India's electronics exports surged by 35.1 per cent to touch a two-year high of $3.58 billion in December 2024 from $2.65 billion in the same month of the previous year, reflecting the increase in foreign demand for high- value Indian goods and rising domestic production capacities, data compiled by the Commerce Ministry showed.

Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal said, "In December 2024, electronic goods exports have been highest so far in the last 24 months."

Electronics goods have emerged as the fastest-growing segment in India's export basket as new manufacturing capacities have come up in the country driven by the success of the Centre's production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme.

The country's electronic exports jumped by a robust 27.4 per cent to $22.5 billion in April-November of 2024-25, from $17.66 billion during the same period in 2023-24.

There has been continuous growth in the sector over the last two years as electronics exports from India to the US jumped over two-fold year-on-year to $6.6 billion during January-September 2023, industry body India Cellular and Electronics Association (ICEA) has said.

Hyundai Motor and Kia, South Korea's top automakers, are expected to release their annual earnings results next week, drawing attention as to whether they can extend their streak of record-breaking performances, industry watchers said on Thursday.

According to an analysis of securities industry forecasts by Infomax over the past three months, Hyundai Motor is estimated to report sales of 173.1 trillion won ($118.9 billion) and an operating profit of 14.8 trillion won for 2024.

While sales would mark a 6.4 per cent increase, operating profit is projected to decline by 1.9 per cent.

Kia is estimated to report 106.8 trillion won in sales and 12.8 trillion won in operating profit, representing on-year growth of 7.1 percent and 10.2 percent, respectively.

The World Bank approved a 257.8-million-US. dollar financing to improve water supply services in Greater Beirut and Mount Lebanon.

A statement released by the World Bank noted that the Second Greater Beirut Water Supply Project will finance the completion of bulk water infrastructure initiated and advanced under a previous project, and repair water infrastructure that may have been damaged by the conflict, news agency reported.

The project aims to increase water supply coverage for the 1.8 million people residing in the Greater Beirut and Mount Lebanon area, significantly reducing reliance on private water tankers, which are up to 10 times more expensive, it said, adding that this infrastructure investment will boost surface water supply to meet on average 70 percent of the demand during the dry season, up from 24 per cent.

India's trade deficit narrowed to $21.94 billion in December compared to the corresponding figure of $32.84 billion for November, as exports grew while imports declined on a month-to-month basis.

Merchandise exports in December increased to $38.01 billion compared to $32.11 billion in November, while imports declined to $59.95 billion from $64.95 billion in November.

However, on a year-on-year basis, the trade gap widened during December compared to $18.76 billion in December 2023. The merchandise exports declined by 1 per cent in December 2024 from $38.39 billion in the same month of the previous year while imports rose by 4.8 per cent from $57.15 billion in December 2023.

Adani Group shares rallied for the second consecutive day on Wednesday following a sharp surge in the previous trading session.

In the trading session so far, Adani Green Energy stock surged to 1,080 per share with a gain of 7.27 per cent and Adani Power rallied to Rs 571.90 per share with a gain of 6.50 per cent. At 1.00 p.m., Adani Green Energy and Adani Power were trading with a gain of 3.76 per cent and 2.94 per cent respectively.

Adani Green Energy's total traded volume so far in the day stood at 7.1 times its 30-day average, while the RSI was at 47.

Adani Power's total traded volume so far in the day stood at 13 times its 30-day average, while the RSI was at 57.

This week, Adani Green Energy's stock surged by about 16 per cent and Adani Power's stock advanced by about 20 per cent.

The Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) has joined the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi) to boost 6G research by developing basic devices and components.

In the process of developing indigenous hardware for 6G, C-DOT, the premier telecom R&D centre of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), signed an agreement with IIT Delhi for the development of "Building Blocks for THz Communication Front Ends” for 6G.

The agreement is signed under the Telecom Technology Development Fund (TTDF) 6G Call for proposal of the Department of Telecommunications, according to a statement by Ministry of Communications.

“This call for proposal is for accelerated research on developing 6G Eco-system, as part of the the Bharat 6G vision to design, develop and deploy 6G network technologies that provide ubiquitous intelligent and secure connectivity for high quality living experience,” it added.

South Korea's industry ministry said on Wednesday the government will spend 1.5 trillion won ($1.02 billion) this year to induce consumers to purchase electric vehicles (EVs).

The move is aimed at revitalising domestic demand for EVs amid sluggish sales driven by safety concerns and a lack of access to charging stations, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

The accumulated number of EVs and hydrogen fuel cell cars stood at 720,000 as of end-2024, with EVs accounting for 680,000, reports news agency.

Domestic EV sales dropped 9.7 per cent on-year to 147,000 in 2024, marking a decline for the second consecutive year.

Three Indian banks -- HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, and the State Bank of India (SBI) -- ended the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2024 at the 13th, 19th, and 24th spots in the top 25 global banks by market capitalisation, respectively, according to a new report.

While HDFC Bank ended Q4 2024 with $158.5 billion in market cap, ICICI Bank had a market cap of $105.7 billion, and the SBI, $82.9 billion, according to a report by GlobalData, a leading data analytics and research company.

Indian banks demonstrated resilience, with ICICI Bank emerging as a standout performer, with its market cap growing by 25.8 per cent to $105.7 billion, highlighting the strength of India’s expanding digital banking and credit ecosystem.

However, HDFC Bank’s market cap recorded a 1.6 per cent increase to $158.5 billion, due to rising competition and cost pressures.

India’s net direct tax collections recorded a robust 15.88 per cent jump to Rs 16.90 lakh crore during April 1, 2024-January 12, 2025 of the current financial year compared to the same period of the previous financial year, according to latest figures compiled by the Income Tax Department.

The gross direct tax collections, before refunds, shot up by 19.94 per cent to Rs 20.64 crore during this period compared to the corresponding figure of Rs 17.21 lakh crore in the same period of the previous year.

Personal income tax collections during the period surged 21.6 per cent to Rs 8.74 lakh crore compared to Rs 7.2 lakh crore in the previous year while corporate tax collection rose by 8.12 per cent to Rs 7.7 lakh crore compared to Rs 7.10 lakh crore in the same period of 2023-24.

Securities Transaction Tax (STT) collection, which is also a component of direct tax, surged by as much as 75 per cent to Rs 44,500 crore during this period compared to Rs 25,415 crore in the corresponding period of the previous year.

Hyundai Motor and its affiliate Kia said on Tuesday their combined exports of environmentally friendly vehicles climbed 3 per cent in 2024 from a year earlier despite an economic slowdown.

Hyundai and Kia shipped a total of 707,853 eco-friendly cars last year, up from 687,420 units a year ago, Hyundai Motor Group said in a press release.

Gasoline hybrid models accounted for 56 percent of the eco-friendly car shipments, offsetting a slowing demand for electric vehicle (EV) models, it said, reports news agency.

To ride out the EV slowdown, the carmakers said they will strengthen their product lineups by adding more fuel-efficient gasoline hybrid models.

They also plan to improve their product mix, and adjust vehicle production and inventories in the face of high interest rates, low growth, spread of protectionism and tougher competition with rivals this year.

India is poised to redefine its role in global trade, with a projected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.4 per cent in trade over the next decade, roughly in line with its high GDP growth, according to a report on Monday.

The ASEAN region and especially India, are among the greatest beneficiaries of production shifts spurred by geopolitics, such as trade tensions between the US and China.

"We project 6.4 per cent CAGR in India’s total trade through 2033, to $1.8 trillion annually, roughly in line with its high GDP growth," according to the report by Boston Consulting Group (BCG).

As the world increasingly pivots toward resilient and diversified supply chains, India’s 'China+1' strategy, backed by its large domestic market, skilled workforce, and forward-looking policies, positions it as a preferred global manufacturing hub.

Flexible co-working space provider WeWork India suffered a loss of about Rs 130.8 crore in FY24, down from Rs 144.5 crore in FY23.

WeWork India's total expenses last fiscal also increased by 19 per cent to Rs 1,864.3 crore. The expenses were Rs 1,566.7 crore in FY23.

The Bengaluru-based company’s non-cash components such as depreciation and amortisation accounted for 40 per cent of the company's total cost. It increased by 16.9 per cent to Rs 742.8 crore, according to data accessed by business intelligence platform Tofler.

Employee costs were another major part of the company's expenses, surged by 11.9 per cent to Rs 132 crore in FY24.

The company's operating income grew 26 per cent year-on-year to Rs 1,661.6 crore in FY24 from Rs 1,314 crore in FY23.

India's total renewable energy installed capacity recorded a robust double-digit growth of 15.84 per cent to touch 209.44 GW, as of December 2024, from 180.80 GW in December 2023, according to a statement issued by the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) on Monday.

The total capacity added during 2024 amounted to 28.64 GW, representing a significant year-on-year increase of 119.46 per cent compared to the 13.05 GW added in 2023, the statement said.

The solar power sector spearheaded this growth with the addition of 24.54 GW, reflecting a 33.47 per cent rise in its cumulative installed capacity from 73.32 GW in 2023 to 97.86 GW in 2024. Wind energy also contributed to this expansion, with an additional 3.42 GW installed in 2024, increasing the total wind capacity to 48.16 GW, a growth of 7.64 per cent from 2023, the statement explained.

The total number of registered startups in India have surged to 1,57,066 from around 400 in 2016, when the 'Startup India' initiative was launched, with investment in these new ventures jumping to $115 billion, from $8 billion in this nine-year period, according to data released by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).

These startups have created over 1.6 million jobs across the country, demonstrating their role as significant employment generators.

Besides, there are more than 73,000 startups with at least one-woman director that have been recognised under the 'Startup India' initiative.

Most children aged 11 and 12 use Tik Tok, Instagram and other social media despite the platforms’ age restrictions, and many show signs of addiction to social media, a team of researchers have found.

The US Supreme Court is likely to uphold a law that would ban TikTok in the US beginning January 19. TikTok has around 170 million users in the country.

Tik Tok, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat require users to be at least 13 years old to have an account.

But the study found that a majority of 11 and 12-years olds across the country have accounts on the platforms, and 6.3 per cent have a social media account they hide from their parents.

Automaker Mahindra on Wednesday unveiled its new manufacturing and battery assembly facility at its Chakan plant, a fully integrated ecosystem dedicated to producing electric SUVs.

To boost EV manufacturing, Mahindra has allocated Rs 4,500 crores out of the total Rs 16,000 crore planned in the F22–F27 investment cycle — which includes powertrain development, two product top hats including software and tech and manufacturing capacity.

The company said the new EV manufacturing hub is a fully integrated, highly automated manufacturing ecosystem that leverages over 1,000 robots and multiple automated transfer systems.

The EV facility also targets a 25 per cent gender diversity ratio, reinforcing the plant’s inclusive and future-ready work culture.

Electric vehicle (EV) company Ola Electric Mobility Limited has received an administrative warning from the markets regulator, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), for violating disclosure norms.

The reason cited is that Ola Electric announced its e-scooter expansion plans first on social media instead of announcing it on the stock exchanges.

In an administrative warning, sent via email on January 7 for violating various sections of the SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015, the regulator asked the EV firm to ensure "equal, timely, cost-efficient access to relevant information for all investors” via stock exchanges.

“By failing to first disseminate the information on the stock exchanges and instead announcing it on social media platforms, you have failed to provide equal and timely access to information to all investors,” read the SEBI warning.

Samsung Electronics on Wednesday estimated its fourth-quarter operating profit more than doubled from a year earlier but missed market expectations due to lacklustre performance in its high-end memory chips for artificial intelligence accelerators.

The world's biggest maker of memory chips expected an operating profit of 6.5 trillion won ($4.46 billion) for the three months ended in December, up from 2.82 trillion won a year earlier, the company said in a regulatory filing.

But the operating profit is 15.7 per cent lower than the average estimate based on a survey by Yonhap Infomax, the financial data firm of News Agency.

On-quarter, operating profit retreated 29.19 per cent from 9.18 trillion won.

Samsung's lower-than-expected operating figure comes amid prolonged delays in securing Nvidia Corp.'s approval for its high bandwidth memory (HBM) chips for AI computing.

LG Electronics, South Korea's leading home appliance maker, on Wednesday estimated its fourth-quarter operating profit decreased more than 53 percent from a year earlier due to global economic uncertainties.

Operating profit for the three months ended in December dropped to an estimated 146.1 billion won ($100.7 million) from 312.5 billion won in the same period of 2023, the company said in a regulatory filing.

Sales, however, increased 0.2 per cent to 22.77 trillion won. The data for net earnings was not available, reports Yonhap news agency.

For the whole of 2024, LG Electronics said its operating profit likely decreased 6.1 percent on-year to 3.43 trillion won, while its sales climbed 6.7 percent to hit an all-time high of 87.74 trillion won.

The company said its operating profit went down due to a rise in shipping costs and one-off costs sparked by its stock consolidation efforts, but its flagship home appliances business showed robust performance.

India’s total annual groundwater recharge recorded a significant increase of 15 billion cubic metres (BCM) in 2024, while extraction decreased by 3 BCM compared to the 2017 assessment, in a landmark achievement for the country’s sustainable development goal, according to a report released by the Ministry of Jal Shakti on Monday.

The increased recharge, mainly due to water bodies, tanks, and conservation structures, shows improvements in groundwater conditions in 128 units compared to 2023.

The Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), in collaboration with state Groundwater Departments, releases annual reports on groundwater resources.

According to the National Compilation on Dynamic Ground Water Resources of India, 2024, the total annual groundwater recharge is assessed at 446.90 billion cubic metres (BCM), with an extractable resource of 406.19 BCM and an annual extraction of 245.64 BCM.

Social media platform Meta on Monday moved the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT), challenging a recent Competition Commission of India (CCI) order imposing a Rs 213 crore penalty on the firm related to WhatsApp's 2021 privacy policy update.

In November last year, the competition watchdog directed WhatsApp to not share user data collected on its platform with other Meta products or companies for advertising purposes for a period of five years, along with imposing a penalty of Rs 213.14 crore on Meta for allegedly abusing its dominant position.

Meta has now informed the NCLAT that the CCI order has wide ramifications for the industry as a whole and therefore, an urgent hearing in the matter will be required.

The case will now come up for a hearing before the appellate tribunal on January 16.

IT major Infosys has reportedly deferred the annual salary hike in the fourth quarter of FY 2024-25. The company last implemented a salary hike in November 2023.

The delay in the salary hike, which is usually implemented at the beginning of the year, indicates that the domestic IT sector is still facing uncertainties.

The reason cited for slowdown is that clients are not increasing their IT spending due to macro-economic situations, including potential tariffs under the new Donald Trump administration that will begin working from January 20.

Not only Infosys but some other large IT companies like HCL Tech, LTI Mindtree and L&T Tech Services also did not increase salaries in the second quarter this year to manage costs and profits.

India's services sector growth rose to a 4-month high in December as robust demand boosted business activity with strong job creation taking place during the month, according to a survey released on Monday.

The HSBC India Services Purchasing Managers' Index, compiled by S&P Global, increased to 59.3 in December from 58.4 in November, which is the highest level since August.

Strong underlying demand was identified by companies as the primary factor behind output growth in the services sector. In some instances, survey members indicated that recent efforts to expand capacities allowed them to accept more work.

Amid the growing popularity, South Korea's exports of cosmetic products exceeded $10 billion last year, marking a significant milestone for the K-beauty industry, government data showed on Monday.

The combined shipments of cosmetic products jumped 20.6 percent on-year to an all-time high of $10.2 billion in 2024, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said in a press release, reports news agency.

The record result was helped by the growing popularity of Korean cultural content, such as K-pop and K-dramas, it added.

By country, China was the biggest importer of South Korean cosmetics, with purchases worth $2.5 billion, followed by the United States with $1.9 billion and Japan with $1 billion.

Samsung Electronics will propose Home AI, a hyper-personalised solution combining cutting-edge artificial intelligence and enhanced connectivity, at CES 2025 in the US.

The South Korean tech giant will run a 3,368-square-meter showroom at the Las Vegas Convention Center, the largest among corporate participants at the annual tech show that will run from Tuesday to Friday.

The exhibit, themed "AI for All," will focus on showcasing the company's latest AI technologies and SmartThings connectivity for homes, providing solutions for a more personalised AI experience that reflects diversified lifestyles, reports news agency.

The exhibit will demonstrate how Home AI customses living spaces for families by analysing data collected through the SmartThings platform integrated into a wide range of Samsung products, from washing machines and TVs to laptops and smartphones.

India’s smartphone market is projected to cross $50 billion in value by 2025, driven by the ongoing trend of premiumisation and thrust on local manufacturing, a report showed on Friday.

The retail average selling price (ASP) of India’s smartphone market is expected to cross the $300 mark for the first time this year, according to latest research from Counterpoint’s ‘India Smartphone Outlook’.

Apple and Samsung are leading this shift by offering competitive options in the premium and ultra-premium segments.

Apple is expected to see strong demand for its Pro models, driven by local manufacturing and recent price reductions across its iPhone lineup.

The total cargo volume of Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited (APSEZ) grew 8 per cent (year-on-year) to 38.4 million metric tonnes (MMT) in December 2024.

The company's container volume grew 22 per cent and liquids and gas volume grew 7 per cent on YoY basis in the last month. APSEZ is the country's largest private port operator.

Adani Ports had handled a total of 36 million metric tonnes of cargo in November, driven by higher container volumes.

On a month-on-month basis, the total cargo volume saw 6.6 per cent growth.

Last week, Adani Ports placed an order for eight state-of-the-art harbour tugs to Cochin Shipyard, with a total estimated contract value of Rs 450 crore.

This order of the Adani Group company is the largest order so far under the ‘Make in India’ scheme.

Employment generation across the agriculture, manufacturing, and services sectors saw a significant increase during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's tenure in the last 10 years compared to the preceding decade under the Congress-led UPA government, according to figures compiled by the Reserve Bank of India.

The figures show that under PM Modi's tenure between 2014 and 2024, 17.9 crore additional jobs have been created, compared to 2.9 crore jobs during the UPA regime between 2004 and 2014.

Employment during the Modi government has jumped by 36 per cent compared with just 6 per cent during the UPA regime.

The data show that during 2023-24, 4.6 crore jobs were created and the total number of people employed in the country rose from 596.7 million in 2022-23 to 643.3 million in the financial year ended on March 31, 2024.

The housing sector in the country is expected to contribute 13 per cent to the national GDP by 2025, reflecting its resilience and potential, according to a report on Friday.

Projected to grow into a $1-trillion market by 2030, the sector is evolving in response to demographic shifts, policy reforms, and global trends, according to the report by JLL, a leading global commercial real estate and investment management company.

Tier 2 and 3 cities are emerging as pivotal growth hubs, with smaller urban centres like Jaipur, Indore and Kochi driving more than 40 per cent of new housing developments by 2025.

The urban homeownership rate is set to increase to 72 per cent by 2025, up from 65 per cent in 2020, supported by affordable financing options and a younger demographic entering the housing market.

Nine out of 10 new passenger cars sold in Norway in 2024 were electric, marking another milestone in the country's transition toward zero-emission vehicles.

According to statistics released by the Norwegian Road Federation (OFV) on Thursday, electric vehicles accounted for 88.9 per cent of new car sales, a significant increase from 82.4 per cent in 2023.

Norway saw a total of 128,691 new passenger car registrations in 2024, up 1.4 per cent from the previous year. Of these, 114,400 were electric cars, bringing the nation closer to its ambitious 2025 goal of 100 per cent zero-emission vehicle sales.

"While we have not yet achieved the 2025 target, no other country comes close to Norway's high share of electric vehicles," said Oyvind Solberg Thorsen, Director of OFV, at a press conference.

 A total of 16.15 lakh electric vehicles (EVs) have been incentivised under the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles in India (FAME India)-II scheme, the government said on Thursday.

It includes 14.27 lakh electric two-wheelers (e-2Ws), 1.59 lakh e-3Ws, 22,548 e-4Ws and 5,131 e-buses.

Additionally, 10,985 EV public charging stations (PCS) have been sanctioned, with 8,812 allocated for installation.

As of October 31, 2024, a total of Rs 8,844 crore has been spent, including Rs 6,577 crore for subsidies, Rs 2,244 crore for capital assets, and Rs 23 crore for other expenses, according to Ministry of Heavy Industries.

The scheme includes a phased manufacturing program and has supported significant policy initiatives, such as reducing GST on EVs and enabling state EV policies, contributing to India’s transition to sustainable mobility.

As 2025 begins on a note of heightened global uncertainties ahead of the US President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, India continues to be in a much stronger position with high frequency indicators showing a pick up in the pace of growth in the third quarter of current fiscal (Q3 FY25), according to a report on Thursday.

GST collections, services purchasing managers' index (PMI), air passenger growth, and vehicle registrations saw a notable improvement in Q3 versus Q2, according to a Bank of Baroda (BoB) report.

On the other hand, in China, while the manufacturing sector is expanding slowly, lifting domestic consumption and reviving the real estate sector is proving to be a task for the administration.

The Noida International Airport (NIA) has signed a 30-year concession agreement with Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) to operate fuel stations at three key locations within the airport premises.

This collaboration will ensure uninterrupted access to high-quality fuelling services at the airport, supporting the Noida International Airport's vision of a seamless and efficient aviation hub, according to a company statement issued on Thursday.

The agreement encompasses the establishment and operation of three fuel stations by the country’s biggest oil company.

Driven by rising private consumption and disposable incomes, India saw vehicle retail sales increase by at least 9 per cent in 2024 (year-on-year) to cross 26 million units.

This surpasses the pre-Covid peak of 25.4 million units in a single year in 2018.

Industry experts said that the key aspects to watch out in 2025 will be government’s focus on infrastructure spend and growth in end use segments, which will augur well for the commercial vehicles industry.

“Looking ahead, we expect demand to improve in Q4 FY25 across most segments of the commercial vehicle industry,” said Girish Wagh, Executive Director, Tata Motors Ltd.

According to the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (Fada), they are optimistic about 2025, especially with multiple launches lined up, and expect the electric vehicle (EV) sector to perform well.

Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL) on Wednesday said it has registered highest-ever yearly domestic sales of 6,05,433 units in 2024.

The company achieved total sales of 7,64,119 units (including domestic and export) last year.

In the month of December, HMIL reported total monthly sales of 55,078 units (domestic at 42,208 units and export at 12,870 units).

According to Tarun Garg, Whole-time Director and Chief Operating Officer, HMIL, the company managed to sustain sales momentum in 2024, despite strong headwinds faced by the industry at large.

“Introduction of the innovative Hy-CNG Duo technology in 2024 resonated well with buyers, translating to the highest ever CNG contribution of 13.1 per cent to HMIL’s domestic sales in CY 2024, against 10.4 per cent in CY 2023,” Garg said.