Namaste! Aaj ka news roundup, Newswala style!

MARKETS

Markets: Today, the benchmark indices saw positive momentum, with the Nifty up by 80 points and the Sensex gaining 230 points. The energy sector outperformed, rising over 1.5%, while selective pharma and realty stocks faced profit booking, and the Nifty bounced back.

TOP STORIES

FMCG’s fast lane to bigger profits

What Happened

Big FMCG players like Colgate-Palmolive, Dabur, and Adani Wilmar have found their new best friend: quick commerce. These companies are ditching old-school distributors and shipping products directly to platforms like Swiggy Instamart and Blinkit. 

Adani Wilmar, for instance, sends truckloads of edible oil every three days—no middlemen, no drama. Dabur, too, is jumping on the bandwagon, experimenting with a direct link between its warehouses and quick commerce hubs, which stock just three days' worth of inventory.

Why It Matters

Quick commerce isn’t just fast; it’s making cash registers ring louder. Shorter credit periods of one to two weeks (compared to the 30-day waiting game with distributors) mean companies get paid quicker. 

Plus, premium products and larger packs sell like hotcakes on these platforms, boosting margins by 1-2%. Adani Wilmar now owns 50% of the edible oil market on quick commerce platforms, thanks to lower costs and higher volumes. And let’s be honest, skipping distributors also means skipping the “we’re out of stock” excuses.

Conclusion

Quick commerce is proving to be the golden goose for FMCG brands. By cutting out middlemen, selling bigger packs, and keeping credit periods shorter, companies are reaping the rewards. 

As the trend grows (and it’s growing eight times faster than other channels), one thing is clear: if FMCG brands were in a race, quick commerce would be the turbo boost they needed. For now, the mantra is simple: less waiting, more winning (and maybe fewer phone calls from grumpy distributors).

PAISON KA KHEL

India plans a ₹9 lakh crore power boost

India is gearing up for a major power upgrade, with a ₹9.12 lakh crore investment in its transmission infrastructure by 2032. This means adding nearly 2 lakh km of transmission lines, boosting capacity to 168 GW, and including high-tech upgrades like HVDC links.

The plan also covers energy sources like coal, nuclear, hydro, and renewables to ensure a steady power supply.

Waaree Renewable lands ₹1,233.5-crore solar project

Waaree Renewable Technologies has hit the jackpot with a ₹1,233.5-crore deal to build a 2012.47 MWp DC ground-mounted solar project. This includes all the heavy lifting—engineering, procurement, and construction—with the timeline to be worked out soon.

The company’s shares also got a little sunshine, rising ₹7.25 to ₹1,423.30 on the BSE, a 0.51% jump.

TOP STORIES

ShareChat: Algorithms, Losses, and IPO Dreams

What happened?

ShareChat, the social media unicorn that brought you endless scrolling and Moj’s short videos, is betting big on smarter algorithms (because who wants boring recommendations?). With $65 million raised, mostly from Temasek and Tiger Global, the company is on a mission to keep you hooked. 

The platform’s user retention rate improved by 25% in FY24, and its revenue grew 23% to ₹718 crore. Although losses narrowed to ₹1,897 crore in FY24 from ₹5,143 crore in FY23, challenges remain in scaling.

Behind the scenes

Algorithms might sound like something only tech nerds care about, but for ShareChat, they’re the digital version of a clingy friend—you can’t leave because they just know exactly what you like. These algorithms are ShareChat’s secret weapon to keep users from running off to rivals like Josh or Chingari.

Speaking of money, ShareChat’s valuation has taken a nosedive—down 70% to $1.5 billion since 2022. But hey, if algorithms can predict your next favorite meme, maybe they can fix the books too.

Future Plans

Despite layoffs, cost cuts, and shutting down projects like Jeet11, ShareChat is on a steady profitability track. With Moj aiming for full profitability by FY25 and ShareChat already hitting that milestone in October, the company’s gearing up for an IPO. They’re eyeing a window of 18-24 months, but only after it pulls off two profitable quarters.

GLOBAL NAZARA

Sanofi’s $595 million vaccine factory

Sanofi just opened a $595 million vaccine factory in Singapore, and it’s no ordinary plant. Called “Modulus,” this high-tech facility can switch between making different vaccines in just a few days—way faster than usual factories.

It’s like a superhero factory that can handle up to four vaccines at the same time! This is part of Sanofi’s global plan to spend nearly a billion dollars to stay ready for any future pandemics.

Silver soars, gold climbs amid market volatility

Silver surged by a whopping ₹5,200, its biggest single-day jump , reaching ₹95,800 per kg, while gold gained ₹650 to reach ₹78,800 per 10 grams in Delhi. This price hike was fueled by geopolitical tensions, strong local demand, and a weaker dollar.

Silver, which had fallen ₹2,700 in the previous days, regained its momentum, while gold also saw a boost, recovering from a recent drop.  

TOP STORIES

Pocket FM tunes into success

What happened

Pocket FM has turned up the volume, reporting a staggering ₹1,051 crore in revenue for FY24—a massive leap from just ₹176 crore in FY23. Subscriptions, powered by microtransactions, stole the show, contributing ₹935 crore, or 85% of total earnings. Meanwhile, ad revenues doubled to 15% and are expected to reach up to 30% soon. 

Losses? Well, they’re shrinking too—down to ₹165 crore from ₹208 crore last year. And guess what? The US is their biggest fan, bringing in 70% of the revenue.

The big picture

Pocket FM’s meteoric rise shows audio content isn’t just a trend—it’s a revolution. Its “blockbuster engine,” an AI-powered tool that predicts which shows will resonate, is helping it churn out hits, with over 40,000 AI-driven series generating ₹25 crore in 2024 alone. The company isn’t stopping at the US; it’s eyeing Europe, Latin America, and even Australia for its next chart-topping performance. Expense-wise, things are harmonizing nicely, with the expense-to-earnings ratio dropping to 1.16 from 2.18 last year.

Zoom out

Founded in 2018, Pocket FM has transformed from a scrappy startup into a powerhouse of stories. Armed with ₹196.5 crore in funding, it boasts a massive library of 75,000 audio series spanning every genre you can think of. From romance to thrillers, there’s something for everyone. 

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