Category: Business & Economy

On Wednesday, REC Ltd. shares were trading at Rs 499.05 on the BSE around 12:12 PM IST, which is a rise of 3.13% from the last closing price. The company’s stock has seen a low of Rs 408.00 and a high of Rs 653.90 in the past year.

In the morning, the shares opened with a good jump. By noon, a total of 107,106 shares had been traded. Today, REC Ltd. has a market value of Rs 131,318.88 crore.

The stock’s price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio is 8.82, meaning it’s relatively affordable compared to its earnings. The price-to-book value (P/BV) is 1.73. The company’s return on equity (ROE) is 20.56%.

Among the 500 companies listed on BSE, 104 were gaining, while 395 were losing. The beta value of REC Ltd. is 1.2659, indicating how much it moves compared to the overall market.

As of September 30, 2024, promoters own 52.63% of the company. Foreign investors hold 21.23%, and domestic institutional investors have 8.94%.

Looking at moving averages, the 200-day moving average (200-DMA) is at Rs 537.6, and the 50-day moving average (50-DMA) is at Rs 526.62. If the stock is trading below both averages, it usually means it’s on an upward trend. If it’s below them, it could be a bearish trend, and being in between suggests mixed chances ahead.

Over the last 10 years, the Nifty index has gone up nine times. The energy and financial services sectors have performed just as well, making them strong contenders. They achieved impressive yearly returns of 16% and 13%, while the Nifty’s average was 11%. Interestingly, all three were down in 2015, but they’ve been on a winning streak since then.

The financial services sector, which carries the heaviest weight in the Nifty at about 34%, has seen returns between 11% and 41% on five occasions during the years 2017-2019, 2021, and 2023. However, there were also years with lower returns between 5% and 9% in 2016, 2020, 2022, and 2024. Notably, the index dropped over 5% in 2015.

The energy sector is the third-largest part of the Nifty, making up about 10%. It did better than the Nifty in 2015, dropping less than 1% compared to Nifty’s 4% fall. The Nifty Energy index had double-digit returns six times, peaking at about 39% in 2017.

The Nifty did best when both financial services and energy sectors performed well together. In 2017, for example, the Nifty gained 29%, while financial services soared by 41%, and energy grew by 39%. The Nifty also had solid returns of 24% in 2021 and 20% in 2023, with the financial services index growing by 14% and 13% in those years.

The real estate sector has been a big winner over the past decade, averaging 25% returns, although it faced some ups and downs. It had four down years, with the worst being a 33% drop in 2018 and a 15% drop in 2015. In contrast, it saw strong returns of 81% in 2023 and 34% in 2024.

Other sectors like Nifty Bank, Nifty FMCG, and Nifty Commodities have also performed well, finishing positive eight times in the last 10 years, with average annual returns of 11%, 11%, and 13%, respectively. Nifty Auto, IT, and Metal sectors managed positive returns seven times.

On the other hand, Nifty PSU Bank, Nifty Pharma, and Nifty Media have struggled. They posted lower average returns of 9%, 10%, and 0.17% and have finished positive only six, five, and four times between 2015 and 2024.

Looking ahead to 2025, Bajaj Brokerage believes banks and media could improve, while FMCG also looks promising. They predict the IT sector will do better than the Nifty. They suggest making some profits in auto, infrastructure, metals, and energy.

Shrikant Chouhan from Kotak Securities expects a 4.9% increase in Nifty-50 profits in FY25, climbing to 16.3% in FY26, following a robust 20.3% growth in FY24. He advises investing in sectors like banking, IT, real estate, pharma, and healthcare, and suggests buying stocks when prices dip.

As technology changes quickly, the types of jobs that are popular are also changing. In 2024, the best-paying jobs are mostly in technology, healthcare, and leadership. Mr. Sandeep Gulati, the Managing Director at ManpowerGroup for India and the Middle East, tells us that as robots and artificial intelligence (AI) become more common, many industries are changing and this will affect job opportunities.

Top Jobs in 2024

In 2024, here are some of the best-paying jobs:
– Technology: People who work with AI and Machine Learning, Cybersecurity Experts, Cloud Architects, and Data Scientists.
– Healthcare: Surgeons and other specialized doctors.
– Leadership: Chief Executive Officers (CEOs).
– Finance: Investment Bankers.
– Management: Product Managers and Management Consultants.

Growing Jobs in 2025

Ms. Somdutta Singh, a successful entrepreneur and CEO of Assiduus, predicts that in 2025, jobs in healthcare and technology will grow even more. For example, anesthesiologists could earn over ₹2,00,000 a month, which is about ₹24,00,000 a year in India. Other high-paying medical jobs include surgeons earning ₹24,00,000 a year and oral surgeons making around ₹19,00,000 a year. These jobs are well-paid because they are very important for society.

Mr. Gulati adds that these roles will be key to business success as industries continue to change. People who work hard to learn and improve their skills in these areas will have great career opportunities.

Besides healthcare, technology jobs like AI specialists will be in high demand. As industries use more advanced technology, experts predict that AI alone could create 97 million new jobs around the world this year. Other high-paying jobs will be for computer managers and petroleum engineers.

As you prepare for these great jobs, it’s important to develop both technical skills, like data analysis and programming, and soft skills, like teamwork and leadership. By focusing on these areas, you can build a successful career in 2025 and beyond!

On Wednesday at around 11:51 AM (IST), shares of Adani Power Ltd. were trading at Rs 504.20, up by 1.17%. This comes as the overall stock market, measured by the BSE Sensex, dropped by 506.55 points to reach 77692.56. Just the day before, the stock closed at Rs 510.20.

Over the past year, Adani Power’s share price has hit a high of Rs 896.75 and a low of Rs 430.85. According to BSE data, about 173,319 shares were traded by 11:51 AM, bringing in a total of Rs 8.79 crore.

When looking at the company’s performance, its shares are currently valued at 15.31 times the earnings per share (EPS) of Rs 32.98 from the last 12 months. This shows investors believe Adani Power will grow in the future. The price-to-book value at 5.78 gives an idea of the company’s worth and what people are willing to pay, even if the business isn’t expected to grow.

The stock is also a bit bumpy, with a Beta value of 2.8409, meaning it can be more versatile than the overall market.

Who Owns the Company?
As of September 30, 2024, promoters own 47.2% of Adani Power, while foreign investors (FIIs) hold 12.66%, and domestic investors (DIIs) own 1.51%.

What Do the Charts Show?
Looking at technical details, the stock’s relative strength index (RSI) is at 43.11. This number helps traders see if a stock is too expensive (overbought, above 70) or too cheap (oversold, below 30). However, it’s important to use RSI along with other information before making trading decisions, just as you wouldn’t rely on one fact to make an important choice.

On Wednesday morning, shares of Bank of Baroda went up by 0.62% to reach ₹231.00 at 10:50 AM (IST). This increase comes as the Sensex index also gained 472.69 points to reach 77,726.42. The stock had a strong start today, opening at ₹232.70 and touching a high of ₹233.45 and a low of ₹230.65.

Over the past year, Bank of Baroda shares hit a high of ₹298.45 and a low of ₹219.45. About 51,238 shares have changed hands by mid-morning.

The company has a price-to-earnings (PE) ratio of 5.97 and an earnings per share (EPS) of ₹38.68. This means it’s making profits relative to its share prices. The price-to-book (PB) ratio is at 1.14, showing how the stock’s price compares to its actual book value.

The return on equity (ROE) is 15.67%, a good sign for investors. The promoters own 63.97% of the company, while foreign institutional investors (FIIs) hold 9.87% and mutual funds own 8.81%.

With a total worth of ₹1,19,355.04 crore, Bank of Baroda is a big player in the public banking sector. In the last quarter ending September 30, 2024, the bank reported sales of ₹39,454.98 crore, which is 10.21% higher than last quarter’s ₹35,800.94 crore and 10.31% more than the same quarter last year. The bank is performing well!

On Wednesday around 10:24 AM (IST), the Nifty Auto index faced a challenging situation amidst a weak market. Some car companies saw small gains, with Maruti Suzuki up by 0.22%, Mahindra & Mahindra rising by 0.18%, Samvardhana Motherson International gaining 0.11%, and Balkrishna Industries up by 0.08%.

However, not all companies were lucky. Apollo Tyres dropped by 2.32%, Tata Motors fell by 1.13%, MRF lost 1.09%, Bajaj Auto decreased by 1.05%, and Ashok Leyland fell by 0.99%. At that time, the Nifty Auto index was down by 0.4%, sitting at 23,389.30 points.

The larger NSE Nifty50 index was down 99.46 points at 23,608.45, and the BSE Sensex was down 332.46 points at 77,866.65. Out of the 50 stocks in the Nifty index, 11 were doing well while 39 were struggling.

Some shares like Vodafone Idea, Ibull Real Estate, ITI Ltd, YES Bank, and Zomato were among the most active in trading. Additionally, several stocks reached their best prices in a year, including Ashapura Minechem, Pokarna Ltd, Indo Tech Transformers, Power & Instrument, and Atlas Cycles. On the other hand, Spacenet Enterprise, Baid Leasing, Odigma Consultancy, Kewal Kiran Clothing, and Digjam saw their lowest prices in a year.

NEW DELHI: On Wednesday morning, many fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) stocks were going down. Honasa Consumer Ltd. was doing well, up by 3.13%, along with other companies like Parag Milk Foods Ltd. (up 1.78%), Tasty Bite Eatables Ltd. (up 1.23%), and Jyothy Labs Ltd. (up 1.16%). Colgate-Palmolive (India) Ltd. also saw a small increase of 0.92%.

However, some companies were struggling. ADF Foods Ltd. fell by 3.64%, LT Foods Ltd. dropped 2.42%, and Marico Ltd. was down 1.57%. Other companies like Varun Beverages Ltd. and Patanjali Foods Ltd. also saw losses.

At around 10:09 AM, the NSE Nifty50 index was down by 43.5 points, making it 23664.4. Likewise, the BSE Sensex dropped by 140.63 points, bringing it to 78058.48.

In the Nifty group, some companies were performing well. Reliance Industries Ltd. increased by 2.02%, while Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd. went up 1.94%. Other gainers included Axis Bank Ltd. (up 1.25%) and Bajaj Finserv Ltd. (up 1.02%).

On the flip side, a few companies were losing value, such as Trent Ltd. (down 2.25%) and Titan Company Ltd. (down 1.52%).

Elon Musk has brought attention back to the big issue of our world’s shrinking population. He shared a post on X (formerly Twitter) from Tesla Owners Silicon Valley that included a scary graph showing how the populations of major countries, like China and India, are expected to drop by the year 2100. They say, “Population collapse is humanity’s greatest threat,” and Musk agreed by replying, “Yes.”

The graph shows alarming projections: India’s population could fall by 400 million to just below 1.1 billion. China might see an even bigger drop—731 million fewer people, leaving them with about 731.9 million. Meanwhile, Nigeria’s population is likely to grow to about 790.1 million, making it the second-most populated country in the world after India.

So why is this happening? Experts point to a few reasons:

– Lower Birth Rates: In many countries, people are having fewer children. For instance, England and Wales reported a very low birth rate of 1.44 kids per woman in 2023.

– Older Population: People are living longer, but fewer babies are being born, which creates a society with more older people and fewer workers.

– Moving Away: Some people are leaving their home countries, causing a loss in population.

Around the world, the number of children born has decreased from 5.3 per woman in 1963 to less than 2.5 today. This decline could lead to issues like fewer workers and slower economies. A study from the University of Washington even suggests that countries like China and India might see population drops happen faster than we thought, raising concerns about their economy and power on the global stage.

On the other hand, countries like the United States are expected to maintain stable populations due to migration, while nations like Canada and Australia will likely keep growing, too. Countries in Africa, like Nigeria, Ethiopia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, are expected to see significant growth, potentially changing who holds power in the world.

Musk has been very clear about his worries regarding this population decline. He believes it could threaten our technology and economy. He urges countries with older populations, like Japan and many in Europe, to create policies that encourage more births because these changes are already impacting economic growth.

His views on population growth also connect to his bigger goals for humanity. With his companies, Tesla and SpaceX, Musk wants to promote sustainable living and space exploration to help humanity thrive long-term. He thinks solving the problem of population decline is essential for a strong future.

Musk’s post highlights the urgent need for countries to work together to tackle the issues brought by shrinking populations. As societies face these changes, it’s important for leaders to come up with plans to help, showing us just how serious these demographic shifts are.

Sumit Poddar, Founder & CIO of Tikona Capital, believes that in 2025, certain sectors like IT (Information Technology), manufacturing, and some consumer products will likely bounce back. This prediction is because urban spending slowed down in 2024 but is expected to rise again. Lower interest rates, new technology, and investments from the government and private companies will help boost the economy.

Looking back at 2024, markets were influenced by inflation and interest rates, but these issues are expected to ease in 2025. Countries like India, the US, and those in Europe are focused on promoting growth. China is also trying to boost its economy through stimulus measures. With the Indian government investing in manufacturing through schemes, this sector will be particularly promising. Areas like renewable energy, battery production, and decarbonization will also be in focus.

In the IT sector, analysts anticipate a rebound, especially if the new US administration supports businesses. While discussing what to invest in, Sumit mentions that there’s often a preference for midcap stocks because they can grow faster than large companies. However, both midcap and large-cap stocks are expected to do well because, as the US economy improves, many IT companies will benefit.

Considering the earnings season and ongoing debates about which stocks to choose, Sumit leans towards midcap firms like Mastek due to their better valuations. In large-cap stocks, he favors TCS and sees potential in Affle, a company that’s benefiting from the growth in digital marketing.

Overall, technology investments made after COVID-19 are expected to show great results, especially with new trends like AI and ML coming into play. Companies in various sectors, including food delivery services like Zomato and Swiggy, are likely to profit from the advancements in technology they’re using.

SOBHA, a real estate development company, saw huge success in the third quarter of FY25, making sales of Rs. 1388 crore. This is a big jump of 27.2% compared to the previous quarter!

So far this year, in the first nine months, they sold a total area of 3.12 million square feet, bringing in Rs. 4441 crore. This means they are getting more money for their properties, with an average price of Rs. 14,226 per square foot, which is up by 31.3% from last year. This rise is thanks to higher prices in current projects and successful new launches.

In Bangalore alone, they sold Rs. 1001 crore worth of property, making up 72.1% of their total sales. This is an increase of 64.5% from the last quarter, mainly due to the successful launch of SOBHA Ayana.

Sales in Gurgaon also grew this quarter, making up 10.3% of total sales. Pune is seeing good sales, too, especially with one tower of SOBHA Nesara nearly finished, boosting customer confidence. The Tamil Nadu region had impressive sales with a growth of 79.4% in the first nine months, thanks to new launches and projects progressing well.

Sales in Kerala and Hyderabad remained steady due to the available inventory.

In total, during the first nine months of FY25, SOBHA launched 4.66 million square feet across six projects in four cities.