Business & Economy

New Delhi: India’s government warehouses have amassed rice stocks at record levels, signaling a potential boost in exports. As of early December, the total rice inventory stood at 57.5 million tons, roughly 12% higher than last year, driven by accelerated procurement of paddy from farmers. Global Export ImplicationsIndia, the world’s largest rice exporter, is now poised to increase its share in global markets. This surge in supply could put pressure on rice producers in countries such as Thailand, Vietnam, and Pakistan. The development comes amid recent statements by U.S. President Donald Trump, who hinted at imposing new tariffs on Indian rice and accused several countries, including India, of dumping rice in international markets. Indian rice entering global markets at competitive pri...

Mumbai: India’s IPO market is set to welcome a major public sector listing at the start of 2026. Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL), a subsidiary of Coal India Limited headquartered in Dhanbad, Jharkhand, is planning to launch an initial public offering (IPO) in the next two weeks. The IPO is expected to raise around ₹1,300 crore. Coal India to Sell StakeAccording to reports, the IPO will be a sale of existing shares only, with no fresh shares being issued. Coal India is set to divest approximately 10% of its stake in BCCL, amounting to around 46.57 crore shares. All proceeds from the IPO will go to Coal India, not BCCL. IPO Size and ValuationThe IPO, expected to be ₹1,300 crore in size, values BCCL at approximately ₹13,000 crore ahead of listing. Details such as share price, lot size...

New Delhi: Indian food habits continue to evolve, and the nation’s love for biryani remains unmatched. According to Swiggy’s annual food trends report, “How India Swiggy’d 2025,” Indians placed 9.3 crore biryani orders last year—averaging 194 orders per minute. Among these, chicken biryani was the clear favorite, accounting for 5.77 crore orders. Top Food Trends of 2025The report, marking its 10th edition, highlights popular dishes across breakfast, late-night meals, and festive specials. Following biryani, burgers (44.2 million orders) and pizza (40.1 million orders) ranked second and third, while vegetable dosa also saw significant popularity with 2.62 crore orders. Evening Snacks and CombosBetween 3 PM and 7 PM, the peak snacking time, chicken burgers led with 6.3 million orders, ...

New Delhi: Pakistan is currently facing a severe economic crisis, so much so that the government lacks the funds to operate its state-owned airline, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA). The company has been running at a significant loss, prompting the government to auction it off on Tuesday. Three groups have placed bids in the latest attempt to privatize the carrier. Second Attempt at PrivatizationThis marks Pakistan’s second attempt to sell PIA. Last year, the government tried to privatize the airline, but the effort failed when only a single bid was received—far below the reserve price. As a result, the nation’s first major airline privatization in nearly two decades did not materialize. Stake on SaleThe government is offering 75% of PIA’s stake for sale but is willing to sell u...

New Delhi: The SME segment is buzzing with IPO activity this week, and E to E Transportation Infrastructure Ltd is creating waves even before its market debut. The company’s IPO opens on Friday, 26 December, and closes on 30 December, but the Grey Market Premium (GMP) has already surged, signaling strong investor interest. Grey Market Gains SkyrocketAs of Tuesday afternoon, the IPO price was set at ₹174 per share, while the grey market premium stood at ₹125 per share, valuing a single share at ₹299. This indicates a potential 72% profit for investors on listing day. For one retail lot of 800 shares, an investment of ₹2,78,400 could yield a profit of nearly ₹2 lakh. IPO DetailsThe IPO has a total issue size of ₹84.22 crore, fully comprised of a fresh issue of 48 lakh shares. Shares ar...

New Delhi: India’s economy is currently on a rapid growth trajectory, attracting global attention. The country is on track to become a $5 trillion economy in the near future. Highlighting this remarkable growth, Raymond Thomas Dalio, the American billionaire, investor, and founder of Bridgewater Associates—commonly known as Ray Dalio—praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his economic leadership. In a conversation with Indian entrepreneur Nikhil Kamath, Dalio stated that India, despite its challenges, is poised to become one of the fastest-growing major economies over the next decade. He drew a comparison between PM Modi and Deng Xiaoping, the Chinese leader credited with ushering China into a market-oriented economy and widely regarded as the architect of modern China’s economic refo...

New Delhi: India and New Zealand have successfully concluded negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), marking a significant milestone in bilateral trade. The agreement will allow Indian goods to enter the New Zealand market duty-free, while New Zealand has committed to investing $20 billion (over ₹1.6 lakh crore) in India over the next 15 years. What makes this deal particularly remarkable is that the Indian negotiation team was entirely led by women, with Joint Secretary Petal Dhillon at the helm. Dhillon, a 2002 batch Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS) officer, currently serves as Joint Secretary in the Department of Commerce—a position she assumed in February 2025 for a five-year term. Academic and Professional BackgroundPetal Dhillon boasts an impressive educational pedi...

New Delhi: In the global oil market, China is increasingly asserting itself as the new ‘king,’ challenging the traditional dominance of OPEC+ in setting crude oil prices. Historically, oil prices were largely influenced by OPEC+ nations, which could manipulate production to achieve their desired price levels. However, in 2025, this dynamic has shifted. As the world’s largest oil importer, China has used its purchasing power to establish an implicit floor and ceiling for crude prices by adjusting its strategic reserves. By buying more when prices fall and slowing purchases when prices rise, China has effectively influenced global pricing trends. According to a Reuters report, when OPEC+ increased production in April 2025 after cutting output in 2022, global prices began to decline. Wi...

Mumbai: Small-cap stock TCI Finance has been making waves in the Indian stock market, with its shares skyrocketing nearly 91% in just five trading sessions. Since 17 December, the non-banking financial company’s (NBFC) stock has seen tremendous momentum, pushing its price from ₹11.10 on 16 December to ₹21.25 on Tuesday, 23 December. Consistent Upper Circuit GainsTCI Finance shares have hit upper circuit limits for five consecutive trading sessions. Initially, the stock was in a 20% upper circuit on 17 and 18 December, but the exchanges later reduced the limit to 10%. Despite this adjustment, the stock maintained its upward momentum, registering one of the sharpest short-term rallies in recent months. If this pace continues through the month, it could mark TCI Finance’s largest monthly g...

New Delhi: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has sold a net $11.9 billion in October 2025 to stabilize the rupee, highlighting its pivotal role in maintaining currency market stability. According to the RBI’s December bulletin, the central bank has been actively managing both spot and forward markets throughout FY25 to curb rupee volatility and maintain orderly market conditions. In the over-the-counter (OTC) spot market, the RBI sold more dollars than it purchased to provide liquidity support. Dollar purchases in October surged by 704% to $17.7 billion from $2.2 billion in September, while total sales rose 192% to $29.6 billion. This resulted in net dollar sales of $11.9 billion, up 50% from $7.9 billion in September. Overall, net dollar sales for FY25 up to October totaled $34.5 billion...