wasn't easy for Rafael Nadal on Friday as the Spaniard had to battle hard against Argentina's Mariano Navone in their Swedish Open quarter-final fixture. After losing the first set via tie-breaker, the 38-year-old had to use all his experience to eke out a 6(2)-7(7) 7-5 7-5 win.  Nadal missed most of 2023 and made his comeback at the Brisbane International in January. But an injury ruled him out of the Australian Open, and in his second comeback, he lost to Alexander Zverev in the first round at Roland Garros. Meanwhile, he skipped Wimbledon, so that he could prepare for the upcoming Paris Olympics. 

There was a time media kept targeting MS Dhoni querying on his retirement, so also, Nadal is now being peppered with Qs on whether he would play.

After his win on Friday, Nadal was asked if he would participate in the upcoming US Open, and he confirmed that he checked in for the entry list. "I had to check in for the US Open entry list and give myself a chance to decide in the upcoming weeks," he said.  Given his recent fitness and injury struggles, it won't be a surprise for fans if Nadal announces his retirement after the medal in Paris. 

The hit song at the start is from a little known movie Sujatha, released in 1980, directed by Vasudevan, starring Vijayan, Shankar, Saritha, Vanitha Krishnachandran.  It was a remake of Malayalam movie - Shalini Ente Koottukari.  The melody written by Kaviyarasu Kannadasan  was sung by Ms Kalyani Menon, to the tune of Mellisai mannar  MS Viswanathan

 
Good Morning – welcome to my Photo story – today that of a Cat out of gate   !!! 

With regards – S Sampathkumar
13.8.2024