Bajaj Finance Limited's shares fell on Wednesday, reflecting weak investor sentiment despite no major negative triggers.

The stock dropped by Rs 77.25, or 0.88 per cent, to close at Rs 8,745 on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) during an intra-day session. Over the past five days, the scrip has slipped by Rs 5, or 0.06 per cent.

The firm reported a rise in asset quality stress in the third quarter of the fiscal year (Q3 FY25). Its gross non-performing assets (GNPA) increased to 1.12 per cent from 0.95 per cent in the year-ago period, while net non-performing assets (NNPA) rose to 0.48 per cent from 0.37 per cent.

With the RBI’s 50 basis points cumulative reduction in policy rates since February this year, transmission of the rate cut by banks is expected in the coming quarters, according to an SBI report.

The report points out that following the RBI’s 25 basis point cut in repo rate in February, public sector banks reduced deposit rates by 6 basis points, and foreign banks reduced 15 basis points, while private banks increased the rate by 2 basis points.. The analysis of the weighted average lending rate (WALR) on fresh loans versus the repo rate reveals that WALR for public sector banks and scheduled commercial banks (SCBs) closely follow the adjustments in the policy rate, implying an effective and timely transmission mechanism.

In a landmark event for India’s maritime industry, Vizhinjam International Seaport, developed and operated by Adani Ports and SEZ Ltd, on Wednesday received MSC Turkiye, one of the world’s largest and most sustainable container vessels.

This is the ship’s first call at any Indian port. Spanning 399.9 metres in length, 61.3 metres in width, and 33.5 metres in depth, MSC Turkiye boasts a massive capacity of 24,346 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), making it the largest container ship to berth at an Indian port to date.

Operated by the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) and registered under the Liberian flag, the vessel represents cutting-edge innovation in fuel-efficient, environmentally responsible marine engineering.

This milestone reinforces Vizhinjam’s growing status as a premier global transshipment hub, strategically situated just 10 nautical miles (19 km) from the key east-west international shipping route.

The port’s natural draft of 20 metres allows it to accommodate ultra-large container vessels (ULCVs) without extensive dredging.

The Indian stock market ended lower on Wednesday due to weak global cues and concerns over US trade tariffs, even though the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) cut the repo rate by 25 basis points.

The RBI’s monetary policy committee (MPC) reduced the repo rate to 6 per cent from 6.25 per cent -- aiming to support economic growth amid global uncertainties. Along with the rate cut, the central bank also changed its policy stance from ‘accommodative’ to ‘neutral.’

However, amid tariff fears, Sensex slipped 379.93 points, or 0.51 per cent, to close at 73,847.15. Similarly, the Nifty ended 136.70 points lower at 22,399.15, down 0.61 per cent.

India’s electronics manufacturing sector has received a major boost with the government notifying the much-awaited ‘Electronics Component Manufacturing Scheme' (ECMS), top industry bodies said on Wednesday.

The scheme marks a turning point for strengthening India’s component manufacturing ecosystem and increasing domestic value addition.

With a financial outlay of Rs 22,919 crore over six years, ECMS aims to generate production worth Rs 4.56 lakh crore, attract investments of Rs 59,350 crore and create nearly 91,600 direct jobs.

Applications for the scheme will open from May 1 for an initial period of three months and can be reopened based on industry response.

The building materials sector in India is experiencing a significant hiring boom, with recruitment soaring by 30 per cent over the past two years, driven by rapid urbanisation, infrastructure development and industrial expansion, a report showed on Tuesday.

Among various segments, pipes and steel have emerged as frontrunners, leading hiring demand due to increased domestic consumption and global exports, according to the report by CIEL HR.

As emerging technologies like 3D printing, AI, and internet of things (IoT) reshape manufacturing processes, demand for specialised roles in material science, sustainability, and advanced manufacturing technologies continue to rise.

Companies are actively seeking proficient talent in green certifications and lifecycle analysis, highlighting a shift toward sustainable and technology-driven operations.

POCO, India’s leading performance-driven smartphone brand, on Tuesday launched the first sale of its blockbuster C71 smartphone on e-commerce site Flipkart for Rs 6,499.

The POCO C71 redefines the smartphone experience with a 6.88" HD+ 120Hz display combined with wet touch display support and triple TUV certification for eye protection.

It also features a 32MP dual camera and a massive 5200mAh battery -- all at an unbelievable price.

Tata Motors on Tuesday reported a 3 per cent decline in its global wholesales for the March quarter (Q4 FY25), even as its luxury car unit Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) registered a slight increase in sales.

The total group-wide wholesales, including JLR, stood at 3,66,177 units during the quarter. This is lower than the 3,77,432 units sold in the same quarter last year.

The company’s commercial vehicle sales, including the Tata Daewoo range, dropped 3 per cent to 1,07,765 units. Passenger vehicle sales also fell 6 per cent to 1,46,999 units compared to the previous year.

However, JLR bucked the overall trend with a 1 per cent rise in global sales. JLR sold 1,11,413 vehicles in the March quarter. Out of this, Land Rover contributed 1,04,343 units while Jaguar sold 7,070 units.

Leasing activity in India’s retail sector recorded a robust 55 per cent jump to cross 2.4 million square feet (MSF) in the January-March quarter this year across top eight cities, with both malls and mainstreets contributing to the growth, according to a report released on Tuesday.

Both malls and mainstreets contributed to this growth owing to the commencement of new supply in emerging locations, said the report by Cushman & Wakefield.

The report highlighted that Hyderabad was the frontrunner in terms of leasing volume, contributing 34 per cent (0.8 MSF) of the total leasing activity, with a staggering 106 per cent year-on-year growth.

Mumbai followed closely, accounting for 24 per cent (0.58 MSF) of the total leasing volume and recorded a 259 per cent year-on-year growth, largely owing to the emergence of new high street locations and the addition of new mall supply, the report stated.

Samsung Electronics on Tuesday estimated its first-quarter operating profit edged down 0.15 percent from a year earlier but exceeded market expectations on strong sales of its new flagship smartphones.

The world's biggest maker of memory chips expected an operating profit of 6.6 trillion won (US$4.5 billion) for the quarter ending in March.

The operating profit was 33.5 percent higher than the average estimate of 4.9 trillion won, according to a survey by Yonhap Infomax, the financial data firm of News Agency.

Sales increased 9.8 percent to 79 trillion won. The data for net income was not available.