11:11 | Drivers of India’s self-made wealth; Steel makers' safeguard duty hopes; Gold at all time high & more

New-age companies, rich valuations: What’s driving India’s self-made wealth

Financial services top the chart for wealth creation among India's self-made entrepreneurs. According to the latest IDFC First-Hurun India report, the sector leads with 47 companies, followed by software and services (SaaS) with 28, healthcare with 27, and retail with 20.

Data accessed by CNBC-TV18 show that nearly 26% of the 47 companies in financial services are in the lending business, 17% operate in payments, and only 10.6% fall under fintech. The sector has seen steady growth since 2023 while SaaS is becoming increasingly popular among self-made entrepreneurs, with the category growing 22% over the past year.

Outlook 2026 | How FinOps 2.0 will turn tech spend into business value in the year ahead

The real competitive edge in the next few years won’t come from who adopts the most technologies, but from who learns to treat technology as capital, invested with intent, measured with discipline, and redirected without hesitation. FinOps is ultimately about elevating technology from a support function to a board-level growth lever. The organisations that succeed will be the ones where CIOs, CFOs and business leaders stop asking “How much are we spending?” and start asking “What future are we funding?”

The AI boom comes to memory chips. What analysts are saying after Micron's blowout quarter

Micron Technologyis likely to get a big boost over the coming year if its blockbuster fiscal first-quarter results are anything to go by, even as some investors shrink from the AI trade, according to several Wall Street researchers.

Micron shares rose almost 16% in early trading Thursday, December 18, after the Idaho-based computer memory and storage company posted top and bottom-line results that topped Wall Street estimates in its November quarter. The semiconductor makers earned an adjusted $4.78 per share on revenue of $13.64 billion, topping analysts' consensus expectations of $3.95 on $12.84 billion, according to LSEG data

Indian steel makers hope for a safeguard duty in 2026

Steel prices have weakened and that is likely to weigh on margins for steel companies in the near term. In India, hot-rolled coil prices are down about 8% from the September quarter, driven by lower Asian prices and the expiry of the interim 12% safeguard duty in early November.

However, there are growing hopes that steel prices may be close to a bottom.

Asian steel spreads are near 15-year lows, almost 40% below their long-term average. At these levels spreads look unsustainable and part of the street is optimistic on a recovery, especially if China’s anti-involution policy leads to production or supply cuts.

Delhi air quality remains 'very poor' with toxic smog disrupting flight, train services

The Delhi and national capital region (NCR) continued to record air quality in "very poor" category on Monday, December 22. With toxic smog covering the region, travel is expected to be hampered due to disruptions in flight and train operations.

As of 8:05 am, Delhi recorded AQI at 366 levels, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)'s Sameer mobile application. One of the pollution recording station out of 40 was not working properly in Delhi on December 22.

Gold prices hit all-time highs on rate-cut hopes, safe-haven demand

Gold prices surged to an all-time high on Monday (December 22), supported by expectations of further US Federal Reserve rate cuts, persistent safe-haven demand and a softer US dollar.

Spot gold climbed to a record $4,383.73 per ounce, extending its strong rally this year. The precious metal has gained about 67% in 2025, driven by geopolitical and trade tensions, aggressive central bank buying and growing confidence that global interest rates will trend lower.

Mining completely banned in Delhi’s Aravalli Hills, says govt

The government on Sunday, December 21, clarified that mining continues to remain completely banned in the Aravalli hills area of Delhi. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) said the Supreme Court has directed that no new mining leases be granted until the Mining Plan for Sustainable Management (MPSM) is finalised by the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE).

The ministry noted that mining is permitted in only about 2% of the total 1.47 lakh square kilometre Aravalli region, and even in these designated areas, mining can proceed only after a detailed mining plan is prepared and approved by ICFRE.

Tata Motors CV shares get another bullish call; Nomura sees 20% upside

Shares of Tata Motors Commercial Vehicles will be in focus on Monday, December 22, after the stock received another initiation of coverage from a global brokerage. Nomura has initiated coverage on Tata Motors CV with a 'Buy' rating and a price target of ₹481, implying an upside of about 20% from current levels, following the company's recent demerger.

The brokerage expects the India business to benefit from an anticipated upcycle, led by Tata Motors CV's dominant 46% market share in the domestic medium and heavy commercial vehicle segment in FY25.

Fortis Healthcare shares get an upgrade from JM Financial after ₹840 crore Bengaluru acquisition

Fortis Healthcare Ltd. has signed definitive agreements to acquire the 125 bedded People Tree Hospital in Yeshwanthpur, Bengaluru, through a 100% acquisition of TMI Healthcare, the entity that owns and operates the hospital. The stock gained in response to the deal on Monday, December 22.

Gujarat Kidney and Super Speciality IPO: Key details to know before subscribing
The initial public offering (IPO) of mid sized multispeciality hospital chain Gujarat Kidney and Super Speciality will open for subscription on Monday, December 22, and will close on December 24.

Ahead of the issue opening, the company has raised ₹100 crore from anchor investors.

Varun Beverages rises as board approves ₹1,118 crore acquisition of South Africa's Twizza

The board of Varun Beverages Ltd. has approved the acquisition of 100% stake in South Africa based Twizza Proprietary Ltd. at an enterprise value of ZAR 2,095 million, or about ₹1,118.7 crore. The acquisition will be carried out through its South African subsidiary, The Beverages Company Proprietary Ltd., subject to regulatory and other approvals, including clearances from the Competition Commissions of South Africa, Botswana, and Eswatini.

Swiggy Instamart opens first offline experiential store in Gurugram

Swiggy Instamart has opened an offline, Instamart-branded experiential store in Gurugram as part of a limited consumer experiment. The store is not owned or operated by Instamart. Instead, it is seller-owned and seller-operated, with Instamart providing branding and services. All sales made at the store accrue directly to the seller, not to Instamart, according to sources familiar with the development.

The pilot marks Instamart’s first foray into a physical format, but sources say it is not a move into omnichannel retail, but a focused experiment, rather than a strategic shift by Swiggy’s quick-commerce arm towards traditional offline retail.