📉 Markets Crash, Bitcoin Tanks & GDP Grows – March Madness Begins!

Good morning and welcome to the first day of March! 🌸 Can you believe we're already two months into 2025?

Feels like we just blinked, and January was gone! Time might be flying, but we’re here to keep you updated with everything that matters. Let’s dive into this Saturday’s hot cup of Masala Chai!

Chai Shots ☕

• 📊 India’s GDP Grows 6.2% in Q3 – A stronger rural economy and increased government spending helped, but manufacturing remains sluggish. Full-year GDP is estimated to be 6.5%.

• 📈 Mahakumbh’s Big Economic Boost – With 50-60 crore people attending, the mega event pushed up travel, hospitality, and consumption spending, giving India’s GDP a much-needed lift.

• 🚨 Market mayhem! Sensex nosedived 1,414 points to 73,198, while Nifty sank 420 points to 22,125, marking its worst month in 5 years. Broad-based selling hit IT, auto, FMCG, and banking stocks.

• 🛫 IndiGo fined ₹1.30 Cr for input tax credit dispute – IndiGo is facing a ₹1.30 crore penalty from Ahmedabad's Assistant Commissioner of State Tax for FY 2020-21 input tax credit claims. The airline is considering legal recourse, saying it has a strong case.

• 🛍️ Flipkart says 'bye-bye' to ANS Commerce! The e-commerce giant has shut down its full-stack enabler ANS Commerce, which it acquired in 2022, laying off the entire workforce. Flipkart promises severance, job placements, and internal opportunities—but for a company once 600 employees strong, it’s a tough farewell.

Market Masala 📊

• 📉 Nifty's not-so-greatest hit! February marked Nifty’s longest monthly losing streak since its birth in 1996, wiping out ₹94 lakh crore in investor wealth since its peak in September. The index is down 16%, with small-caps and mid-caps taking an even bigger hit.

• 🔻 Broad-based selling across sectors – IT and auto stocks were the worst hit, plunging 4% each. FMCG, healthcare, capital goods, and oil & gas stocks also lost over 2%.

• 📉 Tech Stocks Take a Beating – Nifty IT saw its worst drop in 35 months, following Nvidia’s underwhelming earnings and US economic slowdown concerns.

• ⚖️ BYJU’S in hot water! A US bankruptcy court ruled in favor of BYJU’S creditors, declaring that $533 million was fraudulently transferred to a BYJU’S-owned entity. The court found that Riju Raveendran violated fiduciary duties, and damages will be decided soon. The edtech giant’s troubles stem from a $1.2 billion loan default.

• 🦷 Perfora’s 30X Revenue Growth in 3 Years – The oral-care brand jumped from ₹1.4 crore in FY22 to ₹42 crore in FY24, but losses doubled to ₹10.6 crore.

Global Masala 🌍

• 📉 Wall Street’s Wild Ride: Stocks End on a High After a Brutal Month – After a tariff-induced rollercoaster, the S&P 500, Nasdaq, and Dow Jones rebounded to close February. Despite the relief rally, Nifty’s bloodbath pales in comparison as the Nasdaq shed nearly 5% this month—the worst since 2022!

• 💰 Bitcoin’s $30K Plunge Sends Investors Running – The world’s largest crypto plunged 28% from its all-time high, wiping out billions in the past week. ETFs saw massive outflows as investors panic, making this Bitcoin’s worst month since 2022’s crypto winter.

• 🏦 Blackstone Boss Makes Over $1 Billion – Steve Schwarzman, CEO of Blackstone, raked in a whopping $1B in pay and dividends, despite Washington’s crackdown on private equity taxes. With a $51B net worth, he remains one of Wall Street’s highest-paid bosses.

• 🛍️ Amazon’s "Haul" Takes on Shein & Temu – Amazon is expanding its budget shopping platform to Europe and Mexico, aiming to rival Temu & Shein.

• ⚡ Microsoft Says Bye to Skype! – The OG of video calls is shutting down in May, with Microsoft shifting everything to Teams. From revolutionizing global communication to fading into tech history—Skype’s 20-year run ends with a dial tone.

📈 The Big Brew: India’s GDP – Growth Gears Up, But Challenges Remain

India’s economy showed resilience in Q3 FY25, expanding 6.2%—a solid improvement from 5.6% last quarter. 🚀 Government spending, rising exports, and strong rural demand helped keep the momentum alive. While this is still lower than last year’s 9.5%, India remains the fastest-growing major economy in the world. 💪

• 📊 Key Takeaways from the GDP Report

  • 💰 Government spending surged by 8.3%, up from 3.8% in Q2, fueling infrastructure and public sector growth.

  • 🌾 Agriculture boomed with 5.6% growth, boosting rural demand and resilience.

  • 🏗️ Construction grew 7%, supporting jobs and urban development.

  • 🛍️ Consumer spending increased by 6.9%, thanks to lower inflation and festive season purchases.

  • 📦 Exports jumped 10.4%, hitting record highs in engineering goods, electronics, and pharmaceuticals.

• 🚀 Reasons for Optimism

  • 📉 Inflation is cooling, supporting purchasing power and domestic demand.

  • 🏛️ Government policies like tax cuts and capex spending are driving long-term growth.

  • 🏭 Manufacturing, while slow at 3.5%, is expected to pick up as private investments rise.

• 🤔 What Does This Mean?

  India is on a strong path to a $4 trillion economy by FY26, but sustained private investment and trade stability are key for long-term success. The next few months will set the tone for whether India can accelerate toward its high-growth ambitions or face a speed bump.

  For now, the outlook is positive but cautious—let’s keep the chai brewing! ☕🔥

Startup Scoop 🚀

• 🏏 Rishabh Pant Invests in Skincare Brand Amantyacare – The cricketer backs the affordable skincare startup, which combines traditional ingredients with modern formulations.

• 🛰️ Sisir Radar Raises $1.5M – The spacetech startup is building India’s highest-resolution L-band SAR satellite, used for defense, agriculture, and disaster monitoring.

• 🎥 FanTV Secures $3M for AI-Powered Content Creation – The blockchain-based AI platform has 8M users and 80K creators, focusing on music, video, and podcast content.

Chai Break Trivia ☕❓

Did you know that India’s first passenger train ran on April 16, 1853, between Mumbai and Thane? 🚂 It had 14 carriages, was pulled by three steam engines, and carried 400 passengers!

That’s right—before autos, metros, and Ubers, India’s love affair with trains was already in full steam! 🔥

And just like that, we kick off March with a mix of market madness, economic rebounds, and some unexpected shake-ups (RIP Skype 😢). Enjoy your weekend, and maybe, just maybe, don’t check your portfolio today. 😅📉

P.S. If you loved this edition, share it with a friend—chai tastes better when shared! ☕❤️