🚀 AI, Tariffs & Market Chaos – Buckle Up! (Feb 11)

Happy Tuesday Chai Fam! 🚀✨ 

Let’s power through the week with some piping hot headlines. We've got AI disruptions, trade wars, corporate shake-ups, and government policy moves. Buckle up—it’s a wild ride! 🎢

☕ Chai Shots

• 📉 Sensex & Nifty Slide – Indian markets tanked over Trump’s tariff fears, with the Sensex down 548 points and the Nifty50 below 23,400.

• 🤖 Macron Bets Big on AI – France announced a $112B AI investment package, positioning itself as Europe's answer to the US' Stargate initiative.

• 🇺🇸 Trump’s Trade War 2.0 – The US is slapping a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum imports, sparking fears of retaliatory trade measures.

• 🚀 Delhivery’s Rapid Commerce Bet – The logistics giant expects its new sub-2-hour delivery service to generate ₹80-100 Cr revenue by year-end.

• 💰 SoftBank’s AI Megaproject – Masayoshi Son is betting big on AI, exploring debt-heavy financing for his $500B Stargate AI venture 🚀. The plan? Raise 90% of the funds via debt markets to build AI super-datacenters across the US.

📉 Market Masala

• 📊 Trump’s Tariffs Rattle Indian Markets – Sensex plunged 548 points to 77,311.80, while Nifty50 dropped 183 points to close at 23,377.10 as Trump’s 25% steel and aluminum tariff announcement sent shockwaves through global markets.

• 💰 Nykaa Misses Estimates – Nykaa’s Q3 profit surged 61% YoY to ₹26 Cr, but missed analyst expectations of ₹36 Cr. Revenue grew 27% YoY to ₹2,267 Cr, driven by festive sales & premium beauty demand, but higher costs & weaker margins kept profits lower.

• 🏦 RBI’s Rate Cut & Loan EMIs – After RBI slashed the repo rate by 0.25%, the government is monitoring banks to ensure the benefit reaches borrowers. Officials warn that banks delaying rate transmission could face policy action, as housing & auto loan EMIs remain largely unchanged.

• 🇮🇳 Welspun’s Homecoming – After years of export dominance, Welspun World is shifting focus to India, with a ₹25,000 crore investment plan across textiles, infrastructure, and warehousing. The group aims to triple revenue to ₹1 lakh crore, tapping into India’s booming consumption story.

🌍 Global Masala

• 📈 Wall Street rebounds as Nvidia fuels rally – US stocks bounced back on Monday, shrugging off Trump’s 25% steel & aluminum tariff threats. The S&P 500 climbed 0.6%, while the Nasdaq surged 1% as AI chip giant Nvidia jumped 3%.

• 📊 Steel Stocks Gain in the US, Drop in Asia – US steelmakers rallied on Trump’s tariff announcement, but Asian & European steel stocks tumbled in response.

• 📉 Asia-Pacific Markets in Red – Fears of more tariffs and inflation spikes led to losses across major Asian indices.

• 🇪🇺 European Markets Shrug Off Tariff Worries – Despite Trump’s tariff threats, BP shares jumped 8% after reports of Elliott Management acquiring a stake.

🍵 The Big Brew – Trump’s Tariff Shock: What It Means for India

Trump’s trade war 2.0 is here! 🇺🇸 Over the weekend, he announced a 25% tariff on all steel & aluminum imports, shaking up global markets and sending Sensex & Nifty tumbling 📉. The rupee hit an all-time low of ₹87.96 per USD 💸, and investors are scrambling for cover 😬.

Why This Matters 🔍

• 🇺🇸 For the US – American steelmakers are celebrating 🥳, with stocks like Cleveland-Cliffs & Nucor jumping 8%, but higher costs could hit consumers 💰.

• 🇮🇳 For India – Indian steel exports to the US are small, but indirect damage is huge 🚨. With China, South Korea & others flooding global markets, Indian steelmakers could face lower prices & squeezed margins 😓.

• 📊 For Markets – Sensex sank 548 points, Nifty50 dropped 183 points, and FIIs dumped ₹10,179 Cr worth of stocks 😵‍💫.

What’s Next? 🤔

• 🇮🇳 India’s Response – Officials are playing it cool 😎, saying India exports little steel to the US, but if history repeats, we could see counter-tariffs on US goods like almonds & apples 🍏.

• 🛑 More Tariffs Incoming? Trump isn’t done yet 🚧 – he’s hinting at new trade restrictions by Wednesday that could hit more industries ⚠️.

• 📉 Stock Market Watch – Tata Steel, JSW Steel, & ONGC stocks dropped ⬇️, while investors rushed to safe havens like gold 🏆.

Bottom Line:

The trade war is back, and India’s steel industry, currency, & stock market are feeling the heat 🔥. Expect more volatility & market jitters in the coming weeks 😬.

🚀 Startup Scoop – Innovation & Business Moves

• 💊 Alkem Labs Expands – Acquires Adroit Biomed (₹140 Cr) and Bombay Ortho Industries (₹147 Cr) to strengthen its market presence.

• 🎓 Eduvanz Raises ₹26 Cr in Bridge Round – The education-focused NBFC secured funding from Peak XV, Capria Ventures, and others to expand operations & marketing.

• 🌍 BorderPlus Raises $7M – The workforce mobility startup will use funds to train & place Indian healthcare workers globally.

• 🔋 TEC Secures $2M for EV Battery Intelligence – The battery tech startup will expand its AI-driven battery optimization platform for electric two-wheelers & fleet operators.

🤔 Chai Break Trivia

☕ Do you know? The oldest "company" in the world is a Japanese construction firm called Kongo Gumi, which was founded in 578 AD and operated for over 1,400 years before merging with another company in 2006. That’s some serious long-term planning! 😲🏯

🔮 What’s Brewing Next? – Upcoming Events & Policies

• 🏛️ New Income Tax Bill – Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to introduce a new tax bill in Parliament today.

• ⛽ India Eyes More US Energy – Talks underway to increase US oil & gas imports ahead of Modi-Trump meeting.

• 💰 8th Pay Commission Update – Salary hikes set for January 2026, with the commission in place by April.

If you loved today’s Masala Chai, share it with a friend! 💌 Let’s keep the conversation brewing! See you tomorrow! 🚀☕