Shares of India's largest cigarette maker ITC Ltd fell the most in six years on Thursday after the government imposed higher tax on tobacco products. The shares crashed nearly 10% and wiped out over ₹50,000 crore in market capitalisation. The price of cigarettes will reportedly increase by 20%-30% from February 1.

UP's Shravan Kumar Vishwakarma, who owns India's newest airline Shankh Air, worked as a loader and tempo driver on the streets of Kanpur once. "I drove autos with acquaintances and tried few small businesses, many of which failed," he said, adding that his business journey gained momentum in 2014 after entering the cement trade before expanding into mining and transport.

Startup founders are increasingly highlighting their college or school "dropout" status during their one-minute pitches, with the trend being particularly evident during Y Combinator Demo Days, TechCrunch reported. Noting that it has become a kind of "credential", Moxxie Ventures founder Katie Jacobs Stanton said, "I think it's perceived as something quite positive in the venture ecosystem."

Shriram Finance shares hit a record high of ₹1,025 on the first day of the year 2026. The stock, which closed 2.36% higher on Thursday, crossed the ₹1,000 mark for the first time since listing. The stock price has been witnessing continuous gains over last few sessions due to the 20% stake acquisition by Japan-based MUFG for $4.4 billion.

India’s electric two-wheeler market slowed sharply in December 2025, with registrations falling 19% month-on-month to about 93,000 units after a 20% drop in November. TVS Motor led with over 24,000 units and a 26% market share, followed by Bajaj Auto and Ather Energy. Despite the weak finish, 2025 sales rose 11% to 12.75 lakh units, underlining long-term growth.

Indian companies are planning to add more jobs in 2026 than they did in 2025. They will add 10-12 million jobs in calendar year 2026, compared with 8-10 million in 2025, staffing services firm TeamLease predicted. EY India, Godrej Consumer Products, Diageo, Tata Motors and Motilal Oswal Financial Services are stepping up recruitment with focus on diversity and campus hiring.

Shravan Vishwakarma, once a tempo driver in Kanpur, is launching Shankh Air in January. The airline will start with three Airbus planes, connecting Lucknow to major cities. Backed by his transport business, he aims to offer affordable flights, increase competition, and gradually expand across India, challenging the aviation duopoly with plans for nationwide and future international routes.

A passenger has claimed that she developed a "severe fungal infection" on her legs after taking an Akasa Air flight. In a LinkedIn post, the woman said she was travelling from Bengaluru to Ahmedabad when she noticed the "extremely concerning" unhygienic condition of the seats. "I'm...undergoing...treatment, and the suffering has been...physically and emotionally exhausting," she added.

BSE-listed Avance Technologies has signed a term sheet to acquire 100% of Pushpak AI, a Hyderabad-based Edge AI specialist. This strategic move enters the $2.4 trillion global AI market, leveraging Pushpak’s computer vision expertise used by marquee clients like Maruti Suzuki. The integration aims to drive value through advanced visual analytics and mission-critical intelligence solutions.

The Indian rupee weakened against the US dollar on the first day of the new calendar year 2026, weighed down by persistent foreign fund outflows from the capital market, while trade-related uncertainty continued to cloud rupee sentiments. Foreign institutional investors were net sellers of shares worth ₹3,597.38 crore on Wednesday, exchange data showed.