Category: News

Laurus Labs shares took a steep 15% dive on January 27, breaking a two-day streak of gains. Investors seemed eager to pocket profits after the stock’s nearly 6% climb earlier in the week, fueled by better-than-expected Q3 results. But it wasn’t just profit-booking at play – reports of the U.S. halting foreign aid added serious weight to the sell-off. The potential suspension of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) has rattled nerves. This program, a lifeline for millions relying on antiretroviral medications (ARVs), is under threat as U.S. foreign aid policies face a freeze. With over 20 million people in 55 countries benefiting from ARVs via PEPFAR, any funding disruption could have a ripple effect, including on pharma companies like Laurus. On the brighter side, Laurus Labs’ December quarter results showed a turnaround, with EBITDA margins climbing back to 20%—a level not seen in seven quarters. The company reaffirmed its full-year guidance, aiming for longer-term growth through its CDMO and Bio segments. However, the sluggish API segment remains a drag, with recovery expectations pushed to post-FY26. Brokerage houses seem divided. Choice Broking dialed down its optimism, shifting to a ‘hold’ rating with a target of ₹639, citing medium-term growth potential but cautioning about short-term pressures. Goldman Sachs, however, isn’t convinced, sticking with its ‘sell’ rating and a sharper price target of ₹475, noting a lack of FY25 revenue guidance despite management’s focus on laying the groundwork for future growth. For now, the market remains skeptical, and Laurus has a steep hill to climb to regain investor confidence.

The rupee stumbled back into its downtrend on Monday, trading at 86.3675 against the dollar by late morning, down from Friday’s 86.2050. Last week’s glimmer of strength – powered by a 0.5% recovery—has faded, as equity outflows and corporate hedging weigh heavy. The optimism from a tariff-free weekend is wearing thin. Donald Trump’s pause on tariff announcements gave emerging market currencies a breather, but that reprieve feels fragile. The rupee’s recent rally had leaned on a softer dollar, itself tied to the Fed’s neutral stance and Trump’s temporary restraint. Adding to the rupee’s woes, Indian equities continue to falter. Foreign investors remain on the sidelines, yanking $7.5 billion out of Indian stocks this month alone. Traders are wary of fleeting rallies as corporate hedging and persistent equity outflows keep the pressure on. The Fed looms large this week, though no policy shifts are expected. The real drama lies in Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s press conference. Markets will be hanging on every word, looking for clues on whether sliding inflation could pave the way for rate cuts – or whether tariff uncertainty might throw a wrench in future plans.

Canara Bank posted a 12% bump in net profit for Q3 FY25, touching ₹4,104 crore, but the numbers aren’t all sunshine. Net interest income shrank by 3%, slipping to ₹9,149 crore from ₹9,417 crore last year. It’s a curious contrast—profits climbing while core income stumbles. On the brighter side, operational efficiency shone through, with pre-provision operating profit jumping 15% to ₹7,837 crore. The bank’s asset quality showed real grit. Gross NPAs dropped to 3.34% from 4.39% a year ago, and net NPAs followed suit, sliding to 0.89%. Meanwhile, the provision coverage ratio inched up to a solid 91.26%. Yet, despite these improvements, investors weren’t convinced—shares took a 3% hit in Monday’s afternoon session. On the business front, global operations grew 9% year-on-year to ₹24.19 lakh crore. Domestic deposits and advances held steady at 8% and 10% growth, respectively. Retail credit was the real star, surging 35.46%, with housing loans up 12.26% and vehicle loans accelerating by 17.26%. Despite these wins, the market reaction signals lingering scepticism – whether it’s over that dip in net interest income or broader sector concerns, Canara Bank has more to prove.

Friday was a rough ride for green energy stocks as names like KPI Green Energy, ACME Solar Holdings, and Suzlon Energy suffered significant intraday losses on the BSE. KPI Green Energy hit its lower circuit at ₹351.70, down 5%, while ACME Solar tumbled 3% to an all-time low of ₹202.85. Suzlon Energy wasn’t spared either, shedding over 3% during the session. Market experts attribute some of the sector’s recent struggles to geopolitical ripples, notably linked to former US President Donald Trump. His potential return to the White House has raised concerns over clean energy investments. Trump has long been an advocate of fossil fuels, and recent reports suggest a freeze on wind and solar project authorizations on federal lands under his administration. His stance—amplified by calls to boost oil and gas production—has cast a shadow over global renewable energy momentum. Back home, the long-term outlook remains optimistic. Crisil projects a massive ₹31 lakh crore in green investments between 2025 and 2030, driven by India’s ambitious climate goals. These include slashing carbon intensity by 45% by 2030 and pushing non-fossil-fuel energy capacity to 50% of the total. As Amish Mehta, MD & CEO of Crisil, emphasized, achieving net-zero emissions will require scaling up grants, incentives, and blended finance, alongside a robust carbon market. Despite the sector’s current challenges, the road ahead looks transformative for India’s green energy story.

NBCC made headlines on Friday, announcing two significant orders totaling ₹229.75 crore. Despite the positive news, the company’s shares failed to hold onto gains, reflecting muted investor enthusiasm. The larger order, worth ₹148.40 crore, came from the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and involves ambitious projects at AIIMS Bilaspur. These include constructing hostels, lecture halls, and a solar power system. The second order, valued at ₹81.35 crore, was awarded by IIM Visakhapatnam for consultancy services related to building a new hostel, dining facilities, and infrastructure at the institute’s permanent campus. This follows NBCC’s recent MoU with Sarkari Awas Nirman Avam Vitt Nigam Ltd for a mixed-use development project in Lucknow, covering a sprawling 588 acres. These developments highlight NBCC’s continued role as a go-to consultant for large-scale government projects. Despite these milestones, NBCC shares saw a dip, trading 0.90% lower at ₹91.30 by 2:30 PM. The stock briefly recovered from its intraday low of ₹90.68, touching ₹93.55 before profit booking set in. Over the past year, NBCC’s stock has gained nearly 40%, peaking at a 52-week high of ₹139.90 in August. However, it remains far from its highs, reflecting investor caution despite the company’s steady project wins.

Adani Green Energy shares took a nosedive on Friday, erasing early gains to drop nearly 6% from the day’s high. The sudden plunge came after reports emerged that Sri Lanka had revoked a $440 million wind power project deal with the company. The stock opened strong at ₹1,039.45 on the BSE, riding on the momentum of its solid Q3 FY25 earnings. Adani Green’s revenue grew 2.33% YoY to ₹2,365 crore, while its PAT skyrocketed 85% YoY to ₹474 crore. Buoyed by these results, the stock climbed 4% to hit ₹1,065.45 intraday. However, sentiment quickly soured as news broke about the alleged project cancellation, pulling the stock down to ₹1,008—a 5.6% dip from its peak. The controversy revolves around a 484 MW wind power project in Mannar and Pooneryn, initially awarded to Adani Green Energy SL Ltd. Sri Lanka’s Cabinet, led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, reportedly decided to cancel the deal, fulfilling an election promise to invite international tenders for renewable energy projects. This reverses the prior approval granted under former President Ranil Wickremesinghe. Adani Group, however, swiftly denied the reports, labeling them “false and misleading.” A spokesperson clarified that the project has not been scrapped but is undergoing a standard tariff review by Sri Lanka’s new government.

Cyient’s stock plummeted 23% on Friday, touching ₹1,351—a level not seen in 19 months. This dramatic drop marked the largest intraday fall in recent memory, pushing the IT firm’s monthly losses to a staggering 27%. The sell-off came as a response to the company’s weaker-than-expected Q3 performance, revised FY25 guidance, and the abrupt resignation of CEO Karthikeyan Natarajan. The December quarter results were sobering. Net profit dropped 31.7% QoQ to ₹122.3 crore, while revenue inched up 4.2% sequentially to ₹1,926.4 crore. Cyient’s Digital, Engineering, and Technology (DET) segment—a major revenue driver—grew just 2.1% sequentially but shrank 1.9% YoY in constant currency terms. The EBIT margin for DET narrowed to 13.5%, down 72 basis points QoQ, primarily due to wage hikes and currency headwinds. Further adding to investor unease, Cyient slashed its FY25 revenue outlook for the DET segment, now projecting a 2.7% decline YoY instead of flat growth. The EBIT margin guidance for Q4 FY25 was also reduced to 13.5% from the earlier 16%. Despite securing its highest-ever order intake of $312.3 million in the DET segment during Q3, the results failed to reassure markets. Motilal Oswal downgraded the stock to “sell,” citing weaker growth prospects and margin pressures. The firm slashed its earnings estimates for FY25–FY27 by 13% and revised its target price to ₹1,350. JP Morgan followed suit, downgrading Cyient to “neutral” and cutting its target price to ₹1,750.

Paytm shares nosedived over 8% on Friday, hitting ₹773.90 at their lowest point, following reports linking the fintech giant to an alleged cryptocurrency scam under investigation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The market reaction was swift, wiping out weeks of gains in a single morning. The report, published by Times of India, alleges that Paytm and seven other payment gateways were implicated in a ₹2,200 crore cryptocurrency scam operated via the HPZ Token app. The scam, masterminded by 10 Chinese nationals, reportedly duped investors across 20 states by promising returns from cryptocurrency mining. While much of the money was funneled abroad, around ₹500 crore was frozen in virtual accounts tied to these gateways, with Paytm accounting for ₹2.8 crore of the frozen funds. Paytm’s parent company, One 97 Communications, was quick to dismiss the allegations, calling them outdated and factually incorrect. In a regulatory filing, the company stated it had not received any new notices or communications from the ED, clarifying that the probe referenced in media reports pertains to historical inquiries involving independent third-party merchants—not Paytm itself. The company emphasized its full cooperation with authorities in the past and assured investors that any material developments would be disclosed in compliance with SEBI regulations.

Dr Reddy’s stock took a sharp tumble this morning, plunging over 6% after its Q3 results left investors unimpressed. Opening at ₹1,247.95—already 3% lower than Thursday’s close of ₹1,289.35—the stock slid further to touch ₹1,203.60 during intraday trading. The pharma giant posted a 2% year-on-year rise in consolidated profit after tax, reaching ₹1,413.3 crore, but the market wasn’t buying it. US sales, a critical revenue driver, barely moved, inching up just 1% YoY to ₹33,834 crore and dropping 9% sequentially. Sales growth in India and emerging markets at 12–14% YoY provided some relief, but not enough to offset concerns. Analysts weren’t kind. Jefferies pointed to “core profitability weakness” and flat US growth, slashing earnings estimates for FY25-27 by 3-6% while sticking to their bearish stance with an ₹1,170 target. They flagged high competition in key products and elevated SG&A costs as culprits, warning that significant catalysts may only materialize post-FY27. JM Financial painted a more balanced picture, noting healthy EBITDA margins at 27.5% despite a slump in generic Revlimid sales and price pressures. The firm is optimistic about the company’s ability to bounce back post-FY26, fueled by Semaglutide and Abatacept opportunities. They reiterated a BUY rating with a higher target of ₹1,723, betting on near-term gains in Canada and other emerging markets.

IndiGo’s Q3 report card is due today, and all eyes are on how the airline weathered the turbulence of rising costs and softer yields. The buzz is that net profit might shrink 34% year-on-year to ₹1,974 crore, a notable dip from last year’s ₹2,998.1 crore. While that’s not ideal, revenue is projected to climb 6% YoY to ₹20,657 crore, with a stronger 22% bump compared to the September quarter, thanks to seasonally stronger travel demand. EBITDAR is expected to hold steady, inching up 1% YoY to ₹5,522 crore, buoyed by better operating leverage from a 12% YoY rise in available seat kilometers (ASKM) and cheaper fuel. But the pressure’s still there—yields are predicted to slip 4%, and passenger load factors might dip by 60 basis points YoY. The real drag comes from aircraft-related costs. Higher lease rentals, depreciation, and financing expenses are likely to weigh on the bottom line, offsetting gains elsewhere. Analysts like JM Finance are optimistic about sequential margin improvement, thanks to lower fuel prices and strong capacity growth, but YoY comparisons remain challenging. IndiGo’s stock, meanwhile, has had a mixed run—down 10% this January but boasting a hefty 42% gain over the past year. Shares rallied 3.22% yesterday to close at ₹4,138.10, hinting that investors may already be factoring in today’s expected results.