Author: Staff Writer

Categories
1 Minute-Read

HDFC AMC shares fall on bonus issue

HDFC Asset Management Company (HDFC AMC) shares fell nearly 50% on November 26 as the stock went ex‑bonus following a 1:1 bonus issue.

Investors received one bonus share for every share held, halving the stock price but leaving overall investment value unchanged.

The correction is purely mechanical and not a reflection of performance. HDFC AMC reported a robust Q2 FY26, with revenue rising 16% to Rs 1,027.4 crore and net profit up 25% at Rs 718.4 crore.

Analysts say the slump is temporary, and long-term investors need not worry, as the company’s fundamentals remain solid.

Categories
Corporate

Alphabet nears $4 trillion market on AI gains

Alphabet Inc., the parent company of Google, is racing toward a $4 trillion market valuation as investor enthusiasm grows around its artificial intelligence (AI) initiatives and cloud business. Shares of the company recently surged over 5% to $315.90, giving it a market capitalization of roughly $3.82 trillion, a record high for the company.

This year, Alphabet’s stock has risen nearly 70%, outperforming other major tech players, including Microsoft and Amazon. Analysts attribute the strong rally to the company’s renewed focus on AI, particularly the positive reception of its Gemini 3 AI model, which has reinforced confidence in Alphabet’s ability to lead in the fast-evolving AI sector.

The company has also seen improvements in its cloud division, which has boosted revenue growth and added to investor optimism. Further support came from prominent investors like Berkshire Hathaway, whose purchases of Alphabet shares signaled confidence in the company’s long-term potential.

If Alphabet crosses the $4 trillion mark, it will join a small group of tech giants,  including Apple, Microsoft, and Nvidia,  that have reached such a milestone. This surge reflects the growing impact of AI on global markets, highlighting how the technology is driving valuations and reshaping competition in the tech sector.

While the rally has excited investors, some experts caution that stock prices may be rising faster than earnings, echoing concerns seen in previous tech booms. Regulators are also closely watching the growth of Big Tech, but Alphabet’s latest performance demonstrates that innovation and market confidence remain strong drivers of company value.

Also Read: Ola founder Bhavish Aggarwal bets on home batteries

Categories
Leaders

Ola founder Bhavish Aggarwal bets on home batteries

Ola Electric Mobility Ltd., once one of India’s most hyped electric vehicle (EV) companies, is now grappling with declining sales and investor hesitation. Its market share in electric scooters fell sharply to 11.5% in October, down from 30% last year, while cash reserves dropped from ₹480 crore in March to just ₹160 crore by September. The company is also facing a challenging fundraising environment, as investors remain cautious about joining its ₹1,500‑crore capital-raising plan.

In a bid to revive fortunes, founder Bhavish Aggarwal is betting big on a new business vertical, Ola Shakti. The initiative offers lithium‑ion battery packs for homes and small businesses, using the same proprietary 4680 “Bharat” battery cells developed for Ola scooters. Aggarwal expects the home‑battery venture to generate around ₹100 crore in revenue in the quarter beginning March, potentially reaching ₹1,000 crore by March 2027, almost a third of Ola’s projected annual revenue.

While the move could diversify Ola’s income, experts warn that home battery storage is a highly competitive segment dominated by low-cost lead-acid systems. Making a lithium-ion battery business profitable also requires large-scale production, with analysts suggesting Ola would need to reach roughly 10 GWh to break even.

Despite these challenges, Aggarwal remains optimistic that leveraging technology developed for scooters could provide a strategic edge. However, analysts caution that the home-battery push alone may not be enough; a revival of Ola’s core EV business is critical for long-term success. The company’s ability to balance innovation, production scale, and investor confidence will determine whether Bhavish Aggarwal’s bold bet on Ola Shakti can turn around the struggling EV maker.

Also Read: Premier Energies sees 32% upside, Nuvama turns bullish

Categories
Corporate

Premier Energies sees 32% upside, Nuvama turns bullish

Premier Energies has received a “Buy” rating from Nuvama Institutional Equities, with a target price of ₹1,270 per share,  suggesting a potential 32% rise from current levels.

Nuvama expects the company’s revenue and profit margins to grow strongly between FY26 and FY28. The growth is driven by expansion in solar module, cell, and wafer production, as well as backward integration into batteries, transformers, and inverters, which should help improve margins.

Government policies supporting domestic solar manufacturing, like the ALMM and Domestic Content Requirement (DCR), are expected to further boost demand for Premier’s products.

The stock has already rallied since its IPO, giving investors strong returns, but it remains about 30% below its all-time high. Analysts note that competition, pricing pressures, and technology shifts could affect margins, but the overall outlook remains positive.

Premier Energies’ growth story highlights the opportunities in India’s renewable energy sector, as clean energy adoption continues to accelerate.

Also Read: Bharti Airtel shares fall 3% after promoter sells ₹7,200 cr stake

Categories
Technology

Anthropic launches Claude Opus 4.5 with stronger coding

AI firm Anthropic has introduced Claude Opus 4.5, a new version of its flagship model designed to handle more complex coding, reasoning and autonomous-agent tasks. The update strengthens Claude’s ability to work like a “technical collaborator” rather than just a conversational assistant.

According to the company, Opus 4.5 brings a noticeable jump in programming performance, scoring higher on software-engineering benchmarks and solving tougher coding problems than earlier versions. It can write and debug multi-language code, refactor large codebases, and handle realistic developer workflows more reliably.

A key focus of this release is agentic behaviour—the model can now support AI agents that plan tasks, use tools, and execute multi-step workflows with minimal human input. This makes it suitable for work such as code generation, document creation, analysis, and other business-process tasks.

Anthropic also says the model has improved long-context memory, allowing it to process and retain more information during extended tasks. This benefits enterprise users who need AI to manage documents, datasets or multi-stage projects.

The company claims Opus 4.5 is more resistant to adversarial prompts and untrusted code, a key requirement as AI agents begin executing system-level tasks. However, it notes that human oversight remains essential when deploying autonomous agents in real-world environments.

With this release, Anthropic is positioning Claude as a stronger competitor in the fast-advancing AI-agent space, where major players are racing to build models capable of both reasoning and action.

Also Read: Bharti Airtel shares fall 3% after promoter sells ₹7,200 cr stake

Categories
Corporate

Gallard Steel shares jump 49% on BSE‑SME debut

Indore-based engineering firm Gallard Steel made a spectacular debut on the stock market on 26 November 2025. Its shares listed at ₹223 on the BSE SME platform, nearly 49% higher than the IPO price of ₹150, delighting investors who had shown huge enthusiasm even before the listing.

The IPO, which aimed to raise ₹37.5 crore by issuing 2.5 million shares, attracted overwhelming demand. It was subscribed about 350 times overall, with retail investors, non-institutional buyers, and qualified institutional buyers all bidding aggressively. Even in the grey market, unlisted shares were already trading at a 38–42% premium, reflecting high market expectations.

Gallard Steel manufactures steel castings and components used in railways, power plants, defence, and heavy engineering. The funds raised from the IPO will be used to expand the company’s production capacity, construct a new office, reduce some debt, and support general business needs.

At the time of listing, Gallard Steel’s market capitalisation stood at around ₹212 crore. The strong debut signals not just investor confidence in the company’s growth prospects, but also the healthy appetite for well-positioned industrial firms in the SME segment.

Analysts say the listing success demonstrates that smaller companies with strong fundamentals can still attract significant market attention, even in a competitive IPO landscape. For retail investors who participated, the listing turned into an early gain, validating their faith in Gallard Steel’s potential.

Also Read: Bitcoin slides 21% in November, sparks concern

Categories
Beyond

Gold rises to ₹1,27,050, silver up at ₹1,67,100

Gold and silver opened slightly higher on Wednesday, reflecting steady demand and positive global cues. The price of 24-carat gold moved up by ₹10, bringing it to ₹1,27,050 per 10 grams. Silver also saw a mild rise, gaining ₹100 to trade at ₹1,67,100 per kilogram.

The increase wasn’t dramatic, but it shows that buyers are slowly returning to precious metals as expectations grow that the US Federal Reserve may cut interest rates in December. Lower interest rates typically make gold more attractive since it becomes easier for investors to shift money into safe-haven assets.

In the 22-carat category, gold was priced at ₹1,16,460 per 10 grams. Rates varied slightly across major cities: Mumbai and Kolkata saw 24-carat gold at ₹1,27,050, while Chennai quoted a slightly higher price of ₹1,27,870.

Overall, the market remains cautious but optimistic, with traders watching global economic signals closely. Precious metals could see more movement in the coming weeks depending on how rate-cut expectations evolve.

Also Read: Sensex jumps 600+ points, Nifty crosses 26,050

Categories
Corporate

Sensex jumps 600+ points, Nifty crosses 26,050

The markets bounced back with fresh energy on Wednesday after three days of weakness. The Sensex rallied more than 600 points, and the Nifty climbed past 26,050, signalling a strong return in investor confidence.

The biggest boost came from metal stocks and PSU banks, which were the clear outperformers of the day. JSW Steel topped the gainer’s list, reflecting strong buying interest in the sector. On the other side, Bharti Airtel slipped around 2%, making it one of the notable laggards even as the broader market moved higher.

The positive mood wasn’t just domestic — upbeat global markets also helped lift sentiment. Asian indices and U.S. cues were strong, giving traders the reassurance needed to step back into the market.

Importantly, the rally was broad-based. Buying was seen across multiple sectors, showing that the recovery wasn’t limited to a handful of stocks but spread across the market. If global cues stay stable and sector leaders continue to perform, this momentum may carry forward into the next few sessions.

Also Read: Nifty under 25,900, Sensex drops 314 points

Categories
Technology

First foldable iPhone set for 2026 launch

Apple is reportedly preparing to launch its first foldable iPhone in September 2026, signaling its entry into the foldable smartphone market, which has so far been dominated by Samsung and other Android manufacturers.

The foldable iPhone is expected to feature a 7.8-inch inner display and a 5.5-inch cover screen, with design improvements aimed at delivering a nearly crease-free folding experience. Leaks indicate that the device’s thickness could be around 9–9.5 mm when closed, combining portability with a large, immersive screen.

The device is also expected to include an under-display selfie camera on the inner screen, while the rear camera setup may feature main and ultra-wide sensors, offering versatile photography options. Interestingly, the foldable iPhone may support Touch ID instead of Face ID, reflecting Apple’s continued experimentation with biometric options.

On the performance front, the foldable iPhone is likely to be powered by the next-generation A20 Pro chipset, similar to the iPhone 18 Pro models, promising high-speed performance and efficient power management. The battery is tipped to be around 5,400 mAh, making it the largest ever for an iPhone and likely offering extended usage compared to current models.

Price leaks suggest a premium tag of around $2,399 (approximately ₹2.15 lakh), making it the most expensive iPhone to date. In India, the price is expected to be higher after taxes and import duties. Apple plans to launch the foldable iPhone alongside iPhone 18 Pro models, with standard iPhone 18 devices expected to follow in early 2027.

With this new model, Apple aims to compete directly with Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold series, offering a new form factor and advanced technology for iPhone users. The foldable iPhone represents Apple’s bold step into the foldable segment, combining a larger screen, premium features, and powerful performance, but at a high cost for early adopters.

Also Read: SEBI proposes changes to basic demat accounts

Categories
Corporate

Nifty under 25,900, Sensex drops 314 points

The S&P BSE Sensex fell 314 points (0.37%) to close at 84,587, while the NSE Nifty 50 slipped 75 points (0.30%) to finish at 25,884 on November 25.

Among the 30 Sensex stocks, only BEL, SBI, Tata Steel, Eternal, Reliance Industries, Bharti Airtel, and Bajaj Finserv ended in positive territory. The biggest losers were Adani Enterprises, down 3%, followed by Trent, which fell 2%, along with Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles, Power Grid Corp, and Infosys.

Looking at sectors, IT, Auto, FMCG, and Oil & Gas dragged the market, with declines of up to 0.6%. Stocks like Infosys, TCS, HCL Tech, and Wipro were the main contributors to the fall.

On the brighter side, PSU banks led the gains, rising over 1%, while Metal, Pharma, and Realty sectors also saw modest rises of up to 0.5%. Key gainers included State Bank of India, Canara Bank, Bank of Baroda, and Indian Bank.

Also Read: Sensex up 110 pts, Nifty nears 26,000