Fundraising via initial public offers (IPOs) dropped 52.2 per cent to $147.2 billion in the first eight months of calendar year 2023 (CY23), suggests a recent report by GlobalData, a London-based analytics and consulting company. At the country level, the report suggests, India topped the charts with 152 transactions worth $3.8 billion during this period, primarily due to a higher number of SME IPOs, followed by the US with 99 deals totaling $16 billion, while China ranked third with 88 transactions worth $32.3 billion. "An analysis of GlobalData's Deals Database reveals that there were 750 IPO listings registered with an aggregate deal value of $147.2 billion in the first eight months of 2023 on the stock exchanges worldwide.
Auditors seem to have developed a heightened sense of risk and are not content to tick the boxes and sign the papers.
In two separate filings, both the companies said a meeting of the board of directors will be held on March 2, to consider and recommend the amalgamation of Reliance Petroleum and Reliance Industries, the country's most valued firm in terms of market capitalisation.
Hundreds of millions of dollars were invested in publicly traded Adani group stocks through Mauritius-based 'opaque' investment funds by partners of promoter family, the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) alleged on Thursday. The fresh allegations by an organisation funded by likes of George Soros and Rockefeller Brothers Fund come months after a US short seller wiped away close to $150 billion in value of Adani group stocks with allegations of accounting fraud, stock price manipulation and improper use of tax havens by the ports-to-energy conglomerate run by billionaire Gautam Adani. Adani group has denied all allegations. Citing review of files from multiple tax havens and internal Adani Group emails, OCCRP said its investigation found at least two cases where the "mysterious" investors bought and sold Adani stock through such offshore structures.
Diageo asks Mallya to quit USL board; alleges fund diversion
The complainant, C Anthony Lewis, has said that he had bought 500 shares of Satyam about three weeks prior to Raju admitting to manipulation in the company's accounts for showing higher profits, following which Satyam's share value dropped drastically.
A plea has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking investigation under the supervision of a sitting apex court judge against the Adani group of companies in light of the allegations made by the US-based Hindenburg Research.
Dr Samir Shah, who was honoured with a CBE by Queen Elizabeth II in 2019 for services to television and heritage, will replace Richard Sharp, who had been forced to resign after his communication with former prime minister Boris Johnson came under scrutiny.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to hear on February 17 a fresh plea of a Congress leader seeking investigation under the supervision of a sitting apex court judge against the Adani group of companies in light of the allegations made by the US-based Hindenburg Research.
The letter demands a full discussion on the shareholding in Reliance Infocomm at the December 27 meeting.
India's biggest non-bank finance company, Bajaj Finance (BAF), is set to raise capital after a gap of four years. On October 5, the board of directors will meet to approve the fund raise by way of preferential issue and/or qualified institutional placement (QIP) subject to regulatory and shareholder approvals. The move, analysts said, comes ahead of expectations, and could be in the wake of simmering competition in the consumer lending space, especially with the launch of Jio Financial Services (Jio Fin). "While we still do not have finer details on the game-plan of Jio Financial, it has plans to initially foray into consumer and merchant lending.
'India's emergence as a top crypto market comes despite a regulatory and tax environment that can be challenging for the industry to navigate.'
Mutual funds (MFs) have stepped up equity purchases after staying on the fence for over two months. Their net equity investments reached a four-month high of Rs 7,700 crore in July, rising for the fourth consecutive month after withdrawing a net of Rs 5,100 crore in April 2023. This trend continued in August, with net investments of Rs 3,400 crore in the first three trading sessions, according to data from the Securities and Exchange Board of India.
Investment firm Invesco Developing Markets Fund, the largest shareholder in Zee Entertainment Enterprises, on Thursday said it will support the Zee-Sony merger deal and has decided not to pursue the call for ZEEL EGM to remove managing director and CEO Punit Goenka and two independent directors. The company said it will support the merger of Zee and Sony, contending the "deal in its current form has great potential for Zee shareholders" but added if it is not completed as currently proposed, Invesco retains the right to requisition a fresh EGM. Two days after the Bombay high court ruled that Invesco's call for EGM was legally valid, the investment firm in a statement said, "Since we announced our intention to requisition an EGM and add six independent directors to Zee's Board of Directors, Zee has entered into a merger agreement with Sony.
The under-fire Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission (JADCO) has appointed a new executive director just three days before the start of a World Anti-doping Agency (WADA) audit of its operations, the Jamaican government said on Friday.
Mynampati, who is now being questioned by the team of market regulator SEBI, got a total package of over Rs 3.5 crore (Rs 35 million) during the year ended March 2008, while founder and Chairman had to contend with just about one fifth.
Shareholders of Tata Sons, the holding company and promoter of Tata group companies, have approved the reappointment of N Chandrasekaran as chairman for another five-year term despite its single largest shareholder the Shapoorji Pallonji family abstaining from voting, according to sources. In February this year, the Board of Tata Sons had approved the reappointment of Chandrasekaran as executive chairman for another five years till February 2027, subject to shareholders' approval. At the shareholders meeting held on Monday, the proposal for Chandrasekaran's reappointment for a second term needed more than 50 per cent of votes as it was an ordinary resolution.
Three senior executives have resigned from Byju's at a time when the most valuable edtech company has been trying to address challenges such as due diligence issues, legal battles with lenders, challenges in raising fresh capital, and a markdown in its valuation by investors. Prathyusha Agarwal, the chief business officer of Byju's, has quit, according to sources. They said Himanshu Bajaj, business head of Byju's tuition centres, and Mukut Deepak, business head for Class 4 to 10, have also moved on.
To bring down promoter stake to comply with minimum public shareholding rules.
Govt reconstitutes body, says will not interfere in senior PSB appointments
Jignesh Shah, the promoter of Financial Technologies India Ltd, on Wednesday resigned from the board of MCX Stock Exchange, amid continuing Rs 5,600 crore (Rs 56 billion) payment crisis at group company NSEL.
Alka Mittal has been appointed interim chairman and managing director of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) - the first woman to head the country's largest oil and gas producer. Mittal replaces Subhash Kumar, another interim head who retired after reaching superannuation age on December 31. "The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the proposal of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas for entrustment of additional charge of the post of chairman and managing director (CMD), ONGC to Alka Mittal, director (HR), ONGC for a period of six months with effect from January 1, 2022, or till the appointment of a regular incumbent to the post, or until further order, whichever is the earliest," the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) said in an order dated January 3, 2022.
Daniel Zhang will be promoted to the executive chairman on September 10, 2019, while Ma remains a director on Alibaba's board.
"A meeting of the board of directors of the company will be held on March 5 to consider buyback of equity shares of the company," Reliance Energy said in a communique to the Bombay Stock Exchange.
The country's largest bourse National Stock Exchange (NSE) has put the NSE Prime initiative in cold storage following lukewarm response from India Inc, said people aware of the development. Inspired by Brazil's Novo Mercado, NSE had announced a separate platform which any listed company could be part of by voluntarily adopting a stricter corporate governance code. Launched in December 2021, NSE Prime was to formally take off within a year after empanelling companies.
The move to set up the UID Authority of India, under the aegis of the Planning Commission, is aimed at providing a unique identity to the targeted population of the flagship schemes to ensure that the benefits reach them, information and broadcasting minister Ambika Soni told reporters here after the Cabinet meeting.
The board of Dow Jones and Co. has decided to take no action on the $5 billion unsolicited bid for the company by media mogul Rupert Murdoch's News Corp., the company has announced.
'The end of WFH has made achieving work-life integration more challenging for women.'
The large share purchase would give the corporate raider significant voting rights, which could then be used to push changes in the company's leadership and management. This would increase share value and thus generate a massive return for the raider. "Taking Twitter private at $54.20 should be up to shareholders, not the board," Musk tweeted with the opinion poll with two options 'Yes' and 'No' . Implying that shareholders have to decide as they own the company, not the board of directors.
Analysts are of the opinion that 55 may emerge as the new age to retire for techies in India
Billionaire Gautam Adani's son Karan will helm the cement firms his group has acquired to become India's second largest cement player and extend his burgeoning empire that spans from ports and energy to airports and telecom.
British broadcaster BBC has communicated to the income-tax department that some of its past income, for its operations in India, could have gone unreported during the statutory filing of returns and hence it would like to amend it, official sources said on Wednesday.
Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates and retiring Chief Executive Steve Ballmer are standing for re-election to Microsoft Corp's board of directors, despite recent moves by some investors to reduce their influence.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu termed it the 'largest cooperation project in our history', one that would 'change the face of the Middle East, Israel, and impact the entire world'.
Zenith board mulls capital restructuring.
Excerpted from Sahara: The Untold Story by Tamal Bandyopadhyay.