💰 Gold Surges, BCCI Fined, Reddit Swings Big

🌞 Good morning and happy Friday Junior, Masala Crew!

We’re sliding into the weekend, but the headlines aren’t slowing down. From Reddit swinging for Sachin to gold chasing conflict-driven highs, Thursday’s brew is a mixed bag of money moves, market jitters, and some startup sizzle. Let’s get into it 👇

☕ Chai Shots

• ⚖️ BCCI must pay ₹538 Cr to Kochi Tuskers: The Bombay High Court has dismissed the BCCI's challenge against a decade-old arbitration ruling and ordered the board to pay ₹538 crore to the now-defunct IPL franchise Kochi Tuskers Kerala. The board's next move may involve a Supreme Court appeal.

• 🛫 Air India trims global routes by 15%: In the wake of the devastating AI1171 crash, Air India is temporarily cutting 15% of its international widebody operations. The airline is conducting rigorous safety checks and has promised full refunds or free rescheduling for affected passengers.

• 📉 Fed holds rates, flags tariff-driven uncertainty: As expected, the Fed left rates unchanged at 4.25-4.5% for the fourth straight meeting, but Chair Powell signaled caution. Two rate cuts are still projected for 2025, but the impact of Trump's new tariffs could change the playbook.

• 🏏 Sachin joins Reddit as brand ambassador: Reddit has signed on cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar as its brand ambassador, marking a major push into India’s thriving sports community. Sachin will engage with fans directly via Reddit communities, share personal insights, and feature in marketing campaigns worldwide. It's Reddit's boldest India-facing move yet. More in the Big Brew!

🌟 Market Masala

• 📉 Markets dip as global cues turn sour: After early gains, Sensex slipped 138 points and Nifty fell below 24,850. Blame it on intensifying Israel-Iran conflict, Fed rate decision anxiety, a pharma tariff scare from Trump, and a weaker rupee weighing down investor morale.

• 🧼 Urban Company Cleans Up Its Books: Home services platform Urban Company finally flipped the profit switch in FY25, clocking ₹1,144 crore in operating revenue—a 38% jump from the year before—and a ₹28.5 crore profit before tax. While its India core services made ₹113 crore in profit, losses in its hardware and international verticals took some shine off.

• 💊 Small pharma faces shutdown risk: Thousands of MSME pharma units missed the deadline for GMP upgrades. Government crackdowns could result in factory closures, job losses, and potential drug shortages in categories like oncology where fewer players exist.

• 🌟 Red-hot silver, strong gold: Investors are rushing to safe havens as geopolitical tensions flare. Silver hit a fresh all-time high, while gold climbed by ₹540, reflecting global jitters around inflation and conflict in the Middle East.

🌎 Global Masala

• 🥃 Pernod Ricard Pours Itself a New Strategy: French liquor giant Pernod Ricard is shaking things up as the European spirits market faces a slowdown. The company is restructuring its global operations by consolidating its portfolio into just two core divisions—part of a broader push to become leaner and quicker on its feet. While it hasn’t disclosed job impacts, the company has initiated internal consultations as it looks to adapt to evolving industry headwinds.

• 🌐 Wall Street stays cautious: The Dow fell 44 points while the Nasdaq managed a slight gain. With escalating Middle East tensions and Powell's tariff warnings, investors are treading lightly despite forecasts for eventual rate relief.

• 💸 DOJ seizes $225M in crypto scam crackdown: In a record-breaking bust, U.S. authorities seized $225M linked to international "pig butchering" scams. The DOJ, Secret Service, and Tether teamed up to trace funds across hundreds of wallets targeting global victims.

• 🔵 Nuclear startups heat up with fresh funds: Bill Gates-backed TerraPower secured $650M from Nvidia and others to fuel its AI-powered nuclear reactor in Wyoming. Meanwhile, Terrestrial Energy is going public via a $1B SPAC deal to commercialize molten salt tech.

📊 The Big Brew 🏏 Reddit Goes Desi with Sachin as Brand Face

Reddit just made its boldest play yet in India’s social media scene by signing on cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar as its first-ever Indian brand ambassador. From r/Cricket threads to global ad campaigns, Sachin will now be the face of Reddit’s push into the country’s sports-loving, community-driven internet.

• 🧠 A pitch-perfect match: With sports-related engagement on Reddit rising 30% year-on-year, bringing on the Master Blaster is a timely bet. Sachin will not only interact with fans directly on the platform but also lead its upcoming brand campaign across India and global markets.

• 👤 Personal touch: He’ll use his verified Reddit profile to share stories, insights, and even behind-the-scenes moments—a chance for Redditors to connect with the GOAT beyond his cricket career.

• 🌐 Reddit's India expansion: The move comes after partnerships with global leagues like the NFL and Serie A. Reddit clearly wants a slice of India's hyper-engaged sports audience, and Sachin is a surefire way to bowl fans over.

What does this mean?

🌟 Reddit is betting on India as a priority growth market, and Sachin gives them immediate cultural currency. Expect more sports influencers, India-first features, and possibly local monetisation pushes in the coming quarters.

🚀 Startup Scoop

• 🚗 Seven raises ₹4 Cr for payment rings: Mumbai-based Seven, maker of the NFC-powered 7 Ring, raised fresh funding led by Venture Catalysts. The startup plans to launch a budget-friendly 7 Ring Air, expand sales via metros and e-commerce, and scale up production.

• 📚 illumine bags $2.5M to scale AI in childcare: AI-powered edtech platform illumine raised seed capital from Prime Venture Partners. Already used in 3,000+ centres across 56 countries, the funds will support product upgrades and international expansion.

• 🎧 Kuku FM nears $70M round at $500M valuation: The audio platform clocks $10M in monthly revenue and is in late-stage talks for a $70M round led by Granite Asia. It plans to ramp up regional content and defend its turf against rivals like Pocket FM.

• 💼 BlueStone hits unicorn tag pre-IPO: Ahead of its IPO, BlueStone sealed secondary deals worth ₹300-350 Cr, valuing the jewellery brand at ₹10,500 Cr. Singapore’s RB Investments exited with a 10-12x return, as the brand finalises IPO pricing.

• 💇‍♀️ Nat Habit expands into q-commerce & kiranas: D2C personal care brand Nat Habit is now in 1,000+ stores and on Blinkit & Instamart. With plans to reach 6,000 stores by year-end, it's using a low-inventory, cash-only model to grow sustainably.

🧠 Chai Break Trivia

Did you know 📮 In Japan, there's a mailbox underwater that actually works? 🏊‍♂️📬

Located in Susami Bay, it’s part of a diving attraction—over 38,000 waterproof letters have been posted from the ocean floor! Who needs air mail when you’ve got sea mail? 🌊💌

☕ What’s Brewing Next

• 💎 Urban Company IPO pricing expected in coming days

🌟 Until tomorrow...

We’re one sleep away from the weekend, but the headlines are wide awake. Whether you’re eyeing Reddit for some Sachin AMA magic, checking gold rates, or hunting for a new tap-to-pay ring, take a moment to sip, scroll, and breathe.

Stay sharp, stay curious.

☕ Team Masala Chai