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Indian Business and Markets

Indian Business and Markets

Topic overview

The companies and industries reshaping business, employment, and markets across India.

Yesterday’s Recap

Tuesday, October 20, 2026

Jio’s mega-IPO sets the tone for India’s market

Jio’s imminent Rs 30,213 crore IPO dominated the day, combining a record-scale valuation with strong pre-listing demand and a 22% grey-market premium. The offering asks investors to value Jio as a technology platform whose telecom scale can fund growth in 5G, cloud, AI and satellite connectivity.

Outside Jio, IPO demand stayed intense in Tonbo Imaging, Paras Healthcare and HD Fire Protect, while PRISM reduced its fresh issue and UltraTech’s earnings lifted its shares.

24 stories from 3 sources

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Last Week’s Recap

Oct 12 - 18, 2026

Jio IPO and IT rebound define a resilient market week

Oct 14 - Oct 18across 5 daysImpact

Jio IPO takes center stage

Jio moved from filing its prospectus to setting terms, building retail and grey-market momentum, and leading a primary-market week worth more than Rs 31,000 crore. Its roughly Rs 30,200 crore issue will test whether public investors accept its growth premium and support the valuation.

Recent days

Walk back in time.

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Latest Stories

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Oct 21, 2026Economic Times

Persistent Systems launches Rs 4,265-cr QIP; floor price set at Rs 5,550/share

Summary

Persistent Systems has launched a qualified institutional placement to raise up to $450 million, or about Rs 4,265 crore. The issue has a floor price of Rs 5,550 per share, with approval to offer a discount of up to 5%.

The QIP gives Persistent fresh capital from institutional investors but will dilute existing shareholders. The

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Why it matters

The issue tests institutional appetite for Persistent and sets the near-term balance between growth funding and shareholder dilution.

Oct 21, 2026Economic Times

Ahead of Market: 10 things that will decide stock market action on Thursday

Summary

Indian equities ended above their pre-closing auction levels after a highly volatile session, but the market still lost about Rs 8 lakh crore in value. Rising crude prices, foreign investor selling and weak market breadth kept sentiment fragile.

The scale of the selloff shows that late-session recovery did not resolve the market's underlying

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Why it matters

Investors face a market where headline index stability may mask continued selling pressure and deteriorating breadth.

Oct 21, 2026Economic Times

Mahindra Finance Q2 net profit surges 55% to Rs 882 crore on volumes, lower credit cost

Summary

Mahindra Finance's second-quarter net profit rose 55% to Rs 882 crore, supported by higher volumes and lower credit costs. Assets under management increased 15% year on year to Rs 1.47 lakh crore, while non-vehicle finance disbursements grew 52%.

Growth is broadening beyond vehicle finance, with strong expansion in SME, personal and housing loans

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Why it matters

Mahindra Finance is combining faster growth with improving asset quality, strengthening its case for a more diversified lending model.

Oct 21, 2026Economic Times

Jio IPO strengthens Reliance’s financial flexibility; capex funding remains key: Moody’s

Summary

Moody's described Jio Platforms' Rs 30,200 crore IPO as credit positive for Reliance Industries because it can support debt repayment and provide funding flexibility. The proceeds will also help fund investments while Reliance manages elevated capital expenditure.

The IPO gives Reliance another source of capital and reduces pressure on consolidated leverage as

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Why it matters

Jio's listing could improve Reliance's balance-sheet flexibility while preserving its ability to finance large growth projects.

Oct 21, 2026Economic Times

PC Jewellers Q2 Results: Net profit shoots up 58% to Rs 331 crore; company says it is now debt-free

Summary

PC Jewellers reported a 58% increase in second-quarter net profit to Rs 331 crore, with sales exceeding Rs 1,054 crore. The company said it had become debt-free after repaying bank borrowings early and plans to launch a jewellery brand aimed at younger customers.

Debt elimination materially improves the company's financial resilience and reduces interest costs, but the earnings

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Why it matters

A debt-free balance sheet gives PC Jewellers more room to invest, compete and withstand swings in jewellery demand.

Oct 21, 2026Economic Times

Can Jio IPO unlock hidden value in Reliance Industries shares?

Summary

The article examines whether a Jio Platforms IPO could reveal value embedded in Reliance Industries and improve how investors assess the conglomerate's businesses.

The IPO could give Jio a clearer market valuation and make Reliance's portfolio easier to

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Why it matters

Jio's valuation could become a major reference point for Reliance's share price and capital-allocation debate.

Oct 21, 2026Economic Times

IGI Q2 Results: Consolidated PAT surges 43% to Rs 185 crore

Summary

International Gemological Institute's second-quarter profit after tax rose 43.14% to Rs 185 crore, while operating revenue increased 31% year on year. Demand remained strong for both lab-grown and natural diamonds ahead of the festive season.

Revenue and profit growth show that IGI is benefiting from activity across both major segments

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Why it matters

IGI's results point to strong near-term demand for diamond certification, but future growth will depend on market mix and pricing.

Oct 21, 2026Finextra

Bajaj Broking adds commodity trading to digital platforms

Summary

Bajaj Broking has added commodity trading to its digital platforms, giving customers access to another asset class alongside existing markets.

The move broadens Bajaj Broking's product offering and creates more opportunities to increase trading activity

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Why it matters

Commodity access could help Bajaj Broking deepen customer relationships and capture more trading revenue.

Oct 21, 2026Economic Times

Aye Finance Q2 Results: Net profit more than doubles to Rs 87 crore

Summary

Aye Finance's second-quarter net profit more than doubled to Rs 87 crore from Rs 35 crore a year earlier, while total income rose 18.42% to Rs 527 crore. Assets under management grew 26% to Rs 7,597 crore, and interest income reached Rs 479 crore.

Aye Finance is growing its lending book faster than income, suggesting improving scale but also

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Why it matters

Aye Finance is scaling rapidly in small-business lending, increasing both its earnings potential and its exposure to credit risk.

Oct 21, 2026Economic Times

Market wrap: Infosys, HCL Tech, Bajaj Finance, BSE top gainers and losers on Nifty and Sensex on Wednesday

Summary

Indian equities fell for a second straight session, with the Nifty down 0.34% at 22,811 and the Sensex down 0.19% at 73,710. IT stocks gained, led by Infosys and HCL Tech, while Bajaj Finance, BSE and Eternal were among the biggest decliners.

The modest index losses mask a rotation into IT and away from several domestic-facing names.

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Why it matters

Sector leadership suggests investors are positioning defensively rather than exiting equities outright.

Oct 21, 2026Economic Times

Want exposure to India's biggest banks? Zerodha launches new ETF

Summary

Zerodha Fund House launched the BSE Top 10 Banks ETF, which tracks India’s largest listed banks. The new fund offer runs from October 12 to October 26, 2026, with a minimum investment of Rs 1,000.

The ETF gives investors a low-ticket, concentrated route into India’s largest banks instead of requiring

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Why it matters

The product could channel more retail savings into a narrow group of systemically important banks.

Oct 21, 2026Bloomberg Markets

IMF Urges Currency Flexibility as RBI Mounts Rupee Defense

Summary

A senior IMF official said foreign exchange intervention provides limited benefits beyond the short term and urged currencies to adjust to global shocks. The comments come as the RBI works to support the rupee.

The policy tension is between smoothing volatility and allowing the rupee to absorb external pressure.

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Why it matters

The RBI may face greater pressure to tolerate rupee weakness rather than defend a specific level.

Oct 21, 2026Economic Times

CAS swings: Nifty’s indicative price jumps 500 points in seconds, closes higher than pre-CAS level

Summary

Indian equities saw sharp swings during the closing auction, including a plunge that erased more than Rs 8 lakh crore in market value. The Sensex and Nifty nevertheless ended above their pre-auction levels as high bond yields and foreign investor selling kept sentiment weak.

The closing auction produced a severe price-discovery shock even though the headline indexes recovered by

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Why it matters

The episode puts attention on closing-auction mechanics and the resilience of market liquidity.

Oct 21, 2026Economic Times

Jio Platforms' IPO-linked inflows boost rupee; elevated oil prices spur caution

Summary

Foreign inflows linked to Jio Platforms’ IPO helped the rupee strengthen before gains narrowed as higher Brent crude prices weighed on the currency. The rupee closed at 94.46 per dollar, with traders also watching the RBI’s upcoming policy decision.

The move shows that capital inflows can temporarily offset India’s oil-driven dollar demand, but they

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Why it matters

The currency remains dependent on volatile portfolio flows while India’s oil import bill is rising.

Oct 21, 2026Economic Times

MFs raise stakes in 10 stocks in Q2; shares rally up to 130% in FY27, including 3 multibaggers

Summary

Mutual funds increased their holdings in 10 BSE 500 companies during the September 2026 quarter, while those shares gained between 59% and 129% in FY27. Cemindia Projects, Aditya Infotech and Aegis Logistics were the strongest performers.

The overlap between rising mutual fund ownership and sharp price gains points to concentrated institutional

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Why it matters

Strong past gains and rising institutional ownership may increase both momentum and concentration risk.

Oct 21, 2026Economic Times

Eternal Q2 Results: Profit soars 92% YoY to Rs 125 crore; revenue zooms 78%

Summary

Eternal, the parent of Zomato and Blinkit, reported a 92.3% year-on-year increase in second-quarter FY27 net profit to Rs 125 crore from Rs 65 crore. Revenue rose 78% over the same period.

Eternal delivered rapid growth alongside a sharp increase in reported profit, strengthening the case that

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Why it matters

The results raise expectations that Eternal can convert fast revenue growth into durable profitability.

Oct 21, 2026Bloomberg Markets

RBI Turns Away All Bids at Treasury Bill Sale Amid Bond Selloff

Summary

The RBI rejected every bid at a federal treasury bill auction for the first time in seven months. The decision came as a bond selloff pushed borrowing costs to multi-year highs.

The failed auction shows that investors are demanding yields the government or RBI was unwilling

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Why it matters

A sustained auction disruption could lift government borrowing costs across the yield curve.

Oct 21, 2026Economic Times

From Dhirubhai to Akash Ambani, Reliance made stocks popular with Indians

Summary

Jio Platforms' Rs 30,213 crore IPO was fully subscribed within two hours, extending the Ambani family's long relationship with India's retail investors. The listing marks a new test of whether Reliance's telecom and digital scale can produce durable earnings and investor returns.

Demand is strong, but the IPO shifts scrutiny from Reliance's ability to attract investors to

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Why it matters

Jio's public-market performance will shape how investors value India's largest digital consumer platform and the next phase of Reliance's succession.

Oct 21, 2026Economic Times

Adani Green Q2 Results: Profit rises 15% YoY to Rs 673 crore; revenue jumps 39%

Summary

Adani Green Energy's consolidated net profit rose 15% year on year to Rs 673 crore in the second quarter, while revenue increased 39% to Rs 4,520 crore. Power supply revenue grew 45%, supported by a 33% increase in energy sales to 12,090 million units.

The results show that capacity expansion is translating into higher generation and revenue, not just

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Why it matters

Adani Green is demonstrating operating growth, but its investment case still depends on converting scale into profitable and financially sustainable expansion.

Oct 21, 2026Economic Times

Vishal Mega Mart shares sink 8% as Q2 margin takes a hit despite profit growth

Summary

Vishal Mega Mart shares fell 8% after second-quarter EBITDA margin narrowed 110 basis points year on year to 12.1%. Net profit rose 3.7% to Rs 157.9 crore and revenue increased 14% to Rs 3,398.5 crore, with the company attributing the margin pressure to festival timing.

The market treated slower profit growth and margin erosion as more important than the revenue

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Why it matters

The sell-off signals that retail investors are demanding margin resilience, not just sales growth, from value-focused retailers.

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