This $1.3 billion fund manager expects Teslas shares to gain 550% by 2030

Tesla Inc.’s slowing growth and shrinking profit have made it the weakest stock on the Nasdaq 100 this year. Fund manager David Baron is betting it will be a bump in the road for Elon Musk’s company before another parabolic rally.It’s a tough wager to make right now, after the electric-vehicle maker warned on Wednesday that it will expand at a “notably lower” pace this year, prompting a 12% plunge in the stock. It has now lost $209 billion in market value this month through Friday’s close. The manager of the Baron Focused Growth Fund expects Tesla’s stock to reach $1,200 by 2030, up 550% from current levels, citing its strong brand. Tesla and Musk’s privately held SpaceX were the fund’s largest holdings as of December 31. Last year, it climbed 28%, beating the 18% rise in its benchmark, the Russell 2500 Growth Index, and the S&P 500’s 24% gain. And despite Tesla’s outlook for slower sales growth this year — a result in part of the EV winter that’s gripping the entire industry — Baron still expects the stock to touch around $300 in about 12 months, from around $183 at Thursday’s close. “While he may not be growing 50% a year as the company thought,” Baron said in an interview, “this year in a tough environment he’s still growing volume by 15% to 20% per year and making us $7,000 per car of gross profit.” Tesla delivered 1.8 million cars in 2023, up 38% from the year before. This year, Wall Street analysts project unit sales will increase 17%. The company didn’t respond to an email seeking comment. The Tesla holding is a key to Baron’s goal of boosting his fund’s assets to $2 billion this year, from $1.3 billion as of December 31.The fund manager’s father, Wall Street veteran Ron Baron, is famously a big Musk bull. The elder Baron oversees the Baron Partners Fund, which a Bloomberg Intelligence study published in August found was alone among thousands of rivals to beat the Nasdaq 100 over the prior five, 10 and 15 years. As for SpaceX, David Baron projects its valuation will rise 20% in a year, double within three years and triple within five. The space and satellite company is worth $175 billion or more, Bloomberg reported last month. Baron, 43, became co-portfolio manager in 2018 with his father. The small- and mid-cap fund first bought Tesla shares in 2014. Its outperformance last year came as Tesla’s stock doubled, powered in no small part by its artificial-intelligence potential. Replicating that success in 2024 will be tough should Tesla struggle amid waning EV demand. “More investors are beginning to increasingly question the company’s growth narrative,” Toni Sacconaghi, an analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein, wrote in a note after the latest quarterly results. And while Tesla bulls often say innovation by the company can allow it to sustain a cost advantage and strong margins, “the counterargument is that the automotive industry is hyper-competitive, and carmakers have historically been unable to sustain cost advantages,” the analyst added.  

India, France agree on joint defence production, expanding bilateral ties in technology, space, and AI

India and France have agreed to work together on the joint production of defence equipment including helicopters and submarines for the Indian armed forces and production for friendly countries, New Delhi said.Macron and Modi agreed to expand bilateral ties in defence production, nuclear energy, space research and the use of artificial intelligence for public services like climate change, health and agriculture, the statement said. After Russia, France is the largest arms supplier to India, which has relied on its fighter jets for four decades. The leaders welcomed the setting up of maintenance, repair and overhaul services by France's Safran for leading-edge aviation propulsion (LEAP) engines in India and adding such services for Rafale engines, and a helicopter partnership. The bilateral summit during Macron's 40-hour visit, was the fifth Macron-Modi meeting since May. India's Tata Group and France's Airbus have signed an agreement to manufacture civilian helicopters together, Indian Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said. French jet engine maker CFM International also announced an agreement with India’s Akasa Air to buy more than 300 of its LEAP-1B engines to power 150 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.Akasa Air previously ordered 76 aircraft powered by the engine, of which 22 are in use. India and France agreed to intensify cooperation in the southwest Indian Ocean, building on joint surveillance missions carried out from the French island territory of La Reunion in 2020 and 2022, the government statement said. Macron also said France would create conditions to attract up to 30,000 Indian students a year for higher education.  

ICJ verdict looms: What if interim ruling goes against Israel on January 26

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is poised to deliver a highly anticipated verdict on January 26, responding to South Africa's request for an interim ruling against Israel.South Africa brought the case to the court, accusing Israel of "grave violence and genocidal acts" in Gaza and seeking an immediate ceasefire. Israel rebuffed the allegations, characterising them as a "partial and deeply flawed picture." After hearing the arguments on January 11 and 12 at The Hague, the ICJ is now on the verge of delivering its ruling."The ICJ will currently only look at 'provisional measures of protection,' which is the equivalent of the term' interim orders' used in Indian courts,"explained Pratik Bakshi, co-founder at World Law Forum.Bakshi clarified that these measures are designed to prevent ongoing conflicts or disputes from escalating further. "The ICJ will not be deciding on whether Israel is guilty of genocide, and it may be years before the court comes to a conclusion on this point," he noted.Legal experts suggest that if the ICJ issues provisional measure orders against Israel, they will be legally binding and final. However, the path to enforcement may prove challenging. "Orders of the International Court of Justice, including orders indicating provisional measures, are in theory legally binding on the Contracting States to the Genocide Convention, i.e. Israel and South Africa. Such orders are final and without appeal," stated Bindi Dave, senior partner at Wadia Ghandy & Co.Despite the legal binding, Bakshi highlighted that the ICJ lacks real enforcement power. "Israel has the choice to ignore the ICJ's ruling and proceed with its operations in Gaza, as the ICJ lacks an independent enforcement mechanism for ensuring compliance with its decisions," echoed Ankur Mahindro, managing partner at Kred Jure.In such a scenario, the ICJ can turn to the United Nations Security Council to take appropriate measures. "Given, however, that enforcement of sanctions is subject to the veto of any of the five permanent members of the Security Council, a proposed resolution for actual or effective enforcement of any provisional measures is susceptible to getting embroiled in political wrangling, especially given the perceived proximity of the United States to Israel," added Dave.                                                                  Previous decisions by the ICJ in comparable cases, such as provisional measures against Russia to halt its invasion of Ukraine or to prevent Myanmar's violence against Rohingyas, have not proven effective in improving conflict situations. Nevertheless, experts suggest that Israel might have to temper the intensity of its attacks due to international pressure if the ruling goes against it.   

IEA will expedite 2025 oil demand forecast after Opecs early move

The International Energy Agency plans to bring forward publication of its first 2025 oil demand forecast in its monthly report by two or three months to April, the agency told Reuters, after OPEC expedited its forecast by six months. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and the IEA are the two most closely watched oil forecasters, whose monthly reports can move oil prices and provide insight into the assumptions behind OPEC supply policy.  "We plan to publish the 2025 forecast in April as opposed to June/July previously," Toril Bosoni, head of the IEA's Oil Industry and Markets Division, told Reuters in response to an emailed question.  "The reason for this is that we will publish the Medium Term outlook in June so to avoid the overlap and get a first detailed view on 2025 before looking out to 2030 - we advanced the date." The IEA and OPEC disagree on the strength of demand growth in 2024, reflecting their divergent forecasts on how quickly the world will shift from fossil fuels. OPEC believes oil use will keep rising over the next two decades, while the IEA, which represents industrialised countries, predicts it will peak by 2030.  Their differing views have led the bodies to clash over investment in new oil supply. The IEA says the end of the growth era for fossil fuels undercuts the rationale for investment.  In a break with its tradition of publishing its first forecast for the next year in July, OPEC last week predicted demand will rise by 1.8 million bpd in 2025 and said it brought publication forward to give "long-term guidance for the market".  On the same day, OPEC Secretary General Haitham Al Ghais published an article disputing that demand was near a peak, and reiterated the group's call for continued oil industry investment.  So far this year, the oil market has been buffeted by uncertainty as doubts about the global economy and demand strength have offset the more bullish impact of possible supply disruption.  OPEC forecasts world oil demand will expand by 2.25 million barrels per day (bpd) in 2024, a mild slowdown from 2.46 million bpd in 2023, with total oil use averaging 104.4 million bpd in 2024, bolstered by air travel and road fuel demand.  The IEA expects oil demand growth in 2024 to halve to 1.24 million bpd, from its figure for growth of 2.3 million bpd in 2023, partly because an increasing global electric vehicle fleet is curbing gasoline demand.  The difference between the OPEC and IEA demand forecasts for this year is about 1% of world demand, almost equivalent to OPEC member Libya's production.  A source with knowledge of the matter did not provide details of what the IEA would forecast for 2025 demand, but said it was expected to show further deceleration towards the 2030 peak demand timeline.  

Zee-Sony Merger Called Off: These mutual funds have exposure to the stock

India's mutual fund houses have increased their stake in Zee Entertainment in all of the nine quarters since the Sony merger announcement in December 2021. As of the December quarter, the domestic mutual funds held a 32.49% stake in Zee Entertainment, which is more than double the 12.16% stake they held at the end of the December 2021 quarter when the deal was announced. The increase in stake also corresponds with the exit of its largest shareholder Invesco, which along with Oppenheimer, held close to 18% stake in Zee at the time of the merger announcement. While Invesco Developing Markets Fund exited the stock by selling its 7.8% stake in April 2022, the OFI Global China Fund earlier pared a 5% stake between October and December 2022, before making a complete exit in April 2023. Among the funds that own a substantial stake in Zee Entertainment as of the December quarter include ICICI Prudential Value Discovery Fund, Nippon India Multi-Cap Fund, and HDFC Mid-Cap Opportunities Fund, among others. Some of India's largest insurance companies, all listed, also own a stake in Zee Entertainment, including the country's largest insurer LIC, along with HDFC Life and SBI Life Insurance.   

Stock Market Nifty 50 falls below 21,500, Zee Entertainment shares down 25%

The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) has revised the Dynamic Price Band of shares of Zee Entertainment to 30% downward from 25% earlier. In case further relaxation is needed, it will be done at an interval of 15 minutes, a circular from the BSE said.It must be noted that the stock is currently in the F&O ban and hence there are circuit limits being imposed, something that is a practice with non-F&O stocks.   Otherwise, for F&O stocks, there is no price band. Barring ICICI Bank, the remaining 11 stocks in the Nifty Bank index are contributing negatively towards its downside. Reliance Industries shares were in focus on January 23 with analysts expecting up to 23% upside in the Mukesh Ambani-led conglomerate’s stock following the results for the October to December 2023 quarter. Reliance shares traded more than a percent lower after the firm reported a steady third quarter with retail business revenue hitting a record high, Jio reporting a 2% rise in average revenue per user (ARPU) and oil and gas business witnessing record high margin of 86%. Shares of HDFC Bank Ltd. remain the top contributors to the Nifty 50’s downside on Tuesday, declining another 2%. India’s largest private lender is contributing 56 points to the index downside on Tuesday.   The lender’s market capitalisation has also slipped below the mark of ₹11 lakh crore, compared to its peak of ₹12.97 lakh crore, which it had on December 29.With Tuesday’s drop, the stock has declined in four out of the last five trading sessions, during which it has seen a drop of 13% from closing levels of January 16. Shares of Medi Assist Healthcare Services listed on the bourses on Tuesday, January 23. The stock listed at a premium of 11% at ₹465 a share on the BSE, and went on to scale an intra-day high of ₹509.60. On the NSE, it listed at ₹460, a premium of 10% against an issue price of ₹418. Ahead of its debut, shares of Medi Assist were commanding a premium of ₹32-36 in the unlisted market. As per trends, the company’s shares were expected to list at a premium of 8%. The initial public offering (IPO) of Nova Agritech Limited (NATL) will open for subscription on Tuesday (January 23). The public offer was postponed by a day due to the market’s holiday on January 22 and would close on January 25. Ahead of the issue launch, the company’s shares are commanding a premium of ₹20 in the unlisted market.Nova Agritech has fixed its price band at ₹39-41 per share, with a lot size of 365 equity shares in one lot and its multiples thereafter.  

Ram Mandir Inauguration: TN govt slams Finance Minister for spreading falsehood over live telecast ban

The Tamil Nadu government has hit back at Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's claims that the state has prohibited the live telecast of Ayodhya Ram Mandir programmes scheduled for January 22. P Sekar Babu, Tamil Nadu Minister for Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments, dismissed these allegations and criticised Sitharaman for "purposefully propagating this erroneous information"."The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments department hasn't imposed any limitations on devotees' freedom to offer food, conduct poojas in the name of Shri Ram, or provide prasad in Tamil Nadu temples. It is unfortunate that people in office, like Union Finance Minister Mrs. Nirmala Sitharaman and others, are purposefully porpagating this erroneous information," Sekar Babu said in a post on X (formerly Twitter). Earlier on Sunday, Sitharaman claimed that the Tamil Nadu government prohibited the live telecast of the prgrammes and took to social media to denounced the Chief Minister MK Stalin-led DMK government, labelling the it as "anti-Hindu" and "hateful."Sitharaman had alleged that the "ban" extends to Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) managed temples, where she claimed activities such as puja, bhajan, prasadam, and annadanam in the name of Lord Ram are not permitted. She further accused the police of intervening in privately held temples, preventing them from organising events and issuing threats of dismantling pandals.Sitharaman alleged that individuals are facing obstacles and threats while attempting to organize bhajans, provide food to the needy, distribute sweets, and celebrate, all to witness Prime Minister Narendra Modi's participation in the Ram Temple consecration ceremony at Ayodhya.The Finance Minister went on to claim that cable TV operators have been warned about possible power cuts during the live telecast, branding it as an "anti-Hindu move" orchestrated by the DMK, a key partner in the INDIA alliance. Sitharaman accused the Tamil Nadu government of "unofficially" citing law and order concerns as a justification for the ban on live telecast.    

Ram Mandir Inauguration Half-day holiday for Delhi govt schools

The Delhi government has declared a half-day holiday for all government and government-aided schools till 2.30 pm. In an official circular, Bhupesh Chaudary, Delhi’s Director of Education, said this only applies to schools running in the general and morning shifts. However, schools running in the shift will start at 2.30 pm and run till 5.30 pm.The Tamil Nadu government has hit back at Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s claims that the state has prohibited the live telecast of Ayodhya Ram Mandir programmes scheduled for January 22. P Sekar Babu, Tamil Nadu Minister for Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments, dismissed these allegations and criticised Sitharaman for “purposefully propagating this erroneous information”. Read more.The NDMC has adorned key locations in Lutyens’ Delhi with captivating flower boards to celebrate the consecration ceremony at the Ram temple in Ayodhya, its vice-chairman Satish Upadhyay said on Sunday. He added that prominent locations, including Khan Market, BKS Marg, Connaught Place, Mandi House roundabout, PM House roundabout, Malcha Marg Market, Yashwant Place Market, Dilli Haat, Birla Mandir and 11 Murti, have been decorated. Upadhyay said the “headquarters of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) is also illuminated with radiance” in view of the auspicious occasion. In anticipation of the consecration ceremony at Ayodhya’s Ram temple on Monday, January 22, authorities have implemented advanced security measures, employing cutting-edge technology to safeguard the sacred event and the devotees in attendance.Prime Minister Narendra Modi will spend five hours in Ayodhya as the consecration ceremony or ‘pran pratishtha’ of Ram Temple will happen on Monday, January 22. Over 8,000 special invitees will witness the grand event outside the ‘garbh griha’ or sanctum sanctorum.Temples in Puducherry will livestream the consecration of the Lord Ram temple at Ayodhya on their premises after the territorial government issued circulars directing them to make arrangements, official sources told PTI on Sunday. The temple management is gearing up to perform customary rituals for the idols of Lord Ram and his consort, Goddess Sita, before the live telecast, the sources said. Chief Minister N Rangasamy, other Ministers and legislators would be among those who would virtually watch the consecration event at a local Vishnu temple, official sources said. The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has got ‘mahaprasad’ prepared for the VIPs coming to attend the consecration ceremony in Ayodhya on Monday. More than 20,000 packets of ‘mahaprasad’, which has been prepared with pure ghee, five types of dry fruits, sugar, gram flour (‘besan’) is being handed over to the Trust for the guest after the ceremony, an official said.The AAP government in Delhi is inspired by the concept of “Ram Rajya” and draws motivation from it in providing various facilities to the people of the national capital, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Sunday. Kejriwal made the remarks at the three-day Ramlila event being organised by the Delhi government’s Art, Culture and Languages department. The conclusion of the event, which began on Saturday, will coincide with the consecration ceremony at the Ram temple in Ayodhya.Engineering and construction conglomerate Larsen & Toubro (L&T) on Sunday said that it has designed and built the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh. The much-awaited Ram temple consecration will be held on Monday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the rituals, following which the shrine will be opened to the public a day later.As mandated by the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, Larsen & Toubro has successfully designed and built the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Temple, establishing a new milestone in architectural grandeur, the construction firm said in a statement. The temple stands within a 70-acre complex, with its design rooted in the ancient Nagara style of architecture.Attired in vibrant colours with a big turban on his head and silver jewellery embellishing his hand and feet, a man plays mellifluous tunes on his bamboo flute to the praise of Lord Krishna in the land of Lord Ram. Meet Swami Adbhut from Ujjain, who has been dressing up in Lord Krishan’s attire for the past 16 years. He claimed that he maintains this appearance throughout the day.“The entire world is imbued in the spirit of Lord Krishna. Both Lord Ram and Lord Krishna are manifestations of the same divine essence,” he said, adding that he is in Ayodhya for the consecration event of January 22 and to “behold the divine presence of the Lord”. While in Ayodhya, he displays an image of Lord Krishna and plays his flute while keeping the rhythm by jingling his anklets.Actor Kangana Ranaut says it’s her “good fortune” to be invited for the Ram temple consecration ceremony on Monday. The 36-year-old actor on Sunday met her spiritual guru Rambhadracharya and participated in a yagya at a temple in Ayodhya.    

Botree Software International Pvt. Ltd.

Navigating the intricacies of distribution management has long been a challenge in the business landscape, posing hurdles for companies seeking to optimise their supply chains. The complexities of managing distribution and elevating retail execution have proven to be significant obstacles. It is within this challenging terrain that Botree Software has risen as a transformative force.As a pioneer and leader in route-to-market solutions, Botree has redefined the management of distribution and the enhancement of retail execution for brands. With an illustrious 25+ year history, the Botree product ecosystem empowers over 60 blue-chip clients, 85,000+ distributors, 32,000+ active sales representatives, and reaches 5+ million retail stores. This extensive reach contributes to increased market share, revenue, and profit for its clients. Serving diverse industries such as FMCG, Consumer Durables, and OTC Pharma, Botree Software exemplifies scalable, innovative, and impactful solutions across various sectors.Botree’s inception stems from inspiration drawn from Gautama Buddha’s enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree. Pioneering Distributor Management Software (DMS) from the outset, Botree was the first to provide an enterprise-grade DMS to marquee brands such as Amul, Nestle, Parle, and Marico that helped them gain visibility into their secondary sales, manage inventories, drive trade promotion schemes, etc. nationally.While facing initial resistance from distributors to provide visibility and transparency, early adopters in the FMCG sector played a pivotal role in establishing Botree as the go-to DMS provider for big brands. Strategic collaborations with industry giants like Hindustan Unilever and Nestle India became turning points, propelling Botree into prominence. The commitment to delivering a high-quality domain-centric, scalable, and enterprise-grade DMS supported by strong customer service resonated with FMCG brands and distributors, fostering a dedicated following for Botree. Some of their esteemed clientele includes renowned names like Dabur India Limited, Marico Limited, Nestle India Limited, Tata Consumer, Perfetti Van Melle India, Amul, Kenvue (erstwhile J&J Consumer), etc.Expanding offerings to meet evolving customer needs translated into increased market share and a growing customer base. Today, Botree Software stands as a name synonymous with DMS, reflecting its unmatched expertise and enduring impact in the industries it operates in.Keyur Maniar, an accomplished and seasoned professional, brings over three decades of diverse and enriching sales, delivery, and cross-functional experience with a demonstrated track record of meeting P&L, CSAT, and Risk/Compliance goals. Over the years, he has progressed through various roles, including Director and Senior Vice President at leading firms, before assuming his current position. His journey through various roles has cultivated his strategic thinking, leadership skills, and keen business acumen and enabled him to quickly analyse key business issues and to develop and execute transformation strategies to grow top-line and bottom-line. Currently, under his guidance, Botree is undergoing a significant cultural and technological transformation over the past 18 months.Botree is revolutionising supply chain management with its comprehensive end-to-end solutions, addressing industry-specific challenges in distribution and retail automation. Designed for sectors like CPG, Consumer Durables, and OTC Pharma, these solutions offer a holistic approach to optimising inventory, streamlining orders, driving trade promotions, and enhancing the customer experience.Products such as Botree Sales Force Automation (SFA), Botree DMS, Botree Mobile DMS, Botree FlexiDMS, Botree Retailer Connect, and Botree Insights automate sales and distribution channels as well as provide actionable insights to drive revenue velocity.As more companies seek a single vendor for comprehensive sales digitisation, Botree stands out as the only one capable of meeting this requirement. Designed to be light and scalable, their solutions ensure effectiveness even in areas with limited internet connectivity, showcasing their commitment to staying at the forefront of technological advancements in route-to-market supply chain digitisation. Although initially focusing on larger enterprises, Botree Software has adapted its strategy over the last 18 months. The surge of regional as well as D2C players entering the market led to the introduction of a robust SaaS solution alongside its enterprise offering to accommodate these emerging businesses. Recognising the growth potential, Botree Software actively targets tier 2 and tier 3 players, aligning its solutions with the diverse needs of these emerging market players.Whether used standalone or as part of an integrated solution, Botree’s offerings cater to diverse business needs. Recognising the uniqueness of each enterprise, Botree provides tailored solutions across both enterprise and SaaS models, ensuring that the outcomes exceed client expectations, thereby fostering efficiency and sustainable growth. Prioritising scalability, innovation, and client centricity while delivering robust, reliable products through cutting-edge technologies makes Botree Software stand out in a competitive market. Despite the emergence of a fair number of competitors, Botree maintains its uniqueness, competitive differentiators, and enduring client preference amongst brands of all sizes.    

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MediBuddy vHealth: Pioneering Digital Healthcare Solutions for a Healthier Tomorrow

In the ever-evolving landscape of modern-day healthcare, where accessibility, convenience, and innovative solutions are paramount, digital healthcare platforms emerge as game-changers. These platforms bridge geographical gaps, providing accessible and convenient healthcare services through telemedicine, remote monitoring, and efficient data management. By leveraging technology, they enhance communication, streamline processes, and offer cost-effective solutions. Among the pioneers leading this charge is MediBuddy vHealth, a trailblazing digital healthcare organisation at the forefront of India’s healthcare revolution. As the country grapples with challenges in traditional healthcare, MediBuddy vHealth stands out for its commitment to providing accessible and convenient healthcare services through telemedicine, remote monitoring, and cutting-edge technology.As one of India’s leading digital healthcare organisations, MediBuddy vHealth provides preventive and primary quality care services to over 3.5 million active subscribers. These include unlimited doctor consultations, Specialists OPD consultations, preventive blood test packages, and deeply discounted medicine delivery, all conveniently brought to the member’s doorstep. Their integrated healthcare ecosystem combines in-house doctors’ expertise with a vast network of 3500+ partner healthcare centres, thus emphasising on clinical excellence through advanced technology. Operating under Indian Health Organization Pvt. Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Medibuddy, India’s largest health-tech platform, MediBuddy vHealth is a market leader in the B2B2C segment having India’s finest NBFCs, MFIs, Banks, Insurance aggregators, Fintech companies and alike as distribution partners. MB vHealth is empowered by a dedicated team of 200 clinical and non-clinical staff, standing as a beacon of innovation in the digital healthcare landscape. Their vast partner network of healthcare providers is spread across 2000+ Indian cities, comprising of premium hospital chains & standalone clinics, prominent dental chains, top offline & online pharmacies and leading diagnostic labs, offering seamless access to quality healthcare services anytime, anywhere.Guided by a mission that integrates healthcare, science, AI, and human intervention, MediBuddy vHealth is committed to making high-quality healthcare accessible to a billion people and is driven by its 12 core values, known as MBB/MediBuddy Beliefs, shaping its decision-making and work approach.Established in 2017, MediBuddy vHealth (formerly vHealth by Aetna) has evolved as a subsidiary of MediBuddy, India’s largest Digital Healthcare platform. A pivotal moment in the company’s journey occurred in February 2023 with the acquisition of Indian Health Organization Private Limited by MediBuddy, thus starting the transition journey from ‘vHealth by Aetna’ to ‘MediBuddy vHealth’. Today, MediBuddy vHealth stands as a leading primary healthcare service provider in the B2B2C healthcare domain in India. The array of subscription-based primary healthcare services offered includes online teleconsultations with MediBuddy vHealth doctors, an expansive outpatient network, pharmacy services, diagnostics, and dental care. Ensuring quality care delivery, the clinical team takes complete ownership of the treatment process.Amidst the widespread healthcare landscape and a challenging doctor-patient ratio in India, digital healthcare emerges as a pivotal factor in addressing these issues, particularly in the aftermath of Covid.Globally recognised healthcare solutions emphasise the importance of ‘access to quality primary care,’ and MediBuddy vHealth aligns with this ethos. By ensuring that its doctors spend quality time with patients and employ evidence-based medicine for accurate diagnoses, the platform has pioneered accessible and affordable preventive healthcare services, reducing the need to visit a hospital by 70% (as per an independent research).    

Accelerating enterprise global capability maturity using digital capabilities and practitioner’s strength.

Global Capability Centers (GCCs) are consistently gaining patronage as a strategic lever and have seen rapid growth over the past couple of years. GCCs are in-house units that are set up by multinational companies in offshore geographies to take advantage of low operating costs, talent availability and language skills. Large companies have been using an outsourced model; however, over the years, there has been a major shift towards a GCC model, which is also referred to as in-house centres. Early on, these units were set up to take advantage of the cost and talent arbitrage, but have now progressed to be ‘value creators’ and are being leveraged as innovation and transformation hubs. India continues to be the top destination for new GCCs, hosting over 1580 centres with a talent pool exceeding 1.66 million professionals as of June 2023.With a mission to simplify and make GCCs accessible and be size agnostic, Gloplax was founded in 2019 by leaders of the global sourcing industry. Gloplax has emerged as a ‘game changer’ in facilitating the establishment and operation of GCCs in India and the Philippines. Leveraging extensive experience, practitioner’s strength, and a digital ecosystem, Gloplax is rightly poised to accelerate the GCC journey for its clients. Gloplax has become a trusted partner for marquee brands in Financial Services and Retail. With a global presence spanning India, Philippines, US, UK, and Australia, Gloplax provides a definite edge in enabling seamless global operations.A successful GCC set-up requires a comprehensive ecosystem to support/ enable at each stage of its lifecycle. Gloplax has developed a digital ecosystem that comprises advanced technology-enabled tools, frameworks, verified vendor partners and reliable industry data and insights. The Gloplax team has a history of successfully setting up and running Global Capability Centres (GCCs) of leading multinational companies over the last two and a half decades.Their commitment extends across the entire value chain of global sourcing, guided by the core belief that solutions should be tailored to each client’s unique context. “Embracing a bespoke approach supported by our distinctive 3E model – Effectiveness, Efficiency and Experience integrated in all that we do, Gloplax ensures customised and impactful solutions for every engagement.” Shared Aveek Mukherjee, Co-founder and MD, Gloplax. Founded by professionals and senior leaders from the global sourcing industry, Gloplax distinguishes itself through deep experience and a technology-enabled operating environment. The leaders at Gloplax are proud of their impressive legacy of establishing GCCs for leading Financial Services companies and MNCs from other industries, Retail, Technology and other industries. Gloplax recently announced a strategic alliance with KPMG in India, a prominent advisor in the GCC domain. Together, they present a comprehensive “GCC as a service” model encompassing strategy and design, capability building, facility setup, operational management, and support functions like Human Resources, Finance, Risk Management, Compliance, Branding, Recruitment, and technology implementation. This collaborative model offers numerous advantages, including lower capital outlay, accelerated time to market, flexibility in team scaling, access to high-quality talent, market insights, industry experts, and competitive costs compared to traditional standalone GCC models. The joint service model caters to diverse industries such as Financial Services, TMT (technology, media, and telecommunications), Healthcare, ENR (energy and natural resources), Manufacturing, Insurance, and more. Charlie Roberson brings a wealth of experience from his 28-year career, retiring as Executive Vice President at a large US bank. Leading the company’s global services from its inception in 2007, he grew it to 25,000+ resources within a decade. Charlie’s approach, tailored to the company’s culture, earned the trust of senior leaders. Under his leadership, Gloplax excels in assessing opportunities, supporting decision-makers, and providing ongoing delivery excellence, primarily in India and the Philippines.    

Governments cash surplus tops Rs 3.4 lakh crore

Apart from the deceleration in government spending, higher direct tax collections and a likely sharp rise in issuances of Treasury Bills by the Centre in FY24 were factors pushing up the government's cash balances, analysts said. The flow of government cash balances to and from the banking system is a key factor that influences liquidity conditions. Mumbai: A constant feature of the Indian banking system over the past couple of months has been the prevalence of large deficit liquidity conditions, and one of the factors behind banks' scramble for funds is a massive build-up of government cash balances as the Centre slows down spending.Apart from the deceleration in government spending, higher direct tax collections and a likely sharp rise in issuances of Treasury Bills by the Centre in FY24 were factors pushing up the government's cash balances, analysts said. The flow of government cash balances to and from the banking system is a key factor that influences liquidity conditions."Government cash surplus as of Janury 12, 2024 is tracking at ₹3.4 lakh crore versus ₹1.6 lakh crore as of January 13, 2023. We see space for expenditure savings for the Centre on transfers to states which consists of finance commission grants, centrally sponsored schemes and central sector schemes, loans for capital expenditure etc," said Gaura Sengupta, economist at IDFC First Bank. "Based on data from Finance Ministry, 15th Finance Commission grants to states are tracking 29%YoY lower in FYTD24 (Apr-Dec)," she said.As on January 16, the headline liquidity deficit in the banking system was at ₹1.94 lakh crore, Reserve Bank of India data showed. Liquidity in the banking system typically tightens around the middle of a month due to tax outflows before easing towards the end of the month as the government spends on salaries and pensions of employees. With banks facing a scarcity of funds at present, the weighted average call rate (WACR) closed at 6.76% on Wednesday, much higher than the repo rate of 6.50%. The elevated money market rates have pushed up costs of funds for banks, and in turn for corporates, looking to raise money through short-term debt."It's speculative to say that the build-up in cash balance is for any particular reason, but one thing is that the government started the year in WMA (Ways and Means Advances), so there might have been a target to build up the cash balance for the end of the year as well," said A Prasanna, head of research at ICICI Securities Primary Dealership. WMA is a funding facility that the RBI extends to the government in order to tide over short-term cash-flow mismatches.Till January 11, the government's net direct tax collections rose 19% annually to ₹14.70 lakh crore, official data released last week showed. Tax collections till then were at 81% of the full-year target.  

HDFC Bank seeks Singapore bank license to grow overseas

HDFC Bank, India's largest private sector lender, is seeking approval for a banking license in Singapore. The bank aims to tap into the Indian diaspora in Singapore for savings and term deposits, as well as cross-sell products like mortgages. HDFC Bank already has a presence in London, Hong Kong, and Bahrain. With a customer base of 93 million, the bank is expanding its reach overseas after a merger with Housing Development Finance Corp. last year.HDFC Bank Ltd, India’s biggest private sector lender, is seeking to open its first branch in Singapore, signaling its overseas ambitions after sewing up a landmark merger with mortgage financier Housing Development Finance Corp. last year.  The bank has applied to the Monetary Authority of Singapore for a banking license and is awaiting approval, according to sources familiar with the matter. It is not clear what kind of banking license HDFC Bank is seeking in Singapore, said one of the people, who declined to be identified as the information is confidential. The banking giant is seeking a bigger presence abroad to tap the Indian diaspora for savings and term deposits, as well as to cross-sell more products, including mortgages, the people said. At home, HDFC has been focusing on deepening its reach in the world’s most populous country through loans to retail customers. HDFC Bank did not respond to an email seeking comment. “As a matter of policy, MAS does not comment on our dealings with financial institutions,” according to a spokesperson from the Singapore regulator. Singapore, with a population of almost 6 million people, houses a large India diaspora. About 650,000 non-resident and persons of Indian origin live in the city-state, according to Indian government data.HDFC Bank is currently not licensed or regulated by the MAS, according to its website. It only provides home loans-related advisory services for the purchase of properties in India, the website states. The categories of banking licenses in Singapore encompass full banks, qualifying full banks and wholesale banks, which impose varying levels of restrictions on the lenders’ activities. State Bank of India and ICICI Bank Ltd. hold qualifying full banking licenses, alongside eight other banks like Bank of China Ltd. and BNP Paribas SA. Such licenses are open only to foreign banks and allow them to have additional branches and/or off-premise ATMs as well as to share ATMs among themselves, according to the Association of Banks in Singapore’s website.The MAS regulates and supervises more than 150 deposit-taking institutions in Singapore, ranging from full banks to finance companies, according to its website.  

Teslas winter woes: A storm of challenges and disruption

Tesla is grappling with operational, strategic, and environmental challenges that impact its stock value and investor focus. The recent challenges placing Tesla in the headlines, including operational disruptions, strategic market adjustments, and technological limitations in cold weather, have impacted its stock price, contributing to a 13% decline in the past thirty days. Tesla's analysts are concerned about business growth, which has shown signs of deterioration in recent quarters. This, combined with the company's high valuation, makes some analysts cautious about Tesla's stock in the medium term.Despite these concerns, Tesla's diverse business operations beyond just manufacturing cars offer some optimism. Its advancements in other areas, like energy solutions and technology innovations, provide potential growth avenues. However, the company's core focus on car manufacturing is subject to market cyclicality, which currently does not favor bullish sentiments.Investors eagerly anticipate the release of the Q4 earnings report and guidance for the fiscal year 2024, as it will impact the company's stock valuation. Manufacturing efficiency and the number of vehicles manufactured are pivotal in influencing investors' interest. While some investors maintain a positive outlook based on potential long-term growth, Tesla’s overall sentiment is a mix of optimism and caution. Some investors and Tesla stock analysts have adopted a bearish stance due to the company's prevailing challenges and market dynamics. Tesla's Berlin gigafactory is pivotal to its European market growth. The Berlin gigafactory has recently halted operations due to supply chain issues linked to the Red Sea blockade. This crucial maritime channel is integral to global trade, and its disruption has had a domino effect, underlining the vulnerability of global manufacturing networks to geopolitical strife. The Berlin factory, known for its state-of-the-art production capabilities, now faces uncertainties that concern investors, particularly regarding potential delays in vehicle production and distribution. This halt impacts Tesla's operational efficiency and places added pressure on its stock value as the market reacts to these unforeseen challenges and the possible implications for Tesla's European market performance and overall global supply chain efficiency.In response to intensifying competition in China and Europe, Tesla has strategically reduced prices for select models in these key markets. This price adjustment is calculated to strengthen Tesla’s standing, especially in China, where the demand for affordable electric vehicles is rapidly expanding. While this strategy could potentially increase Tesla's market share in the short term, it raises crucial questions about its long-term effects on its profitability and financial health. These concerns are particularly pertinent for investors as they weigh the implications of Tesla's pricing strategy on its future revenue streams and overall market sustainability.   

Indias most valuable PSU remains a wealth destroyer

Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) overtook State Bank of India on Wednesday to become India's most valuable state-run company in terms of market capitalisation. At the start of trading on Wednesday, LIC had a market capitalisation of ₹5.66 lakh crore, compared to SBI's ₹5.64 lakh crore, though SBI recovered from opening lows to reclaim the top spot for a brief period again. However, despite becoming India's most valued company, LIC has caused loss of investor wealth. The stock listed at a discount in May 2022, a level it only crossed on Tuesday, nearly two years after listing. Although the stock has crossed the retail IPO price of ₹904, it remains below the original IPO price of ₹949. Over the last 12 months, the stock has gained only 27%, compared to other PSE index constituents like REC, PFC, BHEL and HAL, which have gained anywhere between 140% to 250% over the same time frame. In fact, LIC shares are the second-worst performers on the Nifty PSE index over a 12-month period, only ahead of Container Corporation of India, which is up 25%. LIC remains India's biggest IPO where the government sold a 3.5% stake to mobilise over ₹21,000 crore. That is the only stake sold in the open market yet as the government continues to hold the remaining 96.5%. DIPAM Secretary Tuhin Kanta Pandey in his prior interactions with CNBC-TV18 had mentioned that an LIC Follow-On Public Offer (FPO) is not on the cards yet. Additionally, unlike other PSUs, LIC has been granted an exemption from complying with minimum public shareholding norms. It can achieve the 25% minimum public shareholding by May 2032, instead of the usual three years. LIC shares have recovered from their 52-week low of ₹530 and despite this rally are trading at 0.85 times price-to-embedded value. Shares of LIC are trading 0.6% lower at ₹887.2. The stock is up 11% over the last month.  

Ram Mandir News - RJD chief Lalu Yadav to skip Ram Mandir Pran Pratistha ceremony

Ahead of the pranpratishtha ceremony, Ayodhya Ram Temple Construction Committee Chairman, Nripendra Mishra says, “…a historic event…There is not only in India but all over who have faith, they feel that their rights have been recognised, their faith has been respected. So, from that sense of the term, there is jubilation. But at the same time, I would say and I believe what the PM said in 2019 when the judgement came – there should be no sense of victory or there should be no sense of defeat. We must all accept the judicial pronouncement. So, everyone is cautious that while you celebrate this day, don’t celebrate this day as something which is to show any other person of a different faith that he is less important to this country. This country belongs to everybody.” Priest Sunil Das in Ayodhya says, “This Ayodhya temple will be the centre for universal peace centre….” Priest Sunil Das conducted religious rituals in the ‘Garbha Griha’ of Ayodhya Ram Temple today. Union Minister Anurag Thakur criticized the Congress and other opposition parties for staying away from the Ram temple consecration ceremony in Ayodhya. Thakur, accompanied by Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva, participated in a cleanliness drive at the Valmiki temple premises. He warned that the opposition’s decision to boycott the ceremony might lead to people boycotting them, citing past instances when public support waned due to similar actions. The “pran pratishtha” ceremony is scheduled for January 22 as part of the BJP’s “Swachhata Sewa” programme. Former Chief Minister and RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, on Wednesday, said that he will not be attending the Pran Pratishtha ceremony at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on January 22.“I will not go to Ayodhya to attend the pran partishtha ceremony of the Ram temple,” he said.   

Sensex tumbles 1,628.01 points to close at 71,500.76; Nifty plunges 460.35 points to 21,571.95

The company has received additional orders worth ₹339.31 crore since the last disclosure on 26th Dec 2023 and these orders pertain to Combat Management System, Composite Communication System, Transmit / Receive Modules, Mobile Autonomous Stabilization System and other spares / services, said BEL in a filing to the exchanges. Nifty Banks Slides More Than 4%, Biggest Fall Since February 2022. HDFC Bank Records Worst Day In 3 Years, Falls Over 8% After Earning. HDFC Bank Contributes Over 50% Fall To Both Nifty & Nifty Bank. HDFC Bank Reacts Sharply To Earnings, Erases `1 Lk Cr Market Cap. BSE-listed Cos Erase Market Cap Of `4 Lakh Cr Today. All Sectoral Indices Close In The Red While Volatility Index Surges 11%. Sensex Slides 1,628 Points To 71,501 & Nifty 460 Points To 21,572. Nifty Bank Falls 2,061 Points To 46,064 & Midcap Index 516 Points To 47,152Except Bandhan, All Nifty Bank Constituents End In The Red. IEX Slides 11% On Power Minister’s Mkt Coupling Comment. Asian Paints Reports Earnings In-Line, Stock Is Down 2%. Pricol Sees Block Deals Of Over 15%, Minda Corp & PE Likely Sellers. IT Stocks See Buying Amid Market Sell-off, Most IT Stocks In The Green. ICICI Lombard Surges After An Improved Showing In Q3, Up 6%. L&T Tech Surges Despite Reporting Below-than-expected Results, Up 4%. Polycab Extends Gains, Closes With A Gain Of 2% Ahead Of Results. Market Breadth Fvaours Declines, Advance-Decline Ratio At 1:3.In what was touted to be a takeover attempt, Minda Corp mentioned that this was only a financial investment and will not fetch them any special rights in Pricol other than those of a normal shareholder. The management of Pricol had told CNBC-TV18 on February 17 that the promoters have no intention to sell any stake in the company as it is on the path of growth and is doing well. "I definitely do not want to sell. I'm 1,000 percent committed to this business," Mohan said. "Our market share has gone up. We have a very strong order book, zero long term debt, healthy cash profits, capacity, and we know we are on a growth curve. So why would I sell?" he further added. On January 4 this year, India's competition regulator had said that prima facie, the proposed merger by Minda may have adverse on competition and that it intends to conduct further inquiry into the process. Shares of Pricol are off the day's low, currently trading 2% lower at ₹360.70, while those of Minda Corp have surged to the day's high, currently trading 3% higher at ₹395.75.  

Süd-Chemie India Pvt. Ltd.

The chemical manufacturing industry is currently undergoing a significant transformation, marked by a surge in demand for sustainable products and a shift towards circular economy practices. At the forefront of driving this change is Süd-Chemie India Pvt. Ltd. (SCIL), a pioneering company led by CEO Mr Prakash Babu Surya. Founded in 1969 as Catalysts & Chemicals India (West Asia) Pvt. Ltd., the company emerged as a leader in catalysis. Subsequent mergers and acquisitions led to transformations, with the company being renamed United Catalysts India Ltd. (UCIL) in 1979 and Süd-Chemie India Pvt. Ltd. (SCIL) in 2000 with Süd-Chemie A.G. Germany acquiring CCI, USA’s shares. Acquired by Clariant International in 2011, SCIL now stands as a global giant, delivering catalyst solutions and catering to both Indian and international markets. Their strength lies in a profound understanding of chemistry and its applications, addressing the specific needs of clients in both Indian and international markets. SUD Chemie India Private Limited is a Non-govt company, incorporated on 28 Feb, 1969. It's a private unlisted company and is classified as'company limited by shares'.Company's authorized capital stands at Rs 100.0 lakhs and has 96.23% paid-up capital which is Rs 96.23 lakhs. SUD Chemie India Private Limited last annual general meet (AGM) happened on 19 Sep, 2017. The company last updated its financials on 31 Mar, 2017 as per Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA).SUD Chemie India Private Limited is majorly in Manufacturing (Metals & Chemicals, and products thereof) business from last 54 years and currently, company operations are active. Current board members & directors are ARSHIA ALTAF LALLJEE, ISKANDER ALTAF LALLJEE, HAMIDA ALTAF LALLJEE, ADNAN WAJHAT AHMAD, DEEPAK RASIKLAL PARIKH, STEFAN CHRISTOF JOHANNES HEUSER, KARL HOLGER DIERSSEN and NYELA KALSIA .Company is registered in ROC-Ernakulam (Kerala) Registrar Office. SUD Chemie India Private Limited registered address is EDAYAR INDUSTRIALDEVELOPMENT AREA BINANIPURAM P O ALUVA ERNAKULAM KL 683502 IN.