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The market capitalisation (mcap) of TCS tanked Rs 24,856.26 crore to Rs 14,83,144.53 crore and that of State Bank of India declined Rs 5,399.39 crore to Rs 7,08,168.60 crore.

"FPIs are likely to continue selling as long as the dollar remains strong and US bond yields offer attractive returns. The dollar index at around 109 and the 10-year bond yield above 4.5 per cent are significant deterrents to FPI flows," V K Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Financial Services, said.

One of the reasons could be that a number of companies have opted for a price hike in the December quarter due to rising costs of input items such as copra, vegetable oil, and palm oil.

Despite challenges in unsecured retail and microfinance segments, the banking sector’s outlook remains positive, supported by robust fundamentals and operational efficiency. Credit growth for FY25 is projected at ~11%, with an improvement to ~12.5% expected in FY26, reflecting the sector’s resilience and sustained demand across key segments.

Zepto plans to file for an IPO around March-April 2024 after securing approval to move its holding entity to India from Singapore. The National Company Law Tribunal will hear its reverse merger application on January 17. Zepto aims to become the first standalone quick-commerce firm to go public, amidst competition from Zomato-owned Blinkit and Swiggy's Instamart.

In 2025, Nifty's returns are expected to be muted due to high valuations and global uncertainties, including Trump's policies and rising dollar. CLSA favours commodities and insurance while being underweight on IT, discretionary, industrials, and healthcare. Tata Motors, NTPC, Nestle, and Britannia have been added to its India focus portfolio, with HDFC Bank removed.

U.S. new-car sales in 2024 rise due to replenished inventories, higher incentives, and surging demand for hybrids, with sales nearing 16 million vehicles. Hybrid vehicles see a significant gain, while EV sales slightly increase. Policy changes under President-elect Trump may affect future auto sales.

Foreign-branded smartphone shipments to China, including Apple's iPhone, witnessed a steep fall of 47.4% year-on-year in November, as reported by CAICT. This follows a similar decline in October, with increasing competition from domestic brands like Huawei, affecting Apple's market share in the world's largest smartphone market.

China will expand consumption subsidies to cover smartphones, tablets, and smartwatches to boost domestic spending. This comes as part of a national trade-in programme, currently applicable to home appliances and cars. The move aims to offset potential impacts of new US tariffs on Chinese exports and encourage companies to upgrade equipment.

Mexico may accept non-Mexican migrants deported by the US. President Claudia Sheinbaum mentioned possible collaboration with the US if direct deportations are not feasible. Mexico might limit certain nationalities or seek compensation. Northern Mexico's border cities face challenges with crime and kidnapping. Mexico temporarily halted deportations in December 2023 due to financial constraints.

The surge in operations and casualties comes amid a renewed push to reach a ceasefire agreement before US President-elect Donald Trump takes office this month, with Israeli mediators dispatched on Thursday to Doha, to resume talks brokered by Qatari and Egyptian mediators.

President Joe Biden has blocked the nearly USD 15 billion acquisition of US Steel by Japan's Nippon Steel, emphasizing the need for major US companies to represent national interests. The decision supports labor agreements and addresses potential national security risks while maintaining US Steel's domestic ownership and operations.

UPI transactions in December hit a record 16.73 billion, an 8% increase from November’s 15.48 billion. Transaction value rose to Rs 23.25 lakh crore, up from Rs 21.55 lakh crore. Daily average transactions reached 539.68 million in December, with a daily transaction value of Rs 74,990 crore.

The Centre's infrastructure project monitoring system is being revamped to enhance milestone tracking and detailed step-by-step information for projects. The updated system, launching next month, will identify potential delays to control costs and timelines, and will integrate with other portals for consistent data entry and monitoring.

The government has extended the minimum export price (MEP) of $2,000 per tonne on natural honey until December 31, 2025. This measure, originally imposed in March 2023, applies to exports below this value, with major destinations being the US and UAE.

Consumption inequality between rural and urban India decreased in 2023-24, with notable increases in Monthly Per Capita Consumption Expenditure (MPCE) in both areas. Non-food items continued to dominate expenditures. Government support contributed to rural growth, and social welfare programmes impacted overall consumption patterns.

India's toll collection in 2024 may exceed ₹70,000 crore as daily collections grow due to new toll plazas and increased economic activity. With 164 toll plazas added in FY24 and FY25, the country now has 1,040 plazas, boosting revenue and reducing travel time and costs.

The revised GDP series slated for release in 2026 will utilize new data sources like E-Vahan and eGram Swaraj for more accurate data. The Ministry of Statistics aims to enhance administrative statistics by incorporating real-time data from various ministries, including vehicle registrations and public finance systems.

Winsol Engineers, based in Jamnagar, achieved the highest premium on listing this year, aligning with expectations. Its stock debuted with an impressive premium of nearly 387% over the issue price on Tuesday, marking one of the strongest listings in recent memory.

SRM Contractors IPO will open for subscription on March 26. The company is looking to raise Rs 130 crore. It has set the price band of Rs 200-210 per share for the IPO.

Lok Sabha election 2024: ​​The BJP-Shiv Sena won 41 of the 48 seats in the 2019 polls, but the Sena has split since and a vast majority of the Bal Thackeray-founded party is now allied with the BJP. The Nationalist Congress Party also split as well with Ajit Pawar joining the ruling alliance in the state, led by Eknath Shinde. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP emerged the top party with 23 seats, followed by the undivided Sena with 18.

Gujarat's upcoming Lok Sabha elections are influenced by PM Narendra Modi's charisma, anti-incumbency, unemployment, inflation, education, healthcare challenges, and BJP's endeavor to secure all 26 seats. ​​Lok Sabha polls in Gujarat will be held in a single phase on May 7. Counting of votes will be held on June 4. Anti-incumbency, unemployment, inflation, education and healthcare facilities are some of the other important issues in the election, where the ruling BJP in Gujarat will attempt to retain all the 26 Lok Sabha seats it won in 2019.

The BJP, riding high on its growing voter base in Telangana, is now aiming to win over 12 out of the total 17 seats and 35 per cent vote share, in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. The party doubled its vote share to nearly 14 per cent resulting in eight seats in the assembly elections held on November 30, last year. BRS, which ruled the state for about a decade since its emergence, is low on morale following the defeat, even as its founder and former Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's daughter K Kavitha was arrested on the eve of poll dates announcement, adding insult to the injury.

Kavitha's arrest before Lok Sabha elections may psychologically impact BRS party. Meanwhile, fomer minister Harish Rao announced protests in the state. Moreover, desertion of MPs and leaders who are not contesting polls adds to party's troubles. Nagesh Kumar predictsed that more desertions could happen due to Kavitha's arrest.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee clarified that her fall at home was due to a 'sensation of push.' Initial reports suggested she fell due to 'some push from behind,' leading to injuries on her forehead and nose. Banerjee received treatment at SSKM Hospital and is reported to be clinically stable. The incident sparked speculation, but the police confirmed no complaint has been lodged. Banerjee has suffered injuries in the past and is under a "Z+ category" security cover.

It is a second major jolt to the Congress within a few days as former minister Mahendrajeet Singh Malviya recently joined the BJP which fielded him from Basnwara in the LS elections. Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, state BJP president C P Joshi and Union minister Bhupendra Yadav welcomed the new joinees into the party fold at its state headquarters. Addressing the joining ceremony, Kataria said he was driven by his conscience to join the BJP. He said the BJP understands the pain and suffering of farmers, the poor and the common man.

ETMarkets scanned through the quarterly shareholding of promoters, and found seven companies where the holding came down sharply on a sequential basis, while the stocks have gained up to 55% so far in 2024.

“The Reserve Bank of India has been protecting rupee from depreciating very sharply,” Parul Mittal Sinha, head of India financial markets at the lender said on Bloomberg TV Friday. The monetary authority has “been following the stated policy of containing volatility in the rupee,” she said.

Revenue from operations was at Rs 247.29 crore during the quarter under review. It was at Rs 210.49 crore in the year-ago period.

“From an asset allocation perspective, a slightly longer-term answer to your question is yes, inflation is likely to be stickier and hence, while rates might have peaked, coming down might take some time. The asset allocation needs to be thought about in that context.”

Anita Nariani Schulze is part of the Sindhi minority. Her complaint alleges that her senior and direct managers, both male, consistently excluded her from meetings while inviting her male counterparts, criticised her, micromanaged her work and deprived her of bonuses, despite positive performance evaluations and significant team contributions.

But two senior envoys who attended said there was no direct response from the ministers gathered in Brussels when Blinken said: "We must push back on China together and show strength in unity."

This comes as the San-Francisco based firm is at the receiving end of the Indian government over an issue of blocking and unblocking certain handles tweeting about farmer protests.

Foreign companies looking for incentives under the scheme may have to invest Rs 500 crore over four years, while the threshold for domestic firms is likely to be around Rs 20 crore for five years, the source who did not wish to be named said.

Growth More than in MetrosAccording to companies like Aisle and Truly Madly, which have millions of users and position themselves as “serious” dating apps, and bespoke high-end dating services like Sirf Coffee, a lot more users from such places are not only keen on using these apps, but also willing to pay for it.

“Indian companies need to re-skill, train, and acquire more relevant talent, if they are to successfully integrate AI technologies. Most importantly, they should be willing to make the continued investment. It is an uphill race in which there will be winners and losers,” said Deloitte India CEO N Venkatram.

Ambassador Joao Cravinho, head of the EU delegation, led Ambassadors of various European countries to a quiet lunch with Modi at the capital last year.

"It is the collective wisdom of the marketplace that there is action and we will move with speed. That improves the confidence level of industry."

Directives from the Centre have to be executed at the state level. So, there are many things that are not in Modi’s hands, says Raamdeo Agrawal.

"The fact that we are the world’s largest democracy and we are all aware that power and a role in global affairs for a nation comes from economic strength."

"Now there is a stage three and stage four of digitisation, we will take a call on this only after taking all things into account."

"There is a leadership vacuum in the company, because they made the wrong choice of CEO three years ago and that is playing out right now."

Rupee#CAD#Economic crisis#Food Bill

The team behind The Artist will have spent the first day of the rest of their lives conforming to the grandest, and most lucrative, of Hollywood traditions.

It's the World Book fair, which comes around once every two years sprawling across the giant halls of Pragati Maidan. This is the fair's 20th edition.

An elephant figurine gifted by the then HM LK Advani to US Secretary of State Colin Powell in 2002, has made its way to the State Department hall.

Statistical models used by IMD will still be used for monsoon forecast, but the ministry of earth sciences is putting more emphasis on dynamic models.

Newly discovered documents have revealed the first telegraph messages and joy when England was linked for the first time with India on 23 June, 1870.

Hundreds of worried fans of ailing Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan today performed a yagna here to pray for his speedy recovery.

Alfa Laval (India) today said its parent firm has raised the delisting offer price to Rs 2,850 a share.