The Kimberley Process (KP) Plenary selected India to assume the chairpersonship of the Kimberley Process from January 1, 2026. This will be the third time India has been selected to chair this international initiative. The Kimberley Process is a tripartite initiative involving governments, the international diamond industry, and civil society, aimed at preventing the trade in "conflict diamonds".

Silver is often called the "devil's metal" due to its sharp price volatility and erratic trading behaviour, making it unpredictable for speculators. It can see massive price swings that can lead to huge gains or major losses. A classic example is the late 1970s, when Hunt Brothers' bid to corner the silver market triggered massive price spikes and subsequent crashes.

China's onshore yuan approached 7 per dollar to hit the strongest level in nearly 15 months on Thursday. The surge is aided by exporters' year-end rush to convert dollar holdings into local currency, easing US trade tensions, and steady foreign money flowing into China. The currency could get even stronger next year if US interest rates stay low, experts predicted.

Mainboard IPOs in India raised a record ₹1.75 lakh crore in 2025, compared to the previous year's record of ₹1.59 lakh crore, the ET reported. The year saw around 103 mainboard listings, but only eight major IPOs accounted for ₹78,300 crore, or nearly 44.5% of the total funds raised. Tata Capital's ₹15,512-crore IPO was the biggest IPO of 2025.

Alhindair, which received the government's approval this week, is promoted by Kerala-based Alhind Group and is eyeing to begin operations primarily in South India. It would likely operate ATR turboprop aircraft, said a Reuters report. The other airline that got approval is FlyExpress, which is positioned as a regional operator. The government wants to end duopoly in aviation.

Responding to an X post highlighting US economic performance, billionaire Elon Musk said, "Double-digit growth is coming within 12 to 18 months." He added, "If applied intelligence is proxy for economic growth, which it should be, triple-digit is possible in (nearly) 5 years." According to economic data, US economy grew 4.3% year-on-year in Q3, beating analyst expectations of 3.2%.

Delivery workers across major food delivery and e-commerce platforms, including Swiggy, Zomato, Zepto, Blinkit, Amazon and Flipkart, will hold a nationwide strike on December 25 and 31. The unions are seeking job security, higher pay and safer working conditions. The strike has been called by the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union and the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers.

Andhra Pradesh’s vision to produce quantum computers with predominantly local components represents a bold step toward India’s technological self-reliance. If executed successfully, the initiative could accelerate innovation, create high-value jobs, and place India at the global forefront of quantum research and manufacturing within two years.

As of September 2025, private banks remained primary lender to small businesses in India, closely followed by public sector banks (PSBs), a report by Small Industries Development Bank of India and CRIF High Mark said. PSBs' share declined from 39.3% in September 2023 to 37.8% in September 2025. Reduced share of PSBs has largely been absorbed by NBFCs, report said.

Several Indian startups shut down in 2025 despite raising large funding rounds. Dunzo closed after raising $485 million, while Builder.ai shut down after raising $450 million. hike raised $261 million before shutting operations. The Good Glamm Group and BluSmart, funded at $250 million and $224 million, also exited, highlighting a major reset in India’s startup ecosystem.