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The Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives late on Tuesday advanced President Donald Trump's tax-cut and border agenda, delivering a major boost to his 2025 agenda. The vote on passage was 217-215, with one Republican voting in opposition and no Democrats supporting the controversial measure. One Democrat did not vote. It followed an unusual series of maneuvers by Speaker Mike Johnson in which he canceled a vote on the bill -- apparently because it lacked the votes for passage -- and members of the House were advised there would be no further votes for the night. He then promptly reversed course, only to bring the budget up for passage. The turn of events came after Johnson and No. 2 House Republican Steve Scalise spent hours persuading holdouts to back the move, a preliminary step to extending Trump's 2017 tax cuts later this year. Both leaders said Trump himself had also been contacting reluctant members about the need to advance the $4.5 trillion tax-cut plan, which would also fund the deportation of migrants living in the U.S. illegally, tighten border security, energy deregulation and military spending. Doubts about House Republican unity prompted Senate Republicans to enact their own budget resolution as a Plan B ploy last week: a $340 billion measure that covers Trump's border, defense and energy priorities but leaves the thornier issue of tax policy for later in the year. The House budget seeks $2 trillion in spending cuts over ten years to pay for Trump's agenda. The tax cuts Trump is seeking would extend breaks passed during his first term in office, his main legislative accomplishment, that are due to expire at the end of this year. Several hardline conservatives sought deeper spending cuts and stronger control over separate government funding legislation to avert a potential shutdown after current funding expires on March 14.

Goldman Sachs on Tuesday sold 89,314 shares worth Rs 17.5 crore in smallcap stock Teamlease Services via a block deal. The shares were sold via Goldman Sachs Funds - Goldman Sachs India Equity Portfolio at a price of Rs 1,960 per share.Goldman Sachs holds stake in TeamLease Services via three funds, namely Goldman Sachs Funds - Goldman Sachs India Equity Portfolio, Goldman Sachs Funds - Goldman Sachs Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio and Goldman Sachs Trust - Goldman Sachs Emerging Markets Equity Fund.Prior to today's block deal Goldman Sachs held 3,46,430 equity shares representing 2.07% through Goldman Sachs India Equity Portfolio as on December 31, 2024.The other funds held 1,92,497 shares (1.15%) and 1,69,800 shares (1.01%), respectively at the end of the December quarter.Its holding in the January to March quarter will likely be updated on the BSE in April. Also Read: Goldman Sachs sells entire stake worth Rs 95 crore in this smallcap stockTeamLease Services is a provider of human resource services in the organised segment, delivering a broad range of human resource services to various industries. Its services span the entire supply chain of human resources in India, covering aspects of employment, employability and education.The sell-off comes on the back of a lackluster performance by the stock so far in 2025, with the share price eroding by 32% on the year-to-date basis. In the last one year, the returns are down 33%.TeamLease Services shares have underperformed Nifty both on a YTD and 1-year basis with latter's returns standing at -5% in 2025 so far while gaining 2% over a 1 year period. Also Read: Up to 28% fall in one month. Will US stagflation mean more bad news for Indian IT stocks?On Tuesday, the shares of TeamLease Services closed at Rs 1975.45 on the BSE, gaining by Rs 18.60 or 1% over the Monday closing price. The current downturn has engineered a fall in the counter below its 50-day simple moving average (SMA) and 200-day SMA of Rs 2,555 and Rs 2,889, respectively.(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of Economic Times)

The Indian Railways has undertaken special arrangements for Maha Shivaratri, planning to run more than 350 additional trains from Prayagraj to facilitate the return of pilgrims following the final Amrit Snan of Mahakumbh 2025 on February 26, said Indian Railway in a statement.A large congregation of devotees from across Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, and West Bengal has gathered at the Sangam, leading to an unprecedented demand for transportation.Over the past two days, railway stations across multiple cities, including Patna, Muzaffarpur, Gaya, Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Lucknow, Jabalpur, and Ranchi, have witnessed heavy footfall. As lakhs of pilgrims prepare to return home, the railway administration has mobilized all resources to ensure smooth and efficient operations, added the statement.In view of the anticipated rush, North Central Railway, North Eastern Railway, and Northern Railway have been directed to remain on high alert. Previously, on Mouni Amavasya, over 360 special trains were deployed to transport more than 20 lakh passengers safely. A similar plan has been implemented for Maha Shivaratri, with extra rakes positioned near Prayagraj for emergency use.Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw is personally monitoring the situation, with Chairman and CEO of the Railway Board, Satish Kumar, overseeing on-ground operations. General Managers from the three railway zones are coordinating efforts to manage the surge in passengers. The Railway Minister has also instructed officials to introduce additional special trains if required.To enhance passenger convenience, comprehensive measures have been put in place, including bolstered security arrangements with over 3,000 Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel and 1,500 commercial staff deployed across Prayagraj stations.Additionally, 29 squads of the Railway Protection Special Force, two squads of Women RPSF, 22 dog squads, and two bomb disposal squads have been stationed in the region. Teams from Scouts & Guides, Civil Defense, and other support units are assisting in managing passenger flow.Railway officials have implemented an internal movement plan at Prayagraj Junction, ensuring that pilgrims are directed to specific shelters based on their destinations before being guided to their respective trains. In cases of overcrowding, emergency plans were activated, directing passengers to holding areas such as Khusro Bagh before being escorted safely to boarding platforms.Senior officials monitored all activities from the Prayagraj Junction control tower, making real-time adjustments to avoid disruptions.Medical assistance has also been arranged at key railway stations, with observation rooms catering to serious cases. Additionally, digital services such as the Kumbh app and railway websites have been widely used by pilgrims for travel updates.On Sunday alone, the Indian Railways successfully operated 335 trains, transporting over 16 lakh passengers. As the final weekend of Mahakumbh 2025 approaches, railway authorities remain committed to ensuring a smooth and hassle-free journey for devotees.