Namaste! Aaj ka news roundup, Newswala style!

MARKETS

Markets: Indian stock markets ended lower yesterday, with the Sensex falling 156 points and the Nifty slipping below 24,400 due to selling in banking and pharma stocks. Broader markets like midcaps and smallcaps saw sharper declines, while only a few sectors such as auto and IT managed modest gains.

TOP STORIES

Bollywood’s Unexpected Villain 

What Happened

Donald Trump may have just given Indian filmmakers a new plot twist. The US President has proposed a 100% import tariff on foreign films—yes, double the price tag to simply screen a Bollywood movie in the US. 

If passed, this tariff would turn a $1 million US distribution deal into a $2 million headache. While nothing’s final yet, the film industry is already bracing for impact, especially considering the US accounts for up to 60% of Hindi films’ overseas revenue.

Why It Matters

This move could send Bollywood’s American dream straight to the cutting room floor. With about 5.2 million Indian-Americans as a loyal fanbase, the US is Bollywood’s second home. 

But if ticket prices soar to make up for the tariff, viewers might just switch to streaming—or worse, skip it entirely. And let’s not forget the soft power punch: less screen time, less cultural influence abroad. 

The tariff, designed to rescue Hollywood (whose global box office earnings dropped 26% in 2024), might ironically sink foreign content instead.  

Conclusion

If Trump’s tariff blockbuster gets greenlit, Bollywood might trade box office battles for binge-worthy screens. What started as a bid to revive Hollywood could end up dimming the lights on India’s overseas cinema stardom. Now all eyes are on Washington and maybe Netflix.  

TOP STORIES

Paytm: Hope or Another Painful Quarter?

What Happened

After a year of regulatory turbulence, Paytm is back with its Q4 report card. The company, which got a solid rap on the knuckles from the RBI , is trying hard to stage a comeback. 

• The fintech major is expected to post revenue of ₹2,250 crore for Q4FY25 with ₹95 crore in EBITDA. 

• For a company that saw its shares nosedive 55% earlier this year and took an ₹765 crore hit in operating revenue in Q1FY25, this feels like a much-needed sip of chai after a stormy night.

Why It Matters

If Paytm actually hits those numbers, it signals more than just a financial rebound, showing investors haven’t given up, and the company hasn’t either. 

With 80% of loans now backed by FLDG, Paytm is working hard to rebuild trust. Plus, a focus on onboarding UPI users and cutting costs (including trimming the ESOPs) suggests they’re not just throwing money at the problem anymore. 

Conclusion

But it’s not all roses. Regulatory ghosts still loom, and if merchant growth slows, that growth graph might stall again.

Can Paytm pull off a real comeback? Well, Q4 could be the “not-so-bad” chapter they needed in their redemption story. One thing’s certain: for a company that’s been in RBI’s naughty corner, even a boring quarter would be a win.

TOP STORIES

Q-Comm Moving Fast

What Happened

Quick commerce in India is booming! In March, top apps like Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy Instamart doubled their daily orders compared to last year—jumping from 2.2 million to a whopping 4.5 million orders per day.

Blinkit stayed on top with 1.8 million orders a day. Zepto wasn’t far behind at 1.5 million, and Swiggy Instamart delivered about 1.1 million. Together, they controlled 85% of the entire quick delivery market.

Why It Matters

The numbers mark a clear shift in how we shop. We’re swapping supermarket strolls for screen scrolls. Zepto is leading the sprint with jaw-dropping growth of 170–180%, powered by steep discounts(even if it means burning ₹200 crore a month).  

Blinkit, though growing at a more modest 80–90%, is focusing on the long game: improving customer experience and expanding its network of dark stores (you mean secret snack bunkers?). 

Meanwhile, Swiggy is busy playing with its shiny new toy—Bolt, the 10-minute food delivery service—while quietly shelving its older hyperlocal service, Genie.

Final Words

With more players entering and existing ones sprinting ahead, India’s quick commerce space isn’t slowing down. If anything, it’s turning into Formula One on two wheels. The real winner? You, the customer. 

GROWTH GULLY

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PAISON KA KHEL

Shots, Syringes, and a Splash of TPG 💉

TPG just injected some serious cash into India’s pharma game—snapping up a 35% stake in SCHOTT Poonawalla from Serum Institute of India (SII). SCHOTT Pharma will still hold 50%, while SII keeps a minority share (probably for old time’s sake). 

With Novo Holdings also in the mix, this power-packed team plans to beef up the global drug supply chain—because needles and vials are suddenly very hot assets.  

SP Group’s Billion-Dollar Workout 🏋️

The Shapoorji Pallonji Group is gearing up to raise $3.25 billion—because apparently, refinancing ₹14,300 crore worth of zero-coupon bonds isn’t cheap. The offshore fundraising will be priced at a spicy 19.75% interest for a 3.5-year term.

Backers like Ares SSG and Farallon are anchoring the deal with $2 billion, while new investors such as PAG and Allianz are expected to join the party. 

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⭐️ Coca-Cola’s Recognition: The Coca-Cola logo is recognized by 94% of the world’s population, making it one of the most recognizable brands globally.

GLOBAL NAZARA

Japan's Banking Giant Eyes Indian Prize 🏆

In a move that has Yes Bank's shares jumping 8.5% higher, Japanese giant Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp (SMBC) is poised to become the new dance partner for India's sixth-largest private lender.

After months of waltzing through negotiations, SMBC is ready to cut in on SBI's 24% stake and potentially sweep up an additional 26% through an open offer.

The 2020 rescue orchestrated by India's central bank seems headed for a happy ending, with SBI ready to pass the bouquet to SMBC. 

UK Pours $100M into ReNew Solar ☀️

British International Investment (BII) has dropped $100 million for a 10% stake in ReNew’s solar module biz, valuing it at $1 billion.

This power move will add 4 GW to ReNew’s manufacturing muscle, taking total capacity to a blazing 13 GW. That’s a lot of sunshine—and jobs too—over 2,000 of them. 

BII’s first solar manufacturing bet in India also marks a deeper UK-India clean energy bond.  

MIRCH MASALA

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