Apple iPhones registered 7 per cent India smartphone market share in 2024, rising on robust local production and growing premiumisation trend in smaller cities, a report showed on Thursday.

On year-on-year basis, iPhones registered 23 per cent growth and iPads an impressive 44 per cent growth in the country, according to data shared by CyberMedia Research (CMR) to IANS.

“Apple's strong growth momentum in CY2024, fuelled by double-digit expansion in both iPhones and iPads, was driven by favourable tailwinds from smartphone premiumisation, alongside a robust push by Apple in domestic manufacturing and retail expansion,” said Prabhu Ram, VP-Industry Research Group, CyberMedia Research (CMR).

India’s aspirational middle class is increasingly investing in premium devices, not only as lifestyle statements but also for their advanced technological capabilities.

Bajaj Finance Limited on Wednesday reported a 18 per cent year-on-year (YoY) rise in its consolidated net profit for the third quarter (Q3) of FY25 at Rs 4,308 crore.

The company's net interest income (NII) also saw a significant rise of 23 per cent YoY at Rs 9,382 crore compared to Rs 7,655 crore in the same quarter last year.

The assets under management (AUM) surged by 28 per cent to Rs 3.98 lakh crore as of December 31, 2024, up from Rs 3.11 lakh crore a year ago.

Ambuja Cements, the cement and building material company of the diversified Adani Group, on Wednesday reported robust profit after tax (PAT) growth at Rs 2,620 crore, which more than doubled (year-on-year) in Q3 FY25.

The revenue from operations rose to Rs 9,329 crore in Q3, from Rs 8,129 crore in the same period last fiscal (FY24).

Net worth stood at Rs 62,535 crore sans debt, with cash and cash equivalent at Rs 8,755 crore (14 per cent of the net worth), the company said in a statement.

"We are pleased to report a quarter of sustainable performance, aligned with our growth plan. With focus on innovation, digitisation, customer satisfaction, and ESG, our vision drives our expansion into new geographies," said Ajay Kapur, Whole Time Director and CEO of Ambuja Cements Limited.

Leading car manufacturer Maruti Suzuki India Ltd on Wednesday reported a 16 per cent increase in net profit to Rs 3,727 crore for the October-December quarter of the current financial year, compared to the corresponding figure of Rs 3,206.8 crore in the same quarter last year.

The company’s revenue from operations rose 15.7 per cent year-on-year to Rs 38,764.3 crore on the back of higher sales from Rs 33,512.8 crore in the same quarter of the previous year.

However, the auto major’s total expenses during the third quarter also went up by 16 per cent year-on-year during the quarter to Rs 35,163 crore.

Hyundai Motor India on Tuesday reported a net profit of Rs 1,161 crore for the October-December quarter this fiscal, which represents a 19 per cent decline over the corresponding figure of Rs 1,425 crore for the same quarter of FY 2023-24.

The car major’s revenue from operations also declines 1.3 per cent during the third quarter at Rs 16,648 crore, as against Rs 16,875 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous year.

“The decline in margins was mainly due to subdued demand and geopolitical factors,” the company said.

The company sold a total of 186,408 units of passenger vehicles during this quarter. This includes 146,022 units in the domestic market with a strong contribution from SUV segment.

Pharmaceutical major Cipla on Tuesday reported a 49 per cent year-on-year (YoY) increase in its consolidated net profit for the December quarter (Q3 FY25) at Rs 1,574.6 crore, from Rs 1,068.5 crore in the same quarter last year (Q2 FY25).

The company’s revenue from operations grew by 7 per cent YoY to Rs 7,073 crore, compared to Rs 6,604 crore in Q3 FY24, according to its exchange filing.

However, it remained nearly flat on a quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) basis, with revenue standing at Rs 7,051 crore in Q2 FY25.

Revenue from its India business grew by 10 per cent YoY to Rs 3,146 crore, with its branded prescription business outperforming market growth in key therapies.

Sajjan Jindal-led JSW Steel on Friday reported a 70 per cent year-on-year decline in net profit to Rs 717 crore for the October-December quarter of the current financial year, compared to the corresponding figure of Rs 2,450 crore for the same quarter of the previous financial year.

The steel major’s revenue from operations declined by over 1 per cent year-on-year to Rs 41,378 crore for the third quarter.

The company recorded its highest-ever quarterly crude steel production at 7.03 million tonnes during the period. Saleable steel sales stood at 6.71 million tonnes.

Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) came in at Rs 5,579 crore for the quarter, according to its quarterly filing.

Former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar has expressed confidence in pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah's leadership abilities and said he possesses the temperament and intelligence required to succeed as a captain.

Bumrah led India in the first and fifth Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia in the absence of regular skipper Rohit Sharma. India won the series opener in Perth by 295 runs, whereas in the last Test in Sydney, the visiting team suffered a six-wicket defeat.

“Purely based on his skill, without a doubt. Captaincy also depends on the captain-coach relationship and how their wavelengths align. If Bumrah gets the right support, like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli had, he could grow into a great leader. He has shown that he has the temperament and intelligence needed to succeed as a captain," Bangar said in the latest episode of Star Sports' Deep Point.

The Adani Group on Friday categorically denied reports claiming that Adani's 484 MW wind power projects in Mannar and Pooneryn in Sri Lanka have been cancelled.

Terming such reports as "false and misleading", a company spokesperson said the Group remains committed to investing $1 billion in Sri Lanka's green energy sector.

"Reports that Adani's 484 MW wind power projects in Mannar and Pooneryn have been cancelled are false and misleading. We categorically state that the PPA (power purchase agreement) has not been revoked," a Group spokesperson said in a statement.

The Sri Lankan Cabinet's decision of January 2 to reevaluate the tariff approved in May 2024 is "part of a standard review process, particularly with a new government, to ensure that the terms align with their current priorities and energy policies", according to the spokesperson.

India’s manufacturing sector recorded a strong growth in January this year led by a sharp rise in new export orders and a likely flurry of restocking activity around the world, according to the HSBC flash PMI report released on Friday.

Based on an analysis of 100 activity indicators, the report suggests that the growth momentum has improved in the quarter ending December with 65 per cent of the indicators growing at a positive clip in the December quarter compared to 55 per cent in the previous one.

However, the services PMI in January was a tad lower than last month, the statement said.