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Dear reader, as 2025, a year of global tumult and volatility, rolls by, Mint's reporters and columnists look around the corner on what is coming in 2026—to help you know what to expect and prepare for it. Tell us what you think at [email protected] Nifty 50 and S&P BSE Sensex are among the worst performers globally, even as markets elsewhere surge: South Korea’s Kospi leads with 67.5% gains in 2025 so far, followed by Brazil at 31.6% and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng at 28%.Indian equities trailing global peers this year has prompted investors to ask whether this is a passing phase or a deeper trend.

Write to Joyu Wang at [email protected] updated with the latest Trending, India , World and US news.

Stock market recap: The Indian stock market ended lower on Friday, 26 December, as investors stayed in selling mode amid a lack of fresh triggers and mixed global cues. The Sensex fell 367 points, or 0.43%, to 85,041.45, while the Nifty 50 dropped 100 points, or 0.38%, to 26,042.30.

Why it’s recommended: NALCO is exhibiting strong bullish momentum supported by high trend strength. The stock is trading firmly above short-term support zones and is part of the broader metals sector rally.

Dear reader, as 2025, a year of global tumult and volatility, rolls by, Mint's reporters and columnists look around the corner on what is coming in 2026—to help you know what to expect and prepare for it. Tell us what you think at [email protected] a year that saw initial public offerings (IPOs) eclipse other investment banking activity, cross-border merger and acquisition (M&A) transactions gained traction and are expected to continue through next year, industry executives said.

the bill is probably necessary. Opening up the sector to greater foreign participation could bring capital, expertise, and competitive pressure.Reducing bureaucratic hurdles for share transfers and expanding the definition of intermediaries are sensible updates.

While the hikes appear modest when measured per kilometre, their impact is concentrated on sleeper and second-class passengers, who account for over 70% of railway travel in India and are typically from lower-income groups.Under the latest fare structure, fares on mail and express trains have risen by 2 paise per kilometre for both AC and non-AC classes. Second-class passengers on ordinary trains travelling more than 215 kilometre (km) will now pay an additional 1 paisa per km.The latest fare rationalisation is expected to generate additional revenue of around ₹600 crore for the Indian Railways in this fiscal year.The July revision had also raised mail/express fares by 2 paise per km for AC classes and 1 paisa per km for non-AC classes, while second-class ordinary passengers were charged 0.5 paise per km after the first 500 km.The cumulative impact of both revisions becomes more pronounced on longer routes.

Write to Joanna Stern at [email protected], Nicole Nguyen at [email protected] and Christopher Mims at [email protected] updated with the latest Trending, India , World and US news.

US-India trade deal have emerged as a key disappointment for investors, he added.Sectoral trends were mixed, with selective profit-taking visible across most segments. Metals emerged as the week’s standout performer, gaining 2.3%, aided by recent gains in copper and zinc, Vijayakumar said.

Write to Neal Templin at [email protected] updated with the latest Trending, India , World and US news.

cement demand.Dalmia Bharat’s total installed cement capacity stood at 49.45 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) at the end of Q2FY26, and it is targeting 75 mtpa by FY28. However, PL Capital, in a report dated 19 December, noted that the company remains largely a price play in the near term, given that about 60% of its capacity is in the eastern region, including the North-East, and 34% in the southern markets.“We believe Dalmia Bharat, in the near-term, remains a price play on the eastern and southern regions as intense competition from leaders continues to limit market share expansion,” the brokerage said.

Following years of aggressive hoarding, Indian corporations are starting to dip into their cash reserves to fund dividend payouts and acquisitions, but not capital expenditure (capex).According to a Mint analysis of data from the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), the pace of cash accumulation hit an eight-year low by September 2025.The analysis of CMIE data for a common sample of nearly 2,000 listed firms, excluding banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI) companies, showed that cash and bank balances rose just 1% year-on-year to about ₹5.4 trillion by September. The pace is a far cry from the pandemic period, when heightened uncertainty pushed median cash balances up by nearly 15% annually between September 2020 and September 2024.Companies are now sitting on a cash pile equivalent to nearly 5% of their total assets, up from 3.5% in September 2017 and 4% in September 2020, the analysis showed.

Dear reader, as 2025, a year of global tumult and volatility, rolls by, Mint's reporters and columnists look around the corner on what is coming in 2026—to help you know what to expect and prepare for it. Tell us what you think at [email protected]: India’s pet care market is suddenly swelling with contenders, as consumer giants chase a new generation of indulgent pet parents and their ‘fur babies’.

Best stocks to buy today (All Buy trades are rates of Equity & Sell rates are based on F&O)Gravita India Ltd: Buy above ₹1870, stop ₹1800 target ₹2030 (Multiday)Laurus Labs Ltd: Buy above ₹1088, stop ₹1072 target ₹1115 (Intraday)PNB Housing Finance Ltd: Buy above ₹970, stop ₹950 target ₹1030 (Intraday)On 24 December, the Sensex and the Nifty ended lower ahead of the Christmas holiday, weighed down by FII selling and profit-booking across key sectors. The benchmark indices slipped from their intraday highs, with the Sensex closing at 85,408.70, down 116.14 points (0.14%), while the Nifty settled at 26,142.10, losing 37.45 points (0.14%).

Mint.The deal size is expected to be $50-60 million ( ₹449-538 crore) and would likely provide a full exit to the promoters, one of the people said, adding that the transaction is likely to close in the coming weeks.The acquisition is part of Pulsar’s broader strategy to build a food platform through the consolidation of multiple assets, the second person said.Both spoke on the condition of anonymity.The mid-market private equity firm has a strong footprint across India, West Asia and other emerging markets. Led by former TPG executive Vish Narain, Pulsar has backed several consumer-facing companies, including Biryani by Kilo and Blue Tokai, and earlier this year partnered with PJP Investments to bring Papa John’s Pizza to India.Pulsar and Nandhana did not immediately respond to Mint’s requests for comment.Founded in 2004 by Ravichandar Ramaswamy, Nandhana Palace is among the more prominent Andhra-style restaurant chains, with multiple outlets across Bengaluru and Chennai.

processing, packaging, food-safety systems, branding and value-addition across all categories.Organized processors and brands are increasingly investing in modern facilities that meet food safety, traceability and quality standards, in line with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) regulations.“Nowadays consumers are far more conscious about quality, hygiene, origin and nutritional information. This is pushing the demand and companies to adopt better processing practices and introduce new products,” said Yash Gawdi, founder & CEO, Candor Foods Pvt Ltd.According to doctors, the rising consumption of dry fruits and nuts reflects a broader shift.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Dear reader, as 2025, a year of global tumult and volatility, rolls by, Mint's reporters and columnists look around the corner on what is coming in 2026—to help you know what to expect and prepare for it. Tell us what you think at [email protected].

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Stock market recap: Domestic frontline indices, the Sensex and the Nifty 50, ended flat on Tuesday, 23 December, on profit booking at higher levels, even as mid and small-cap segments ended with modest gains amid mixed global cues. The Sensex ended with a minor loss of 43 points, or 0.05%, at 85,524.84, while the Nifty 50 closed 5 points, or 0.02%, up at 26,177.15.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Indian stock markets: Domestic frontline indices, Sensex and Nifty 50, ended flat on Tuesday, 23 December, on profit booking at higher levels, even as mid and small-cap segments ended with modest gains amid mixed global cues. The Sensex ended with a minor loss of 43 points, or 0.05%, at 85,524.84, while the Nifty 50 closed 5 points, or 0.02%, up at 26,177.15.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Stock market recap: Frontline indices, Sensex and the Nifty 50, ended flat on Tuesday, 23 December, on profit booking at higher levels, even as mid and small-cap segments ended with modest gains amid mixed global cues. The Sensex ended with a minor loss of 43 points, or 0.05%, at 85,524.84, while the Nifty 50 closed 5 points, or 0.02%, up at 26,177.15.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. NEW DELHI : As scrutiny over train accidents mounts, the Centre is considering its biggest-ever outlay on rail safety, with allocations likely to cross ₹1.3 trillion in FY27, according to two people aware of the development. The proposed outlay, around 12% higher than the current year’s budget, would be directed towards maintaining rolling stock and critical infrastructure, including track renewals, and the rollout of India’s indigenous automatic train protection system—Kavach, one of the people said, requesting anonymity.