Business Standard

• BS Manthan 2026 Insights: Union Minister Piyush Goyal suggested that India may ease investment norms for China in a "calibrated way," while Nitin Gadkari identified private-funded highway construction as a top priority for the government.
• Market Recovery: GIFT Nifty futures pointed to a firm opening (up 62 points) as Asian markets rallied, helping domestic investors look past recent AI-sector disruptions and tariff concerns.
• Corporate Earnings: Schaeffler India reported a robust Q3 net profit of ₹322.36 crore, a significant jump from the previous year, while Aditya Infotech promoters are reportedly planning a ₹1,000 crore block deal.
• Economic Indicators: A new survey projects an average pay hike of 9.1% across Indian sectors in 2026, even as credit card spending showed a slight dip in January despite rising issuance numbers.

The Economic Times

• Banking Liquidity Crunch: Financial institutions are facing shrinking liquidity buffers as credit growth (14.6%) continues to outpace deposit growth (12.5%), leading to a scramble for funds through high-cost certificates of deposit.
• Regulatory Directives: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has called on banks to halt the "mis-selling" of products and return their focus to core banking activities to stabilize the credit-deposit ratio.
• IDFC First Bank Probe: The RBI is closely monitoring a fraud case involving unauthorized fund transfers at IDFC First Bank, though officials currently see no systemic risk to the wider banking framework.
• IPO Watch: Omnitech Engineering is launching a ₹418 crore IPO aimed at debt repayment and facility expansion, though analysts remain cautious regarding its high geographical revenue concentration.

Mint

• Manufacturing Focus: Leading economists at the BS Manthan summit emphasized that labor-intensive manufacturing is the critical path for India to achieve "developed economy" status by 2047.
• Carbon Trading Launch: India is set to debut its first comprehensive carbon-trading program, a move aimed at formalizing the domestic green economy and meeting international climate commitments.
• Tech Sector Volatility: Recent market updates highlighted a significant rotation out of technology stocks due to AI-related disruption fears, though some SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) companies are now trading at "cheap" valuation levels.
• Investment Diplomacy: Mint highlighted the ongoing debate regarding the "China Plus One" strategy, with the government weighing the benefits of Chinese manufacturing expertise against national security considerations.

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