Category: News

India’s real estate story in 2024 was anything but straightforward. After riding a high-growth wave post-pandemic, the housing market hit its first bump in years. A combination of soaring property prices and stubbornly high borrowing costs dimmed buyers’ enthusiasm, resulting in a marginal 4% dip in residential sales. Luxury housing thrived as the ultra-rich snapped up swanky penthouses and villas at launch, but affordable housing struggled. Meanwhile, the office space segment soared, recording its highest-ever leasing activity. While the housing segment hit a speed bump, commercial real estate had a stellar year. Office space leasing jumped 14%, hitting a record 85 million square feet. Even the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) joined the party, introducing regulations for Small and Medium Real Estate Investment Trusts, opening new doors for investment in rent-yielding properties. The surge in e-commerce and manufacturing kept the demand for industrial and logistics spaces buzzing, while premium shopping malls thrived, thanks to entertainment and F&B outlets. If 2024 was a year of recalibration, 2025 could be one of revival—provided policy tweaks and rate cuts align with market needs.

Vakrangee has been a distribution powerhouse since 1990, bridging the gap in rural and semi-urban areas with services ranging from banking to e-commerce to logistics. The company announced a strategic tie-up with Shriram Life Insurance to distribute life insurance products through its Vakrangee Kendra network, which spans underserved and unserved areas across the country. Investors clearly like the sound of this collaboration. With Vakrangee already positioned as a last-mile distribution giant, this insurance partnership could add significant value to its ecosystem. The stock surged over 5% in intraday trades on Monday, riding high on news of a fresh partnership with Shriram Life Insurance. It opened slightly up at ₹33.44, compared to its previous close of ₹33.17, and quickly shot to ₹34.98.

The merger news had investors buzzing, but the reactions couldn’t have been more different. Cigniti Technologies took a sharp nosedive, tumbling nearly 8% in early trades, while Coforge saw a modest lift, inching up by 0.7%. Clearly, the market has its favorites when it comes to shake-ups. The driving force? Saturday’s big announcement: Coforge and Cigniti are officially merging, with a share swap ratio of one Coforge share for every five shares of Cigniti. Coforge already owns a 54% stake in Cigniti, snapped up earlier this year at ₹1,415 per share. But now, they’re going all in, aiming to create a powerhouse across retail, tech, and healthcare verticals. The merger also positions Coforge to tighten its grip on key U.S. markets, including the South-West, Mid-West, and Western regions. Despite today’s divergent price movements, the bigger picture is clear: this merger could redefine the landscape for both players.

Presstonic Engineering Ltd (PESS) just caught the market’s attention, with its shares rising by nearly 2% after landing a meaty order worth Rs 14.51 crore from BEML Ltd. The company’s market cap now sits at Rs 88.02 crore, with its stock trading at Rs 114.20—up from Rs 112 in the last session. The order involves supplying Cable Duct Assy for the BMRCL-5RSDM Project, a deal that’s clearly giving the stock a solid push. On the surface, things look upbeat, but there’s more to the story. The company’s financials are showing both promise and caution. Revenue jumped a hefty 43% from Rs 14.25 crore in H1FY24 to Rs 20.5 crore in H1FY25, a sign of growth. Yet, despite this revenue uptick, the net profit took a strange turn, skyrocketing by 416% from a Rs 1.40 crore loss last year to a Rs 4.43 crore profit this time around. On the client front, they’ve managed to reel in some pretty significant names: UP Metro, Pune Metro, Mumbai Metro, and even Nestle and Prestige. These partnerships speak volumes about the company’s credibility in the rail and infrastructure space. With a diverse portfolio of products—from metro rail interiors and signaling systems to solar panel supports—Presstonic is carving out a solid niche.

Sanathan Textiles kicked off its stock market journey with an impressive 31% premium on Friday, December 27. The stock opened at ₹419.10 on the BSE, marking a 30.6% increase over its issue price of ₹321. On the NSE, it debuted even higher at ₹422.30, reflecting a premium of 31.6%. The listing surpassed grey market predictions, where the grey market premium (GMP) earlier in the day was ₹88. Based on an issue price of ₹321, the anticipated listing price was pegged at ₹409—a 27% premium. The actual opening price outperformed expectations, reinforcing strong market sentiment. Sanathan Textiles’ IPO, which ran from December 19 to December 23, aimed to raise ₹550 crore and saw an overwhelming subscription of approximately 37 times. Priced between ₹305 and ₹321 per share, the IPO garnered significant investor interest despite a broader market downtrend and multiple IPOs competing for attention. The company plans to utilize the funds for various strategic purposes, including partial repayment of borrowings, investments in its subsidiary Sanathan Polycot Pvt Ltd, and general corporate expenses.

Star Cement’s stock lit up on Friday morning, climbing nearly 8% following news that UltraTech Cement’s board had approved acquiring a minority stake in the company. The stock opened at ₹237.80 on the BSE, up from its previous close of ₹229.75, and reached an intraday high of ₹247.75, inching closer to its 52-week high of ₹248.35. On December 24, UltraTech completed its purchase of 10.13 crore equity shares (32.72% of India Cements’ equity) after receiving approval from the Competition Commission of India. Combined with its pre-existing stake of 22.77%, UltraTech now holds a majority 55.49% in India Cements, effectively making it a subsidiary. The India Cements acquisition strengthens UltraTech’s footprint in South India, aligning with its long-term growth strategy. While its stake in Star Cement is non-controlling, the move is seen as a step toward leveraging Star Cement’s stronghold in Eastern India.

Concord Enviro Systems made a stellar entry into the stock market on December 27, listing at ₹832 on the BSE—a robust 18.69% above its issue price of ₹701. The NSE wasn’t far behind, with shares opening at ₹826, marking a 17.83% premium. With a share price ranging from ₹665 to ₹701, the IPO sought to generate ₹500 crore at its highest price point. This consisted of fresh shares worth ₹175 crore and an offer for sale (OFS) totaling ₹325.33 crore. Promoters such as Namrata Goel, Nidhi Goel, and others, along with the investor AF Holdings, sold their shares through the OFS. The company plans to channel the fresh funds into strategic initiatives, including investments in subsidiaries like Concord Enviro FZE and Rochem Separation Systems. Capital will also fund greenfield and brownfield projects, manufacturing expansion, and working capital needs. Other uses include purchasing machinery, prepaying borrowings, pursuing joint ventures (like Reserve Enviro Private Limited), and advancing technology to unlock new markets.

U.S. equity funds are basking in some much-needed holiday cheer, pulling in $20.56 billion in the week leading to Dec. 25. This rebound follows last week’s massive $49.7 billion sell-off, thanks to a cocktail of investor optimism: cooling inflation, a stopgap funding bill that dodged a government shutdown. However, small-cap, mid-cap, and multi-cap funds experienced a total outflow of almost $5 billion, with investors gravitating toward the perceived safety and stability offered by large-cap stocks. U.S. bond funds recorded their second straight week of outflows, totaling $5.42 billion. Meanwhile, the real surprise came from U.S. money market funds, which snapped up a hefty $41.72 billion in net inflows. As the year wraps up, all eyes are on how long this seasonal glow will last. Will the Federal Reserve deliver the rate cuts investors are betting on, or is this rally just a brief holiday reprieve?

Creative Graphics Solutions India just shook things up. Shares of the micro-cap company jumped as much as 7% in Friday’s session, settling at ₹201.55, a 2.4% increase from the previous close. With a market cap of ₹490 crore and a respectable 15% return over the past year, this niche manufacturer is now eyeing a slice of the PVDC pie. Its wholly-owned subsidiary, Wahren India Private Limited, is stepping into the PVDC (Polyvinylidene Chloride) segment after acquiring some serious machinery. For ₹2.6 crore, Wahren scooped up a PVDC coating machine and a Moccon MVTR/OTR testing setup from Radha Madhav Corporation. Creative Graphics Solutions specializes in Digital and Conventional Flexo Plates, Letter Press Plates, Metal Back Plates, and more. These are the unsung heroes behind printing on labels, paper bags, cartons, and everything in between. Financially, Creative Graphics has been on a roll. Revenue skyrocketed 136%, climbing from ₹48 crore in H1FY24 to ₹113 crore in H1FY25, with profits growing from ₹7 crore to ₹9 crore. While modest, its return on equity (ROE) at 13.46% and return on capital employed (ROCE) at 13.35% are solid for its scale. The debt-to-equity ratio sits at a manageable 0.76, signaling that it’s playing it smart with its leverage.

Adani Enterprises Limited (AEL) added a spark to Friday’s trading session, with shares climbing 1.66% to hit ₹2,446.15, following the acquisition of a 26% stake in Gidhmuri Paturia Collieries Private Limited (GPCPL). This move adds yet another feather to the cap of the Adani flagship company, already a heavyweight in infrastructure, energy, and logistics, with a market cap of ₹2.77 lakh crore. AEL bought 2,600 equity shares, valued at ₹10 each, from Sainik Mining and Allied Services Limited, making GPCPL a fully-owned subsidiary. This acquisition positions AEL to further cement its foothold in coal and mineral mining, aligning with its broader strategy of driving growth across diverse industries. Financially, Adani Enterprises isn’t just holding steady—it’s accelerating. Q2 FY24-25 saw revenues tick up slightly to ₹23,196 crore, but the real highlight was the net profit, skyrocketing from ₹227.82 crore to ₹1,741.75 crore. With a return on equity (RoE) of 13.31% and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.92, AEL remains a juggernaut in India’s corporate landscape, even amid global scrutiny of its debt levels.