A $42 billion auction pushed the 10‑year Treasury yield to 4.683%, the highest level seen since the 2007 crisis. Investors demanded a steeper risk premium as inflation stays above the Fed’s target and fiscal deficits widen, foreshadowing a 30‑year sale at the steepest financing rate in 25 years.
Regulator SEBI says its newly introduced closing auction session, launched on August 3 to improve price discovery, has shown no signs of manipulation despite criticism over low liquidity. Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey warned that while the system curbs small‑trade price swings, the market is still adjusting and SEBI will publish a detailed paper in the next 8‑10 days.
Airtel dropped its Rs 299, Rs 319, Rs 579, Rs 619 and Rs 649 prepaid packs, making the Rs 349 plan the new floor for unlimited data. The move trims low‑take bundles and is expected to lift average tariffs by 3‑4%, part of a broader push to raise ARPU.
India’s Ather Energy is launching Konarc, a Rs 1-1.2 lakh scooter that targets North‑Indian riders, widening its portfolio beyond the premium Rizta. The new model, backed by a 42,000‑unit‑per‑month plant and a push to 1,500‑2,000 experience centres, could erase TVS and Bajaj’s sales lead and make Ather EBITDA‑positive.
Tata Sons’ chair Natarajan Chandrasekaran announced he won’t seek a third term, stepping down before the August AGM after a standoff with Tata Trusts over the performance of new ventures like e‑commerce, aviation and semiconductors. The abrupt exit signals potential strategic rifts in India’s biggest conglomerate and raises questions about its future direction.
India’s commerce ministry sealed the Terms of Reference for a preferential trade pact with the South African Customs Union, kicking off negotiations in a month and targeting completion in a year. The eight‑chapter deal focuses on goods, customs and standards, promising market diversification and new avenues for Indian pharma and IT exports.
New Delhi has earmarked Rs 29,000 crore to expand regional airports even as start‑up carriers like Shankh Air still await final operating licences. Hundreds of runways sit idle, and when subsidy subsidies phase out the infrastructure may sit underused, hurting the connectivity push.
Bank of America will buy up to 49.9% of Jio Credit for up to ₹18,268 crore ($220 billion), starting with a 26.5% equity stake. The deal gives BofA a foothold in India's booming NBFC lending space, pairing Jio’s massive customer base with its global banking expertise. Regulatory approval pending.
Small‑cap mutual funds sucked in a record ₹7,768 cr in July, while large‑caps logged their first 30‑month outflow. The surge hints at a risk‑on tilt, but experts warn against chasing the flow and recommend a balanced 55/25/20 split across large, mid and small caps to hedge concentration risk.
By July, overseas Indians poured $37 billion into FCNR‑B accounts, lifting scheduled banks’ deposits to a ten‑year high and driving credit growth to 19.4%, the fastest since June 2024. The surge signals fresh liquidity and may fuel corporate borrowing as firms chase higher bond yields.
The RBI has released draft Directions on interest rates for loans and advances, proposing a unified, principles-based framework for both fixed and floating-rate credit across all regulated entities. The move targets inconsistent benchmark practices and limited guidance on fixed-rate loans, hoping to sharpen monetary transmission and ensure fair pricing. Comments are open until 11 Sept 2026.
You’re caught up.
That was all 11 stories in the 13 August issue.