Top Trending Finance & Stock Market News & Highlights

Ether retreats after momentarily touching the $3,000 mark, while Bitcoin drops from the $52,000 mark.

On Wednesday, February 21, there was a tiny 0.31 percent gain for Bitcoin. At the moment, Bitcoin is worth $51,977, or about Rs. 43 lakh. Market analysts claim that the resistance level for Bitcoin is currently at $53,000, or approximately Rs. 43.9 lakh; a breach of this level would signal a significant increase in the value of the asset. The price of Bitcoin has seen a significant increase of $400 (approximately Rs. 33,160) in the last day. Wednesday's market volatility was reflected in the cryptocurrency chart, where altcoins fluctuated between gains and losses. For the first time since April 2022, Ether crossed the $3,000 (about Rs. 2.48 lakh) threshold. But at that point, the asset was unable to maintain a significant advantage. Ether's current value, after a 2.05 percent loss, is $2,870, or approximately Rs. 2.3 lakh. "Bitcoin is indicating overbought conditions in the current market environment, which is causing investor caution regarding possible consolidation. Ethereum, on the other hand, is showing an ascending channel pattern, driven by continuous developments in its ecosystem and flirting with $3,000 (about Rs. 2.48 lakh). Deviating from their customary daily routines, investors are being cautious because of a recent buying frenzy amid bullish momentum suggested by moving averages, according to Rajagopal Menon, Vice President of WazirX, who spoke with Gadgets360. Market observers are currently more interested in watching Ether's trajectory than Bitcoin's. "Ethereum has a huge following. For most Web3 developers, it is the default option when it comes to compute networks. This translates to increased traffic volume and road upkeep. Therefore, an update to make the highway much smoother is being shipped by developers. They are also doing it without causing any traffic hiccups. They port the upgrade to the mainnet highway after testing it on the testnets, or service road. Dencun's planned mainnet launch in March "can be seen as an internal catalyst for a better Web3 future," according to CoinSwitch co-founder Ashish Singhal.

Published 22 Feb 2024 02:33 AM

India Accepts All Foreign Investment In The Space Industry

In an effort to facilitate business in the nation, the Indian government approved an amendment on Wednesday that permits 100% foreign direct investment (FDI) in the space sector. The government stated in a statement that the FDI policy reform will encourage growth in investment, income, and employment. The government stated in a statement that the FDI policy reform will encourage growth in investment, income, and employment. 

Published 22 Feb 2024 01:45 AM

The Price of Bitcoin Exceeds $48,000

At the time of publishing, the price of the most popular cryptocurrency in the world, Bitcoin, was $48,101 (approximately Rs. 39.9 lakh), having seen a slight increase of 0.74 percent on Monday. The digital asset gained $1,826 in value over the course of the weekend (about Rs. 1.5 lakh). The next target, according to market analysts, would be $50,000 (about Rs. 41.5 lakh), which is a milestone that Bitcoin hasn't been able to reach since December 2021, if the price of the cryptocurrency rises above $48,970 (about Rs. 40 lakh).   Ether's value fell by 0.55 percent on Monday as it was unable to keep up with Bitcoin's gains. At the moment, ether is worth $2,498 (about Rs. 2.07 lakh).   Due to large net inflows into spot Bitcoin ETFs the week before, Bitcoin surged above $48,000 (about Rs. 39.8 lakh) over the weekend, hitting its highest level in 26 months. The CEO of Mudrex, Edul Patel, told Gadgets360 that Ethereum also reached its highest point since January 19 at $2,540, or roughly Rs. 2 lakh. It is currently consolidating around $2,500, or roughly Rs. 2.07 lakh, with resistance at $2,620, or roughly Rs. 2.17 lakh, and support at $2,440, or roughly Rs. 2.02 lakh.The majority of cryptocurrencies saw losses on Monday, including Ether. These comprise Avalanche, Dogecoin, Cardano, Ripple, and Binance Coin.   On Monday, the values of other altcoins, including Uniswap, Shiba Inu, Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash, Solana, and Binance Coin, also decreased. In the past day, the value of the cryptocurrency industry as a whole fell by 0.76 percent. According to CoinMarketCap, the current value of the cryptocurrency market is $1.8 trillion, or approximately Rs. 1,49,40,576 crore. Ether's market share is currently 16.7%, while Bitcoin's dominance is currently 52.5 percent.This week, there will probably be a few notable token unlocks, such as the release of SAND from Sandbox worth over $96 million (about Rs. 796 crore), or roughly 9% of the total supply. We plan to do this on Valentine's Day. Additional unlocks include Aptos, which released more than 7% .

Published 13 Feb 2024 01:20 AM

Paytm Payments Bank Is Looking To Employ Outside Compliance

Four people with knowledge of the situation claim that Paytm Payments Bank Ltd. has sent out a request for proposals to outside auditors. According to the individuals cited above, who requested to remain anonymous, the bank only made this RFP available to outside auditors. As a result, it is not in the public domain.According to the three individuals mentioned above, the goal of this RFP is to audit the bank for compliance and the know-your-customer procedure.As stated by the first person quoted above, Paytm Payments Bank also hopes to demonstrate to the Reserve Bank of India that it is fully compliant by starting this audit. One97 Communications Ltd.'s associate company came under heavy fire from the RBI on January 31 for "persistent non-compliance" and serious "supervisory concerns." The regulator stated in its directives that Paytm Payments Bank will not be able to take new credit transactions, top-ups, or deposits into its accounts after February 29.

Published 10 Feb 2024 10:20 AM

Finance & Stock Market

Finance & Stock Market

For FY23, Unacademys revenue jumps 26% to Rs 907 crore while its loss cuts

The test-prep startup Unacademy reported that, despite constant layoffs at the company, its losses in FY23 decreased by 41% to Rs 1,678 crore. In FY23, employee-related expenses decreased by 28% to Rs 1,281 crore.The test-prep startup Unacademy reported that, despite constant layoffs at the company, its losses in FY23 decreased by 41% to Rs 1,678 crore. In FY23, employee-related expenses decreased by 28% to Rs 1,281 crore.In what was a difficult year for the startup environment, many modern businesses, like Myntra, ZestMoney, and Curefoods, reported stronger revenues for FY23, but their losses also increased.Revenue at Myntra rises to Rs 4,375 crore: The apparel retailer Myntra, which is owned by Flipkart, reported a 25% increase in operating revenue to Rs 4,375 crore in FY23, despite a 31% increase in losses to Rs 782 crore. The online fashion platform's largest expense, amounting to Rs 1,758 crore, was spent on advertising and promotional activities, representing a 35% increase over the previous year.Unacademy reduces losses to Rs 1,678 crore, or 41%: Unacademy, a startup providing test preparation, reported that its losses in FY23, which included several layoffs at the company, decreased by 41% to Rs 1,678 crore. The Bengaluru-based firm saw a 26% increase in sales to Rs 907 crore during the year, while costs associated with payroll decreased by 28% to Rs 1,281 crore.ZestMoney reports a loss of Rs 412 crore. ZestMoney, a troubled startup that has been searching for a buyer, declared a net loss of Rs 412.4 crore for the fiscal year 2023. On the other hand, while total expenses increased by 21% to Rs 662.2 crore, overall revenue for the buy-now-pay-later platform increased by 72% to Rs 250 crore.  

SentinelOne, a US-based company, purchases PingSafe, a Bengaluru cybersecurity startup.

SentinelOne, an AI-powered cybersecurity startup based in the United States, said on Wednesday that it has reached an agreement to purchase Bengaluru-based PingSafe for an undisclosed sum.The Mountain View, California-based business said in a statement that it will buy PingSafe for a mix of cash and stock, and that the deal is anticipated to close in SentinelOne's first quarter of the 2025 fiscal year, contingent upon customary closing conditions and any necessary regulatory approvals.The Mountain View, California-based business said in a statement that it will buy PingSafe for a mix of cash and stock, and that the deal is anticipated to close in SentinelOne's first quarter of the 2025 fiscal year, contingent upon customary closing conditions and any necessary regulatory approvals.Bengaluru: The $100 million purchase of Bengaluru-based cloud security platform PingSafe by NYSE-listed SentinelOne is hailed as the greatest acquisition in the history of Indian cyber security startups. According to Barclays' report, the transaction is made up of both cash and stock.Companies won't have to deal with the complexity of multiple-point solutions, triage and analyze cases with insufficient context, or stream data between different data silos thanks to this new approach to cloud security. Rather, companies can manage their whole attack surface from a single platform that offers all the analytics, real-time interaction, and full context required to correlate, detect, and thwart multi-stage attacks in a straightforward manner—unlike old CNAPP and standalone solutions.  

Following board approval, Fino Payments Bank requests an SFB licence from the RBI.

The Reserve Bank of India has received an application for a small finance bank (SFB) license from Fino Payments Bank, a division of Fino Paytech Limited (RBI). The RBI announced in a statement on Monday, January 8, that Fino Payments Bank had submitted an application in accordance with the SFBs' "Guidelines for on-tap licensing."The bank's board gave its approval in July 2023 to the application for an SFB license and instructed the creation of a committee to move forward with the evaluation of a reverse merger with Fino Paytech Limited, the bank's parent company. "Our SFB will be a Payments Bank++ model, different from existing players," stated Chief Financial Officer Ketan Merchant at the time. "In the first few years of operation, fee-based income will constitute 75% – 80% of the revenue."Fino's net worth is estimated to be over INR 600 Cr, but small financing banks currently need INR 200 Cr to meet their minimal capital requirements. On June 30, 2017, Fino Payments Bank commenced its business activities. Among its notable investors are Bharat Petroleum, ICICI Group, Blackstone, IFC, Intel, and LIC.  

Fireside Ventures leads a 50 crore Series A fundraising round for mental health firm Amaha.

On Wednesday, Amaha, a company focused on mental health, announced that it has raised ₹50 crore in a Series A financing round led by Fireside Ventures. ₹15.6 crore more was contributed by other angel investors.Amaha, the former InnerHour, intends to expand and improve its mental health offerings with the help of this investment. Serving more than 600 Indian locations, the Mumbai-based organization provides a range of therapies and care programs for mental health issues like anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, ADHD, OCD, schizophrenia, and addictions.The portfolio of Fireside Ventures, an investment firm that focuses mostly on consumer-focused startups, comprises businesses in the food and beverage, personal care, kids & education, lifestyle, and home products industries. It made investments in various wellness firms last year, including The Good Bug and Inito.A portion of the increased awareness and support for mental health and wellness in recent years has come from celebrities, including actors and cricket players, as well as from a number of organizations and social media platforms. Amaha was established in 2016 and offers digital services via an app that provides self-care tools and resources, in addition to operating physical centers in Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, and Mumbai. The founder and CEO of Amaha, Amit Malik, stated in an interview with Mint that "we're looking to go beyond digital at this stage because I think there is a lot of unmet need within the industry." Amaha has been aggressively investing in infrastructure, including physical clinics and technical advancements, despite growing losses in 2023 and maintaining a positiveAmaha obtained $5.2 million from Lightbox Ventures, a venture capital firm, in 2021. Additional angel investors that took part were Hitesh Oberoi, CEO & MD of Info Edge India Pvt. Ltd., Pankaj Sahni, CEO of Medanta-The Medicity Hospitals, and Capricorn Ventures & Micasa Investments (Singapore).  

ETtech Deals Digest: This week, startup funding dropped 70% to $102 million.

In the second week of 2024, investments in startups fell by around 70% year over year to a total of $102.1 million across 26 different agreements, indicating that the funding crunch was not going away. According to data from Tracxn, companies in seed, early, and late stages raised around $288 million between January 6 and January 12, 2023.At roughly $49 million, or 48% of the total deal value, the early stage saw the largest amount of capital raised throughout the week. $35.2 million in late-stage finance, representing 35% of the total, came next.Funding increased sequentially in the most recent week, rising more than three times in volume and nearly three times in value terms. These cutting-edge businesses closed eight deals for $35.8 million last week.The latest numbers come after a busy spell of dealmaking in December, which came as a twist at the end of 2023 – one of the weakest years for venture capital activity in the country.The financial shortage persisted as evidenced by the fact that, in the second week of 2024, investments in startups plummeted by over 70% year over year to a total of $102.1 million across 26 separate agreements. Tracxn data indicates that between January 6 and January 12, 2023, companies in seed, early, and late stages raised approximately $288 million.In the second week of 2024, investments in startups fell by around 70% year over year to a total of $102.1 million across 26 different agreements, indicating that the funding crunch was not going away. According to data from Tracxn, companies in seed, early, and late stages raised over $288 million between January 6 and January 12, 2023.  

Rupee ends lower under pressure from the stronger dollar and probable equity outflows.

Pressured by anticipated equity outflows and the U.S. dollar index rising to a more than one-month high due to moderating expectations for U.S. rate cuts, the Indian rupee ended lower on Wednesday.The rupee closed at 83.1375 against the dollar, down 0.08% from the previous session's close of 83.07.In Asia hours, the dollar index reached its highest point since mid-December, 103.58. With a decline of 0.91%, the Korean won led all Asian currencies in decline.Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller on Tuesday said that while the U.S. is “within striking distance” of the Fed’s 2% inflation goal, the central bank should not rush to cut benchmark interest rates.The comments prompted investors to pare bets on aggressive rate cuts.”A combination of weakish China data and a pushback” by European Central Bank and Fed officials against early easing is weighing on risk sentiment and supporting the dollar, ING Bank said in a note. In the meantime, data released on Wednesday indicates that China's economy grew marginally slower in the October–December quarter than anticipated. According to a foreign exchange trader at a private bank, pressure on the rupee on Wednesday came from dollar bids from foreign banks, probably acting on behalf of custodian clients.The blue-chip NSE Nifty 50 shed 2.09%, while the S&P BSE Sensex lost 2.23%. This is the highest percentage drop for both the indexes since June 2022.The rupee’s weakness is unlikely to “sustain a lot as the tilt or bias on the rupee remains positive”, Arnob Biswas, head of foreign exchange research at SMC Global Securities, said.Investors now await December U.S. retail sales data due later in the day, which is expected to show a month-on-month rise of 0.4%, up  

Evolving Trends in Stock Market Regulations: Adapting to Algorithmic and Automated Trading in India

With the growing use of automated and algorithmic trading, the Indian stock market is going through a major transition. This technological evolution demands a corresponding shift in regulatory frameworks to maintain market integrity, fairness, and stability. High-frequency trading (HFT) and other forms of algorithmic trading have grown significantly in the Indian market. In order to profit from transient market movements, HFT, in particular, employs techniques like market making, momentum trading, and statistical arbitrage. While these technologies enhance market efficiency and liquidity, they also pose challenges such as potential market manipulation and a possible unfair advantage to large institutions over smaller investors. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has taken the initiative to regulate algorithmic trading in response to these issues. The main goal of the most recent regulations is to guarantee that exchanges have approved and certified all trading algorithms. This includes a thorough vetting process, and brokers are required to ensure proper security measures are in place to prevent unauthorized algorithmic activities. Additionally, SEBI has tightened short-selling norms to prevent market abuses like naked short-selling, mandating that all investors honor their securities delivery obligations. The Indian stock market is undergoing a significant transformation as a result of the uptake of cutting-edge trading technologies like algorithmic and high-frequency trading. A commitment to ensuring a dynamic, equitable, and resilient financial ecosystem is reflected in SEBI's evolving regulations. As these technologies continue to advance, the collaboration between regulators and market participants will be key to maintaining the integrity and efficiency of the Indian financial markets.  

Offer for New Fund: Motilal Oswal The Motilal Oswal Large Cap Fund is launched by AMC; should you invest?

The "Motilal Oswal Large Cap Fund" is the newest investment product offered by Motilal Oswal Asset Management Company. The AMC claims that this open-ended equity scheme is purposefully created to give investors a special chance to capitalize on the large-cap segment's potential.Investment Objective: To achieve long-term capital appreciation by predominantly investing in equity and equity-related instruments of large-cap companies. Nevertheless, there can be no guarantee that the scheme's investment goal will be accomplished.

The U.S. economy will be impacted in 2024 and 2025 by "all these very powerful forces," according to Jamie Dimon.

Jamie Dimon, the CEO of JPMorgan Chase, stated that he is still cautious about the U.S. economy for the next two years due to a mix of geopolitical and financial risks. At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday, Dimon told Andrew Ross Sorkin on CNBC, "You have all these very powerful forces that are going to be affecting us in '24 and '25.""I still wonder if we fully comprehend the mechanisms behind the quantitative tightening, the terrorist activity in Israel and the Red Sea, and the Ukraine," Dimon stated. The term "quantitative tightening" describes actions taken by the Federal Reserve to lower the size of its balance sheet and scale back earlier initiatives, such as bond-purchasing plans.   Despite record profits at JPMorgan, the country's largest bank, and an unexpectedly strong U.S. economy, Dimon has urged caution over the past few years. Because of high employment rates and savings from the pandemic, the American consumer has largely remained healthy despite the damaging effects of inflation.n Dimon’s view, the relatively buoyant stock market of recent months has lulled investors on the potential risks ahead. The S&P 500  market index rose 19% in the past year and isn’t far from peak levels.  “I think it’s a mistake to assume that everything’s hunky-dory,” Dimon said. “When stock markets are up, it’s kind of like this little drug we all feel like it’s just great. But remember, we’ve had so much fiscal monetary stimulation, so I’m a little more on the cautious side.    

Budget 2024-25: Govt may increase capex to propel economic growth

With private investment still muted, the government is likely to maintain its momentum on increasing capital expenditure, especially for the infrastructure sector in the upcoming Budget to propel economic growth.Post Covid-19, the Budget has been laying special emphasis on capex. It has kick-started a dormant cycle for the economy. As a result India has witnessed over 7 per cent growth in the last three years, the highest among the large economies of the world. During the current financial year, the government has made a record high provision of Rs 10 lakh crore towards capex. During 2020-21, the government earmarked Rs 4.39 lakh crore which increased by 35 per cent to Rs 5.54 lakh crore in the subsequent year.Another 35 per cent hike in capex was done in 2022-23 to Rs 7.5 lakh crore which subsequently reached a high of Rs 10 lakh crore, an increase of 37.4 per cent.In the upcoming Budget too, the government is expected to earmark a large amount towards capex as such investment has a multiplier effect on the economy and it also crowds in private investment."We estimate Government of India to budget for a capex of Rs 10.2 lakh crore in FY25, implying a relatively sedate YoY expansion of about 10 per cent, compared to over 20 per cent expansion seen in each of post-COVID years. The slowdown in capex growth is likely to have some bearing on economic activity and GDP growth," Icra said in its pre-Budget expectations.  The capex rose by 31 per cent to Rs 5.9 lakh crore in April-November of the current fiscal (58.5 per cent of FY2024 BE) from Rs 4.5 lakh in April-November FY23 (60.7 per cent of FY23 Prov).While the growth remained high, capital spending contracted in October 2023 (-14.9 per cent; first instance of contraction since April 2023) and then rose by a marginal 1.6 per cent in November 2023. Moreover, it has averaged at Rs 73,210 crore/month, 12.2 per cent lower than the required monthly average of Rs 83,400 crore to meet the budgeted target of Rs 10 lakh crore.India is a hugely infra deficit country and heavy lifting in this regard is being done by the government which crowds in private investment. With the growth in the economy, there has been a pick-up in private investment in recent times in some of the sectors like steel, cement and petroleum sector.According to Emkay Global Financial Services head research Seshadri Sen, capex by the government would continue and it will happen at a faster pace.The capex would help unlock the virtuous cycle. Investment leading to productivity growth, job creation, demand and exports feed into each other and enable animal spirits in the economy to thrive.  

Sensex, Nifty tick higher after a 3-day drop; IRFC, Network 18 jump up to 5%

The 30-share BSE Sensex surged 635 points or 0.89 per cent to trade at 71,822, while the NSE Nifty was up 169 points or 0.79 per cent to trade at 21,631. Indian equity benchmarks were up in Friday's early trade following a three-day losing streak, led by gains across all sectors. The 30-share BSE Sensex surged 635 points or 0.89 per cent to trade at 71,822, while the NSE Nifty was up 169 points or 0.79 per cent to trade at 21,631. Broader markets (mid- and small-cap shares) were positive as Nifty Midcap 100 rose 0.83 per cent and small-cap gained 0.95 per cent. On the global front, Asian markets opened higher, tracking an overnight rise in Wall Street equities.Back home, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) sold Rs 9,901.56 crore worth of shares on a net basis during the previous session, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) bought Rs 5,977.12 crore worth of shares, exchange data showed.   All the 15 sector gauges -- compiled by the NSE -- were trading in the green. Sub-indexes Nifty Financial Services and Nifty IT were outperforming the NSE platform by rising as much as 1.01 per cent and 1.22 per cent, respectively.On the stock-specific front, Tech Mahindra was the top gainer in the Nifty pack as the stock soared 2.74 per cent to trade at Rs 1,392.3. Wipro, Coal India, HCL Tech and TCS rose up to 1.92 per cent. In contrast, IndusInd Bank was the top loser on Nifty50.   The overall market breadth was strong as 2,411 shares were advancing while 400 were declining on BSE.On the 30-share BSE index, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Infosys, TCS, Axis Bank, ITC, L&T, Airtel and Titan were among the top gainers.Also, BSE 500 stocks such as IRFC, Network18, Home First Finance, IndiaMART, Poonawalla Fincorp, HUDCO and ITI moved up to 5.33 per cent higher. On the other hand, Shoppers Stop, Metro Brands, Dixon Technologies, Polycab India, ZEE, Cholamandalam Finance and Alembic Pharma slipped up to 3.78 per cent.    

Paytm Credit Card on UPI enables effortless daily transactions like payments on grocery stores, chai shops

With just a smartphone, users can easily make UPI payments via credit cards on the Paytm app, powered by Paytm Payments Bank. The convenience of digital transactions have become a fundamental aspect of our daily lives in today’s fast paced world. One such transformative force in the digital payment landscape is the integration of UPI payments through credit cards on the Paytm app. Making small payments of ₹10 to ₹100 bucks through credit at your nearby Kirana stores or a local chai shop or even a chat shop has evolved into the ultimate and convenient payment method for users. This groundbreaking feature offers users the convenience of utilizing credit for routine payments, eliminating the need to rely solely on savings accounts and carrying the card everywhere. With just a smartphone, users can easily make UPI payments via credit cards on the Paytm app, powered by Paytm Payments Bank.   Users simply need to link their Rupay Credit Card to UPI through a straightforward process with quick and easy steps. The Credit Card on UPI feature allows users to scan merchant QR codes, allowing them to earn reward points with every transaction.With millions of merchants now accepting payments via credit cards on UPI, this can have a significant impact on the payment landscape.   This integration of RuPay Credit Cards on UPI not only expands credit card usage for customers but also supports merchants in the credit ecosystem through assets like QR codes. The increasing acceptance of RuPay credit cards on UPI contributes to financial inclusion, benefiting merchants and businesses across India.  Paytm Payments Bank remains at the forefront of innovation, driving the adoption of UPI payments with credit cards, and envisions a future where this technology reshapes the dynamics of the payment ecosystem in India.  

HDFC seeks Singapore bank licence to open its 1st branch in the country

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 licence and is awaiting approval, according to sources familiar with the matter. It is not clear what kind of banking licence 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 licenced 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 licences 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 licences, alongside eight other banks like Bank of China Ltd. and BNP Paribas SA. Such licences 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. Besides Singapore, HDFC Bank also has presence in markets like London, Hong Kong and Bahrain. The India bank has a total customer base of 93 million at the end of the December quarter compared with 91 million in the preceding three-month period, according to an investor presentation.   

Sensex slips for 3rd day, dips 314 pts; OFSS up 27%, LTIMindtree tanks 11%

Intraday, the Nifty witnessed a pullback from the support zone of 21,820 – 21,300, which is likely to continue over the next few trading sessions. On the upside, the counter-trend pullback can extend till 21,600 – 21,650 where resistance in the form of the 20-day moving average is placed.In terms of levels, 21,550 – 21,570 is the immediate hurdle zone while 21,350 – 21,300 is the crucial support zone. Bank Nifty has reached the 161.82% Fibonacci extension level 45,768, which also coincides with the 20-week moving average making the zone of 45,800 – 45,600 a crucial support zone.Until this is not breached on the downside, we can expect the recovery to continue. On the upside, the pullback can come till 46,400 – 46,600.Views by: Jatin Gedia – Technical Research Analyst at Sharekhan by BNP Paribas. The benchmark indices exhibited recovery from the day’s low and ended in red amid weak global cues, as investors are trimming bets on rapid FED cuts due to strong US retail sales and the resulting rise in global bond yields.Furthermore, oil price advances and rate escalation risks have led to disruptions in global shipping and crude production.The broader market continued its selling pressure given the elevated valuation and profit booking with an aim for sector rotation.Indian snacks maker Haldiram's is in talks to acquire a majority stake in Prataap Snacks, which is valued at $350 million, to expand its presence in the potato chip market, two people with direct knowledge of the matter said.The talks are at an early stage and a valuation has not been discussed, though it could be at a premium to Prataap's stock price.Haldiram's is eyeing a majority stake of at least 51%, but a final number has not been decided, said the sources.  

Adani stocks found buyers in Indias retail investors during Hindenburg row

India’s retail investors piled into Adani Group companies as their shares cratered in the wake of the Hindenburg Research’s scathing report last January. A year later, they’re still keeping the faith.  Individual holdings in nine of the group’s 10 stocks at the end of December are higher than they were before the short-seller’s attack on the conglomerate, exchange data compiled by Bloomberg show.  The group’s market value has increased by more than $60 billion since late November, and is just $50 billion away from erasing the losses spurred by Hindenburg’s report. The recovery likely rewarded retail investors who used the selloff as a buying opportunity. “Many of the retail investors came in after the crash,” said Chakri Lokapriya, managing director at Mumbai-based asset manager RedStrawBerry LLP and former fund manager at BNP Paribas Asset Management. “They have exhibited a sense of maturity to hold on given that infrastructure companies take longer to realize their earnings potential.” While foreign investors, insurance companies and high-networth individuals pared their holdings in various group entities in 2023, the number of retail investors — those with at least Rs 2,00,000 ($2,411) to invest — jumped 42 per cent to 6.7 million in Adani companies, data compiled by Bloomberg show.   Hindenburg’s allegations of stock manipulation and fraud, repeatedly denied by the group, had wiped off more than $150 billion from its market value at one point. Billions of dollars in investments from marquee funds including GQG Partners LLC, and more recently, an observation from India’s top court that it won’t take media reports on Adani as the “gospel truth,” has renewed investor confidence in the group stocks. To be sure, retail shareholding in the flagship Adani Enterprises Ltd. and Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd. fell from the levels reached at the end of March 2023, as the rally likely prompted some investors to book gains. “Retail investors who bought into these stocks definitely made money,” said Ambareesh Baliga, an independent market expert. “But when you are buying momentum stocks, you should book profits from time to time.”  

L&T Technology retains full-year forecast after all units post Q3 growth

Indian tech services provider L&T Technology Services retained its revenue growth forecast for the current financial year on Tuesday as all its five business verticals posted year-on-year growth for the third quarter.This comes as Infosys and HCLTech tightened their revenue guidance for the year last week citing no change in the demand environment for the year, marred by high inflation and clients cutting down on discretionary spending.However, better-than-feared numbers by the top four firms have triggered a rally in IT stocks this week, helping the country's benchmark indices hit fresh lifetime highs. L&T Technology's consolidated net profit rose 3.36 billion rupees ($40.43 million) from 2.97 billion rupees a year earlier, marginally above analysts' estimate of 3.31 billion rupees.Revenue from operations rose 12 per cent to 24.22 billion rupees, on the back of double-digit growth in telecom and medical devices verticals, below analysts' estimate of 24.45 billion rupees.Indian tech services provider L&T Technology Services retained its revenue growth forecast for the current financial year on Tuesday as all its five business verticals posted year-on-year growth for the third quarter.The Mumbai-based firm expects revenue for the current fiscal year ending March 31 to grow 17.5 per cent-18.5 per cent in constant currency."All five segments grew positively for the second quarter in a row giving us 1per cent sequential growth despite the seasonal softness," CEO Amit Chadha said in a statement.Two units - the industrial products segment and Europe region - have scaled a $200 million run-rate on annualised basis, he added. This comes as Infosys and HCLTech tightened their revenue guidance for the year last week citing no change in the demand environment for the year, marred by high inflation and clients cutting down on discretionary spending.However, better-than-feared numbers by the top four firms have triggered a rally in IT stocks this week, helping the country's benchmark indices hit fresh lifetime highs.Revenue from operations rose 12 per cent to 24.22 billion rupees, on the back of double-digit growth in telecom and medical devices verticals, below analysts' estimate of 24.45 billion rupees.The subsidiary of infra giant Larsen and Toubro won six deals that are more than $10 million each in size, it said in a filing. This included one deal each of sizes $40 million and $20 million.    

Adani Group set to start mapping famous Mumbai slums Dharavi in weeks

The conglomerate owned by tycoon Gautam Adani won a government contract to redevelop Dharavi in late 2022 and will begin surveying the roughly 600 acre densely packed neighborhood in March, according to people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified because they aren’t authorized to speak publicly. The Times of India reported Tuesday that the survey will kick off in two weeks. His bid to revamp Dharavi has received considerable attention thanks to the slum’s fame with tourists and backdrop to multiple films, including 2008’s Slumdog Millionaire. But Adani Group faces considerable political opposition and legal hurdles to completing the renovation, which has been sounded out with little progress for decades. Adani, one of India’s richest and most powerful businessmen who is seen to enjoy strong ties to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is expected to complete the estimated $3 billion project over the next seven years, the people said. Last year, the billionaire said he intends to turn Dharavi into a modern hub and support the small industries based there. His bid to revamp Dharavi has received considerable attention thanks to the slum’s fame with tourists and backdrop to multiple films, including 2008’s Slumdog Millionaire. But Adani Group faces considerable political opposition and legal hurdles to completing the renovation, which has been sounded out with little progress for decades. In a statement issued on Monday, Adani said that eligible residents will get a 350 square foot flat in the area once the project is completed, while ineligible residents will be rehoused in areas across the city.But with few other details about Adani’s plans for the slum yet to be made public, many of Dharavi’s estimated million residents believe Adani will gut their community, shunting them into poor quality apartments or rehouse them miles from Mumbai’s center.Adani is also locked in a legal battle in the Bombay High Court with a Dubai-based consortium of developers and investors called SecLink Technologies Corp., which won a 2018 bid to revamp Dharavi. That tender was later canned and reissued by the state government of Maharashtra, which counts Mumbai as its capital and holds a 20% stake in the Adani-controlled entity pursuing the project. Adani’s team are aware they will have to win trust of residents and may face violent protests while conducting the survey, which will determine who is eligible for new apartments and commercial spaces, the people said.They added that the survey will help build out Adani’s master plan for the slum, which is expected to be submitted to local authorities by March — a delay from an original December deadline, according to the original tender documents.While local firm Genesys International Ltd. will map the area, UK consultancy Buro Happold Ltd. will outline the physical infrastructure needs, while Boston-based Sasaki Associates Inc. will be in charge of the overall re-design, said one of the people.    

Bond market expects RBI to change policy stance in February review

Bond market participants are expecting the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to change its stance in the February policy review to neutral from withdrawal of accommodation, citing the continuous variable rate repo (VRR) auctions. “RBI is trying to adjust liquidity and bring it close to neutral or zero. The way RBI spoke in the last policy, it doesn't look like it wants a hike anytime soon,” said Naveen Singh, vice-president of ICICI Securities primary dealership.“If they don't want to cut now, but they also don't want to hike, then what's the point of keeping withdrawal of accommodation stance? They can very well come to a neutral stance. And, a neutral stance doesn't stop RBI from hiking if it wants to. Consequently, the market has been strategically taking long positions in government bonds, said dealers. “A majority of the people, if not everyone, is taking long positions (buying) because the market is factoring in that the RBI would change its stance in February,” said a dealer at a state-owned bank.Consequently, the market has been strategically taking long positions in government bonds, said dealers. “A majority of the people, if not everyone, is taking long positions (buying) because the market is factoring in that the RBI would change its stance in February,” said a dealer at a state-owned bank.Yield on the benchmark 10-year government bond has fallen by 3 basis points (bps) in January so far. In December, the yield had fallen by 11 bps. “A minority section of the market thinks that a change in stance in February is possible. The general view is that April is when the change in stance happens,” said Vijay Sharma, senior executive vice-president at PNB Gilts.“Even after this Rs 1.75 trillion VRR, the liquidity is still in deficit mode. It is apparent that through the recent consecutive VRR auctions, RBI is ensuring that tightness in liquidity is not stretched. However, it is too early to say that RBI is taking an accommodative stance. So, it is still a wait-and-watch situation.” he added. The central bank has been conducting VRR auctions in order to infuse liquidity into the banking system. In the 13-day VRR auction conducted by the RBI on Friday, bids were received for Rs 3.92 trillion, against a notified amount of Rs 1.75 trillion.In the preceding VRR auctions, the central bank received a strong demand, with banks submitting bids ranging between 2.5 and 3.2 times of the bidding amounts. This is due to tight liquidity conditions in the system. Liquidity remained largely in deficit mode in the third quarter. The central bank had conducted a VRR auction after six months on December 15.Market participants observed that despite the higher-than-expected US consumer price index (CPI), the US Treasury yield softened. This reinforced the anticipation of a rate cut by the Federal Reserve in March.    

MC Exclusive | Capacity addition, lower AT&C losses top RK Singhs wishlist for Modi 3.0

With the general elections scheduled in April-May, Union Minister for Power and New and Renewable Energy RK Singh listed out his top priorities with the hope that the Narendra Modi government will return for the third consecutive term. "The top priority once the government led by Modi is back in power will be increasing our electricity generation capacity. The other priority will be to reduce the aggregate technical and commercial (AT&C) losses of distribution companies (discoms) to about 10 percent," Singh said during a fireside chat at Moneycontrol's Policy Next Summit in Delhi on January 18. "Rest, India is already a leader in energy transition, so I am not worried about the country's renewable energy targets. We will overachieve it anyway," he said. He said capacity addition is important to keep up with India's growing energy demand. “Since our country is going to continue growing at 7.5 percent or more for the next three decades, we will have to ensure enough electricity. In 2030, our peak demand is going to go up from 241 GW today to 366 GW. Our established capacity has to go up to 900 GW, from about 427 GW today," the power minister said. Giving an overview of the ongoing capacity additions in the power sector, the Union minister said the government is adding around 99,000 megawatt (MW) of renewable energy capacity, which is under construction. Another about 32,000 MW is under various bidding processes. Besides, the government has decided to bid 50,000 MW of renewable energy projects every year.On thermal capacity addition plan, Singh said the government will add 87,000 MW (87 GW) by 2030. "About 27,000 MW is under construction. In addition, we have bid out about 12,000 MW of thermal capacity. Another, 21,000 MW coal-fired capacity is under survey and investigation. Further, about 22,000 MW are under initial stages, where we have identified the land," he said. Singh said the government intends to increase India's hydropower capacity from the current 47,000 MW to about 90,000-100,000 MW. Talking about reduction of AT&C losses of discoms, the Union minister said he has set a fresh target of reducing it to 10-11 percent.AT&C losses are a combination of energy loss and commercial loss. While energy loss may comprise technical loss, theft, and inefficiency in billing, commercial loss constitutes default in payment and inefficiency in the collection. In 2021, the government had set the target to bring down AT&C losses to 12-15 percent by the financial year 2025. However, going by the latest provisional data, the government is likely to have achieved this target two years in advance.According to data from the power ministry, AT&C losses were as high as 25.5 percent in FY13. Till FY21, the AT&C losses stood at 22.3 percent. However, in FY22 it drastically declined to 16.4 percent. As per provisional data, in FY23, India's average AT&C losses have further come down to 13.5 percent.  

HNIs chase mid, small caps, IEX under bear attack, I-Pru Life tumbles, NHPC in focus

“Current earnings, future prospects, management, marketability are all factors more or less independent of assets which contribute their share to the intrinsic value.” - Benjamin Graham. Sentiment has turned cautious after three successive sessions of fall, but two days of gains could change that. In the past, mid and small caps would take a battering during market corrections and investors would flee to the safety of large caps. But now exactly the opposite is taking place — large caps are sliding harder than second-line stocks when the market falls.Whispers in market is that many of the mid and small cap companies say they have good earnings visibility for the next few quarters. And that is giving HNIs the comfort to hold on their positions in the stocks. The stock prices so far indicate that the market is willing to believe the earnings story. They would flag when there's still a couple of quarters of earnings growth left. Bull argument: Spot LNG prices have softened. Strong demand for LNG across sectors of late, and this trend is likely to strengthen going forward.Bear argument:  Competition is rising, also domestic gas production is increasing. The capex on its proposed petrochemicals foray could weigh on margins. Stock has fallen 16 percent in last couple of trading sessionsBear argument: Huge build up of speculative positions in F&O segment. Uncertainty over the market coupling policy for power exchanges an overhang on the stock.Bull argument: Stock has good support in the Rs 120-125 band. Also, concerns about the market coupling have already been priced in. Stock under pressure as government to sell 2.5 percent stakeBull argument: Seen benefitting from India’s commitment to net-zero as hydro power not polluting like thermal power.  Capacity expected to go up sharply in the coming years.Bear argument: Increase in floating stock could be an overhang in the short term. Right now, power is a fancied sector and there is unusually high demand for PSU stocks. This could change. Earnings could be volatile because of dependency on monsoon. GQG Partners upped its stake in ITC to 2.79 percent from 1.58 percent.Bull argument: A good defensive bet if the market continues to correct further. Cigarette volumes increased in Q2 and the trend is likely to sustain.Bear argument: Revenues from agri-business is under stress in FY24 due to a ban on the exports of wheat and rice. Re-rating story is largely over. Further gains will depend on ability to grow earnings.  

IndusInd Bank Q3 results impress analysts. Should you buy or sell?

IndusInd Bank impressed the street with a healthy set of number for the December quarter and analysts remain bullish on the counter, counting steady margins, improving retail deposit mix and strong loan growth as some of the key positives. In the past year, the stock has jumped more than 31 percent, outperforming Bank Nifty index which is up 8 percent. The stock hit a 52-week high of Rs 1,694 on January 15.The bank's net profit grew 17 percent on-year to Rs 2,301 crore, aided by healthy net interest income (NII) growth of 18 percent and lower provisions, the private lender said on January 18. At a time when banking sector is grappling with higher cost of funds, its net interest margin (NIM) saw a modest expansion of two basis points (bps) YoY to 4.29 percent in the December quarter.  Analysts at Jefferies shared a "buy" call for IndusInd, with a target price of Rs 2,070, saying the lender's NII growth was among the best across coverage.  "IndusInd's profit met estimates but they used Rs 200 crore of contingent buffers. We see 20 percent profit compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) in FY24-26, with return of equity (RoE) of 16 percent in FY25," they wrote in their result review.  HSBC, too, shared a "buy" call, with a target price of Rs 2,040 apiece on the back of in-line Q3 operating performance, but remain wary of higher slippages. "We forecast CAGR of 23 percent for operating profit and 21 percent earnings per share (EPS) over FY24-26," they said. The rise in fresh slippages, or bad loans, however, remained a key concern during the quarter, analysts at Morgan Stanley said, trimming EPS by 0.5 percent for FY24 and a percent for FY25.  The brokerage firm, however, shared an "overweight" call with a target price of Rs 1,850 per share.  IndusInd Bank's fresh slippages rose 20.5 percent on a sequential basis to Rs 1,700 crore in the December quarter due to a elevated slippages in corporate and vehicle finance books. However, the management guided that they will normalise to Rs 1,200 crore going ahead.  Gross non-performing asset (GNPA) and net NPA ratios were stable at 1.9 percent and 0.5 percent, respectively, due to asset reconstruction company (ARC) sale of Rs 3,100 crore. On the business front, analysts at Macquarie said 24 percent on-year growth in retail book was encouraging during the quarter.  "The retail book growth was driven by vehicle book growth. As per liquidity coverage ratio classification mix, retail deposit improved to 45 percent YoY," the brokerage firm said, sharing an "outperform call" with a target price of Rs 1,900 a share.  The lender's loan growth was up by 20 percent YoY, while deposits grew by 13 percent YoY. The management expects loan growth to be in the range of 18-23 percent, with the retail loan mix at 55-60 percent.  "We estimate 21 percent earnings CAGR over FY24-26, leading to RoE of 16.2 percent in FY25," analysts at Motilal Oswal Financial Services said, reiterating a "buy" rating for IndusInd Bank with a target price of Rs 1,900.  Disclaimer: The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts on Moneycontrol.com are their own and not those of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.  

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