Namaste! Aaj ka news roundup, Newswala style!

MARKETS

Markets: Indian stock markets surged sharply today, with the Sensex jumping over 1,200 points to close at 82,530 and the Nifty 50 finishing above 25,000, driven by strong gains in auto, banking, and financial stocks following news that India would reduce tariffs on US goods, easing trade tensions.

TOP STORIES

Trump Tells Apple to Cool It on India 

What Happened

President Donald Trump has thrown a wrench in Apple's manufacturing strategy, revealing he bluntly told CEO Tim Cook to halt the company's expansion in India.

During their meeting in Qatar, Trump reportedly declared, "We are not interested in you building in India." According to Trump, Cook agreed to boost US-based production instead. 

This directly challenges Apple's ambitious plans to source most US-bound iPhones from India by late 2026—a strategy aimed at reducing their heavy reliance on China.

Why It Matters

The numbers tell quite a story here! Apple's Indian operations assembled a whopping $22 billion worth of iPhones in the year ending March 2025, with production jumping nearly 60% from the previous year. 

Foxconn Technology Group's southern India factory currently handles most Indian iPhone assembly, with Tata Group also playing a significant role.

Zoom Out

Talk about awkward timing! This presidential intervention comes right as Apple was accelerating its shift away from China, a move initially triggered by COVID disruptions and the very tariffs Trump himself introduced during his first term. 

Now manufacturers face a potential "make-in-America-or-else" stance from the newly reinstated President.

TOP STORIES

Hocco Scoops Up $10 Million  

What Happened

Ice cream powerhouse Hocco landed $10 million (₹85.56 crore) as part of a larger $20 million Series B funding round. 

The investment was jointly led by the Chona family office and Sauce.vc, giving the Ahmedabad-based company a significant financial boost. 

This follows last June's impressive ₹100 crore funding round, which valued Hocco at a tasty ₹600 crore post-investment.

Why It Matters

What a sweet comeback story! The Chona family originally built the famous Havmor brand (starting as 'Have More' in 1944), which they sold to Korean giant Lotte for a whopping ₹1,020 crore in 2017.

But clearly, they weren't ready to melt away from the ice cream world - launching Hocco in 2022.

With this fresh capital, Hocco plans to crank up production capacity and spread its delicious influence to new markets across India. They've already scooped up impressive market share with over 10,000 retail outlets nationwide (plus one in the US) spanning casual dining, quick-service, and ice cream segments.

Zoom Out

Hocco's funding arrives just as India's appetite for premium treats is heating up. The country's food and beverage market is projected to reach a massive $68 billion by 2030, driven by increasing disposable income and cravings for high-end indulgences.

Competitors like NOTO and Go Zero are also grabbing their slice of the funding pie, with each securing ₹30 crore in March.  

TOP STORIES

Tata Steel Gets a Budget Cut 

What Happened

Tata Steel is bringing out the scissors with plans to slash costs by a whopping ₹10,000 crore in FY26. The goal is a leaner debt profile and funds for future growth. 

Last year, their debt hit ₹82,579 crore—up from ₹77,550 crore—so it’s time to tighten the belt. 

Why It Matters

Cost-cutting will span India, the UK, and the Netherlands. In FY25, Tata already snipped ₹6,600 crore, including ₹2,800 crore in India and ₹2,600 crore in the UK. 

This year, they’re turning up the intensity, from trimming coal procurement inefficiencies to buffing up employee productivity.

Zoom Out

Steel is strong but financial stress? Not so much. Tata aims to chop down $1 billion in debt annually while still investing in expansion, like boosting capacity at its Kalinganagar plant by 1.5 million tonnes. 

The UK unit will get a ₹2,000 crore boost to finally stand on its own feet, and ₹4,500 crore in Dutch savings will fund decarbonisation. 

Amid shaky global steel demand and a China exporting spree (10 million tonnes/month!), staying competitive is not just nice but it’s necessary.

GROWTH GULLY

🧨 EMI Explosion – These 12 Sneaky Fees Can Burn Your Budget

🏆 Career Mode: ON – 9 Mindset Tweaks That Turn You Into a Winner
🧠 Safe from the Bots – Anthropic Cofounder Lists Jobs AI Won’t Replace

🧘‍♂️ Mood Upgrade – Ditch These 9 Habits for a Happier Life, Says Psychology

📉 Spring Slump – Why This April Hits Harder for Life Insurance

PAISON KA KHEL

$2.9 Billion and 55 Banks Walk Into a Deal

Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries just bagged $2.9 billion loan – the biggest offshore Indian loan since 2023. It’s a dual-currency deal split into $2.4 billion and ¥67.7 billion (roughly $462 million). 

A whopping 55 lenders joined in, making it Asia’s biggest syndicated loan group this year.

₹510 Cr Default, Missing Cars & a Plot Twist

IREDA has filed an insolvency plea against the firm over a ₹510 crore default. This comes after claims of forged documents, shady share moves, and only 4,704 electric cars bought out of a planned 6,400.

SEBI isn’t amused either — it barred the promoters from trading or managing listed firms after spotting loan misuse. With ₹829.9 crore in funding meant for EVs, ₹262.1 crore seems to have gone… somewhere else. Gensol’s account is now “under stress,” and frankly, so are we.

DID YOU KNOW

📱 Apple’s Near Bankruptcy: In 1997, Apple was just 90 days away from bankruptcy before Microsoft invested $150 million, helping to save the company.

GLOBAL NAZARA

Apple to Pay $95M for Oops Moments

If Siri ever joined your private chats uninvited, congratulations—you might be owed cash. Apple has agreed to cough up $95 million (₹810 crore) over claims that Siri recorded users without consent between September 17, 2014, and December 31, 2024.

If you owned a Siri-enabled iPhone, iPad, MacBook, Apple Watch, or even a dusty iPod Touch and caught Siri playing detective during confidential convos, you could claim up to $100 (that’s $20 per device, max 5).

Saudi Aramco’s American Love Story

Saudi Aramco is swiping its credit card big time—signing 34 deals with U.S. companies worth up to $90 billion! 

The deals cover everything from fuel and chemicals to cleaner energy and even AI (yes, oil is trying to go smart and green).

MIRCH MASALA

🦁 Wild Drop – Lion ‘skydives’ with man in viral clip

🎥 Too Cute to Miss – Anushka, Virat, Vamika & Akaay’s Family Moment Lights Up Social Media
🌐 Power Play – Why India Couldn’t Block IMF’s Lifeline to Pakistan

🇮🇳 Little Patriot – 8-Year-Old Salutes Army with Piggy Bank Power

🦖 Dinosaurrreal – Jurassic Jam to Chaiyya Chaiyya Shakes the Internet

WEEKLY QUIZ

How well did you keep up with this week's editions?

Challenge yourself with our weekly quiz to see how much you remember.

The top 3 scorers will get a special shout-out in our next edition on Monday!
 

And that’s a wrap. Have an amazing weekend.

We’ll see you again on Monday! 😄