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PMSBazaar.com reported stellar 2024 performances in Alternative Investment Funds (AIF). Finavenue Growth Fund led with 132% returns, followed by Negen Undiscovered Value Fund (57%), and Carnelian Asset’s Structural Shift Fund (47%).

Alok Ranjan, Senior Fund Manager at ITI Mutual Fund, sees valuations normalizing and advises diversifying portfolios amid upcoming volatility. He emphasizes stock-picking opportunities in financials, IT, healthcare, and capital goods for medium to long-term gains.

Profit was driven by a one-time land sale gain, rupee depreciation and improved rate of deal wins in its key verticals of banking, financial services & insurance (BFSI) and hi-tech & media.

Oil prices saw a strong start in 2025, with Brent oil rising over 9% in January. Factors such as fresh US sanctions on Russian oil, OPEC+ production cuts, soaring heating demand due to cold winter, and falling US stockpiles contributed to the price increase. China’s economic slowdown in 2024 kept prices relatively stable.

ICICI Lombard General Insurance has reported a significant 67.9% rise in net profit for Q3 FY25, reaching ₹724 crore. The increase is partly due to a substantial 155% rise in capital gains. GDPI saw a slight decline of 0.3%, but adjusted growth was 4.8%. The combined ratio improved to 102.7%.

Shrini Viswanath, Co-Founder of Upstox, embarked on a transformative 100-day fitness journey inspired by fatherhood. By prioritizing nutrition, discipline, and balance, he achieved physical transformation while enhancing mental clarity and work-life integration, inspiring wellness within his personal and professional environments.

Central bank researchers emphasised the importance of judicious foreign exchange interventions to minimize currency volatility in emerging economies, noting that portfolio flows affect exchange rates more than policy rate or inflation differentials. The authors highlighted that effective interventions, both spot and forward, mitigate the impact of capital flows on currency movements, ensuring stability during periods of financial turbulence.

U.S. stocks closed a robust week with the S&P 500 and Dow posting significant gains. Despite inflation concerns and upcoming Trump policies, optimism over the economy and positive earnings reports bolstered investor sentiment. The Federal Reserve is expected to maintain rates steady, with potential cuts projected. The technology sector saw noteworthy surges, particularly in Intel and Qorvo stocks.

Reliance Industries gained 2.6% on bourses amid broader market weakness due to strong third-quarter performance in retail and O2C segments. Retail saw a festive demand pull with expected normalization, while digital segment ARPU growth missed estimates. Oil and gas revenue was pressured by lower production and realisation.

Tata Group-backed IHCL reports a 33% increase in profit after tax for the quarter ended December with revenues up by 29%. The company has set a new growth benchmark with 55 signings and 20 openings this fiscal. IHCL aims to reach 700 hotels by 2030.