Daily Current Affairs- 4th July 2025

Daily Current Affairs- 4th July 2025

Nvidia on Track to Become the World’s Most Valuable Company in History

In the News: On July 3, 2025, Nvidia briefly reached a market valuation of US $3.92 trillion—surpassing Apple’s previous record—marking a significant moment in corporate history and positioning the company to become the most valuable ever.

Key Points:

• Market Valuation Milestone: Nvidia’s shares climbed to around $160.98 in intraday trading, pushing its market cap to approximately $3.92 trillion—exceeding Apple's all-time record of $3.915 trillion from December 2024.
• Proximity to $4 Trillion: It needs just a ~3% gain (to about $163.93 per share) to break the $4 trillion threshold, a milestone no company has reached.
• AI Chip Dominance: The surge stems from soaring global demand for Nvidia's advanced AI chips, used by major tech players like Microsoft, Amazon, Meta, Alphabet, and Tesla
• Market Leadership Role: Nvidia now accounts for ~7% of the S&P 500 index, meaning its stock fluctuations are significantly influencing broad-market performance.
• Valuation Context & Forecasts: Despite its nearly 8× stock increase since 2021, Nvidia still trades at a P/E ratio of about 32x expected earnings, suggesting continued earnings confidence Analysts from Wedbush expect both Nvidia and Microsoft to hit $4 trillion this summer and possibly $5 trillion within 18 months.
• Market Conditions & Risks: The broader rally in the S&P 500 and Nasdaq, boosted by strong jobs data ahead of the July 4th holiday, further lifted Nvidia’s stock. However, some analysts caution that enthusiasm around AI may be exceeding its actual ability to transform industries. 

Russia Becomes First Country to Officially Recognise Taliban Government

In the News: Russia officially recognized the Taliban government in Afghanistan by accepting the credentials of their ambassador in Moscow—making it the first country to extend full diplomatic recognition to the regime that seized power in August 2021.

Key Points:

• Historic Recognition: Russia formally accepted credentials from Taliban ambassador Gul Hassan Hassan, marking the first official diplomatic recognition since the group’s return to power.
• Diplomatic Benefits: The recognition paves the way for enhanced cooperation in trade, energy, transport, agriculture, infrastructure, security, counter‑terrorism, and anti‑drug efforts.
• Policy Shift: Earlier in April 2025, Russia removed the Taliban from its terrorist list, signalling a shift from informal engagement to formal diplomatic endorsement.
• Geopolitical Strategy: The move expands Russia's influence in Central and South Asia and consolidates a strategic partnership aimed at combating Islamist militant threats like ISIS‑K.
• Taliban Reaction: Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi termed it a "historic" and "brave" step that could set a precedent for other nations.
• International Response: While Russia leads in recognition, countries like China, UAE, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, and Iran have engaged diplomatically or accredited envoys—though none have formally recognized the government. Western nations continue cautious engagement without recognition, citing concerns over human rights, especially women’s rights. 

Ancient Egyptian Genome Sequenced for the First Time

In the News: Scientists successfully sequenced the first complete genome from an ancient Egyptian individual— a man buried during the Old Kingdom (circa 2855–2570 BCE) in Nuwayrat—marking a historic milestone in archaeogenetics. 

Key Points:

• Historic Genome Sequencing: For the first time, complete DNA from an ancient Egyptian—an Old Kingdom-era individual—was extracted mainly from his dental tissue in a sealed pottery tomb, overcoming challenges of DNA decay in hot climates.
• Identity & Lifestyle: The individual, likely a potter from Nuwayrat, lived into his 60s, stood about 157–161 cm tall, and exhibited skeletal signs of heavy physical labour.
• Ancestral Composition: The genome revealed approximately 80% North African ancestry and 20% Mesopotamian/Fertile Crescent lineage, supporting archaeological evidence of early inter-regional contacts between Egypt and West Asia.
• Genetic Affinities: Analyses (PCA, ADMIXTURE, haplogroups) showed genetic similarity to present-day North Africans and West Asians, with mitochondrial haplogroup I/N1a1b2 and Y-chromosome haplogroup E1b1b1b2b typical of those regions .
• Preservation Breakthrough: Preservation of the DNA was enabled by the unembalmed burial in a sealed pot within a rock-cut tomb, which maintained cooler, stable conditions. Improved sequencing techniques and dental tissue sampling were critical .
• Implications for History: This genetic evidence confirms human migrations and cultural exchange alongside known trade and technological links uniting Egypt and Mesopotamia during pyramid-building eras. It provides a foundation for broader genetic studies across social strata in ancient Egyptian society. 

Quad Launches Critical Minerals Initiative to Reduce Dependence on China.

In the News: Between July 1–2, 2025, the foreign ministers of the Quad—Australia, India, Japan, and the United States—met in Washington, D.C., and announced the launch of the Quad Critical Minerals Initiative, aimed at securing and diversifying supply chains for critical minerals to counterbalance China's dominant position in the sector. 

Key Points:

• Inaugural Initiative Launch: The Quad officially unveiled the Critical Minerals Initiative during their Washington meeting, emphasizing economic security and collective resilience in supply chains.
• Diversification Drive: The objective is to lessen overreliance on China for critical minerals and rare earth processing, as Beijing wields significant control and occasionally uses export restrictions for political leverage—recently restricting seven rare earth exports in April 2025.S
• Strategic Rationale: The ministers warned that dependence on a single nation exposes member countries to "economic coercion, price manipulation and supply chain disruptions," negatively impacting industries and national security.
• Quad Cohesion & Context: Led by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and joined by counterparts Penny Wong (Australia), S. Jaishankar (India), and Takeshi Iwaya (Japan), the meeting also flagged China's assertive actions in the East and South China Seas—without direct mention of China.
• Corporate Engagement: Over 30 private-sector firms from Quad nations convened in connection with the initiative to explore collaboration on mineral exploration, processing, and refining..
• Broader Indo-Pacific Security Agenda: The initiative forms part of a larger Quad agenda that includes maritime security, defence cooperation, and support for a free and open Indo-Pacific, reaffirming commitment amid regional tensions . 

Gujarat Joins One-Crore Club of Stock Market Investors

In the News: In early July 2025, the National Stock Exchange (NSE) confirmed that Gujarat has officially become the third Indian state—after Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh—to surpass 1 crore registered stock market investors, underscoring its growing retail participation in equity markets.

Key Points:

• Milestone Achievement: Gujarat crossed the 1‑crore registered investor milestone in May 2025, joining Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh to form a powerful trio that accounts for 36% of India’s total investor base.
• National Investor Base: As of May 2025, the NSE reported that India had nearly 5 crore registered investors. The month saw the addition of over 11 lakh new investors, marking a 9% month-on-month increase after four straight months of decline.
• Regional Distribution & Growth: North India leads with 4.2 crore investors, West India (including Gujarat) has 3.5 crore, South India 2.4 crore, and East India 1.4 crore. Over the past year, investor growth was highest in North (24%) and East (23%), followed by South (22%) and West (17%).
• Growth Trend Over Time: India reached 9 crore investors by Feb 2024, 10 crore by Aug 2024, and 11 crore by Jan 2025. From Feb to May 2025, average new additions slowed to 8 lakh/month—down from 19.3 lakh/month in 2024.
• Gujarat’s Decade‑long Surge: Investor registrations in Gujarat surged from ~20 lakh in FY 2015, to 38 lakh by FY 2020, and then jumped by 163% to reach the 1 crore mark by May 2025—driven by post‑Covid IPO appetite, easier digital onboarding, and heightened awareness about wealth creation. 

SBI Opens New Global Trade Finance Centres in Kolkata and Hyderabad

In the News: On July 1, 2025, State Bank of India (SBI) inaugurated two Global Trade Finance Centres (GTFCs) in Kolkata and Hyderabad. These hubs aim to modernize and streamline the bank’s import-export transaction processes using advanced digital technologies including AI, blockchain, and machine learning—to improve speed, safety, and compliance in global trade operations.

Key Points:

• Launch of Trade Finance Hubs: SBI marked its 70th anniversary with the launch of GTFCs in Kolkata and Hyderabad, staffed by over 800 specialists, to enhance trade finance capabilities and customer experience.
• Digital Toolkit: The centres will deploy AI/ML, blockchain, digitization of documents, and other digital tools to accelerate processing, strengthen compliance, and secure import-export workflows.
• Scope & Functions: These hubs will manage inland and international trade finance, centralizing standardized, paperless, and tech-driven solutions for faster turnaround and reliability.
• Strategic Transformation Goal: The launch is part of SBI’s broader digital transformation and leadership strategy, emphasizing innovation, customer convenience, and operational efficiency in trade services.
• Impact on Trade Ecosystem: By streamlining trade finance, SBI aims to support exporters/importers, strengthen compliance frameworks, reduce execution timelines, and promote digital trade finance adoption across India. 

50 Years of CITES

In the News: On July 1, 2025, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) commemorated its 50th anniversary since entering into force on that date in 1975, marking half a century of regulating international wildlife trade to protect endangered species.

Key Points:

• Origins & Entry into Force: CITES was signed in March 1973 in Washington, D.C., by 80 countries and officially came into effect on July 1, 1975 after the requisite 10 parties ratified the treaty.
• Broad Global Agreement: Now with 185 Parties (184 countries plus the EU), CITES is one of the largest and most influential environmental treaties globally, overseeing trade in over 40,900 species of plants and animals.
• Core Objectives & Compliance Mechanisms: The treaty ensures that international trade in wildlife is sustainable, legal, and traceable using a permit-based system across three appendices categorizing species with varying levels of protection.
• Evolving Scope & Impact: Over 50 years, CITES has expanded its jurisdiction — regulating over 30,000 species initially to the current list, with frequent updates via Conferences of the Parties to include new endangered species like sharks, rays, turtles, amphibians, and trees.
• Implementation & Conservation Successes: The treaty has had tangible conservation outcomes — from reversing poaching trends in elephants and pangolins to regulating trade through programs like MIKE — earning acclaim as one of the most effective multilateral environmental agreements.
• Future Directions & Strategic Vision: CITES aims to further support Sustainable Development Goals (especially SDG 14 and 15), build capacity via digital systems like eCITES, reinforce traceability and legal compliance, and mobilize financing to bridge implementation gaps. 

Kariyachalli Island 

In the News: Under the Tamil Nadu Sustainably Harnessing Ocean Resources (TNSHORE) project, launched in mid‑2025 with World Bank support, the Tamil Nadu government has initiated a ₹50 crore restoration project to protect and regenerate Kariyachalli Island in the Gulf of Mannar—an ecologically significant marine islet that has lost over 70% of its landmass since 1969.

Key Points:

• Ecological Importance & Threats: Kariyachalli is one of 21 small islands within the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park, one of India’s four major coral reef regions and South Asia’s first marine biosphere reserve. The island’s area shrank from ~20.85 ha in 1969 to under 6 ha by 2018–24, with projections of full submersion by 2036 due to erosion, rising seas, coral loss, and seagrass degradation.
• TNSHORE Restoration Strategy: Deployment of 8,500 engineered artificial reef modules (ferrocement & steel, 2–3 m high, 1.8–3 t) around the island to reduce wave energy, capture sediment, and foster marine habitat regeneration Plantation of seagrass and restoration of resilient coral species to stabilize the substrate and revive biodiversity.
• Restoration Timeline & Leadership: Restoration began in May–June 2025, with reef-block deployment targeted for completion by September 2025, and ecological outcomes expected within a year, depending on environmental conditions. Designed by experts at IIT Madras and the Suganthi Devadas on Marine Research Institute, under the TN Environment Department led by Supriya Sahu.
• Community Engagement & Livelihoods: Over 300 local fishermen from Tuticorin are being trained as conservation divers to install reef modules, gaining new skills and alternative income streams via conservation and ecotourism.
• Conservation & Climate Goals: This ₹50 cr project is part of a broader Rs.1,675 cr Coastal Restoration Mission across 14 districts, aiming to strengthen climate resilience, preserve marine ecosystems, and support species like dugongs. Efforts include restoration of corals and seagrass (covering ~3 acre coral and 4 acre seagrass), designed to benefit both biodiversity and shoreline protection.