Business Standard

• Stock markets opened positively with GIFT Nifty up and Asian markets trading higher after China's central bank held prime rates steady.
• The weakening rupee is making long-haul international travel more expensive for Indians in 2025, with package prices rising by up to 14%.
• India is reportedly favoring cheaper oil-linked LNG supplies over US gas due to rising Henry Hub prices and freight costs, impacting ongoing trade talks.
• A trade agreement between India and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) is expected to exclude services.
• Imports of water-soluble fertilizers remain steady despite China's export crackdown.
• Starbucks has appointed Indian-origin Amazon veteran Anand Varadarajan as its new CTO.
• OpenAI is reporting better margins on business sales as it pushes for AI dominance, though it has yet to show a profit.
• Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) pulled back significantly from finance and IT stocks in the first half of December.
• A Business Standard poll suggests the rupee could trade around 90 against the dollar by December-end.
• Open offers for acquisitions and takeovers have reached their highest levels since 2008.

Economic Times

• The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) announced a major overhaul of mutual fund regulations, including a reduction in expense ratio limits, to benefit investors.
• The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India noted a declining trend in signalling equipment failures on the South Western Railway but highlighted that such failures still occur frequently.
• Voluntary liquidation is increasingly becoming the preferred route for company promoters to wind down unviable operations, offering a faster and compliant exit.
• The Nifty's near-term outlook is cautiously positive, supported by improving technical signals, a stronger rupee, and renewed foreign investor buying.
• IndiGo shares are in focus as the airline firm enters the Sensex, replacing Tata Motors PV.
• Mukesh Ambani stated that India needs to lead in AI while prioritizing empathy in technology adoption.

Mint

• Indian benchmarks concluded a four-session losing streak on Friday, December 19, with the Sensex rising 448 points and the Nifty 50 adding 151 points, buoyed by a stable rupee and favorable global cues.
• Market experts like Sumeet Bagadia, Ankush Bajaj, and Vaishali Parekh provided stock recommendations for December 22, covering various sectors and offering buy/sell calls.
• The Nifty 50 index demonstrated a strong rebound after testing its 50-DEMA support level, indicating improved market sentiment.
• The total market capitalization of BSE-listed companies surged, leading to a significant boost in investor wealth.

TAGS: Headlines, Business News, Economic Times, Business Standard, Mint, Top News

Tags: Headlines Business News Economic Times Business Standard Mint Top News