Author: Aruna Kaim

The Indian government has introduced amendments to the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007, laying the legislative foundation to reintroduce a Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on high-value Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions. The proposal seeks to end the zero-MDR mandate for large-ticket payments (tentatively above ₹2,000) made to large merchants, providing a sustainable revenue model for banks, payment aggregators, and fintech apps like Paytm, Google Pay, and PhonePe. What is MDR and Why is it Being Reintroduced? Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) is a fee levied on businesses by payment processors and banks for processing digital transactions. Why standard UPI had…

Google’s ambitious $15 billion data centre project in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh—partnered with Gautam Adani’s conglomerate—has run into growing resistance from environmental activists and local communities. The hyperscale facility, aimed at expanding Google’s cloud and artificial intelligence infrastructure across South Asia, faces severe scrutiny over its projected water consumption in a water-stressed city and its proximity to a protected wildlife sanctuary. Core Flashpoints & Environmental Concerns Severe Water Strains: Visakhapatnam currently receives 410 million litres of water daily against a local demand of 480 million litres, leading to frequent municipal rationing for its 2.5 million residents. Activists fear that guaranteed long-term…

Management consulting firm Primus Partners has inaugurated a dedicated hub in Gurugram, expanding its footprint to capitalize on the growing shift of Global Capability Centres (GCCs) beyond their traditional stronghold of Bengaluru. By establishing a strategic presence in the National Capital Region (NCR), Primus Partners aims to assist global enterprises with advisory, operational setup, regulatory navigation, and talent acquisition tailored to North India’s evolving tech ecosystem. Key Drivers Behind the Geographical Expansion Rising Demand in Delhi-NCR: While Bengaluru remains India’s primary GCC market, the Delhi-NCR region (Gurugram and Noida) has emerged as a premier secondary hub, driven by robust infrastructure,…

The Supreme Court expressed strong optimism that the long-running estate and trust dispute within the family of late industrialist Sunjay Kapur can be settled amicably out of court. Reviewing a preliminary report from court-appointed mediator and former Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, the bench noted that mediation sessions are progressing smoothly and extended the timeline for final settlement to November 2, 2026. Key Legal Developments & Court Observations Positive Mediation Progress: A Supreme Court bench comprising Justices J.B. Pardiwala and K. Vinod Chandran noted that six mediation sessions have taken place so far with active participation and cooperation from…

Despite coming from vastly different worlds—traditional value investing versus cutting-edge venture capital and artificial intelligence—legendary investor Warren Buffett and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman converge on one fundamental philosophy: the biggest investment returns come from non-consensus thinking. Both leaders argue that extraordinary upside is found in places where the majority of the market is looking away, skeptical, or completely misjudging long-term potential. The Common Rule: Finding the “Non-Consensus Right” The centerpiece of both Buffett’s and Altman’s investment strategies is identifying opportunities that are unpopular or overlooked by the crowd, yet fundamentally correct Be Willing to Stand Alone: Warren Buffett: Famous for…

SanDisk delivered a stellar performance in its fiscal fourth quarter, posting record revenue and beating profit estimates on the back of explosive AI-driven data center demand. However, despite projecting continued growth for the upcoming quarter, the company’s forward guidance failed to blow past Wall Street’s lofty expectations, triggering a modest sell-off in after-hours trading as investors weighed valuation against guidance. Key Financial & Quarterly Highlights Record Quarterly Revenue: Surged to $8.97 billion, propelled by enterprise demand for high-capacity storage solutions. Earnings Beat: Reported adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $39.25, comfortably exceeding Wall Street consensus. Data Center Surge: Revenue in…

European stock markets rallied to fresh record highs on Thursday, driven by diplomatic optimism over a potential U.S.-Iran agreement and an impressive quarter of corporate earnings. Sinking energy cost concerns alongside major earnings upgrades lifted regional sentiment, with telecom, food & beverage, and tech shares leading sector gains ahead of upcoming Eurozone retail sales data. Key Market Drivers & Highlights Record Index Peak: The pan-European STOXX 600 index rose 0.4% to reach 660 in early trading, marking its third consecutive session closing at record highs. U.S.-Iran Diplomatic Breakthrough: Regional market sentiment was bolstered by reports of a proposed agreement involving…

SoftBank Group posted an 18% year-on-year drop in first-quarter net profit, yet still comfortably beat market consensus. Robust returns from key tech holdings—most notably chipmaker Intel and TikTok parent ByteDance— cushioned performance against a flat quarter for OpenAI. Undeterred, Chief Executive Officer Masayoshi Son continues to aggressively reshuffle SoftBank’s balance sheet to fund an expansive artificial intelligence and supercomputing portfolio. Q1 FY2026 Key Financial Highlights Net Profit: Reported at ¥347.3 billion (approx. $2.2 billion), down 18% YoY but over double average analyst projections. Investment Gains: Recorded ¥1.86 trillion in total investment gains for the quarter. Intel & ByteDance Surge: Intel’s…

Hindalco Industries is showing strong signs of a bullish turnaround after successfully testing key support levels. Technical charts reveal a double bottom pattern, suggesting the recent downtrend may be coming to an end. With price action and technical indicators aligning, market experts view this as an attractive opportunity for short-term traders to accumulate the stock for a potential rally toward the ₹1,100 mark. Key Highlights & Technical Analysis Double Bottom Pattern: After tumbling over 14% from its peak, Hindalco found strong support in late July 2026, forming a classic double bottom structure—a classic signal of an impending trend reversal. Support…

The primary question for investors is rarely when to buy, but what to buy at a reasonable price. In volatile equity markets, macro sentiment often distorts reality. While headline indices like the Nifty and Sensex fluctuate on short-term developments—such as geopolitical tension in the Gulf, shifting crude oil prices, and inconsistent foreign portfolio investment (FPI) flows—small-cap stock prices frequently move far more than their underlying businesses actually do. When macro turbulence creates disconnects between price and fundamental value, maintaining rigorous stock-selection discipline becomes paramount. Evaluating small-caps requires a strict dual-filter approach: rigorous quantitative health paired with solid qualitative execution. The…