RBI’s Big Move + Zomato’s New Name 🤯🍽️ (Feb 7)

It's Friday, chai lovers! 🎉 The weekend is just one meeting, one email, or one “urgent” but totally avoidable task away! 😆 But before you escape to your weekend plans—whether it’s Netflix, naps, or a night out—let’s get you fully caught up on the biggest headlines.

From Sensex swings to Bitcoin’s drama, Zomato’s big rebrand to RBI’s first rate cut in 5 years, we’ve got it all. So grab your chai, kick back, and let’s sip through the biggest business buzz! ☕🚀

Chai Shots ☕ 

• 🏦 RBI cuts repo rate by 25 bps – India’s central bank lowers rates for the first time in 5 years to boost growth while keeping inflation in check.

• 💰 Bitcoin crashes 7% – Falls below $94K, while Ether drops 24% as investors react to U.S. tariff war concerns.

• 🏆 Gold prices hit an all-time high of $2,882/oz – UBS predicts further gains, eyeing $3,000/oz in the next 12 months.

• ⚖️ Meta faces lawsuit from early employee – Kelly Stonelake alleges sexual harassment, discrimination, and retaliation over 15 years.

• 📦 Zomato rebrands as ‘Eternal’ – Quick-commerce unit Blinkit is now the biggest growth driver.

Market Masala 📊 

• 📉 Sensex & Nifty fall ahead of RBI rate cut – The Sensex dropped 87 points to 77,970, while Nifty declined 32 points to 23,570 in early trade amid market volatility.

• 🚀 Bharti Airtel jumps 4% – The telecom giant reported a 5x surge in profit to ₹16,134 crore, boosted by Indus Tower consolidation and tariff hikes.

• 🏦 RBI cuts repo rate by 25 bps to 6.25% – First rate cut in 5 years to boost growth while maintaining a ‘neutral’ stance.

• 🏡 Loan EMIs likely to drop – Home and auto borrowers can expect lower interest rates in the coming months.

• 💵 Rupee strengthens to ₹87.33/USD – Gains after the RBI rate cut, but volatility remains.

Global Masala 🌍

• 🇺🇸 US stock futures flat ahead of payroll report – Investors remain cautious as bearish sentiment hits a 15-month high 📉. Dow futures dipped 49 points, while S&P 500 and Nasdaq futures edged down 0.2% each.

• 💼 Meta sued for gender discrimination – A former director alleges workplace harassment, retaliation, and being passed over for promotions.

• 🤖 DeepSeek shakes up the AI industry – The Chinese AI firm challenges Nvidia and OpenAI, giving smaller AI chip companies a boost.

• 🏗 Honeywell to split into 3 companies – The industrial giant follows GE and 3M in breaking up, as activist investor Elliott Management pushes for change.

• 📉 Amazon’s Q1 guidance misses expectations – Stock fell 3% as the company projects $151-$155B in revenue, below Wall Street's $158B forecast.

• 💰 Asia-Pacific markets react to India's rate cut – Investors assess Japan's rising household spending and future BoJ rate hikes.

The Big Brew 🍵 RBI’s First Rate Cut in 5 Years: What It Means for You

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), under new Governor Sanjay Malhotra, has cut the repo rate by 25 basis points to 6.25%, marking its first reduction since May 2020.

This decision comes amid slowing economic growth and moderating inflation, giving the central bank room to support the economy.

Why was the rate cut necessary?

• 📉 Growth concerns – GDP growth for FY25 is now projected at 6.4%, down from 6.6%.

• 🏡 Boost for borrowers – Lower interest rates = cheaper home & auto loans.

• 💰 Inflation still a worry – The RBI expects 4.8% inflation in FY25 and 4.2% in FY26, staying within its target range.

• 🌍 Global risks remain – U.S. tariff wars, oil prices, and financial market volatility could impact India’s recovery.

What does this mean?

• If you have a home loan or car loan, expect lower EMIs in the coming months.

• Businesses will benefit from cheaper credit, possibly leading to higher investments and job creation.

• However, the RBI is playing safe with a neutral stance, meaning future rate cuts aren’t guaranteed.

Startup Scoop 🚀

• 🥟 ITC acquires frozen food brand Prasuma – Strengthens its ₹10,000 Cr ready-to-cook and frozen food market presence.

• 🏠 Pepperfry revenue drops 31%, losses narrow – IPO plans remain uncertain as the home goods retailer cuts costs.

• 🌿 Nua raises ₹35 Cr in pre-Series C round – Women’s wellness brand sees participation from Colgate and DSP Family Office.

• 🎨 Adar Poonawalla acquires 20% of AstaGuru – The Serum Institute CEO invests in luxury auctions.

• 🔮 Astroyogi crosses ₹85 Cr revenue – The bootstrapped astrology startup sees 26% YoY growth, but profits take a hit.

• 🤖 TrueFoundry raises $19M in Series A – Backed by Intel Capital, the AI deployment startup simplifies machine learning at scale.

Chai Break Trivia ☕❓

Did you know that Infosys was the first Indian company to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange? 🤯

What’s Brewing Next? 🔮

• 📊 US Jobs Report – Key economic data expected to shape global markets.

• 🚗 Tesla’s India Launch? – Speculation grows as Elon Musk hints at EV expansion

🎉 Friday Outro: Weekend Mode... ON!