Economy / Market Snapshot – November, 2020

General News

• Global COVID-19 cases cross 63.5 million mark with 1.4 million deaths; US cases pass 13.9 million.
• India’s caseload crosses 9 million mark with recovery rate reaching 93.94%.
• Centre rushes high level teams to Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Manipur to contain spread of COVID-19.
• MHA issues new COVID-19 guidelines from Dec 1, gives nod to states and UTs to impose local restrictions.
• Delhi gets its first vaccine storage facility at Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality hospital.
• PM Modi announces $1 million aid to COVID-19 response fund at ASEAN summit.
• PM Modi urges respect for others’ sovereignty, territorial integrity at virtual SCO summit.
• East Asia Summit 2020: India expresses concern over actions that erode trust in South China Sea.
• PM Modi addresses G-20 summit; calls for new Global Index for post-Corona world.
• BRICS nations adopt new counter-terrorism strategy to effectively deal with the menace.
• India, Luxembourg ink 3 pacts to push investment ties in their maiden summit in two decades.
• India and Italy ink 15 agreements, unveil action plan to further strengthen defence ties.
• S Jaishankar meets Abu Dhabi Crown Prince, discusses the strategic cooperation between India and UAE.
• NSA Ajit Doval participates in trilateral talks with Sri Lanka and Maldives.
• Centre releases ₹2,200 crore as first instalment to 15 states for improvement of air quality.
• Centre approves ₹4,382 crore as calamity assistance to six states.
• Nitish Kumar becomes Bihar’s CM for 4th straight term; BJP’s Tarkishore Prasad, Renu Devi as Deputy CMs.
• BJP sweeps Assembly bypolls; BJP wins 41 out of 59 bypoll seats.
• Madhya Pradesh govt announces formation of ‘Cow Cabinet’ for protection of cows.
• CM Yogi Adityanath dedicates power projects worth ₹216 crore to Gorakhpur.
• Punjab CM virtually inaugurates 1467 smart schools, distributes 2625 tablets in govt primary schools.
• General Naravane conferred with the honorary rank of ‘General of the Nepal Army’ by Nepal President.
• Second batch of three Rafale fighter jets arrive in India after flying non-stop from France.
• Indian and Chinese armies conclude 8th round of military talks.
• India successfully test-fires Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missile system in Odisha’s Chandipur.
• Land-attack version of BrahMos supersonic cruise missile successfully testfired.
• PSLV-C49, carrying India’s earth observation satellite EOS-01 and 9 others, lifts off from Sriharikota.
• Farmers from Punjab, Haryana protest in Delhi against the Centre’s new farm laws.
• UGC issues guidelines for reopening of Universities & Colleges across country.
• Congress veterans Ahmed Patel, Tarun Gogoi, TCS founder FC Kohli and Diego Maradona passed away.
• Republic TV’s Arnab Goswami arrested in 2018 suicide abetment case, SC grants interim bail.
• VK Sasikala pays ₹10 crore fine in disproportionate assets case.
• US polls 2020 generated highest voter turnout of 66.9%, the highest turnout rate since 1900.
• Joe Biden elected as 46th president of United States with Kamala Harris as his deputy.
• US President-elect Joe Biden unveils economic plan; formal transition of power to Biden begins.
• US officially ends participation in Open Skies Treaty; formally exits global climate pact.
• Trump bans US investment in Chinese military-linked firms.
• Mike Pompeo meets Afghan government officials, Taliban representatives in Doha.
• US approves $600 million sale of armed MQ-9 Reaper drones to Taiwan.
• Barack Obama memoir ‘A Promised Land’ sells more than 887,000 copies on first day.
• England enters into new month-long lockdown as UK virus cases pass 1 million.
• House of Lords rejects Boris Johnson’s treaty-breaking Brexit laws.
• UK announces biggest military investment since Cold War.
• Jacinda Ardern sworn in for second term as New Zealand Prime Minister.
• Australia and Japan agree ‘in principle’ to historic defence pact.
• Aung San Suu Kyi’s party wins absolute majority in Myanmar polls.
• 1 million Chinese injected with Sinopharm vaccine under emergency use scheme.
• Anti-French protests erupts worldwide following President Macron’s recent comments about Islam.
• Chinese Communist Party unveils plan to make PLA on par with US military by 2027.
• Chinese President Xi Jinping orders advancing construction of rail line in Tibet, close to Arunachal Pradesh.
• Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia sign Nagorno-Karabakh peace deal.
• Bahrain’s long-serving PM Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa dies, Crown Prince named new PM.
• Pakistan parliamentary committee passes China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Authority Bill.
• IPL 2020: Mumbai Indians beats Delhi Capitals to win 5th title, Rahul takes home Orange Cap, Kagiso Rabada ends with Purple Cap.
• AUS vs IND : Australia take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
• BCCI announces MPL as the new apparel sponsor for Indian cricket team for three years.
• Jio named title sponsor of BCCI’s Women’s T20 Challenge.
• Shane Watson formally announces retirement from all forms of cricket.
• Australia replace India at the top spot in World Test Championship after ICC’s altered point system.
• Rafael Nadal wins 1,000th ATP Tour match with Paris Masters victory.
• Daniil Medvedev beat Dominic Thiem to win ATP Tour Finals in London.
• Argentinian football legend Diego Maradona dies at 60 after suffering heart failure.

Business News

• Centre transfers ₹6,000 crore as 2nd tranche to 16 States, 3 UTs for meeting GST Compensation shortfall.
• GST e-invoicing mandatory from January 1, 2021 if turnover exceeds ₹100 crore.
• PM Modi renames Shipping Ministry to ‘Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways’.
• Govt makes use of FASTag mandatory for all four wheelers from Jan 1, 2021.
• Cabinet gives in-principle nod to Production Linked Incentives (PLI) in 10 sectors.
• Govt launches Aatmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana to incentivise job creation during Covid recovery phase.
• Centre okays ₹107.42 crore grant for 28 food processing projects in 10 states.
• India set to become global powerhouse: PM Modi chairs virtual global investor roundtable.
• Tamil Nadu bans online gaming, ₹5,000 fine, imprisonment for violators.
• 50% subsidy on air transportation for fruits & vegetables from North-Eastern & Himalayan states.
• PM Modi & his Bhutanese counterpart jointly launches RuPay Card phase-2 in Bhutan.
• Centre brings Digital news portals, OTT platforms under govt regulation.
• Govt blocks 43 more mobile apps, including AliExpress, Alipay Cashier and CamCard.
• All fixed to mobile calls to be dialled with prefix ‘0’ from Jan 15, 2021.
• Govt provides ₹670 crore support to Regional Rural Banks to meet regulatory capital.
• RBI lifts restriction on Equitas Small Finance Bank for opening of new branches.
• ICICI Bank first private lender to surpass ₹2 trillion in mortgage loan portfolio.
• Cabinet approves Lakshmi Vilas Bank & DBS India merger.
• IRDAI approves HDFC ERGO Health-HDFC ERGO General Insurance and Bharti AXA-ICICI Lombard mergers.
• Markets soar to record high; Sensex tops 44,000 and Nifty crosses 13,000 level.
• Equitas Small Finance Bank and Gland Pharma make their stock market debut.
• Bharat Biotech starts Phase III trials of COVAXIN.
• Pfizer ends vaccine trial with 95% success rate, to apply for approval soon.
• AstraZeneca’s phase 3 interim data shows vaccine 90% effective at lower dose.
• Hetero to manufacture 100 million doses of Sputnik V for India.
• Will work in a public-private partnership to ensure availability of COVID healthcare: Piyush Goyal.
• Regeneron, given to Trump, gets emergency US clearance for COVID-19 therapy.
• Nirav Modi extradition case: UK judge admits CBI, ED evidence.
• TRP scam: Centre forms 4-member committee to review guidelines on television ratings.
• 15 Asian nations sign huge China-backed RCEP trade pact, excluding India and US.
• Britain and Canada agree post-Brexit rollover trade deal.
• Bank Of England keeps interest rate unchanged at 0.1%; injects extra £150 billion into economy.
• US Fed keeps its interest rate unchanged 0.25%, says economy is still well below pre-pandemic levels.
• US Senate unveils $1.4 trillion spending bill amid post-election turmoil.
• EU parliament, govts finalise 2021-2027 budget, £1.6 trillion recovery package.
• Japan’s economy exits recession as GDP grows 5.0% in Q3.
• China publishes draft competition rules for online platforms.
• Ant Group’s record $37-billion IPO suspended in Shanghai, Hong Kong citing ‘major issues’.
• Bitcoin climbs towards all-time high after topping the $19,000 mark.
• Wipro announces collaboration with Cisco.
• Infosys, ATP extend digital innovation partnership for 3 years.
• Qualcomm receives US permission to sell 4G chips to Huawei in exception to ban.
• Huawei sells its Honor smartphone division for $15-billion to Shenzhen govt, Digital China, others.
• iPhone maker Pegatron approves ₹1,110 crore initial investment for a new factory in India.
• MediaTek acquires Intel’s power-management chip business for $85 million.
• Ashok Leyland floats new subsidiary Vishwa Buses and Coaches.
• Fiat Chrysler, PSA win Brazil antitrust approval for merger.
• Porsche and Embraer team up for world’s first matching set of a Jet and Supercar called ‘The Duet’.
• UK to ban sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030.
• Harley-Davidson to continue India operations January 2021 onwards.
• Boeing’s 737 Max allowed to fly two years after deadly crashes.
• Korean Air to buy indebted Asiana, emerging as world’s 10th-largest airline.
• SpaceX Crew Dragon launches 4 astronauts to space station in 1st operational flight for NASA.
• Virgin Hyperloop hosts first human ride on new transport system at over 160 kmph for the first time ever.
• Google enters air terminal retail through tie up with startup Airbuy.
• Amazon launches Amazon Pharmacy, a delivery service for prescription medications.
• Amazon Web Services to invest $2.77 billion in Telangana for data centres.
• Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia to invest $1.3 billion in Reliance Retail for 2.04% stake.
• ADIA, PIF to pump in $1.01 billion in RIL’s fiber assets business.
• Jio Platforms gets ₹33,737 crore from Google for a 7.73% stake.
• Reliance Retail picks up 96% stake in Furniture Retailer Urban Ladder for ₹182.12 crore.
• Western Union buys 15% stake for $200 million in Saudi Telecom’s STC Pay unit.
• WhatsApp payments service gets NPCI nod for roll out in India for upto 20 million users.
• TikTok signs deal with Sony Music to expand music library.
• TikTok sell-by date extended to December 4 by the US Treasury.
• CCI clears Reliance-Future Retail deal despite Amazon’s objections.
• PUBG parent Krafton signs deal to host the game on Microsoft Azure.

Q1 Results

• ICICI Bank Q2 net profit rises over 6-folds to ₹4,251 crore, total income stood at ₹23,650.77 crore.
• HDFC’s Q2 net profit falls 27% YoY to ₹2,870 crore; revenue rose to ₹13,017.68 crore.
• SBI Q2 profit surges 52% to ₹4,574 crore, NII increases 14.6% to ₹28,181 crore.
• Sun Pharma Q2 net profit up 70% at ₹1,813 crore revenue from operations stood at ₹8,553.13 crore.
• Ashok Leyland posts ₹147 crore loss in Q2, revenue down 28% YoY at ₹2,837 crore.
• ITC Q2 PAT declines 20% to ₹3,232 crore, revenue from operations rose a mere 0.1% to ₹11,976.75 crore.
• M&M Q2 Profit dips 3% YoY to ₹1,311 crore, revenue increases 6% to ₹11,590 crore.