Namaste! Aaj ka news roundup, Newswala style!

MARKETS

Markets: Investors are in for a busy week with nine IPOs hitting the primary market and six listings lined up. Solarium Green Energy and Readymix Construction Machinery will close their public issues on February 13, while Eleganz Interiors wraps up on February 14—all three already fully subscribed.

TOP STORIES

Small Cities Are Turning Into Work Hubs 🏙️

What Happened?

Co-working spaces are no longer just a big-city trend. Small towns and tier-2 cities are joining the game, and the numbers prove it. 

• Andhra Pradesh is aiming to add 1,50,000 seats in co-working spaces by the end of 2025. 

• Private players are also cashing in—Awfis expanded its footprint in tier-2 cities by 43%, while the co-working industry is projected to reach $9 billion by 2028 from $3.5 billion in 2023. 

IPOs are also booming—Smartworks, DevX, and WeWork India are raising ₹12,000-₹15,000 crore in fresh capital.

Why It Matters

The hybrid work model isn’t going away, and companies now want flexible office setups.

In early 2024, 22% of total office leasing in India came from flex spaces—a sharp jump from previous years. 

This boom is changing not just office culture but also real estate, with co-working spaces offering private offices, shared desks, and event spaces to cater to a wide range of professionals.

Even investors are looking at co-working spaces as a real estate play, similar to hotels, where returns are stable, and demand is rising.

What’s in it for you?

Small towns are becoming co-working hotspots, and companies are cashing in.

The trend of “hotelisation” is making flex spaces even more attractive. 

Whether you’re a freelancer, a startup, or an MNC, chances are your next office won’t be in a glass tower but a sleek, high-tech, and community-driven co-working space.

PAISON KA KHEL

JSW Pours Big Bucks into Vidarbha

JSW Group is making it rain in Vidarbha with a whopping ₹1.5 lakh crore investment!

That’s half of what they promised Maharashtra at Davos, and the bulk of it—₹1 lakh crore—will go into building the world’s largest, eco-friendly steel plant in Gadchiroli over the next 7-8 years.

But wait, there’s more!

₹11,000 crore is going into a solar manufacturing plant, ₹25,000 crore for a 50 GWh cell unit, and both will create 10,000 jobs. 

BHEL Wins ₹8,000 Crore Power Deal! ⚡

BHEL bagged an ₹8,000 crore mega deal from Mahagenco, and it’s not for a weekend DIY project.

They’re gearing up to build a 2x660 MW boiler turbine generator (BTG) setup for the Koradi Thermal Power Station in Nagpur. 

The whole gig, from supply to set up, will take around 52-58 months.

TOP STORIES

PhonePe Calls It Quits on Account Aggregation

What Happened?

PhonePe, the UPI kingpin, has decided to shut down its account aggregator (AA) business and return its NBFC-AA license to the RBI. 

If you’re wondering, “Wait, what even is an AA?”—think of it as a digital middleman that securely collects your financial data (with your permission, of course) and shares it with banks or lenders to help you get loans, credit cards, and other financial goodies.

The Backstory

Launched in 2023, PhonePe’s AA platform managed to onboard a whopping 50 million users in two years.

But here’s the twist—it couldn’t bring in enough financial information providers (FIPs)—the banks and institutions that actually supply your financial data. 

So, instead of juggling too many things at once, PhonePe decided to bow out gracefully and partner with existing AA platforms instead.

Even corporate giants like Reliance and Aditya Birla quit the AA game in 2019-20, and just last year, Zomato also ditched its online payment aggregator license.  

What’s Next?

PhonePe might rule UPI payments, but even the biggest fish know when to swim to calmer waters.

So it’s now focusing on credit, insurance, and e-commerce—where the real money is. 

GLOBAL NAZARA

Airbus and Boeing have eyes fixed on Aero India ✈️

India’s aviation game is flying high, and big players like Airbus and Boeing want a piece of the action at Aero India 2025.

Air travel is booming, yet most Indians still prefer trains—probably because they don’t charge for extra luggage!

But with airports jumping from 74 in 2014 to 157 in 2024, that’s changing fast.

PM Modi wants even slipper-wearing travellers to take to the skies, and with India set to need 2,835 new planes by 2043, his wish might come true. 

The railways better start offering ‘in-flight entertainment’… or at least better chai! ☕️

Tesla’s European Sales Skid as Musk Hits a Political Pothole 🚧

Tesla’s European sales are in free fall, and Elon Musk’s political adventures might be to blame.

In Germany, sales crashed by 59% in January, with only 1,277 new Teslas hitting the roads—the lowest since July 2021.

France saw a 63% drop, while the UK reported a 12% decline.

Musk’s controversial political statements haven’t helped, and Tesla’s production slowed due to a Model Y redesign.

Meanwhile, rivals like Volkswagen and BMW are eating up Tesla’s market share. 

TOP STORIES

Cube Highways Just Bought Roads Worth $725M🚗

What Happened?

Cube Highways Trust has sealed a deal to acquire three road assets from NIIF’s Athaang Infrastructure for a hefty $725 million.

This move cements Cube Highways’ position as one of India’s leading private toll road operators. 

The deal was hotly contested, with Canada’s CPPIB and Macquarie also throwing their hats in the ring.

Why It Matters?

India’s road sector is proving to be a magnet for global investors.

The national highways, though covering just 2% of the country’s road network, handle a staggering 40% of freight traffic.

With the government allocating a record ₹11.21 trillion for capital expenditure in FY26—₹2.87 trillion of which is going to the road sector—investors clearly see long-term gains. 

Cube Highways, backed by investors like  Squared Capital and the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, is expanding aggressively, now managing highways stretching over 8,400 lane km in India. 

Zoom out

Roads may have potholes, but investor interest in India’s highways certainly doesn’t. With Cube Highways scooping up major toll roads, India’s infrastructure investment scene is heating up.  

The deal also signals growing private participation in infrastructure investment trusts (InvITs), making the sector more liquid and accessible to investors.

MIRCH MASALA

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