Namaste! Aaj ka news roundup, Newswala style!

MARKETS

Markets: After eight days of drama, the market finally took a breather, eking out modest gains in a late-stage rally. Thanks to a global boost and a solid showing from banking, oil, metals, and power stocks, local benchmarks managed to bounce back from the early chaos!

TOP STORIES

PhonePe Rolls Out Device Tokenisation for Cards 💳

What Happened?

PhonePe just made paying online less of a headache with its new device tokenisation feature for credit and debit cards.

Instead of typing in your card details every time (and forgetting your CVV at the worst moment), this system swaps your actual card info with unique digital tokens.

For now, the feature is rolling out with Visa cards (Mastercard and friends, sit tight—your turn is coming!). 

Why It Matters?

Tokenisation makes transactions smoother and more secure, reducing the chances of fraud from stolen card details. 

• Given that digital payments in India are set to cross $10 trillion by 2026, this move is a solid defence against cybercriminals.

Anything else?

For businesses, it’s a game-changer.

Faster checkouts mean fewer abandoned carts—which, let’s be honest, are usually abandoned because we forget our card details and give up.

With higher success rates and happier customers, merchants will get a sweet deal too.

Hmm…PhonePe wants ‘paying online’ to be as effortless as scrolling reels!

PAISON KA KHEL

SAIL Takes a Leap of Faith with $800M Rail Mill 🚊

SAIL is betting big on India’s rail demand, announcing an $800 million investment in a new rail mill—despite Indian Railways not confirming any orders. 

Chairman Amarendu Prakash, speaking at the Global Business Summit, quipped that after chasing Railways for seven years, he decided to build the mill anyway, confident they’d have to buy eventually.

Welspun Bags ₹3,000 Cr US Order ⛽

Welspun Corp has struck gold—or rather, gas—securing ₹3,000 crore worth of orders for natural gas pipeline projects in the US.

The contracts include HSAW and HFIW pipes, set for execution in FY26 and FY27.

With this, the company’s order book now stands tall at ₹18,000 crore.

Despite a recent 2.22% dip in stock price, Welspun’s profits have more than doubled to ₹672 crore. 

TOP STORIES

Old Hindi Films Make a Blockbuster Comeback 🍿

What Happened?

Bollywood’s golden oldies are making a comeback at the box office, with re-releases outperforming some new films. 

• Movies like Sanam Teri Kasam (2016) and Tumbbad (2018) are not just pulling crowds but also smashing their original earnings. 
  

• In just eight days, Sanam Teri Kasam bagged nearly ₹28 crore—beating fresh releases like Loveyapa, Sky Force, and Chhaava.

The response has been overwhelming, with multiplexes witnessing higher footfalls and increased spending on these nostalgic gems.

But Why?

The trend is rewriting box office rules.

Films that once struggled for screens are now getting their moment in the spotlight, thanks to Gen-Z’s love for nostalgia. 

With limited fresh content catering to young audiences, old-school romance and melodrama are filling the gap left by today’s high-octane action flicks.

The Math

Even theatre economics favour re-releases.

The average transaction size (number of people per booking) for new films is 2.5, while for re-releases, it’s 4—a clear win for exhibitors.

Seeing the demand, theatres are now curating schedules based on audience requests, with Andaz Apna Apna (1994) next in line for a grand re-release.

Final words

If Bollywood doesn’t make more classic romantic dramas, Gen-Z will simply rediscover the old ones.

Affordable tickets, nostalgia, and FOMO (fear of missing out) are driving fans to theatres, proving that some stories never age. 

GLOBAL NAZARA

DeepSeek AI Gets the Boot in South Korea 🫨

South Korea has hit a pause on downloads of the popular DeepSeek AI chatbot, following privacy concerns. 

After becoming a sensation with over a million weekly users, the app was banned from Apple and Google stores.

Government agencies restricted their employees from using it, citing personal data risks. 

With concerns from countries like Italy, Taiwan, and even the US, DeepSeek’s rise won’t be as smooth as its AI responses.  

Stocks, Banks, and Oil Prices React to Ukraine News 🪖

European stocks have hit record highs, thanks to defence companies cashing in big.

The STOXX 600 index climbed 0.4%, while defence and aerospace stocks surged nearly 4%—more than doubling in value since Russia invaded Ukraine three years ago.  

Meanwhile, banks soared 1.2% to a 17-year high, and crude oil prices jumped on rumours of OPEC+ delaying supply increases. 

TOP STORIES

Khadim’s Demerger and Quick Commerce Hustle 👟

What Happened?

Khadim India Ltd is lacing up for a major change—by March 2025, it plans to split its distribution business into a new company, KSR Footwear Ltd. 

The newly carved-out entity, KSR Footwear Ltd, is set for listing by May. 

Khadim is also eyeing a quick commerce sprint, partnering with platforms like Zepto to sell utility products like school shoes and EVA slippers

Why It Matters?

The demerger is expected to polish up Khadim’s financials like a fresh pair of sneakers. 

• The retail segment, which brings in 66% of the company’s revenue through its 890 stores, is expected to breathe easier. 
  

• And the distribution business, which accounted for 31.2% of revenue in Q3 FY25, just added 50 new distributors—taking the total to 776. That’s a lot of people selling a lot of shoes.

How’s the numbers

With a 2.5% year-on-year revenue growth in Q3 FY25 (₹160.2 crore), Khadim is looking good to go.

We can expect the upcoming athleisure segment, quick commerce expansion, and cost-cutting spree to give it a fresh new look. 

But wait, there’s more!

They are also slashing prices, launching lower-MRP products, and shifting struggling franchisee stores to a commission-based model—kind of like switching from tight shoes to comfy slippers.

So far, 30 stores have benefitted, and more are on the way.

MIRCH MASALA

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