Author: Staff Writer

Chennai: In a deal being hailed as one of the most generous in India’s automobile sector, Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL) has inked a three‑year wage settlement with its workers’ union that includes a salary increase of ₹31,000 per month. The Long Term Settlement (LTS) covers the period from April 1, 2024, through March 31, 2027, and applies to nearly 1,981 employees in the technician and workmen cadre—which represents about 90 per cent of that category at the company’s Sriperumbudur plant.

Under the agreement with the United Union of Hyundai Employees (UUHE), the pay hike will be phased in over the three years in a ratio of 55 per cent in the first year, 25 per cent in the second, and 20 per cent in the final year. In addition to the salary boost, Hyundai has committed to enhanced welfare measures—comprehensive health coverage and wellness programmes—to improve employee well‑being.

Market Response and Implications

Investors welcomed the announcement. The company’s shares hit record highs following the wage pact, rising by around 2‑3 per cent as markets factored in strong labour relations and improved employee satisfaction. Analysts see this move as strengthening HMIL’s position in the Indian auto industry, underlining its reputation for maintaining a stable workforce and avoiding protracted labour disputes.

At a time when global supply chains and automotive firms are under pressure from rising input costs and shifting labour expectations, Hyundai India’s settlement could become a benchmark for peer companies. For employees, the deal brings relief and recognition; for the company, it may mean higher wage bills, but also potentially better productivity, morale, and lower attrition.

Hyundai’s move also aligns with increasing expectations among Indian industrial workers for more substantial compensation, especially given inflationary pressures and rising costs of living. If management elsewhere in the sector responds with similar wage revisions, India could see a new normal in labour costs. However, cost pressures for OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) and suppliers will likely increase, which may affect pricing, margins, and negotiations in the supply chain in the months ahead.

New Delhi: Devansh Trademart LLP, one of the promoters of Gujarat Fluorochemicals (GFL), has sold a 1.18% stake in the company through an open market transaction valued at approximately ₹460.11 crore. The divestment, executed on September 17, 2025, involved the sale of 13 lakh equity shares at ₹3,539.30 per share on the National Stock Exchange.

Prior to the sale, Devansh Trademart held about 4.84% of the equity. The transaction reduces its shareholding to approximately 3.66%, while the combined promoter group’s stake in GFL drops from around 62.58% to about 61.40%. The buyers of the shares have not been identified in the public filings.

On the trading front, Gujarat Fluorochemicals’ stock saw a modest rise. Shares closed at roughly ₹3,699 per share on the NSE following the announcement.

What the Stake Sale Means

The sale marks a notable shift in promoter shareholding, a move that often attracts investor attention in companies with strong promoter-led control. While Devansh Trademart’s stake is still meaningful, the reduction underscores a possibility that promoter exits—or at least partial divestments—are becoming more frequent.

For investors, these kinds of large promoter sales can trigger mixed reactions. On one hand, there could be concern about why the promoter is selling—whether it’s for capital raising, debt repayment, or diversification of assets. On the other hand, if the company’s fundamentals remain intact, such sales might simply reflect financial strategy or compliance pressures.

GFL operates in speciality chemicals, refrigerants, fluoropolymers and industrial chemicals, and has been expanding into fluoropolymer capacities. Its product lines serve both domestic and international markets. For companies in such sectors, promoter holding changes are often scrutinised for signs of confidence in future prospects.

Market Outlook

Regulatory norms under the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) require disclosures of substantial ownership changes, and the reduction in stake by Devansh Trademart has been duly disclosed in exchange data.

In terms of risk, market participants will be watching for any further promoter sales, since attrition of promoter shareholding over time can impact perceptions of control and governance. Additionally, if the market interprets the sale as a signal of concern, the stock may come under pressure. But in this case, the share price moved only marginally—which suggests that investors may view the sale as a one-off rather than a signal of trouble.

Devansh Trademart’s sale of a 1.18% stake for about ₹460 crore in Gujarat Fluorochemicals is a significant promoter-divestment transaction. While it reduces both its own holding and the promoter group’s overall control, it doesn’t fundamentally alter the ownership structure. For shareholders, the key question will be whether this move was driven by strategy rather than necessity, and how GFL performs going forward in its chemicals and fluoropolymer businesses.

Also Read: Former Lodha Developers Director Arrested in ₹85 Crore Land-Fraud

Mumbai Police’s Crime Branch has arrested Rajendra Narpatmal Lodha, a former director of Lodha Developers Ltd, in connection with an alleged fraud of about ₹85 crore involving land irregularities and misuse of his authority within the company.

Key details of the case outline a complex web of undervalued land deals, questionable transfer of development rights (TDR) transactions and alleged misappropriation.

Lodha, who was associated with the firm since the early 1990s and formally became a director in 2015, resigned from the company effective 17 August 2025 after an internal ethics committee took up a review of his conduct.

The allegations against Lodha are extensive. He is accused of selling company-owned land parcels at deeply discounted rates, which incurred substantial losses to Lodha Developers.

In one case, a plot in Ambernath worth around ₹10 crore was allegedly sold for just ₹88 lakh. Another transaction under scrutiny involves a plot in Panvel that was sold through a firm linked to his son for ₹2.75 crore, though its real value was estimated at over ₹9 crore.

Investigators also point to a series of 35 transactions involving Transfer of Development Rights in the Kalyan-Dombivli area. These were reportedly executed at prices far below prevailing market value, leading to alleged losses of tens of crores.

Officials note that while Lodha had been given authority to acquire land on behalf of the company, he did not have approval to sell. Despite this, he is alleged to have gone ahead with unauthorized sales.

Further accusations include the use of forged MoUs and agreements, benami transactions routed through associates, and suspiciously inflated or circular transfers of cash and bank funds. These activities, according to investigators, were part of a deliberate scheme to benefit Lodha and his family at the expense of the company.

Following the registration of a First Information Report by Lodha Developers at the N.M. Joshi Marg police station, Rajendra Lodha was arrested from his Worli residence. He was presented before the court and remanded to police custody until 23 September.

The FIR also names his son Sahil Lodha and multiple associates, widening the scope of the investigation.

Lodha Developers, responding to the developments, stressed that it has a zero-tolerance policy toward misconduct regardless of seniority.

The company added that it has begun implementing recommendations from an external review to strengthen its internal oversight mechanisms.

Shares of Kesar Enterprises and Zydus Wellness began trading on an ex-split basis on Thursday, September 18, 2025, following their recent stock split announcements. These corporate actions are intended to reduce the face value per share, making the stocks more affordable to retail investors while enhancing liquidity in the market.

For Kesar Enterprises, the stock split has been carried out in the ratio of 1:10. This means each existing share with a face value of ₹10 has been subdivided into 10 shares with a face value of ₹1 each. Zydus Wellness, on the other hand, has implemented a 1:5 stock split. Accordingly, each share with a face value of ₹10 has been split into five shares with a face value of ₹2 each.

The record date for both companies was September 18, 2025. Investors needed to own the shares by this date, or ensure that their trades were settled under India’s T+1 cycle, to be eligible for the split-adjusted shares. This means shares purchased on September 17 were eligible for the corporate action, while trades executed on the record date itself would generally not qualify.

Stock splits do not alter the overall value of a shareholder’s investment. Instead, they increase the number of shares while reducing the price per share proportionally. For example, an investor holding 100 shares of Zydus Wellness before the split now holds 500 shares post-split, with the total value remaining unchanged. The same principle applies to Kesar Enterprises, where shareholders will see their holdings multiplied tenfold while the stock price adjusts downward.

Market experts believe that reducing the per-share price improves accessibility for retail investors, encourages wider participation, and increases trading activity in the stock. For companies with relatively high-priced shares or lower liquidity, splits can play a role in broadening ownership and improving daily turnover.

In conclusion, Kesar Enterprises with its 1:10 split and Zydus Wellness with its 1:5 split have both made moves to attract a wider investor base. The splits are expected to make their shares more affordable, stimulate interest among retail investors, and enhance liquidity in the secondary market, ultimately benefiting both the companies and their shareholders.

China has officially barred domestic technology firms from purchasing Nvidia’s artificial intelligence chips, marking a sharp escalation in the ongoing tech standoff between Beijing and Washington.

The Cyberspace Administration of China has instructed companies including ByteDance and Alibaba to stop testing and procuring Nvidia’s RTX Pro 6000D server, a chip the U.S. firm had specifically designed for the Chinese market. The move, first reported by the Financial Times, follows earlier measures by Beijing to encourage the use of homegrown alternatives.

The ban is seen as a significant setback for China’s AI ecosystem. Despite efforts by local players such as Huawei and Alibaba to develop their own chips, Nvidia dominates the global GPU market, and its hardware remains central to AI research and deployment worldwide. Losing access to its technology could slow China’s advancements in the sector.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, speaking in London, voiced disappointment at the development but took a conciliatory stance. “We can only be in service of a market if a country wants us to be,” he said. “I’m disappointed with what I see, but they have larger agendas to work out between China and the United States. And I’m patient about it.”

The U.S. had already tightened export restrictions earlier this year, requiring licences for sales of advanced AI chips to China. With Beijing’s latest ban, Nvidia finds itself under pressure from both governments. Huang acknowledged the uncertainty, saying the company has advised analysts not to factor China into financial forecasts, describing its China business as “a bit of a roller coaster.”

Nevertheless, Huang stressed that China remains a vital market, calling it “large” and “vibrant,” and highlighting Nvidia’s three-decade presence in the country. For now, though, the AI contest in China appears set to be driven more by domestic innovation than by U.S. technology.

In a major financial move, State Bank of India (SBI) has finalised the sale of its 13.18% stake in Yes Bank to Japan’s Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) for ₹8,888.97 crore. The transaction involved the transfer of 413.44 crore equity shares at ₹21.50 per share.

Though SBI has divested this portion, it will continue to hold a 10.8% stake in Yes Bank. SMBC had earlier in the year reached an agreement to acquire a 20% stake in Yes Bank from a consortium of existing shareholders—including SBI and several private banks—for ₹13,483 crore, also valuing Yes Bank shares at ₹21.50 each. The consortium comprised banks including Axis Bank, Bandhan Bank, Federal Bank, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, IDFC First Bank and Kotak Mahindra Bank, which together are selling the remaining 6.81% stake in the larger deal for about ₹4,594 crore.

Regulatory approvals have been secured: SMBC received consent from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on August 22, 2025, and from the Competition Commission of India (CCI) on September 2, 2025. The SBI board’s Executive Committee of the Central Board had approved the divestment earlier—on 9 May 2025.

Market reaction has been positive. SBI shares rose by around 3% after the announcement, while Yes Bank shares showed marginal movement.

The deal is being viewed as a milestone in India’s banking sector, representing the largest cross-border investment in this space. SBI’s chairman, Challa Sreenivasulu Setty, lauded the transaction, referencing Yes Bank’s restructuring in 2020 under the RBI and the government, saying the partnership with SMBC will bring global expertise to fuel Yes Bank’s growth.

In summary, SBI has realised more than 3.6 times return on part of its original investment in Yes Bank made during the 2020 reconstruction scheme. The transaction underscores increasing foreign investor interest in India’s private banking sector and a trend of strategic restructuring among existing large shareholders.

Biocon Biologics, a subsidiary of Biocon Ltd., has won approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) for two denosumab biosimilars—Bosaya (denosumab-kyqq) 60 mg/mL prefilled syringe and Aukelso (denosumab-kyqq) 120 mg/1.7 mL single-dose vial—which will serve as biosimilar equivalents to Amgen’s Prolia and Xgeva. In a further boost, both products have been granted provisional interchangeability status by the USFDA.

Bosaya is approved for treating osteoporosis in postmenopausal women and men at high risk for fractures, glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis, and for patients who are undergoing cancer therapies that increase bone loss—such as men receiving androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer and women on adjuvant aromatase inhibitors for breast cancer. Aukelso is cleared for oncology-associated bone complications: prevention of skeletal-related events in patients with multiple myeloma or solid tumour metastases to bone; treatment of giant cell tumour of bone in adults and adolescents if surgery is not possible or would lead to severe harm; and treatment of hypercalcaemia of malignancy when bisphosphonates fail.

In terms of safety, efficacy and quality, clinical trial data indicates that both biosimilars match their reference biologics. Bosaya will follow the same Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) as Prolia, which includes warnings around severe hypocalcaemia particularly among patients with advanced chronic kidney disease including those on dialysis.

From a market perspective, this approval taps into a large space. In 2024, denosumab products (Prolia + Xgeva) together generated nearly US$5 billion in U.S. sales—Prolia contributing about $3.3 billion and Xgeva about $1.6 billion. Biocon now has a chance to compete in both the high-volume osteoporosis treatment market and the bone-metastasis/oncology-related segment.

Shreehas Tambe, CEO & Managing Director of Biocon Biologics, described the approvals as a “significant milestone” in the company’s mission to broaden access to critical biologic therapies, affirm its regulatory and scientific strength, and deliver high quality biosimilars to help reduce costs and improve patient outcomes.

This development follows earlier success for Biocon Biologics, including the USFDA approval of Kirsty, an interchangeable biosimilar of NovoLog for diabetes treatment.

Overall, obtaining approval and interchangeability for Bosaya and Aukelso is set to enhance Biocon Biologics’ footprint in the U.S. market and strengthen its pipeline across treatment areas that address both chronic disease (osteoporosis) and cancer-related complications.

JSW Paints, a subsidiary of the $23 billion JSW Group, has received approval from the Competition Commission of India (CCI) to acquire up to a 75% stake in Akzo Nobel India Ltd (ANIL) for ₹12,915 crore. This strategic move positions JSW Paints as the fourth-largest player in India’s competitive paint industry, which is currently dominated by Asian Paints, Berger Paints, and Kansai Nerolac.

The deal comprises a ₹8,986 crore purchase of a 74.76% stake from Akzo Nobel N.V., followed by a mandatory open offer to acquire an additional 25.24% from public shareholders for up to ₹3,929 crore. The acquisition is expected to be completed by the fourth quarter of FY25. Akzo Nobel India, headquartered in Gurugram, is renowned for its premium brands, including Dulux, International, and Sikkens.

Parth Jindal, Managing Director of JSW Paints, expressed enthusiasm about the acquisition, stating that it presents an exciting opportunity to build the paint company of the future. He emphasized the company’s commitment to leveraging this acquisition to drive growth and innovation in the industry.

The CCI’s approval comes amid increasing consolidation in the Indian paint sector. In 2024, Grasim Industries launched its Birla Opus brand, challenging market leaders and leading to an antitrust complaint against Asian Paints for alleged abuse of market dominance. JSW Paints had previously filed a similar complaint in 2022, which was dismissed by the CCI due to insufficient evidence of anti-competitive practices.

This acquisition underscores the growing trend of mergers and acquisitions in the Indian paint industry as companies seek to expand their market share and enhance their competitive positioning. JSW Paints’ entry into the top tier of the market is expected to intensify competition and drive further innovation in the sector.

As the deal progresses, stakeholders will be closely monitoring its impact on market dynamics, pricing strategies, and consumer choices within the Indian paint industry.

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Ford Motor Co. has announced plans to cut up to 1,000 jobs at its electric vehicle (EV) plant in Cologne, Germany, citing weaker-than-expected demand for EVs in Europe. The job reductions are part of a broader restructuring effort aimed at aligning production capacity with current market realities.

The Cologne facility, which manufactures the all-electric Ford Explorer and Capri models, will reduce its operations from a two-shift schedule to a single-shift beginning in January 2026. The decision comes amid a significant slowdown in EV adoption across Europe. Although EV registrations have increased compared to the previous year, the growth has not matched industry forecasts, resulting in excess production capacity. Ford’s market share in Europe has remained largely unchanged, with only modest sales gains, reaching 3.3% as of July 2025.

To soften the impact on affected employees, Ford plans to offer voluntary redundancy packages at the Cologne plant. This approach is consistent with its earlier restructuring efforts, including the announcement in November 2024 of 2,900 job cuts, which were also addressed through voluntary exits and buyouts. Ford has emphasized that these steps are part of a long-term strategic realignment aimed at ensuring sustainability amid changing market conditions.

The Cologne job cuts are part of a wider pattern of workforce reductions across Europe. Ford has also announced plans to scale back operations at its Saarlouis plant, which is slated for closure as part of the company’s restructuring strategy. These actions reflect the broader challenges facing the European automotive sector as it navigates the shift toward electrification while managing cost pressures and market uncertainties.

Despite the cuts, Ford remains committed to the European EV market and continues to invest heavily in electrification. The company has earmarked $2 billion to transform the Cologne plant into a carbon-neutral EV production hub. At the same time, it has urged governments to step up support by enhancing incentives and expanding EV charging infrastructure. Ford has warned that without such backing, the transition to electric vehicles could face serious hurdles.

The decision to reduce operations underscores the challenges that automakers face in balancing supply with demand during a period of rapid technological transformation. Ford’s approach reflects an attempt to align its workforce and production capacity with market conditions, while continuing to invest in a more sustainable future.

As the EV market evolves, Ford’s restructuring efforts and strategic investments will play a critical role in determining its competitiveness in Europe. The outcome of these measures will likely influence the company’s market share and operational efficiency in the years to come, as well as shape broader trends in the automotive industry’s shift toward electrification.

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