Good morning!
It’s Wednesday, and the news isn’t taking a midweek break.
From PM Modi receiving a terror threat to the stock market’s rollercoaster ride, today's headlines are packed with action.
Now, let’s get to the big stories…
📌 Top Headlines of the Day
PM Modi gets terrorist attack threat
Mumbai Police received a call on February 11 warning of a possible terrorist attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s aircraft ahead of his visit to France and the U.S.
The police alerted other agencies and launched an investigation, later arresting the caller, who was found to be mentally ill.
Sensex crashes again
The Sensex dropped over 900 points in early trade on February 12, extending its losing streak to six sessions, while Nifty 50 fell over 1%.
Mid and small-cap stocks underperformed, with indices plunging up to 3%. The total market capitalization on the BSE fell by ₹8 lakh crore in a day.
Key reasons behind the selloff:
Concerns over potential higher tax rates on financial securities triggered panic selling.
Fed Chair Jerome Powell ruled out immediate rate cuts, citing high inflation.
FPIs have offloaded over ₹2.8 lakh crore in Indian equities since October.
Trump's tariff policies raised concerns over a global trade war.
Declining corporate earnings made valuations unsustainable, leading to further selloff.
By 11:50 AM, the Sensex recovered slightly but remained down 284 points.
Reliance stock tumbles to a 52-week low
Reliance Industries' share price fell over 3% to a 52-week low of ₹1,193.65, marking its fourth consecutive decline.
The stock has dropped over 6% in a week and more than 17% in a year. Heavy selling pressure and declining index heavyweights contributed to the Sensex crashing over 800 points.
The market cap of BSE-listed companies shrank by ₹8 lakh crore in a day.
'Maaza' - the beverage company, steps into billion-dollar club
India's home-grown mango drink, joined the billion-dollar club in 2024, becoming Coca-Cola India's third such brand after Thums Up (2021) and Sprite (2022).
Coca-Cola announced this milestone in its global earnings report. Originally launched in the 1970s by Ramesh Chauhan of Parle, Maaza was acquired by Coca-Cola in 1993.
The company reported $13 million in net gains from refranchising its bottling operations in India in Q4 2024, with full-year gains reaching $303 million.
Coca-Cola’s overall unit case volume grew 2% in Q4, driven by China, Brazil, and the U.S., while full-year growth was 1%, led by Brazil, India, and Mexico.
📌 Startup News
upGrad to support and empower military veterans
Bengaluru-based edtech unicorn upGrad has partnered with the Army Welfare Placement Organisation (AWPO) to help military veterans and their dependents transition into India's corporate workforce.
The collaboration offers tailored upskilling programs in AI, Digital Marketing, Data, and vocational courses, ensuring both white- and blue-collar job readiness.
AWPO, a non-profit under the Ministry of Defence, has placed over 1.3 lakh veterans since 1999.
India lists 12 gangsters operating from US
India's security agencies, under the Ministry of Home Affairs, have identified 12 gangsters based in the US and will present the list to Washington during PM Modi’s upcoming visit.
Notable names include Anmol Bishnoi and Goldy Brar, both linked to major criminal networks. Authorities aim to enhance cooperation for their deportation, citing threats from drug trafficking and organized crime.
Many fugitives maintain ties with Pakistan-based smugglers and use advanced technology to evade detection.
India will push for their extradition, emphasizing the security risks posed by their operations.
📌 Global News
OYO to invest $10 million in the US
It will invest $10 million (~₹87 crore) in its US-based subsidiary G6 Hospitality, which operates Motel 6 and Studio 6.
This follows OYO’s $525 million acquisition of G6 from Blackstone.
The investment will enhance G6’s digital presence by expanding the Motel 6 website and My6 app, aiming for a 4X increase in downloads before summer.
OYO plans to use advanced digital targeting and direct partnerships with Google and Microsoft to attract high-intent customers.
G6 Hospitality also plans to add 150+ hotels by 2025, focusing on Texas, California, Georgia, and Arizona.
Digital payments startup ToneTag raises $78 million
Founded by Kumar Abhishek, ToneTag provides voice-powered commerce and payment solutions for retail and F&B businesses.
Its Oyeti platform enables voice-based shopping and ordering, while VoiceSe UPI allows offline transactions via soundwave technology.
The company processes 30 million+ interactions daily and serves clients like SBI, ICICI Bank, Amazon, and Google.
📌 Now, Bolly News
'Loveyapa' box office collection Day 5
Loveyapa, the Hindi remake of Love Today, directed by Advait Chandan, had a slow start at the box office.
Starring Junaid Khan and Khushi Kapoor, the film earned ₹5.60 crore in its first five days. Despite initial skepticism, its relatable content and fast-paced screenplay helped boost collections over the weekend.
Day 1 (Friday): ₹1.15 crore
Day 2 (Saturday): ₹1.65 crore
Day 3 (Sunday): ₹1.75 crore
Day 4 (Monday): ₹0.55 crore (- 68.57%)
Day 5 (Tuesday): ₹0.50 crore
'Badass Ravikumar’ box office collection Day 5
Himesh Reshammiya’s action parody Badass Ravikummar, a spin-off of The Xposé (2014), is struggling at the box office despite aiming for the ₹10 crore mark in its debut week.
The film opened with ₹2.75 crore but saw a steady decline, with its total Indian net collection at ₹7.25 crore by Tuesday. Occupancy rates remain low, averaging 6.85% on day 5.
Directed by Keith Gomes, the film follows Ravi Kumar (Himesh) as a bold police officer on a high-stakes mission. Despite its self-aware over-the-top style, critics, including ETimes, have panned it as unentertaining.
So, that’s it for today. If you enjoyed this edition, subscribe to hear from us every day!
See ya 👋