Important News - 2025-04-19
19 April 2025
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Economy (9)
India's Economic Revival: GDP Growth, Inflation, and Equity Market Trends
The article discusses India's economic outlook in the global context, focusing on GDP growth, inflation, and equity markets. India's GDP growth is showing signs of revival, with expectations of reaching 6%+ growth, supported by lower interest rates and liquidity measures from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Inflation remains controlled, providing policymakers with maneuvering room. The equity markets are stabilizing, with NIFTY50 earnings growth appearing solid, though some downgrades are anticipated in FY26 due to global volatility. The impact of recent Trump tariffs on India has been minimal compared to other China+1 destinations. Valuations are normalizing, with large and small caps drifting toward long-term averages, while mid-caps remain expensive. The article highlights opportunities in foundational sectors like Financials, Consumer Goods, and Oil & Gas, emphasizing the importance of secular businesses with enduring demand. The author advises thoughtful accumulation in equities, focusing on valuation and discipline.
Sify Technologies Reports Rs 57.8 Crore Net Loss in Q4 FY 2025 Amid Revenue Growth
Sify Technologies, a leading ICT service and solution provider, reported a net loss of Rs 57.8 crore for the fourth quarter ending March 2025, compared to a net profit of Rs 8.9 crore in the same quarter of the previous financial year. For the full financial year 2024-25, the company recorded a net loss of Rs 78.5 crore, down from a net profit of Rs 16.8 crore in the previous year. Despite the losses, the company’s total revenue for the January-March 2025 quarter grew to Rs 969.9 crore, up from Rs 963.7 crore in the corresponding period last year. The annual revenue increased to Rs 3,988.6 crore in FY 2024-25, compared to Rs 3,563.4 crore in FY 2023-24. The revenue distribution across business segments for FY 2024-25 was: network services (41%), data centres (38%), and digital services (21%). The company expanded its services to 1,137 fibre nodes across India, marking a 10% year-on-year increase. Executive Director and Group CFO M P Vijay Kumar emphasized the company’s focus on cost efficiency, fiscal discipline, and long-term value creation, despite challenges like depreciation, interest expenses, and rising manpower costs. Chairman Raju Vegesna highlighted India’s economic growth trajectory, projecting it to become the third-largest economy by 2030-31, driven by liberal economic reforms, a vibrant startup ecosystem, and advancements in technologies like AI, 5G, and cloud computing. Government initiatives such as 'Digital India' and 'Startup India' have further accelerated tech innovation, with India now home to over 100 unicorn startups.
HDFC Bank Reports 6.7% YoY Growth in Q4 Net Profit for FY25
HDFC Bank, India’s largest private lending bank, announced its fourth-quarter results for FY25 on Saturday, April 20, 2025. The bank reported a net profit of Rs 17,616 crore, marking a 6.7% year-on-year (YoY) increase. Its net interest income (NII) rose by 10.3% YoY to Rs 32,070 crore, aligning with market expectations. The bank’s net interest margin (NIM) stood at 3.54% on total assets and 3.73% on interest-earning assets. Excluding Rs 700 crore of interest on income tax refund, the core NIM was 3.46% on total assets and 3.65% on interest-earning assets. HDFC Bank declared a dividend of Rs 22 per share for its shareholders. The bank’s net revenue for Q4FY25 was Rs 44,090 crore, compared to Rs 47,240 crore in Q4FY24. Provisions and contingencies declined sharply to Rs 3,190 crore from Rs 13,510 crore in the same quarter last year. Average deposits rose by 15.8% YoY to Rs 25.28 lakh crore, while gross advances increased by 5.4% YoY to Rs 26.43 lakh crore. The bank’s Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) improved to 19.6% as of March 31, 2025, up from 18.8% a year earlier. On the asset quality front, gross non-performing assets (GNPAs) stood at 1.33% of gross advances, compared to 1.24% a year earlier.
Jitendra Gohil Highlights Investment Opportunities Amid FY26 Economic Challenges
As FY26 begins amid global economic uncertainty, market volatility, and tariff tensions, investors are preparing for a challenging period. Jitendra Gohil, Chief Investment Strategist at Kotak Alternate Asset Managers, shared his insights in an interview with ETMarkets Smart Talk. He cautioned that equities might face pressure and deliver subpar returns in the near term but highlighted opportunities for bargain hunters to acquire high-quality stocks at reasonable valuations. Gohil discussed various factors influencing FY26, including the impact of US tariffs, India’s resilient macroeconomic story, and the potential for bond markets and gold to perform well. He emphasized India's strong corporate balance sheets, fiscal consolidation, and stable currency performance despite global economic headwinds. Additionally, Gohil noted that India's GDP growth is projected at 6.5%, with potential benefits from lower interest rates and oil prices. He also recommended a 5-7% allocation to gold to hedge against recession risks and suggested that domestically focused sectors like hospitals, hotels, and transportation could offer investment opportunities.
Network18 Media Reports Q4 FY25 Net Loss of Rs 29.09 Crore Amid Subdued Advertising Environment
Network18 Media & Investments Ltd reported a consolidated net loss of Rs 29.09 crore for the March quarter of FY25, with revenue from operations at Rs 561.32 crore. Comparatively, the company had reported a net loss of Rs 195.68 crore and revenue of Rs 2,792.45 crore in the same quarter of the previous year. The results are not directly comparable due to the merger of its subsidiary Viacom18 with Star India, which led to an exceptional loss of Rs 1,435.79 crore. On a standalone basis, the company’s revenue for Q4 FY25 was Rs 521.76 crore, slightly down from Rs 535 crore in the previous year, while the net loss widened to Rs 69.48 crore from Rs 31.28 crore. The decline in revenue was attributed to a subdued advertising environment, with TV News industry advertising inventory consumption dropping by 15% YoY. However, the digital segment showed growth in advertising revenue. For the full financial year FY25, consolidated revenue stood at Rs 6,887.92 crore, while standalone revenue grew by 4.3% to Rs 1,896.21 crore. EBITDA improved marginally as operating costs increased by only 3.5%. Chairman Adil Zainulbhai expressed optimism about the company’s long-term growth despite macroeconomic challenges.
Rupak De Shares Stock Market Insights and Recommendations for Next Week
Rupak De, Senior Technical Analyst at LKP Securities, shared insights on the stock market performance and provided recommendations for the upcoming week. He highlighted that the Bank Nifty found resistance near its all-time high but remains positive, especially if it sustains above 53,600. A decisive move beyond 54,500 could trigger further short-term gains. The Nifty index has shown strong momentum, gaining approximately 10% in recent days, and is likely to remain positive as long as it stays above 23,300. De also discussed the potential recovery in FMCG and auto sectors, with specific resistance levels to watch. He recommended two stocks: Eternal, which has shown a falling wedge breakout with a target of 245, and GIC RE, which is sustaining above key moving averages with a target of 470.
Global Markets Brace for Impact as Trade Tensions and IMF Meetings Take Center Stage
As global financial markets navigate ongoing concerns over tariffs, attention is turning to China’s potential measures to stabilize its economy amidst heavy U.S. tariffs. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank Spring meetings in Washington are set against a backdrop of growing U.S. isolationism and trade tensions. China is expected to announce its benchmark lending rates on Monday, with analysts predicting a possible cut in one-year and five-year loan prime rates to counter economic headwinds. Tariffs between the U.S. and China have surged to over 100%, prompting some banks to revise their growth forecasts for China. Meanwhile, Bank Indonesia’s meeting on Wednesday will address economic challenges amid a weakening rupiah. In the U.S., Tesla and Alphabet are among the first major companies to report quarterly earnings, offering insights into the impact of trade disruptions. The U.S. manufacturing PMI input prices index, a key inflation indicator, rose sharply in March, signaling the fastest input price increase in nearly two years. Finance officials worldwide are gathering in Washington for the IMF/World Bank meetings, where trade tensions and global growth concerns will dominate discussions. IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva has warned of the significant risks posed by U.S. tariffs, urging constructive dialogue to ease tensions. Despite signs of market recovery, investor confidence remains fragile as aggressive tariffs against China persist, and growth fears loom globally.
ASK Investment Managers Focuses on Growth and Quality Amid Global Market Uncertainty
Sumit Jain, Deputy CIO at ASK Investment Managers, emphasizes a disciplined investment strategy focused on quality and growth, particularly in manufacturing, consumption, and healthcare sectors. Jain highlights that despite global market volatility driven by geopolitical tensions and macroeconomic uncertainties, India remains well-positioned to attract Foreign Institutional Investor (FII) flows. The portfolio is strategically diversified, with an underweight stance on banking and IT sectors due to their cyclical nature and dependence on global growth. Jain also underscores the importance of earnings growth and capital efficiency for sustained improvement in the Indian equity market. The interview further explores the impact of US-China trade dynamics on emerging markets and identifies sectors like healthcare and domestic consumption as promising investment opportunities.
India Predicted to Lead Emerging Markets in FY25 Second Half: Mayuresh Joshi
Mayuresh Joshi, Head of Equity at Marketsmith India, predicts that India could become one of the best-performing markets in the second half of the financial year 2024-25. He highlights several factors influencing this outlook, including global uncertainties in discretionary spending, particularly in North America and Europe, which have created ambiguity around future earnings for IT companies like TCS and Wipro. Joshi also notes challenges in pricing for new orders and the impact of sector-specific tariffs, which could delay earnings recovery. However, domestically driven sectors such as agrochemicals, fertilisers, healthcare, and banking are expected to perform well due to stable input costs, strong volume growth, and anticipated interest rate cuts. Infrastructure and capex-oriented sectors are also likely to benefit from continued government spending and early signs of private capex recovery. Joshi emphasizes that India’s strong macroeconomic fundamentals, including lower crude prices, robust tax collections, and a resilient domestic economy, position it favorably compared to other emerging markets. He suggests that India could attract increased foreign institutional investment (FII) flows, especially if global conditions stabilize and geopolitical uncertainties in the US and China persist.
Miscellaneous (1)
Govind Jhawar on Wellness: Meditation, Running, and Gratitude in Daily Routine
In an interview, Govind Jhawar, Founder and Chairman of Finideas, shares insights into his daily wellness routine, which includes meditation, running, and gratitude journaling. He emphasizes the importance of mental and physical fitness as foundational elements for productivity and leadership. Jhawar practices Vipassana meditation for two hours daily, runs 2.5 kilometers every day, and maintains a gratitude journal. He believes that a strong mind is crucial for overcoming challenges and that consistent small efforts lead to significant results. His personal habits have positively influenced his leadership style and company culture at Finideas, fostering integrity and long-term trust with clients.
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