On Friday morning, Sonia Gandhi, a leader from the Congress party, was discharged from Sir Ganga Ram Hospital. She had gone to the hospital for a routine check-up on Thursday morning. Doctors kept a close eye on her health during her stay, but now she is healthy and back home.
Author: Rasmita Jena
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Nifty Pharma Index Sinks: Top Gainers, Losers & Market Highlights Today!
New Delhi: The Nifty Pharma index was struggling in a tough market around 10:14 AM (IST) on Friday. Gland Pharma Ltd. rose by 0.72%, and Natco Pharma Ltd. went up by 0.39%, making them the top gainers. On the other hand, many companies faced losses: Ipca Laboratories Ltd. dropped by 3.2%, Divi’s Laboratories Ltd. fell by 3.13%, and Ajanta Pharma Ltd. decreased by 2.81%. Biocon Ltd. and Laurus Labs Ltd. also lost 2.34% and 1.94%, respectively.
At this time, the Nifty Pharma index was down by 1.36%, sitting at 20,503.85. The NSE Nifty50 index dropped by 152.46 points to reach 22,760.7, while the BSE Sensex fell by 435.13 points to 75,300.83. Out of the 50 stocks in the Nifty index, only 8 were gaining, but 42 were losing.
Among the most traded stocks on the NSE were Vodafone Idea, YES Bank, IREDA, Suzlon Energy, and NHPC. Deccan Cements, Redington, Blue Coast Hotel, Norben Tea Exp, and Camlin Fine Sc reached new highs in their stocks today. Meanwhile, Suratwwala Business, AGS Transact Tech, Hindcon Chemicals, OneSource Specialty, and Godavari Biorefineri saw their stock prices hit new lows.
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Is Now the Right Time to Invest in Nifty Stocks?
Recently, the Nifty index dropped by 16% when looking at US dollars since it hit a high in September. This drop has led many to wonder if it’s a good time to buy stocks, especially since 29 out of 50 Nifty companies have prices below their average from the past five years.
Looking at some specific company numbers, Tata Motors is currently priced at a low P/E (price-to-earnings) ratio of 7.89, while its average has been 15.77—this is a big drop! Asian Paints is also down, with its P/E falling from 69.73 to 50.70, a 34% price drop from its peak. On the other hand, Reliance Industries, a big player in India, is at a P/E of 24, which is just slightly below its five-year average of 25.23.
Some stocks have held steady despite the market drop. For example, HUL (Hindustan Unilever) has a P/E of 49.22, compared to an average of 62.10, while Sun Pharma sits at 35.21 versus 41.46. This shows that people still trust businesses in the consumer goods and healthcare sectors.
However, IT stocks like Wipro, Tech Mahindra, Infosys, and HCL Tech are doing well and are priced higher than their averages. Experienced investor Manish Chokhani thinks the market’s drop is actually good news. He mentioned, “Markets have corrected to give investors a chance to buy stocks they want for the long term.” He also pointed out that during good times, people “rent” stocks, but in tough times, they find their real owners again.
Chokhani believes this drop can help investors purchase shares in good companies at lower prices. Even large companies are now trading at about 19 times what they’re expected to earn next year, but the market can move up and down quickly.
Foreign investors are pulling out money due to worries about company earnings and tariffs from former US President Trump, leading to a 16% decline in the Nifty in USD since its peak in September 2024. Mid-cap and small-cap stocks have suffered worse with drops of 21% and 23%, respectively. Additionally, the Nifty’s P/E ratio has fallen to 19 from a peak of 21.3.
The earnings season has been tough, with companies announcing lower profits. Nomura noted that earnings estimates for companies in the Nifty50 were lowered by 3.5% since January 2025.
Anand K Rathi from MIRA Money sees things similarly. He thinks that prices of many stocks are starting to look more reasonable. Rathi advises a smart investment strategy, like investing slowly over the next few months, especially as companies report their earnings. This way, investors can take advantage of price changes and position themselves well when the market bounces back.
In conclusion, although many Nifty stocks are trading lower than their usual prices, caution is still important as market ups and downs continue. A gradual investment approach may help deal with risks, and focusing on strong companies is essential. Overall, this market might hold some exciting opportunities for thoughtful investors.
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ED Raids Home of Suspect in Canada’s Largest Gold Heist
On Friday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in India searched the home of Simran Preet Panesar in Mohali. He is a major suspect in Canada’s biggest gold theft, which happened last year. This raid comes just two days after the ED opened a money laundering investigation linked to the crime that took place outside India.
An ED official said, “Our team is looking into Panesar’s home as part of our investigation. He will also be questioned.”
A report revealed that the ED started this investigation following a section of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. This law allows them to handle cases that cross international borders, like crimes committed by Indians in other countries.
The agency filed a report about a theft worth 22.5 million Canadian dollars (CAD) that took place at Toronto Pearson International Airport in April 2023. Officers are checking if any of the stolen gold or money came to India.
Here’s what happened: On April 17, 2023, a cargo container filled with gold bars was stolen using fake documents from a secure storage area. The stolen goods included 6,600 gold bars, weighing a total of 400 kg, and cash worth 2.5 million CAD. The gold bars were brought from Switzerland and were supposed to go to a bank in Toronto.
After the airplane landed, the cargo was taken to a different spot at the airport, and soon after, it was reported missing. The Peel Regional Police (PRP) in Canada called this the largest gold heist in the country’s history. They charged Panesar and eight others in April 2024 and issued an arrest warrant for him. Panesar and another suspect, Parampal Sidhu, worked at the airport’s warehouse.
The PRP said that after the heist, Panesar even showed police officers around the warehouse! While Sidhu was arrested in May 2024, Panesar disappeared. Canadian authorities are still trying to find the stolen gold, and so far, they have recovered only 90,000 CAD out of the total stolen.
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Trump Warns of World War III: Leadership Can Prevent Conflict
During a recent event in Miami, former US President Donald Trump warned that World War III could be near. He expressed confidence that his leadership could help avoid such a war. “No one gains from World War III, and it’s closer than you think,” Trump said. He added that if President Biden had another year in office, the US might have been involved in a major conflict.
Trump mentioned that while the US would stay out of ongoing wars around the world, he would work to stop them. “We won’t get involved in these pointless wars, but we’ll be stronger than anyone else. If war comes, no one can compete with us, but I don’t think it will happen,” he asserted.
He also referenced Elon Musk, who agreed with Trump about the situation in Ukraine, saying that it’s sad how many families have been impacted by the war.
Recently, Trump criticized Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, calling him a “dictator” and claimed that Zelenskyy convinced the US to spend a lot of money on a war that shouldn’t have started. Trump believes that Russia wants to end the fighting and that he plans to meet with Russian President Putin soon to discuss the issue.
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Kerala’s Roadmap to Transform Investments: Key Changes Ahead
Kerala is gearing up for the “Invest Kerala Global Summit” (IGIS) and state industries minister P Rajeev shared exciting updates. The summit is different this year because it follows 50 events where discussions were held with investors across all districts. They listened to what investors wanted and made necessary changes to the rules to encourage businesses to come to Kerala.
This year, Kerala’s motto is “nature, people, industry,” emphasizing responsible investments in 22 important sectors. They held special events focusing on technology like AI, robotics, and smart farming, and traveled to cities like Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, and even Dubai to promote Kerala as an investment destination.
Unlike previous years, where investment promises were often unrealistic, this time they aim for more realistic goals with clearer plans. Rajeev highlighted that Kerala has improved its position in the ease of doing business, now ranking number one, a significant shift from 28th place before.
Regarding the Vizhinjam port, which is a key project, Rajeev believes it will attract many investors. The port is located close to major international shipping routes and does not require much digging, making it an attractive option for shipping companies.
He also mentioned other developments like the Palakkad industrial smart city, which is part of a major project to connect Kochi and Bengaluru. The government is welcoming investments in tech sectors instead of traditional manufacturing which can harm the environment.
Rajeev recently attended the World Economic Forum in Davos to meet potential investors and showcase Kerala’s projects, including the Green Hydrogen Valley.
Despite political differences, the opposition parties are also planning to attend the summit, showing a united front for the state’s growth. Rajeev believes Kerala is evolving and will soon stand out as a top destination for industries focused on technology and sustainability.
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Vicky Kaushal and Katrina Kaif’s Adorable Date Night Out in Mumbai!
Famous actors Vicky Kaushal and Katrina Kaif went out for a date night in Mumbai, and fans shared lots of videos and pictures online.
In one clip, you can see Vicky and Katrina getting out of their cars and walking into a building. They both wore cozy clothing: Katrina chose a black sweatshirt, matching pants, shoes, and a cap, while Vicky wore a brown shirt, black pants, and a cap too.
In another video, they were seen leaving the place. Vicky stood in front of Katrina as a fan tried to take her picture. They held hands as they walked, and Katrina turned to thank someone. Vicky then helped Katrina into their car before getting in himself.
Recently, Katrina praised Vicky’s new movie, Chhaava, on Instagram. She highlighted how amazing the film is and complimented Vicky’s performance. She wrote, “The last 40 minutes will leave you speechless. Vicky, you are outstanding! The way you change for your characters is incredible. I’m so proud of you!” Katrina also appreciated the whole team behind the film.
Chhaava is a historical drama about the great ruler Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, played by Vicky. The movie shows his heroic life, starting with his crowning in 1681. So far, it has earned ₹219.75 crore at the Indian box office in just a week! -
Market Sinks as Walmart’s Weak Outlook Spurs Tariff Fears
On Thursday, the U.S. stock market dropped sharply. Investors were worried about new tariffs (taxes on imports) and disappointing news from Walmart, which is the biggest retail store in the world. This led to a selloff, making all three major stock indexes – the Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq – go down. The Dow had the biggest drop.
Walmart announced that it expects lower sales and profits than what experts predicted. This raised alarms about how well U.S. shoppers are doing since consumer spending is a big part of the economy. “Walmart’s bad news made some people nervous about how much we’ll spend in the future,” said Robert Pavlik, a money manager.
When Walmart’s stock price fell, it pulled the whole market down with it. Meanwhile, gold prices soared to a new high, which usually means that people are looking for safer investments amidst worries.
Walmart’s difficulties also hinted at how the company might be affected by U.S. President Donald Trump’s new tariffs on things like cars and drugs. “There’s a lot of uncertainty with tariffs—people are asking if this is a tactic or if it’s serious,” said Mike Dickson, another expert in finance.
Even though recent reports show that the job market is doing fine, some experts fear that job cuts from new government changes could disrupt things.
Here’s how the major indexes finished the day:
– S&P 500: Down 26.52 points (0.43%) to 6,117.63
– Nasdaq Composite: Down 94.22 points (0.47%) to 19,962.03
– Dow Jones Industrial Average: Down 450.69 points (1.00%) to 44,180.80Other companies had mixed results. Palantir Technologies fell after the Pentagon signaled possible budget cuts. But shares of Alibaba went up after it beat revenue expectations, and Hasbro, the toy company, also did well. Baxter International, a medical device company, jumped after it gave a positive profit forecast for 2025.
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Siddaramaiah Cleared: Major Report on Land Case Submitted!
The Karnataka Lokayukta—a special ombudsman—submitted a huge report with 11,000 pages to a court in Bengaluru regarding the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) land case. This happened just a day after police cleared Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his wife Parvathi of any wrongdoing. Police said there was not enough proof to charge them.
The police, led by Superintendent Udesh, shared 27 volumes of documents with a court that handles cases involving lawmakers. They assured the public that the investigation is ongoing and the documents are important for the inquiry.
Recently, it was reported that the Lokayukta was likely to absolve Siddaramaiah and Parvathi from all accusations. On Wednesday, Lokayukta Police closed the case, stating no evidence was found to support the allegations made against the chief minister, his wife, and two others.
The case began when an activist named Snehamayi Krishna raised concerns about land allocated by MUDA. The report noted that the accusations were either misunderstandings of the law or simply not proven enough to take further legal action. Krishna was informed that if he disagrees with the findings, he can challenge them in court.
The land in question was a three-acre plot that Siddaramaiah claimed was given to his wife in 1998. In 2014, MUDA acquired this land for development without proper permissions, and Parvathi later applied for compensation. She ended up getting 14 residential plots worth over ₹8 crore, making people suspicious that this somewhat unfairly benefited their family.
In September 2024, the Karnataka High Court allowed Lokayukta to investigate the land allotment. On November 5, the court directed the Lokayukta Police to present a status report on Krishna’s claims for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe. However, on February 7, the court decided that the Lokayukta Police would continue the investigation.
Some skepticism arose from the opposition party, BJP, who questioned the fairness of the inquiry, suggesting it should be handed over to the CBI. Senior BJP leader Pralhad Joshi stated they could not trust the investigation since the same police officers were appointed by Siddaramaiah.
On the other hand, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar supported the Lokayukta’s report, saying that the allegations were politically motivated and Siddaramaiah was innocent. He emphasized that the Lokayukta is an independent body that operates without influence from the Chief Minister.
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Meet Aaryan Shukla: The 14-Year-Old Who Broke 6 Guinness Records!
At just 14 years old, Aaryan Shukla, a “human calculator” from India, amazed everyone by breaking six Guinness World Records in one day! Last year, he made headlines when he became the fastest person to mentally add 50 five-digit numbers before a live audience. He completed this incredible task in only 25.19 seconds, which is about one addition every half second!
After this impressive achievement, Aaryan was invited to Dubai by Guinness World Records to face an even tougher challenge. In one amazing day, he broke six records, including:
– The fastest time to mentally add 100 four-digit numbers
– The fastest time to mentally add 200 four-digit numbers
– The fastest time to add 50 five-digit numbers
– The fastest time to divide a 20-digit number by a 10-digit number
– The fastest time to multiply 10 sets of 2 five-digit numbers
– The fastest time to multiply 10 sets of 2 eight-digit numbersAaryan shared his daily routine with Guinness World Records, saying, “Daily practice is super important for competitions, so I practice for about 5-6 hours each day.”
He also explained how he thinks while solving math problems. “Many calculations happen really quickly in my head, so I can’t explain what goes on inside my brain; I just do it naturally. It’s so fast that I don’t have time to think, I just calculate,” he shared. To help him stay calm and focused, he practices yoga.
Aaryan’s mother noted that he has loved numbers since he was very young. “He liked studying and playing with numbers. At age 6, he started practicing mental calculations, and he was really good at it. We began researching more about it. By age 8, he participated in an international competition and won medals and trophies, which was amazing!” she said.