🇮🇳🤝🇺🇸 Modi & Trump: Deal or drama?

Good morning, hustlers! 🚀 It's Thirsty Thursday, and while you might be craving a strong filter coffee, we’re here to serve you an even stronger brew of business, markets, and startup scoops.

Inflation’s still spicy, AI talent is cashing in, and Modi is in Washington brewing up some global deals. Let’s sip on today’s hottest updates! ☕🔥

Chai Shots ☕

• 🔥 India Inc is paying big for AI, ML & cybersecurity talent – Top professionals in these fields are securing 30-40% salary hikes when switching jobs, as demand explodes.

• 📉 Retail inflation cools to 4.31% in January – Lowest in five months, thanks to cheaper veggies and LPG. But potatoes? Up 49.6%. The true MVP of Indian households. 🥔

• 🇮🇳🤝🇺🇸 Modi-Trump meet-up in Washington DC – Expect fireworks over trade, immigration, and defence as the two leaders try to balance “Make in India” vs. “America First.”

• ⏳ SC extends deadline for Danny Gaekwad to deposit ₹600 Cr with Sebi – Gaekwad gets an extra day to prove his ₹5,000 Cr Religare takeover bid is the real deal.

Market Masala 📈

💰 What moved the markets?

• 📉 Sixth straight losing session! Nifty managed to hold 23,000 despite volatility.

• 🏦 Financials provided major support, helping Nifty Bank close in the green after a 700-point recovery from the day’s low.

• 🚙 Auto stocks in reverse gear! M&M, Eicher Motors led the decline.

• 🚀 SAIL surged 5% post Q3 results, while Ashok Leyland jumped 8% after an all-round beat.

• 🏠 Real estate stocks took a hit, dropping 4-7%, as concerns over valuations hit the midcap & small-cap space.

📉 Economic Indicators

• 🏭 Industrial production slowed to 3.2% in December, a three-month low, as mining and manufacturing underperformed.

• 📉 Retail inflation eased to 4.31%, bringing some relief to households, but essential items like coconut oil and garlic still saw double-digit price hikes.

The Big Brew 🍵 Modi-Trump Meeting: What’s at Stake for India?

PM Narendra Modi has landed in Washington for a high-stakes 36-hour visit, and the agenda is packed with:

• 🇺🇸 Trade tensions – Trump’s tariffs vs. Modi’s “Make in India”

• 📜 Immigration policies – US deportations & H1B visa concerns

• 💪 Defence deals – Strengthening military cooperation & energy imports

• ⚖️ Global balancing act – Navigating US-China tensions while maintaining strategic autonomy

What does this mean? India wants a bigger economic pie, fewer visa hassles, and stronger security ties. The big question—Can Modi and Trump find common ground without clashing over protectionist policies? Stay tuned!

Startup Scoop 🚀

• 💰 Lucidity snags $21M to help enterprises cut cloud storage costs by up to 70%.

• ✍️ SpotDraft bags $54M to automate legal contracts with AI. Lawyers, are you sweating yet? 😅

• 🤖 Anscer Robotics raises $2M to expand its autonomous mobile robots for warehouses & factories.

• 🛍️ Honasa Consumer (Mamaearth) shifts to direct distribution in top 50 cities to boost margins, but it’s been a bumpy ride.

Global Masala 🌍

💵 Fed Rate Cuts? Not So Fast!

• 🔥 Hot US inflation data just threw a wrench in the Fed’s rate cut plans for 2025.

• 💡 Markets are now pricing in only one rate cut this year, pushed to late 2025 instead of earlier expectations for two.

• 🤔 Powell’s verdict: “We’re close, but not there yet” on inflation control, meaning interest rates will stay higher for longer.

• 💬 Trump vs. the Fed: The former president is pushing for immediate rate cuts, but the Fed isn’t budging.

Chai Break Trivia ☕

☕ India’s First Tea Plantation Was an Accident! The British found wild tea plants in Assam and set up India’s first plantation in 1837—just to test if it would work. Now, chai is a national obsession! 🍵

What’s Brewing Next? 🔮

• 🇮🇳 Sebi’s hearing on Gaekwad’s ₹5,000 Cr Religare bid is scheduled for Feb 14.

• 🏦 India’s trade data for January is coming soon—will exports pick up?

• 🔋 EV battery maker Ola Electric's IPO buzz is heating up.

That’s a wrap for today! 🎬 Hope this brew gave you your daily caffeine kick. Forward it to a friend who needs a business fix! 🚀☕

Oh and happy Friday Junior!!!