Top of the Morning

This is Nelson John, and I'll bring you the top business and tech stories, let's get started. 1. India’s $4 Billion Tech Design Ambition India is aiming to move up the electronics value chain with a proposed $4 billion Design-Linked Incentive (DLI) scheme. The goal? To go from “Make in India” to “Design in India.” The scheme will support 30 semiconductor and 30 electronics categories, including Wi-Fi chips, EV components, and smart meters. Incentives will be based on investment and turnover, with a focus on creating patents and IP. This comes as India files only 60,000 patents annually, far behind the U.S. and China, which each cross the one-million mark. As production-linked incentives for mobile phones wind down, this move could mark India’s next leap in tech manufacturing and innovation. 2. Inflation Eases, RBI Shifts Focus to Growth Retail inflation in March dropped to 3.34%, the lowest since August 2019, thanks to cooling food prices. Food inflation fell sharply to 2.69% from 8.5% a year ago. This dip prompted the Reserve Bank of India to cut the repo rate to 6%, with more cuts expected in June. With 12 states reporting inflation below the national average and cereals inflation at a 33-month low, analysts expect the RBI to focus more on supporting growth. 3. Ericsson’s India Sales Slip as 5G Rollout Slows Swedish telecom firm Ericsson reported its sixth straight quarterly revenue dip in India, down 28% year-on-year, as major telcos Airtel and Jio near completion of their 5G rollout. However, revenue rose 32% sequentially, thanks to new contracts from Vodafone Idea and Airtel. India remains Ericsson’s second-largest market, though its share of global revenue dropped to 7% from 10%. Globally, Ericsson’s sales rose 3%, and net profit jumped 63%, signaling strength outside India. The company remains confident in its long-term prospects despite the domestic cooldown. 4. IndiGo Becomes World’s Most Valuable Airline In a landmark moment, IndiGo’s market cap hit $23.45 billion, making it the world’s most valuable airline. That’s higher than Delta, American, or Lufthansa. The airline commands over 60% of India’s domestic market and has proven resilient through multiple industry downturns. Massive aircraft orders placed early have given it an edge amid global supply shortages. The company’s rise is also being seen as a case for privatization—IndiGo has thrived while government-owned airlines have floundered. Still, issues like falling service quality and limited competition loom. 5. Diamond Exports Hit 20-Year Low India’s diamond and jewellery exports are in a deep slump. Exports of cut and polished diamonds fell 15% in FY25 to ₹1.12 trillion, the lowest in nearly two decades. Overall gems and jewellery exports dropped 10%, marking the third straight year of decline. The sector has been hit by post-pandemic demand shifts, sanctions on Russian diamond supplies, and now, slowing consumer demand in the U.S. and China. Lab-grown diamonds, which cost a fraction of natural ones, are also undercutting demand. The industry is calling for government support through tax breaks, easier credit, and promotion campaigns to revive growth.

China Hits Back with Rare Earth Export Curbs | Tata Capital Files for IPO

US-China Trade War Reloaded | HDFC Bets Big on Small-Town Homes

This is Nelson John, and I'll bring you the top business and tech stories, let's get started. Wall Street Reverses Course After Tariff Jitters Wednesday’s rally? Short-lived. U.S. stock markets nosedived Thursday, giving back most of their gains after optimism over Trump’s temporary tariff pause faded fast. The S&P 500 fell 3.46%, the Dow lost 1,014 points, and the Nasdaq dropped 4.31%, dragged down by a brutal tech sell-off—Tesla plunged 8%, Nvidia and Meta slid 7%, and Apple fell 4%. What triggered the sell-off? A White House clarification revealed that tariffs on Chinese imports will spike to 145%, not 125% as previously suggested. Even a soft inflation report couldn’t soothe investor nerves. Message from the market: relief rallies are fragile, and volatility may be the new normal. 🇺🇸🇮🇳 U.S. Suspends Extra Tariffs on India for 90 Days In a significant breather for India, the U.S. has suspended additional 26% import duties for 90 days until July 9, after Trump’s sweeping April 2 order targeted over 60 countries. However, a 10% baseline tariff remains. India, which exports 18% of its goods to the U.S., is among the 75 nations engaging with Washington to fix non-reciprocal trade imbalances. China, Hong Kong, and Macau, notably, are excluded from this relief. With global trade reshuffling, India may have gained time—but uncertainty looms beyond July. 📉 India’s Growth Outlook Slips on Tariff Pressures Moody’s Analytics has cut India’s 2025 GDP forecast to 6.1%, down from 6.4%, blaming the economic drag from U.S. tariffs. Though Trump paused most hikes temporarily, the blanket 10% duty could still hurt. India’s Q3 GDP came in at 6.2%, but to meet the fiscal target of 6.5%, Q4 would need to clock a steep 7.6% growth. The RBI has responded by cutting interest rates by 25 basis points to 6% and shifting to an “accommodative” stance, with more rate cuts expected. With exports like gems and textiles under pressure, domestic demand may be India’s buffer—but risks are clearly rising. ⚖️ Byju’s Sued in U.S. Over Missing $533 Million In a blockbuster lawsuit, Byju’s U.S. finance arm, Alpha Inc., has sued founder Byju Raveendran, his wife Divya, and top executives for allegedly stealing $533 million from a $1.2 billion loan. Filed in Delaware, the lawsuit accuses them of fraud, fund diversion, and blocking creditor access. Byju’s calls it a “nefarious ploy” to seize control and blames GLAS Trust and EY for misleading U.S. courts and sabotaging India’s insolvency process. Meanwhile, Byju’s has filed its own FIR in India, accusing GLAS, EY, and former resolution professionals of bribery and conspiracy. Once a startup poster child, Byju’s now finds itself in the eye of a global financial storm. 👟 Kohli’s Next Move: From Puma to Homegrown Agilitas Virat Kohli is stepping up his entrepreneurial game. With his ₹110 crore deal with Puma ending, Kohli is joining Indian sportswear startup Agilitas as investor and brand ambassador. Founded by former Puma India MD Abhishek Ganguly, Agilitas will now scale Kohli’s lifestyle brand One8 in India and globally. The official reveal is expected during the IPL season. Backed by ₹530 crore from Convergent Finance and Nexus Ventures, Agilitas also owns Lotto India and shoemaker Mochiko, signaling serious ambitions to challenge global giants. For Kohli, this isn’t just another endorsement—it’s a brand-building innings.

This is Nelson John, and I'll bring you the top business and tech stories, let's get started. 🌍 Global Trade Truce — Or Just a Timeout? In a dramatic turn, US President Donald Trump announced a 90-day pause on new tariffs and rolled back the “reciprocal tariff” rate to 10% for most non-China trade partners. “No other president would’ve done what I did,” Trump declared, defending his hardline strategy that’s rocked global markets. But China wasn’t spared — tariffs on Beijing were jacked up to 125%, with Trump accusing China of “disrespecting” world markets. China retaliated swiftly, slapping 84% tariffs on US goods. The EU and Canada also joined the tit-for-tat, announcing new levies. Markets cheered the truce — or at least the pause. Wall Street roared: • S&P 500 jumped 9.5% • Nasdaq surged 12% • Dow climbed nearly 3,000 points Over 30 billion shares changed hands, making it the busiest trading day ever. Still, with talks expected to drag and China still targeted, this could just be the eye of the storm. 🏦 RBI Cuts Rates as Growth Wobbles Amid the global chaos, the Reserve Bank of India cut the repo rate by 25 bps to 6%, the second such move this year. More notably, it shifted its policy stance to “accommodative”, signaling further support if the economy slows. RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra warned of mounting uncertainties, with India’s FY26 growth forecast cut to 6.5% from 6.7%. Why now? Trump’s tariff war threatens global demand. While India’s inflation is cooling (below 4%), the rupee faces pressure as China devalues the yuan, risking India’s export competitiveness. Oil prices have dropped to $60 per barrel, but a currency war could be next. RBI’s “managed float” strategy may soon be tested like never before. 📈 BlackRock Bets Big on Adani In a bold endorsement, BlackRock — the world’s largest asset manager — picked up nearly one-third of a $1 billion bond issue by Adani Group’s promoter firm, Renew Exim. Despite a lingering US bribery case involving Adani promoters, BlackRock’s entry signals investor confidence. Most of the proceeds will fund Adani’s ₹5,000 crore acquisition of ITD Cementation, with the rest going toward a ₹5 trillion capex spree across green energy, ports, airports, and more. On Wednesday, Adani closed its open offer for ITD, acquiring 21% from the public. Post-deal, Renew Exim will control 67.45% of the company. Meanwhile, Adani Green Energy refinanced $1 billion in debt — its first major capital move since the DoJ allegations, proving the group is not just navigating headwinds but accelerating through them. ⚡ JSW Powers Up with O2 Deal JSW Neo Energy, a subsidiary of JSW Energy, has completed its largest-ever green acquisition, buying O2 Power for ₹12,468 crore. Backed by EQT (51%) and Temasek (49%), O2 Power brings 4.7 GW of renewable capacity, including 1.3 GW of operational assets and a robust project pipeline. This deal takes JSW’s total installed capacity to 12.2 GW, with renewables now forming 54%. CEO Sharad Mahendra said this move puts them “significantly ahead” of their 2030 targets. O2’s portfolio includes 3,722 MW tied up under high-credit PPAs, with another 974 MW awaiting contracts. JSW expects strong operational synergies and a solid value payoff from the acquisition. 📉 Market Holiday A reminder: Indian stock markets are closed today, April 10, for Mahavir Jayanti. Trading resumes tomorrow.