Business Standard - April 18, 2025

In this issue

April 18, 2025

IT's slice of Nifty 50 pie shrinks to 17-year low

Sector's weighting in index has slipped to 10.2% from peak of 17.7%

2 mins

Infy signals weak FY26 after muted Q4 result

Infosys, India's second-largest information technology (IT) services provider, on Thursday predicted weaker than expected revenue growth for FY26, becoming the latest Indian IT company to signal a difficult year ahead, with global economic uncertainty, tariff disruptions, and cautious client spending clouding the sector's outlook.

2 mins

India to navigate global disruptions with policy agility and long-term vision: FM

India will tackle challenges thrown up by global uncertainties stemming from tariff wars and trade realignment, with policy agility and a long-term vision, Finance Minister (FM) Nirmala Sitharaman said on Thursday.

1 min

Diamond polishers in Surat face a rougher grind as US tariffs cut deep

A tight alley in the heart of Surat leads to the basement of a worn-down building, where more than 20 motorcycles are crammed wheel-to-wheel, leaving barely any room to walk.

4 mins

Important to root out malpractices, says Sebi chief

Sebi Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey on Thursday stressed the importance of rooting out malpractices while calling for greater self-regulation among corporates.

1 min

3 Shemaroo staffers get HC relief in GST case

The Bombay High Court granted interim relief to three employees of Shemaroo Entertainment Limited and stayed coercive action in connection with personal penalty demands of ₹400 crore under the goods and services tax (GST) regime.

1 min

Skoda India gears up for EV play with local push

Kylaq success fuels confidence as carmaker eyes exports, higher India mkt share

2 mins

Suchi Semicon looks to churn out 3-4 million chips per day

Gujarat-based semiconductor-packaging company Suchi Semicon is aiming to produce and package 150,000 chips per day in its phase of commercial production, which begins this month, according to Managing Director Ashok Mehta.

1 min

PLI for mobiles must extend beyond FY26'

Bhagwati Products targets ₹12,000 cr revenue in FY26

2 mins

Infosys to hire 20K engg grads in FY26

IT major Infosys on Thursday said it would hire 20,000 fresh engineering graduates in this financial year, mirroring TCS, which had also committed to sticking to its annual hiring numbers (42,000).

1 min

TCS Under US Scrutiny Over 'Workplace Bias'

American workers allege IT firm discriminated on race, origin

2 mins

Adani Ports to buy Australian terminal for $2.4 billion

Adani Ports and SEZ, India's biggest private port operator, announced on Thursday a $2.4 billion non-cash acquisition of a coal export terminal in Australia from a group company to strengthen its presence in the Asia-Pacific region.

1 min

Pharma Inc Eyes Larger Pie of US' Cancer Generics Market

Gaining Ground

3 mins

Domestic dose may ease US drag for pharma firms

Sector likely to see double-digit growth in FY25 as tariff headwinds loom

3 mins

MSME lending target for PSBs raised 19.5%

FinMin sets fresh goal for FY26 at ₹17.31 trillion

2 mins

Empowering India's entrepreneurs: The transformative role of Mudra loans

India's economic progress is deeply interwoven with the success of its micro-, small-, and medium-enterprises (MSMEs).

3 mins

Smartphones, PC assembly lines may queue up for India

India to gain from China's decline in smartphone output: Report

2 mins

Hike minimum pension under EPS, complete evaluation by 2025: Panel

A parliamentary panel has asked the labour ministry to complete third-party evaluation of the Employee Pension Scheme (EPS)—the first such exercise since its inception 30 years ago—within a definite timeframe, preferably by the end of 2025, to make it more effective.

1 min

Fitch Cuts India's FY26 Growth Forecast by 10 bps to 6.4%

Fitch Ratings on Thursday lowered its projection of India's gross domestic product (GDP) growth in 2025-26 (FY26) to 6.4 per cent — 10 basis points lower than its March outlook, before the announcement of tariffs by the US and escalation of a trade war.

1 min

Infosys to acquire Australian cybersecurity firm The Missing Link for AUD 98 mn

Historically, the sector's average weighting in the Nifty 50 has been around 13.8 per cent since 2001.

3 mins

Biz aims shouldn't override public interest: Sebi chief

At the same event, Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) Chairperson Tuhin Kanta Pandey underscored the global benchmarks set by India's capital markets in transparency and efficiency, citing advancements like the T+1 settlement cycle.

1 min

HDFC Life's Q4 net up 16%

HDFC Life on Thursday reported a 16 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) growth in its net profit at ₹476.54 crore in the fourth quarter of the financial year 2025 (Q4FY25), compared to ₹411.6 crore in the corresponding year ago period, supported by the back book.

1 min

'One state, one RRB' talks on May 6 to discuss road map

The finance ministry is scheduled to hold a meeting with the chairpersons of all regional rural banks (RRBs) on May 6 to discuss execution strategies and the implementation roadmap for the state-wise amalgamation of RRBs, a senior government official said.

1 min

Jio Fin profit flat at 2% to ₹316 cr

Jio Financial Services on Thursday reported a 2 percent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) rise in net profit to ₹316 crore for the quarter ended March 31 (Q4FY25).

1 min

IDFC First Bank gets ₹7.5K cr investment from Warburg, ADIA

Fundraise 4th-largest by an Indian private-sector lender

3 mins

RBI's VRR auction sees tepid demand

OMO auction cutoff higher than mkt price

1 min

Working closely with Belgium for Mehul Choksi's extradition: MEA

India on Thursday said it is working closely with Belgium for extradition of fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi.

1 min

Interim stay vindicates our stand: Opposition

The Centre on Thursday assured the Supreme Court that it will neither denotify Waqf properties, including \"Waqf by user\", nor make any appointments to the central Waqf council and boards till May 5.

3 mins

Overhaul of East and West corridors on NHEV agenda

The National Highway for Electric Vehicles (NHEV), a central government-promoted pilot for building electric highways (e-highways), is looking to upgrade 3,565 kilometers (km) of highways in the Eastern and Western corridors, NHEV Project Director Abhijeet Sinha said in an interview with Business Standard.

2 mins

Tariff Talks: Trump, Meloni to Discuss Energy Exports, AI

US President Donald Trump will discuss ways to boost American energy exports and look to foster cooperation in emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence when he meets with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Thursday, according to senior US officials.

1 min

US Prez: Powell's termination can't come fast enough

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's termination \"cannot come fast enough,\" while calling for the US central bank to cut interest rates, the sort of pressure that Powell just a day before had pledged to resist as the Fed grapples with an outlook complicated by Trump's own policies.

1 min

Scientists detect possible signature of life on a distant planet

The search for life beyond Earth has led scientists to explore many suggestive mysteries, from plumes of methane on Mars to clouds of phosphine gas on Venus.

2 mins

Nvidia CEO Visits Beijing After US Bars Chip Sales to China

Nvidia Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang (pictured) arrived in Beijing Thursday, shortly after the Trump administration barred the company from selling H20 AI chip to China.

1 min

SpaceX Leads Race to Build US' Missile Defense Shield

'GOLDEN DOME' PROJECT

1 min

Xi seeks 'Asian family' unity as Trump turns up tariff heat on China

Chinese President Xi Jinping promoted the idea of an \"Asian family\" and called for regional unity during a tour of Southeast Asia, in an apparent effort to counter US pressure on nations to limit trade ties with Beijing.

1 min

Decoding India's electoral practices

Jujitsu is a method of fighting that makes use of few or no weapons and employs paralysing blows to subdue a usually armed opponent, leveraging the opponent's weight.

4 mins

Flying commutes: Air taxis set for takeoff

Imagine a future where busy commuters soar above congested roads in sleek, electric-powered air taxis, reaching their destinations in minutes rather than hours.

3 mins

Flawed justice

Poor training weakens an already under-resourced system

2 mins

Governance matters

Startups need strong boards for growth

2 mins

Reforming corporate regulatory agencies

Regulators under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs need reform to match the empowerment and autonomy of financial sector regulators

4 mins

Volume, realisations to drive gains for sugar majors

The sugar industry had flat production year-on-year (Y-o-Y) in the fourth quarter of 2024-25 (Q4FY25) at around 6.8 million tonnes.

3 mins

Sebi bats for higher MF exposure in REITs, Invits

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) in a consultation paper on Thursday proposed to enhance investment limits for mutual funds (MFs) in Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) and Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs).

1 min

Mkts spring back to life with best weekly gains since 2021

Sensex rose 2% on Thursday by renewed risk-on sentiment after trade talks progress

2 mins

Despite Volatility, Mid, Smallcap Funds Attract ₹53K Cr in H2FY25

Strong and Resilient Inflows have gained pace

2 mins

Stay invested in quality smallcap funds, if risk profile, horizon allow

Smallcap funds remain preferred bets for high-risk takers due to their promise of outsized returns.

2 mins

Monk loses ₹2 cr in ‘digital arrest’

How to be safe against such scams

1 min

Wipro stock dips 4.3% on weak guidance

Company's muted Q4 showing disappoints brokerages

2 mins

Wallet woes leave users in the lurch

Early investors who exited firm say they saw signs of chaos

2 mins

Independent director Arun Menon quits Gensol

Gensol Engineering Ltd (GEL), the beleaguered firm that came under the Securities and Exchange Board of India's (Sebi's) lens for fund diversions and governance lapses, said that its independent director Arun Menon has resigned with immediate effect.

1 min

Gensol Engineering stock slips 5% to hit record low

The Downfall Gensol Engineering (YTD)

1 min

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