Preeti Singh

The telecom industry is lobbying the finance ministry for significant reductions in licence fees and a temporary suspension of compulsory contributions to the Digital Bharat Nidhi in the forthcoming Union Budget. They assert that the existing regulatory fees are hindering their ability to invest in next-generation networks. According to industry recommendations submitted in advance of the Budget, there is a request to reduce the licence fee from the current rate of 3% of adjusted gross revenue (AGR) to a range between 0.5% and 1%. Additionally, it is proposed that the 5% AGR contribution to the Digital Bharat Nidhi be temporarily…

Shares of Swiggy Ltd. and Eternal Ltd., which manage Instamart and Zomato and Blinkit respectively, experienced a recovery from their lowest points of the day after government intervention encouraged them to suspend their 10-minute delivery service for the benefit of gig workers. On Tuesday, Swiggy's stock price initially dropped by 1.08% but ended the day with a slight gain of 0.43%. In contrast, Eternal's shares rose significantly by 3.24%. The broader market saw the S&P BSE Sensex decrease by 0.30% during the same period. Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya held a meeting with representatives from quick-commerce firms to address concerns regarding…

Apple Inc. has made a strategic decision to select Google Gemini as the foundation for its AI technology and Siri, entering into a multi-year agreement. This choice is regarded as a significant victory for Alphabet Inc., positioning it favorably against Sam Altman's OpenAI in the ongoing global competition in the field of artificial intelligence. Apple has concluded that Google Gemini serves as the most competent basis for their Apple Foundation Models, expressing enthusiasm for the innovative experiences this collaboration will offer to Apple users. This was communicated through a joint statement released by both companies on Monday, although the specifics…

The dollar declined and U.S. equity futures fell on Monday following comments from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell about threats from the Trump administration regarding a potential criminal indictment, raising concerns over the Fed's independence. The Swiss franc strengthened by 0.4% to 0.7979 per dollar, and the euro rose 0.17% to $1.1656, although traders noted uncertainty regarding the implications for interest rates. Fed funds futures indicate a slight increase of about three basis points in expected interest rate cuts this year, suggesting a potential for the Fed to act more aggressively. Gold prices reached a record high of over $4,600…

Jio Platforms Ltd. intends to sell a 2.5% stake in its planned IPO for 2026, potentially establishing it as India's largest IPO at over $4 billion. Led by Mukesh Ambani, the parent company of Reliance Jio, which boasts over 500 million users, this IPO is the most anticipated in the country for the year. In November, Jefferies estimated Reliance Jio's valuation at $180 billion, meaning a 2.5% stake sale could generate $4.5 billion, surpassing Hyundai Motor India's $3.3 billion IPO. Over six years, Jio has diversified into AI and attracted investments from KKR, General Atlantic, Silver Lake, and the Abu…

Vodafone Idea (VI) has established a repayment plan concerning its adjusted gross revenue (AGR) obligations, which will limit its annual repayments to $13.79 million over the forthcoming six years. This strategic move is designed to alleviate immediate cash flow challenges for the company while maintaining the overall amount of its outstanding liabilities. The repayment schedule is a critical component of VI's financial management strategy, as it provides a structured path to meet its obligations without further compounding the fiscal pressures it currently faces. On December 31, the Indian government approved a partial moratorium on the dues of a telecoms company,…

Equity benchmark indices, the Sensex and Nifty, experienced a decline in early trading on January 8, 2026, due to ongoing foreign fund outflows and worries regarding possible U.S. tariff increases. The 30-share BSE Sensex fell by 255.86 points, reaching 84,705.28, while the 50-share NSE Nifty dropped by 65.9 points, settling at 26,074.85. Among the major losers in the Sensex index were Tata Consultancy Services, Asian Paints, Maruti, Tech Mahindra, Infosys, and UltraTech Cement. On January 7, 2026, several companies including ICICI Bank, Adani Ports, Bharat Electronics, and Hindustan Unilever experienced gains in the stock market. Foreign institutional investors sold equities…

India's competition watchdog has uncovered that leading companies in the steel market, including Tata Steel, JSW Steel, and State-run SAIL, along with 25 other firms, engaged in price-fixing practices that violate antitrust laws. A confidential document reveals that these collusions expose both the companies and their executives to the possibility of significant financial penalties. The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has found 56 senior executives, including Sajjan Jindal of JSW and T.V. Narendran of Tata Steel, along with four former chairpersons of SAIL, guilty of price collusion spanning from 2015 to 2023. This information is based on a CCI order…