Namaste! Aaj ka news roundup, Newswala style!

MARKETS

Markets: Indian stock markets closed slightly higher yesterday despite initial volatility after India launched “Operation Sindoor” with strikes on terror camps in Pakistan; the Sensex ended up 106 points at 80,747 and the Nifty rose 35 points to 24,414.

TOP STORIES

India-UK Seal the Deal 🤝

What Happened

India and the UK finally shook hands on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on May 6. Big headlines? India slashed its steep 150% tariff on imported whisky to 75%, with plans to gently bring it down to 40% over 10 years. 

Also in the trunk—automotive import duties, once more than 100%, will now cruise in at 10%, but only under special conditions.  

Why It Matters

India is the world’s biggest whisky market, and the UK’s Scotch makers are grinning from ear to ear. Cheaper whisky = higher sales = more cheers. But for Indian liquor companies? A bit of a hangover awaits, as competition pours in. 

Beyond booze, UK exporters of cars, lamb, chocolate, and even medical devices will find Indian doors a bit more open. The current $60 billion trade between the two is expected to double by 2030.  

Zoom Out

This is the UK’s biggest trade deal post-Brexit  and India’s boldest one yet. After three years of diplomatic dance-offs, the fifth and sixth largest economies agreed to something other than disagreeing. 

With trade predicted to jump by $34 billion by 2040, and India poised to become the world’s third-largest economy in just three years, this deal could be the shot both economies needed.

TOP STORIES

Sapphire’s Q4 Recipe Needs More Spice

What Happened

Sapphire Foods, the operator behind your midnight cravings—KFC and Pizza Hut has served its Q4FY25 results with a twist: profits stayed mostly flat at ₹2.02 crore. But revenue? That sizzled up 12.6% to ₹711.34 crore.

The company added 6 more KFC restaurants in the quarter, bringing the total store count to a 963. However, EBITDA slid by 5.2% to ₹106 crore, with margins taking a mild hit due to lower average daily sales and a bigger chunk going to delivery.

Why It Matters

Flat profit in a growing QSR (Quick Service Restaurant) industry is like a cold pizza slice—not terrible, but not hot either. Sapphire’s revenue growth is strong, but margins are under pressure. 

• Their own delivery platform outperformed third-party apps, which is a smart long-term play. 

• KFC’s restaurant margin stood at 15.7% this quarter, while Sri Lanka operations showed a tasty 24% revenue growth (in INR). 

• Yet, Pizza Hut struggled a bit with just 5% growth and shrinking margins. 

Zoom Out

While profits stayed flat, the company is clearly doubling down on scale with nearly 1,000 restaurants and a growing focus on delivery. If they can fix the margin mix and make Pizza Hut spicier, Sapphire might just cook up stronger profits next time.  

For a company that added over 500 KFCs in 3 years, investors were probably expecting more crunch in the numbers.

TOP STORIES

Dabur Dumps Tea, Diapers & Sanitizers  

What Happened

Dabur India, the maker of your grandma’s favourite Chyawanprash, has decided to declutter its product shelf. The company will exit non-performing categories like tea, adult and baby diapers, and sanitisers. 

Why? Because they’re not bringing in the bucks—these segments account for less than 1% of Dabur’s revenue and are eating into its margins. 

Why It Matters

Dabur CEO Mohit Malhotra confirmed the plan during the March quarter earnings call, where the FMCG major also reported a decline of 8.4% in net profit year-on-year to ₹320.13 crore, even though revenues inched up by 0.5% to ₹2,830 crore.

In short: Dabur wants to go big on premiumization( selling better stuff at higher prices). It already holds strong ground in honey, Amla, and healthcare products, and now plans to focus on high-end versions of its existing products.  

Conclusion

Dabur’s spring cleaning isn’t just about ditching old products but a signal of intent. The company is shifting gears from being a market share magnet to a value-driven player. If this bet pays off, Dabur won’t just heal colds, it might also warm investors’ hearts.

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PAISON KA KHEL

Musk's Internet Stars Finally Align in India ⭐

Elon Musk's Starlink just got the thumbs-up to bring internet from space to India! After waiting since 2022, the Department of Telecommunications finally said "yes" to their application.

Starlink joins the space internet party with Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio-SES already in orbit. Funny enough, the approval comes just one day after India tightened satellite security requirements.

Japan Pens Second Love Letter to India 💌

MUFG, Japan's banking behemoth, is flirting with HDFC Bank again. This time with a ₹12,000 crore bouquet for its non-banking arm. The Japanese bank wants a 17-19% slice of HDB Financial Services, with the courtship reaching "it's complicated" status after their trial fizzled over money matters. 

HDB's market value has slimmed down to $8-8.5 billion from a previous $10-12 billion figure. This second attempt suggests MUFG believes in that old adage: if at first you don't succeed, try again with a slightly smaller chequebook.

DID YOU KNOW

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GLOBAL NAZARA

Falling Oil Prices Are Filling India's Coffers 🛢️

India's wallet is getting a break as global oil prices tumble to a four-year low of $60.23 per barrel! The world's third-largest oil guzzler (India) could save a whopping ₹1.8 lakh crore on crude imports and another ₹6,000 crore on LNG in FY2026, according to ICRA.

With 85% of its crude needs imported, India shelled out $242.4 billion on oil and $15.2 billion on LNG in FY2025. Now, prices are expected to stay in the $60-70 range, down $20 from March 2024.

Welspun's Pipeline to Prosperity 🪈

Welspun Corp just landed a whopping ₹1,950 crore deal to ship fancy pipes and bends overseas. This massive contract pumps their global order book up to an eye-popping ₹19,300 crore. 

The company will be churning out those special coated LSAW pipes (basically super-pipes that don't leak) over the next two years. Welspun is already a big name in the pipe business, ranking among the world’s top three. Its pipes are flowing through over 50 countries across six continents.

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