Namaste! Aaj ka news roundup, Newswala style!

MARKETS

Markets: Benchmark indices stayed positive but eased from earlier highs. Mild US inflation data and hopes of a Fed rate cut lifted the market. Plus, you might want to check this stock that bumped 8.52% today.

TOP STORIES

RBI Launches Daily ₹50K Crore Rescue Plan

What Happened?

The Reserve Bank of India is pulling a rabbit out of its hat with daily Variable Rate Repo (VRR) operations starting Thursday. They're kicking things off with a neat ₹50,000 crore injection.

• Well, banks have been scraping the bottom of their piggy banks for two weeks straight, with an average deficit of ₹1.45 lakh crore. 
  
  

• Things got so tight that by Tuesday, the deficit ballooned to ₹2.09 lakh crore.
  
  

Why It Matters

Here's the thing: when banks run low on cash, they get nervous - like really nervous. This anxiety sends short-term interest rates through the roof, which nobody wants. The Mumbai Interbank Offered Rate (MIBOR) recently hit 7%, breaking its previous record of 6.85%.

The core banking liquidity took a nosedive to negative ₹60,000 crore by January 10th. Treasury experts are skeptical though - they say these daily VRRs are more like a band-aid than a cure.

The Bottom Line

While the RBI's daily cash infusions might help keep overnight rates closer to the policy repo rate of 6.50%, it's not the end of the story. Think of it as giving someone a daily cup of coffee instead of fixing their sleep schedule - it helps, but doesn't solve the root problem. 

The central bank might need to think bigger and inject more permanent liquidity to keep those interest rates from doing the cha-cha. 

PAISON KA KHEL

RVNL bags ₹3,622 crore BharatNet contract

RVNL has won a ₹3,622 crore contract from BSNL to upgrade and maintain BharatNet’s middle-mile network. The project will run on the Design-Build-Operate-Maintain (DBOM) model, with RVNL working alongside HFCL and ATS. 

The work includes three years of construction and ten years of maintenance. Payments for maintenance are set at 5.5% of costs for the first five years and 6.5% for the next five. With this big deal, RVNL is expanding its reach beyond railways into network projects. 

Food apps' are going on a discount diet

Swiggy and Zomato are trimming their free delivery radius from 10km to 7km—guess their discount party needed some portion control! Why? They’re juggling quick-commerce ambitions while keeping food delivery profitable. 

Restaurants, who’ve been paying 5-10% of order values to stay on these apps, are probably relieved. But with Magicpin crashing the delivery scene as player number three, this diet might not last long. 

TOP STORIES

Can India Pay Before Sanctions Slam the Door?

What Happened

India’s state-run refiners are in full-on sprint mode to settle payments for Russian crude oil ahead of upcoming U.S. sanctions. They’re speeding up the payment process, aiming to wrap up deals in just two days instead of the usual five.

Meanwhile, Indian banks have switched gears, ditching the dollar in favour of rubles, all to dodge that pesky $60-per-barrel price cap. With 4.4 million barrels of Russian oil cruising toward India, these refiners are racing against the clock.

Why It Matters

India imports about one-third of its oil from Russia, and discounted Russian crude has been a major factor in keeping inflation in check. The looming sanctions, which target major Russian producers and over 180 vessels, threaten to disrupt this supply chain. 

To sidestep the impact, Indian buyers are pushing to complete deals before the February 27 deadline set by the US Treasury. This urgency reflects India’s heavy reliance on cheaper oil to fuel its economy and maintain stable prices.

Zoom out

India is betting big on securing its Russian oil shipments before sanctions take full effect. With millions of barrels already on the move, the clock is ticking for Indian refiners to finalise payments. As geopolitical pressures and market dynamics shift, India’s quick action might secure its oil needs—but only if the sanctions grace period holds. 

GLOBAL NAZARA

Goldman’s vintage bets pay modern dividends

Goldman Sachs just hit the jackpot with a $472 million boost in Q4 from its “historical principal investments.”  The surprise profit came from higher-than-expected gains in public equities, with revenue hitting $729 million (analysts guessed $284 million—oops!). 

Even debt investments brought in $264 million, 10% more than predicted. Goldman’s been shifting to steadier fee-based income, but clearly, some of these legacy bets still know how to pay off big.  

Campa Cola takes on the Middle East

Reliance is taking its spicy Indian cola, Campa, to the Middle East, starting in Bahrain and expanding to Oman and Saudi Arabia. With Coca-Cola and Pepsi facing a boycott in the region, Reliance sees a golden opportunity to make Campa the next big thing. Their strategy? Keep prices low—just ₹10 per bottle—and offer bigger trade margins.

Reliance plans to replicate the Indian model, even considering local bottling partnerships. If successful, Campa could be on its way to Africa too! 

TOP STORIES

The South’s Box Office Domination in 2024

What Happened?

Bollywood suffered a staggering ₹1,870 crore loss in 2024, marking a tough year for the Hindi film industry. Footfalls for Hindi movies dropped 16% to 23 crore, far below pre-pandemic levels. 

However, South Indian cinema stepped in to rescue the box office, contributing significantly through dubbed hits like Pushpa 2: The Rule and Kalki 2898 AD. Pushpa 2 grossed ₹1,403 crore, with ₹889 crore from its Hindi version, making it the highest-grossing Hindi film ever. 

Meanwhile, Malayalam cinema had a breakout year, doubling its market share to 10% with a record ₹1,165 crore in earnings, up from ₹572 crore in 2023.

Why It Matters

The overall box office collection in India declined to ₹11,833 crore in 2024, down from ₹12,226 crore in 2023. Despite this, South Indian cinema played a vital role in preventing an even steeper decline. Dubbing was the MVP here—contributing ₹1,464 crore to the Hindi box office, up from ₹295 crore in 2023.

On the other hand, Bollywood originals saw earnings plummet to ₹3,215 crore. PVR Inox, India’s largest multiplex chain, saw ticket revenues rise 8% year-on-year in Q3 FY25, thanks to regional hits. Analysts predict its average ticket price will increase to ₹280, and occupancy will rise to 27%. 

Conclusion

Bollywood’s struggles highlight the shifting dynamics of India’s entertainment industry. While big-budget South Indian films and regional cinema gain momentum, Bollywood needs to rethink its strategy. The 2025 lineup, including Salman Khan’s Sikandar and Akshay Kumar’s Sky Force, could help, but without game-changing blockbusters, the road to recovery seems long. 

MIRCH MASALA

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