Indian stock markets tumbled on Thursday, with Sensex closing below 80,000 and Nifty below 24,000 for the first time since late November. The sell-off, driven by hawkish US Fed statements and foreign fund outflows, wiped out Rs 3.8 lakh crore in investor wealth. Selling pressure was broad-based, with ICICI Bank, Reliance, and HDFC Bank leading the decline.
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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman refuted concerns of any GST rate increase, emphasizing that the GST rates have been reduced since its introduction, with the average rate dropping to 11.3% from 15.8%. She credited the GST Council for their thorough work in simplifying the tax system.
Honda Cars India Ltd reported a 20% increase in total sales for 2024, with exports more than doubling. However, domestic sales dropped by 18.55%. Notable achievements include record exports primarily driven by the mid-size SUV Honda Elevate, and anticipation for a strong 2025 with new models.
India needs a tax buoyancy of 1.2-1.5 to achieve a 6.5-7% growth rate, according to an EY report. To support this growth, the government may need to boost the tax-to-GDP ratio to 14% by FY31. Enhancing tax buoyancy, managing expenditures, and continuing structural reforms are crucial for sustainable growth. India's projected GDP growth for the next fiscal is 6.3-6.8%.
Budget 2025 proposes a block assessment mechanism for transfer pricing to reduce compliance burdens. The new approach allows predetermined Arm's Length Price to apply for two additional years, though experts highlight the need for clarity on implementation and potential issues for taxpayers.
Biocon is set for major growth in the next 2-3 years, propelled by new generics and biosimilars. The Viatris acquisition strengthens its position in the U.S. market, with significant market share in some products already achieved. December quarter revenue increased by 14% in biosimilars and research services.
The RBI has announced the launch of exclusive internet domains, 'bank.in' for Indian banks and 'fin.in' for non-bank financial entities, to address cybersecurity. New domains will enhance security and reduce fraud. Additional Factor of Authentication will be implemented for cross-border card transactions to further secure digital payments.
RBI monetary policy committee member Nagesh Kumar has proposed considering two inflation rates, one including and the other excluding food prices, to tailor policy decisions. With food having a 46% weightage in consumer price inflation, the current rate established in 2011-12 may need reassessment.
One97 Communications, the parent company of Paytm, reported a consolidated loss of Rs 208.5 crore for the December 2024 quarter, an improvement from last year's Rs 221.7 crore loss. Revenue from operations declined by 35.8 per cent year-on-year to Rs 1,827.8 crore. Paytm is exploring international expansion with new subsidiaries in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Singapore.
Accel raised $650 million for its eighth India-focused fund, reflecting confidence in the country's startup ecosystem amid global economic uncertainties. This funding will support both new ventures and existing portfolio companies, with notable investments like Swiggy, BlackBuck, and Bluestone preparing for public offerings.
The Union government's efforts on infrastructure development and investments in critical sectors such as railways, defense, power, and data centers is expected to drive growth momentum into financial year (FY) 2026 and beyond, says a report by financial services firm Prabhudas Lilladher (PL).