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What is the story about?
Cholamandalam Investment and Finance Company: Allegations made by Cobrapost and what analysts make of them
Shares of Cholamandalam Investment and Finance Companyhave surged as much as 6% on Tuesday, December 23, recovering all of Monday's losses. As of Monday's close, the stock was down in five out of the last six trading sessions and the stock had declined as much as 9% during this period.
Cobrapost, a digital portal, has made allegations of corporate governance against Cholamandalam, the Murugappa Group of Companies, and its promoters.
Rupee opens below 90 amid softening dollar, RBI support
The Indian rupee opened at 89.64 against the US dollar on Tuesday (December 23), marginally stronger than Monday’s close of 89.65/$, supported by a softer dollar in early trade.
The currency’s recent gains follow a decisive recovery from last week’s all-time low of 91.0750, a slump traders attribute to aggressive central bank intervention
that curtailed the rupee’s downward momentum.
The measures prompted corporates and speculators to reassess their positions, contributing to the near-term stabilisation of the currency
ACC-Ambuja-Orient Cement Merger: What is in it for shareholders?
The board of ACC Ltd. on Monday, December 22, approved the merger of the company with Ambuja Cements, another group entity. The announcement was made after market closing hours.
The scheme is subject to necessary statutory and regulatory approvals, including the approval of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT). The said scheme will also be filed with the stock exchanges to obtain their No-Objection Certificate.
In addition to this, the board of Orient Cement also approved its merger with Ambuja Cements. Ambuja had acquired a majority stake in Orient Cement in April this year, having first announced the deal in October last year.
Here's what the merger entails for the shareholders of these respective companies:
Gold at an all-time high: Key factors driving the rally
Gold prices remained firm near all-time high levels on Tuesday (December 23), supported by expectations of easier monetary policy, persistent geopolitical uncertainty and steady central bank buying.
In early Asian trade, spot gold touched an all-time high of $4,445.69 per ounce, reflecting sustained global demand for safe-haven assets. In the domestic market, gold prices stayed elevated. 24-carat gold traded at ₹13,616 per gram, while 22-carat gold stood at ₹12,481 per gram and 18-carat gold at ₹10,212 per gram, according to market data.
Planning to buy a car? Prices may rise from 2026 as automakers signal hikes
Indian automakers are preparing phased price hikes across cars and two-wheelers as input costs rise and the rupee weakens,even as demand remains resilient and registrations show healthy growth.
Industry analysts attribute the expected hikes to higher input costs for steel, aluminium, electronics, and batteries, along with the impact of rupee depreciation on imported components.
Mumbai AQI: Bombay HC summons BMC chief and MPCB member-secretary over 'cosmetic' compliance
The Bombay High Court on Monday, December 22, summoned the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner and the Secretary of the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), pulling up civic and pollution control authorities over "inaction" in curbing Mumbai’s worsening air quality.
The summons came after a court-appointed four-member panel submitted a report flagging widespread non-compliance with anti-pollution measures across the city. The court directed the two top officials to appear at 11 am on Tuesday, December 23, and explain the lapses noted by the panel.
Outlook 2026 | Why trust, power, and people will define hybrid AI in 2026
As we enter 2026, AI is no longer a standalone initiative. It is becoming part of how organisations in our region design products, run operations, and serve communities. The leaders will be those who build AI that is trusted, hybrid by design, sustainable at scale, and guided by clear principles of responsibility and ethics, always putting people at the centre of the transformation.
By: Sumir Bhatia, President, Asia Pacific, ISG, Lenovo
AI adoption will play a greater role in deciding next year's winners and losers. Here's why
Wall Street expects AI enablers — the chipmakers, cloud providers and data center companies that are the "picks and shovels" for the AI revolution — will remain a driving force for the stock market next year,according to CNBC's Market Strategist Survey. (The survey shows that AI will remain a defining theme that helps the S&P 500 post yet another double-digit advance).
CII President calls for targeted manufacturing, trade diversification and disinvestment funding to boost growth
India must adopt a targeted manufacturing strategy, increase funding from disinvestment proceeds, and continue diversifying itstrade to enhance competitiveness, create jobs, and integrate more deeply into global supply chains, said Rajiv Memani, President of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), in an interview with CNBC-TV18.
Speaking against the backdrop of the recently concluded India–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA), Memani highlighted that trade diversification is critical in a volatile global economic environment.
“Exports to the US as a percentage of our total basket have already come down from 20–21% to around 15–16%. We are seeing early signs of trade diversification, and FTAs are not just about tariff reduction—they are about building strong economic bridges between countries,” he said.
Why lower loan interest rates may not make homes cheaper in big cities
Lower home loan interest rates have eased equated monthly instalments (EMIs) and improved borrowing capacity for homebuyers, but property prices in India’s largest cities remain firm, limiting the impact of cheaper credit on overall housing affordability.
Recent repo rate cuts have pushed home loan rates into the 7.4–8.5% range, encouraging demand, especially from first-time buyers. However, experts say affordability in metro markets such as Delhi-NCR, Mumbai and Bengaluru depends on more than just EMI relief.
Why smaller aircraft on longer routes make strategic sense
The slimming trend may usher in a segmentation of sorts, where, in addition to price and schedule, aircraft types will also influence booking decisions. As fleets hybridise—widebodies for premium-dense ultra-long-haul, narrowbodies for efficient point-to-point—passengers could deliberately choose based on aircraft type. This is both an opportunity and a curse for airlines.
Already, a price differential is being seen across airlines, and psychologically, some folks simply prefer widebody aircraft – even if the seat dimensions are exactly the same. Flying a larger aircraft just “feels” more comfortable. For the Indian market, how this segmentation plays out remains to be seen.
By: Satyendra Pandey, Managing Partner, AT-TV
Shares of Cholamandalam Investment and Finance Companyhave surged as much as 6% on Tuesday, December 23, recovering all of Monday's losses. As of Monday's close, the stock was down in five out of the last six trading sessions and the stock had declined as much as 9% during this period.
Cobrapost, a digital portal, has made allegations of corporate governance against Cholamandalam, the Murugappa Group of Companies, and its promoters.
Rupee opens below 90 amid softening dollar, RBI support
The Indian rupee opened at 89.64 against the US dollar on Tuesday (December 23), marginally stronger than Monday’s close of 89.65/$, supported by a softer dollar in early trade.
The currency’s recent gains follow a decisive recovery from last week’s all-time low of 91.0750, a slump traders attribute to aggressive central bank intervention
The measures prompted corporates and speculators to reassess their positions, contributing to the near-term stabilisation of the currency
ACC-Ambuja-Orient Cement Merger: What is in it for shareholders?
The board of ACC Ltd. on Monday, December 22, approved the merger of the company with Ambuja Cements, another group entity. The announcement was made after market closing hours.
The scheme is subject to necessary statutory and regulatory approvals, including the approval of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT). The said scheme will also be filed with the stock exchanges to obtain their No-Objection Certificate.
In addition to this, the board of Orient Cement also approved its merger with Ambuja Cements. Ambuja had acquired a majority stake in Orient Cement in April this year, having first announced the deal in October last year.
Here's what the merger entails for the shareholders of these respective companies:
Gold at an all-time high: Key factors driving the rally
Gold prices remained firm near all-time high levels on Tuesday (December 23), supported by expectations of easier monetary policy, persistent geopolitical uncertainty and steady central bank buying.
In early Asian trade, spot gold touched an all-time high of $4,445.69 per ounce, reflecting sustained global demand for safe-haven assets. In the domestic market, gold prices stayed elevated. 24-carat gold traded at ₹13,616 per gram, while 22-carat gold stood at ₹12,481 per gram and 18-carat gold at ₹10,212 per gram, according to market data.
Planning to buy a car? Prices may rise from 2026 as automakers signal hikes
Indian automakers are preparing phased price hikes across cars and two-wheelers as input costs rise and the rupee weakens,even as demand remains resilient and registrations show healthy growth.
Industry analysts attribute the expected hikes to higher input costs for steel, aluminium, electronics, and batteries, along with the impact of rupee depreciation on imported components.
Mumbai AQI: Bombay HC summons BMC chief and MPCB member-secretary over 'cosmetic' compliance
The Bombay High Court on Monday, December 22, summoned the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner and the Secretary of the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), pulling up civic and pollution control authorities over "inaction" in curbing Mumbai’s worsening air quality.
The summons came after a court-appointed four-member panel submitted a report flagging widespread non-compliance with anti-pollution measures across the city. The court directed the two top officials to appear at 11 am on Tuesday, December 23, and explain the lapses noted by the panel.
Outlook 2026 | Why trust, power, and people will define hybrid AI in 2026
As we enter 2026, AI is no longer a standalone initiative. It is becoming part of how organisations in our region design products, run operations, and serve communities. The leaders will be those who build AI that is trusted, hybrid by design, sustainable at scale, and guided by clear principles of responsibility and ethics, always putting people at the centre of the transformation.
By: Sumir Bhatia, President, Asia Pacific, ISG, Lenovo
AI adoption will play a greater role in deciding next year's winners and losers. Here's why
Wall Street expects AI enablers — the chipmakers, cloud providers and data center companies that are the "picks and shovels" for the AI revolution — will remain a driving force for the stock market next year,according to CNBC's Market Strategist Survey. (The survey shows that AI will remain a defining theme that helps the S&P 500 post yet another double-digit advance).
CII President calls for targeted manufacturing, trade diversification and disinvestment funding to boost growth
India must adopt a targeted manufacturing strategy, increase funding from disinvestment proceeds, and continue diversifying itstrade to enhance competitiveness, create jobs, and integrate more deeply into global supply chains, said Rajiv Memani, President of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), in an interview with CNBC-TV18.
Speaking against the backdrop of the recently concluded India–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA), Memani highlighted that trade diversification is critical in a volatile global economic environment.
“Exports to the US as a percentage of our total basket have already come down from 20–21% to around 15–16%. We are seeing early signs of trade diversification, and FTAs are not just about tariff reduction—they are about building strong economic bridges between countries,” he said.
Why lower loan interest rates may not make homes cheaper in big cities
Lower home loan interest rates have eased equated monthly instalments (EMIs) and improved borrowing capacity for homebuyers, but property prices in India’s largest cities remain firm, limiting the impact of cheaper credit on overall housing affordability.
Recent repo rate cuts have pushed home loan rates into the 7.4–8.5% range, encouraging demand, especially from first-time buyers. However, experts say affordability in metro markets such as Delhi-NCR, Mumbai and Bengaluru depends on more than just EMI relief.
Why smaller aircraft on longer routes make strategic sense
The slimming trend may usher in a segmentation of sorts, where, in addition to price and schedule, aircraft types will also influence booking decisions. As fleets hybridise—widebodies for premium-dense ultra-long-haul, narrowbodies for efficient point-to-point—passengers could deliberately choose based on aircraft type. This is both an opportunity and a curse for airlines.
Already, a price differential is being seen across airlines, and psychologically, some folks simply prefer widebody aircraft – even if the seat dimensions are exactly the same. Flying a larger aircraft just “feels” more comfortable. For the Indian market, how this segmentation plays out remains to be seen.
By: Satyendra Pandey, Managing Partner, AT-TV
