Business

Mumbai: Chemical trading and logistics company A-1 Limited (BSE: 542012) has secured a major order for the supply of industrial urea (automobile grade) worth ₹127.5 crore from Sai Baba Polymer Technologies. Following this announcement, the company’s shares surged and soon hit the upper circuit limit. Share Price Soars A-1 Limited, formerly known as A-1 Acid Limited, closed at ₹2,433.10 yesterday. Today, the stock opened at ₹2,454.70, marking a gain of ₹121.60, and quickly surged to ₹2,554.75, reaching the upper circuit limit of 5%. Order Details According to a regulatory filing with BSE, the order is for the supply of 25,000 tons of industrial urea across the company’s manufacturing centers in India. The total order value, including GST, is ₹150.45 crore, and deliveries will be...

New Labour Codes Reshape Salary Structures Across India The central government has recently implemented four new labour codes aimed at securing employees’ long-term financial interests. These changes will also bring significant adjustments to salary structures nationwide. How the New Labour Laws Impact Salaries Under the new rules, the basic salary must constitute at least 50% of the total Cost to Company (CTC). Previously, basic salary was approximately 35% of CTC, with the remainder going largely into tax-free allowances. This change will reduce take-home pay for employees but increase contributions to Provident Fund (PF), National Pension Scheme (NPS), and gratuity, resulting in higher retirement savings. Expert Insight Sujit Bangar, founder of TaxBuddy, explained in a Li...

The shares of Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) crossed the ₹10,000 mark for the first time today, marking an all-time high. The stock has shown consistent gains for the third consecutive day, rising nearly 5% during the session. All-Time High PerformanceOn the BSE, MCX shares surged over 3% to ₹10,247, reflecting growing investor interest. The stock has witnessed significant trading activity this week, with nearly 200,000 shares changing hands in the morning session alone. On Tuesday, 300,000 shares were traded, bringing the total volume over two days close to the monthly average of 500,000 shares. Analyst Outlook and Target PriceEarlier this month, UBS raised its target price for MCX to ₹12,000 per share, implying a potential upside of over 20% from current levels. The company reporte...

Bollywood veteran filmmaker Rakesh Roshan and his wife Pinky Roshan have created a stir in Mumbai’s real estate market after purchasing five commercial properties in Andheri East. The combined value of the deal stands at ₹19.68 crore, making it one of the most talked-about celebrity investments of the season. Prime Properties in Andheri East According to real estate marketplace Square Yards, which accessed the registration documents, all five units are located in one of Mumbai’s busiest commercial neighbourhoods. The deal has drawn attention not only because of its size but also because Bollywood celebrities buying premium real estate always sparks public curiosity. What Rakesh Roshan Bought Rakesh Roshan acquired two commercial units, details of which are as follows: First...

Gautam Adani’s $1.2 billion copper smelter in Gujarat—one of India’s most ambitious metal-processing projects—is facing a severe shortage of raw materials, leaving the plant running far below its designed capacity. Despite plans to double output in the next four years, the facility is currently unable to secure even a fraction of the copper concentrate required. Severe Shortage Hits Adani’s Kutch Copper Plant According to a Bloomberg report, the smelter has an annual capacity of 500,000 tonnes, but its operations have been crippled by a global squeeze in copper supply. Kutch Copper Ltd., which began production in June, has received less than one-tenth of the raw materials needed to run at full capacity. Customs data shows that by October, the company had imported only 147,000 tonn...

A massive aviation alert was issued on Monday after the Hayli Gubbi volcano in Ethiopia erupted for the first time in nearly 10,000 years. The unexpected event forced an IndiGo flight from Kannur to Abu Dhabi (6E 1433) to divert to Ahmedabad due to the rising ash cloud. The aircraft landed safely, and IndiGo announced return arrangements for passengers. Airlines on High Alert The disruption was triggered by a thick plume of volcanic ash spewing from the Hayli Gubbi volcano, which erupted on Sunday after millennia of dormancy. Satellite models indicate that the ash cloud is drifting towards northern India, raising concerns for flight paths passing over Delhi, Jaipur, and nearby regions. Indian aviation authorities and airlines have begun monitoring possible impacts on air traffic. ...

In one of the biggest anti-smuggling actions in recent months, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized 7.37 crore smuggled foreign cigarettes worth ₹14.74 crore during a two-day nationwide crackdown named ‘Operation Filter Out’. The action was carried out on 21 and 22 November 2025 in Mizoram with crucial assistance from the Assam Rifles and the Border Security Force (BSF). The seized cigarettes were being trafficked illegally from Myanmar into India and were meant to be distributed across the country. First Operation: Suspicious Vehicle Intercepted in Mamit District On 21 November, a DRI team intercepted a suspicious vehicle in Kanhmun, located in Mizoram’s Mamit district. Upon inspection, officers recovered: 165 cartons of foreign cigarettes Brands: Oris,...

Domestic equity markets remained under pressure on Monday as both benchmark indices closed in the red. The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) Sensex fell 331.21 points to settle at 84,900.71, while the National Stock Exchange (NSE) Nifty slipped 108.65 points to close at 25,959.50, dropping below the 26,000 mark. The weakness came on the back of cautious investor sentiment and absence of strong market triggers. Market Recap: Second Consecutive Day of Decline The BSE Sensex, after losing early gains, ended the session with a 0.39% fall. During intra-day trade, it had dropped as much as 521.81 points. The Nifty 50 also declined by 0.42%, signaling broad-based weakness across sectors. Key stocks that dragged the market included Bharat Electronics, Mahindra & Mahindra, Tata Steel, UltraT...

When the pandemic brought life to a standstill, an Assam school teacher turned her idle hours into a fortune. Camerina Rabha, a resident of Goalpara and a dedicated educator, discovered a life-changing opportunity in one of the world’s most expensive spices—vanilla. What began as a side activity after her school hours now earns her over ₹12 lakh annually. Inspired by Her Husband’s Idea During the 2020 lockdown, Camerina found herself with free time after 3 PM. Her husband came across an article on vanilla farming—the second most expensive spice globally after saffron. The idea immediately struck her. She learned that dried vanilla beans sell for ₹10,000–₹12,000 per kg. Without wasting time, she sourced 30 vanilla cuttings from a nursery in Meghalaya at ₹350 each and planted them n...

The long-awaited New Labour Code has finally come into effect, bringing a sweeping transformation to India’s salary structure. While your gross salary will remain unchanged, your in-hand salary is likely to decrease, even as your PF and gratuity contributions increase, strengthening your retirement safety net. What Has Changed Under the New Labour Code? The government’s latest clarification dated 21 November has redefined the concept of “Wages”. Under the new definition, Basic Salary, Dearness Allowance (DA), and Retaining Allowance together must constitute at least 50% of the total salary. All key social-security calculations—including PF, gratuity, and pension—will now be linked to this minimum 50% wage component. Crucially, your total Gross Salary and CTC remain the same, bu...