📉 Sensex Tumbles 1,018 Pts, But Gold Is Hitting Records (Feb 12)

☀️ Happy Wednesday! Time for Your Midweek Masala Chai! If you thought gold was expensive yesterday, brace yourself—it's breaking records.

Meanwhile, Sensex is on a rollercoaster, Trump’s tariff tantrums are sending shockwaves across markets, and Elon Musk just got ghosted by OpenAI. Buckle up, because today’s newsletter is packed with all the market chaos, startup wins, and global drama you need to know! ☕🔥

☕ Chai Shots

• 📉 Sensex Crashes 1,018 Pts, Nifty Falls Below 23,100 – Indian equity markets tumbled for the fifth straight session, with Zomato down 5% and Shriram Finance slipping 4% amid weak earnings and US trade policy concerns.

• 🚨 SEBI Cracks Down on $1 to $328M Stock Scam – Dubai-based investor JPP turned a $1 investment into $328.6M through LS Industries, triggering SEBI’s investigation into market manipulation and FEMA violations.
  Despite the company having negligible revenue, its stock price skyrocketed suspiciously, triggering an investigation.

• 🤖 Elon Musk’s $97.4B OpenAI Takeover Attempt Rejected – Musk and his investor group made a hostile bid to acquire OpenAI, claiming they want to restore its open-source mission, but Sam Altman shut it down with a cheeky reply: "No thank you, but we will buy Twitter for $9.74B if you want."

• 📱 Instagram Introduces Teen Safety Features in India – Instagram is rolling out Teen Accounts with parental controls, content filters, and message restrictions, ensuring safer online experiences for its 350M+ Indian users.

📈 Market Masala

• 📉 Sensex Crashes Over 1,100 Points, Nifty Tests 23K – Indian markets continued their freefall, with all Sensex stocks in the red as Zomato plunged 5% and broader indices tumbled. The Nifty Microcap 250 fell over 4%, while midcap and smallcap stocks lost over 3% in a brutal session.

• 🌍 Why Are Markets In a Freefall? – Trump’s 25% tariff on steel and aluminum has spooked global investors, fueling FII sell-offs and uncertainty. Weak corporate earnings from key players have further eroded confidence, leading to ₹9.87 lakh crore in market cap losses in a single day.

• ✨ Gold Crosses ₹86,000/10 gm in India – Investors are flocking to gold as a hedge against uncertainty, pushing it toward a record $3,000 per ounce globally.

• ⚙️ Indian Steelmakers Brace for US Tariff Impact – Domestic producers fear that US suppliers will dump surplus stock into India, further driving prices down.

• 🌍 US MNCs Slow DEI Efforts, Indian Companies Push Forward – Trump’s executive orders targeting DEI programs are leading some US multinationals to pause their initiatives, but Indian companies remain committed, driven by government mandates and employer branding.

🌍 Global Masala 

• 📉 Wall Street Mixed as Powell Testifies – The Dow gained 0.3%, while the Nasdaq slipped 0.4% as Fed Chair Jerome Powell signaled no rush to cut rates. Investors are on edge, awaiting January’s inflation data, which could shape future interest rate moves. Meanwhile, Trump’s tariff policies loom large, keeping global markets cautious.

• 🔥 Intel Soars 6.5% as Trump Backs U.S. AI Chips – Intel stock jumped after VP JD Vance assured that the Trump administration will prioritize U.S.-made AI chips over foreign suppliers like TSMC and Samsung. Despite the boost, Intel remains down over 50% year-over-year, as investors question its long-term strategy.

• 🌍 Trump’s Tariffs Shake Global Markets – Asian markets traded mixed, European markets shrugged it off, and US futures dipped as investors await Powell’s testimony on inflation.

☕ The Big Brew – Gold’s Record Run: Why It’s Getting Pricier Every Day

Gold prices in India have hit an all-time high of ₹87,930 per 10 grams, and if you're planning to buy, get ready to shell out even more! A global supply squeeze, rising investor demand, and economic uncertainty are pushing prices through the roof.

🏦 What’s Driving the Surge?

• Gold is flying out of India – Global bullion banks are prioritizing U.S. deliveries as gold futures there trade at a $28 per ounce premium, leaving Indian vaults nearly empty.

• Leasing rates have doubled – Jewellers like Titan, Kalyan Jewellers, and TBZ are struggling with higher borrowing costs, which means higher prices for consumers.

• Global chaos = Gold boom – Trump’s tariffs, China’s new gold-buying spree, and a rising U.S. dollar have made gold the go-to safe-haven investment, driving demand even higher.

💰 What Does This Mean for You?

Gold isn’t just expensive—it's in short supply, so if you're eyeing some bling for a wedding, it’s only getting costlier. But if you’re an investor, this could be your moment to shine. ✨

🚀 Startup Scoop 

• 💳 Easebuzz Gets RBI Approval for Payment Aggregation – The fintech startup received final RBI authorization to operate as a payment aggregator, strengthening its presence in the digital payments space.

• 🩺 Bold Care Raises $5M to Expand into Women’s Wellness – The men’s sexual health brand is moving into women’s health with its Bloom line, covering menstrual care, menopause, and personal hygiene.

• 🎙️ Amazon-Backed ToneTag Raises $78M After 7-Year Hiatus – The voice-based payments startup secured funding to expand its soundwave-powered transactions, processing 30M+ transactions daily.

• 📜 Zetwerk Gears Up for $400-500M IPO – The $3B B2B manufacturing startup is filing draft IPO papers in six months, aiming for a $5B valuation while expanding globally.

🧠 Chai Break Trivia

Did you know? The first-ever SMS was sent in 1992, and it simply said "Merry Christmas." 🎄📱

🔥 What’s Brewing Next?

• 📊 US CPI Inflation Data Releases Tomorrow – A major market mover! Investors are waiting to see if inflation is cooling or staying sticky.

• 💰 Gold’s Next Move – With prices already at record highs, will the global gold rush continue, or is a correction coming?

🍵 Sip, Read & Share!

That’s it for today’s Masala Chai—where markets tumble, gold shines, and startups hustle! If your portfolio took a hit this week, at least your news intake is going strong.

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