☕ Friday Brew: Gold Soars ✨, Robots Roar 🤖, and Markets Thrive 🚀

Happy Friday, chai enthusiasts! 🎉 You’ve made it through the week, and the weekend is calling! Whether you’re planning to Netflix-and-chill or hit the streets, we’ve got your news fix sorted. Let’s end the week on a high note—grab your chai and let’s spill the tea!

📰 Chai Shots

• 🏢 Apple & Google face UK heat: The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has opened antitrust probes into the mobile ecosystem dominance of Apple and Google.
  Why this matters: Nearly 94% of Brits use mobile devices powered by iOS or Android, so this could shake up app stores, browsers, and how we use our phones. Stay tuned for drama in the tech world!

• 🤖 Ati Motors raises $20M: Bengaluru-based robotics startup Ati Motors secures Series B funding as India aims for a global robotics leadership position by 2030.

• 📱 WhatsApp wins reprieve: An Indian tribunal lifts a 5-year ban on WhatsApp’s data-sharing policy with Meta, with ₹102 crore held as a deposit for now.

• 🚖 Govt grills Ola, Uber over pricing bias: The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has issued notices to Ola and Uber over alleged differential pricing for Android and iPhone users.

📈 Market Masala: IT Stocks Surge as AI Spending Fuels India’s Benchmark Gains

• ✨ Top Gainers: UltraTech Cement (+6.8%), Mahindra & Mahindra, and Sun Pharma

• 📉 Top Losers: BPCL (-2.3%), Hindustan Unilever, and Kotak Mahindra Bank

• 💻 IT Stocks Lead Gains: India's IT index surged 1.8%, fueled by optimism over U.S. AI spending plans. This sector has gained 4% in just two sessions, with Wipro, Coforge, and Persistent Systems leading the charge.

  Why it matters: Trump’s AI push is giving Indian IT firms a boost, as they earn a huge chunk of their revenue from U.S. clients.

• 💰 Gold Alert: Gold prices touched ₹80,000/10g, reflecting heightened safe-haven demand amidst geopolitical tensions and uncertainty in global markets.

• 💸 Kotak Mahindra Completes StanChart Loan Book Acquisition: Kotak Mahindra Bank has completed its ₹3,330 crore acquisition of Standard Chartered India’s personal loan book. The deal strengthens Kotak’s retail credit position, aligning with its strategy to scale and focus on affluent customers.

Looking Ahead: Indian Markets

• January 24: HSBC PMI Flash for January could provide insights into India’s manufacturing momentum.

• January 29: IPO debut of Denta Water and Infra Solutions.

• January 30: GDP data and Apple/Intel earnings may influence market sentiment.

🌍 Global Markets

🌟 Wall Street Hits Highs as Trump Steals the Davos Spotlight

The S&P 500 secured its first record close of 2025, rising over 0.5%, while the Dow Jones gained 0.9% on Thursday. President Trump’s speech at Davos—where he demanded interest rate cuts and called for lower oil prices—drove investor optimism.

Key Movers:

• 📉 Nvidia: Held steady despite supply-chain concerns flagged by supplier SK Hynix.

• 📈 UnitedHealth Group: Rose 1% after announcing a replacement for its slain executive.

• 📉 American Airlines: Tumbled after projecting a surprise quarterly loss.

Why it matters: Wall Street is riding high on Big Tech momentum, but Trump’s tariff talk and oil price demands could stir up volatility in the weeks to come.

Looking Ahead: Global Markets

• January 24: Bank of Japan meeting and Japan’s December inflation data could influence market trends.

• January 29: Meta, Microsoft, and Tesla earnings reports, alongside the U.S. Fed meeting.

• January 30: Apple, Intel earnings, and U.S. GDP data will set the tone for the global economy.

🧐 The Big Brew

India at Davos: Still a Growth Story?
Seven years after PM Modi’s $5 trillion economy pitch, India is projected to hit $4.27 trillion in 2025—falling short of its ambitious target.

Despite a slowing economy, global CEOs are bullish about India. Why? India’s demographic dividend (480M under 18) and tech innovation make it a hotbed for investments. Major players like Mubadala and Prosus are ramping up investments in renewable energy and startups.

Key Takeaways:

• India’s focus on semiconductors and AI through indigenous chipsets is a leap forward.

• The government is addressing regulatory bottlenecks to woo foreign investors.

What does this mean for us?
While challenges remain, global interest in India underscores confidence in our market potential. It’s a nod to India’s role as a critical player in the global economy.

💡 Startup Scoop

• Everstone Acquires Wingify for $200M: In a major SaaS success story, private equity giant Everstone has acquired a majority stake in Wingify, the Delhi-based maker of Visual Website Optimizer (VWO). Wingify has grown from a bootstrapped startup into a profitable global company with $50M in annualized revenue and 6,000 clients across 90 countries.

• Spinny Secures $100M+ in Series 😩 Used car platform Spinny raised over $100M in its Series D round, led by Tiger Global, valuing the company at nearly $800M. The Gurugram-based startup, which eliminates intermediaries in the car-buying process, operates in eight cities and has raised $220M to date.

❓ Chai Break Trivia

Did you know? A day on Venus is longer than a year on Venus! 🪐 The planet takes about 243 Earth days to rotate once on its axis but only 225 Earth days to orbit the Sun. Talk about the ultimate slow spin!

That’s a wrap for today, folks! 🎉 Enjoy your Friday and treat yourself to a big plate of pani puri or some buttery pav bhaji this weekend! Don’t forget to share this newsletter with your friends—they deserve some masala in their inbox too. Until next week, sip safe and stay curious! ☕