India Financial News
26.02 / 01:11
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Stocks to buy: Raja Venkatraman recommends two stocks for 26 February
A volatile start to the new series has dampened investor sentiment. The indices are struggling to maintain peaks, but steady performance in individual stocks suggests that market participation is shifting away from the benchmarks and toward specific stock-picking.Buy above ₹1770, stop ₹1705, target ₹1925 (multiday)Buy above ₹160, stop ₹153, target ₹174 (multiday)Buy above ₹1350, stop ₹1290, target ₹1480 (multiday)Why it’s recommended: Technical trends indicate that after a powerful rally driven by Q3 FY26 net profits jumping 37% to ₹813 crore, the stock entered a brief healthy consolidation.
26.02 / 01:11
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Barrier-free tolling runs into a Chinese security bump
Commuters looking to zoom past toll plazas on India's 1,46,560 km highway network will have to wait longer. Security concerns about surveillance cameras imported from countries like China have delayed the rollout of the barrier-free tolling system.The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) seeks to install the multi-lane free-flow (MLFF) system at around 1,150 toll plazas nationwide to allow vehicles to pass through at speeds of 100 km/h or more.
26.02 / 01:11
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Stock recommendations for 26 February from MarketSmith India
Stock market recap: Benchmark domestic indices, the Sensex and the Nifty 50, ended higher on Wednesday, 25 February, tracking positive global cues. However, losses in shares of select heavyweights, such as Reliance Industries Ltd and State Bank of India, capped gains.The Sensex finished at 82,276.07, up 50 points, or 0.06%, while the Nifty 50 closed 58 points, or 0.23%, higher at 25,482.50.The mid and small-cap segments, on the other hand, ended with decent gains.
26.02 / 01:11
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FSSAI to make daily records mandatory for food businesses, MSMEs to bear brunt of new norm
food safety monitoring and traceability by improving documentation of production and storage practices, according to the notification, reviewed by Mint.Such daily documentation will help ensure real-time visibility into food-handling practices across the supply chain, a government official said on condition of anonymity. Clearer documentation could also reduce disputes during inspections.The regulator has not specified the implementation date for the new norms and has invited comments until 5 April 2026.The proposal, notified under the WTO’s Technical Barriers to Trade framework, will apply to all licensees under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.Mint's emailed queries to the FSSAI chief executive Rajit Punhani remained unanswered.FSSAI data shows that it has issued licences to over 10 million food business operators (FBOs) with the number of currently active ones at around 4.63 million.An industry representative flagged compliance cost and regulatory friction that will accompany the new norms.“Daily reporting would add another burden on small businesses,” said Vinod Kumar, President, SME Forum that represents micro, small, and medium enterprises in India.
26.02 / 01:11
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Synergy between renewable energy and data centers core to NIIF's Master Fund II
Mint. “That cross-sector perspective informed the design of the BOM campus from the outset.”The BOM campus is NIIF's initial investment in the data centre segment, which was through a joint venture with data centre platform company Digital Edge and global asset development company AGP Sustainable Real Assets back in 2023.
26.02 / 00:23
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US slaps solar tariffs, Indian module makers unfazed
renewable energy. "So, our companies will have to challenge that in the appellate forum; but until then, this will continue, this 126% which has been imposed," he said.
26.02 / 00:23
markets
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IPO
Platform
security
band
Updates
A thaw in the renewable energy deal market? Investors eye CleanMax IPO for pricing cues
₹3,100 crore initial public offering (IPO) of CleanMax Enviro Energy Solutions Ltd to break the deadlock. Investor demand for the public market share sale of Clean Max is expected to help set a pricing benchmark for private market transactions in the sector, including platform sales, stake deals, and upcoming listings.While the first half of 2025 saw some strategic platform acquisitions, these were largely private, with deal structures and valuation rationales not made public, leaving buyers and sellers without a transparent reference point.“Over the last year, the bid-ask spread between project developers and buyers has widened due to global interest rate environments and capital expenditure requirements,” an investment banker who specializes in renewables deals told Mint, requesting anonymity.Several high-profile transactions in India's renewable energy sector have remained stuck in negotiations for a while now.
26.02 / 00:15
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Uber pumps ₹3,000 crore into India arm as Rapido challenge intensifies
The battle for market share in India’s ride hailing industry between American giant Uber and homegrown Rapido has intensified, even as the once-dominant position of the country’s first major ride-hailing service—Ola Cabs—steadily erodes.In a bid to bulk up its financial firepower, Uber has pumped nearly ₹3,000 crore into its India unit in recent months to take on the challenge from Bengaluru-based Rapido, which entered the current fiscal year with a stronger cash position and has rapidly gained market share.The Indian unit of US-based Uber Technologies Inc got ₹2,721 crore in January from Uber BV, the Dutch arm of Uber, following a ₹200-crore investment made in November, according to a Mint review of the financials filed with the ministry of corporate affairs (MCA).On the other hand, Rapido received ₹125 crore funding in FY26 from Nexus Ventures. Its last significant capital round was a $200-million series E raise in 2024 led by WestBridge Capital, which made it a unicorn (startup with a billion-dollar valuation).However, Rapido ended last fiscal (FY25) with ₹345 crore free cash in hand, while Uber had ₹292 crore, MCA data showed.Experts note that in the ride hailing business, higher cash in hand of companies can help in incentivising drivers and customers, which in turn will help in defending market share.The buildup of cash reserves by the two rivals signals that the ride-hailing war between Rapido and Uber is entering a new phase, a fact underscored by Uber’s chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi last year.
25.02 / 15:47
markets
Aviat
Airlines
Sustainability
Metro
country
travelers
UDAN scheme hits 9-year low in new airport addition; only 4 operationalized this fiscal year
New Delhi: With just a month left in the financial year, India has operationalized only four airports under its regional air connectivity scheme UDAN—the lowest number added in a single fiscal year since the programme began nine years ago.However, the civil aviation ministry denied that there was any loss in momentum in adding UDAN airports.UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) was central to the government’s push to expand aviation beyond the large cities and make air travel accessible and affordable for everyone in the country. However, data submitted by the ministry of civil aviation in Parliament show that airport additions under UDAN have declined steadily after peaking early.Airports operationalized this year were those at Amravati in Maharashtra, Purnea in Bihar and Datia and Satna in Madhya Pradesh.
25.02 / 13:45
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Lodha secures development rights for prime Malabar Hill property
₹106.12 crore.According to the deal-related documents accessed via Propstack, a real estate data analytics firm, the agreement to sell (development rights) has been signed by the developer and the seller, Sorabji Kanga Charity Trust, through its trustees.As part of the deal, Lodha will be entitled to develop 5,017 square metres of carpet area (saleable area), along with 150 car parking spaces and a 42.5% share in the trust overseeing the project.The market value of the land is approximately ₹621.71 crore, according to the deal document, and Lodha has paid ₹37.42 crore in stamp duty for the transaction that was executed on 7 January.“Lodha will likely develop a high-end residential project there,” said a person on the condition of anonymity.The total land area of the property is 17,403.20 square metres (roughly 4.3 acres), and it has a chawl, Palacimo Co-operative Housing Society, and six bungalows. Lodha will redevelop the land, except for the housing society, as per the agreement.
25.02 / 13:09
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exclusive
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International
Pharmaceuticals
Emirates SkyCargo adds freighter flights ahead of Mumbai airport freighter closure
Mint at the Air Cargo India 2026 being held in Mumbai.“So, we will have a total of five freighters weekly into India once we add the new freighter frequencies,” he said. When asked about shifting operations as Mumbai airport will close its freighters operations, Abbas said, “Yes, we will adapt as needed”, and will consider moving to the new airport in the state, Navi Mumbai.Currently, Emirates carries around 600 tonnes of pharmaceuticals and 500 tonnes of perishables from India each week, out of a total weekly uplift of 3,000 tonnes.Mint earlier reported that five foreign freighters, including FedEx and a DHL-Lufthansa joint venture, are expected to start operations at Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) from May.
25.02 / 13:09
markets
COST
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Manufacturing
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International
Pharmaceuticals
Penicillin shot: Will Aurobindo Pharma’s audacious bet rejuvenate antibiotic production in India?
backed by the production linked incentive (PLI) scheme—where the Indian government provides financial incentives based on incremental sales—and a minimum import price, Aurobindo is reversing that arc.In an exclusive interview with Mint, Madan Mohan Reddy, a whole-time director of Aurobindo Pharma, said the decision was far from impulsive. “It wasn’t a tough call to make,” he said.
25.02 / 11:43
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Mint Explainer: Are India’s IT giants actually ready for AI?
On Tuesday, information technology industry body Nasscom projected a flat pace of growth for India’s tech services sector in the coming fiscal years. The previous day, brokerage firm Jefferies reduced its target prices of India’s Big Four IT firms.
25.02 / 08:11
markets
COST
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security
Trade
reports
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Can the strong order inflow lift ABB’s earnings?
ABB India Ltd’s shares have risen over 7% in the past four trading sessions, led by better order inflow prospects and early signs of demand improvement.In the December quarter (Q4CY25) earnings call, the management said that demand is rebuilding after a slack in early 2025, supported by traction in emerging industries such as data centres and electronics, favourable macro environment led by the government’s capital expenditure, and a gradual pick up in private-sector investments. This bodes well for 2026.
25.02 / 08:11
markets
FIVE
Strategy
Food
Research
2020
International
Mint Explainer | Inside the Centre’s plan to double food processing capacity
₹1.53 trillion annually.The push was outlined during a meeting chaired by the secretary of the ministry of food processing industries (MoFPI), according to a government statement on Tuesday, and reflects a broader attempt to modernize the farm economy by shifting value creation away from raw produce toward processed and packaged foods. Policymakers say the approach could stabilize farmer incomes, reduce wastage and strengthen exports through investments in infrastructure, technology adoption, and value addition.As India seeks to modernize its agriculture, expanding processing capacity has emerged as a key policy focus.
25.02 / 08:11
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India's AI and rare earths push to attract global funds, signalling new investment era for nation: ADB's Chatterton
NEW DELHI: Global investors have a positive outlook on India because of a stable, enabling environment and a pro-business approach in emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence data centres and processing of rare earths and critical minerals, the Asian Development Bank said.The multilateral bank’s private sector investment operations in India, a key part of its global investment portfolio, will continue to go up in sectors including renewable energy and financing of micro, small and medium enterprises, Isabel Chatterton, ADB’s director general of private sector operations department, said in an interview. Microfinance, agriculture, skilling and affordable housing too are areas that ADB finances.A fifth of ADB’s global investments is in India.
25.02 / 04:13
FIVE
Manufacturing
Mobile
economy
Election
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From capex cuts to liquidity crunch: The worrying signals from the economy
Slow capital expenditure by the government in Q3 amid elusive private capex, a high credit-deposit ratio, the rupee continuing to underperform among EM peers even as foreign portfolio investors have turned net buyers in equities, and manufacturing activity cooling, here are five signals from the economy this month.After maintaining a high level of capital expenditure in the first half of the current financial year, benefitting from a low base, the Centre fell short in the third quarter of the financial year.This, economists said, proved to be a drag on the Indian economy, which is expected to see a slower growth of 7.4% in Q3 compared to 8.2% in the previous quarter. The Centre’s capex declined 23.4% year-on-year in Q3 compared to a growth of 30.7% in the previous quarter.To be sure, the decline has come against the backdrop of high capex during the same quarter last year, following a delayed spending due to Lok Sabha elections.
25.02 / 02:13
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Target
FIVE
awards
rights
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National Monetization Pipeline 2.0: The latest plan’s size is impressive but its success isn’t guaranteed
The monetization of state-owned assets is a good idea in principle. It could trigger fresh capital formation that accelerates economic growth if implemented right.
25.02 / 01:59
markets
Provident
Fighting
country
Updates
Mint Quick Edit | India's counter-terror policy document is welcome but misses an important detail
Given India’s extended fight against terrorism, why a policy document on countering it took so long is hard to fathom. With Prahaar, though—an acronym that lays out India’s approach on the menace—we now have a clearly laid out policy.
25.02 / 01:59
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classical
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International
LIC holds these three penny stocks. Should you?
When discussing Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) and penny stocks, it’s a classic case of ‘big money’ playing a very different game than the average retail investor.While LIC is famous for its blue-chip holdings, it actually maintains a long tail of low-priced stocks. However, low-priced stocks are sometimes not active buys but holdings that have eroded over years.Here are three penny stocks that LIC holds.
25.02 / 01:59
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Stock recommendations for 25 February from MarketSmith India
Stock market recap: The Indian equity benchmarks faced significant selling pressure on Tuesday, with Nifty 50 plunging 288.35 points (1.12%) to settle at 25,424.65, and BSE Sensex plummeting 1,068.74 points (1.28%) to 82,225.92.The session saw a "tech bloodbath" as Nifty IT crashed 4.74% to a 30-month low. This rout was triggered by deepening AI disruption fears following Anthropic’s launch of tools capable of automating legacy COBOL systems—a core service area for Indian IT majors.
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