Dalal Street Focus: Key Events to Watch This Week

Bajaj Finance reported a strong Q3 performance with a net profit of ₹4,308 crore, rising 18% YoY. Assets Under Management (AUM) surged 28% to ₹3.09 lakh crore, while net interest income grew by 29% to ₹8,010 crore.

New loans booked rose 26% to 9.86 million. The company’s customer base expanded to 83.64 million, adding 3.58 million in Q3. Despite higher expenses, strong loan growth and stable asset quality boosted earnings. Bajaj Finance remains optimistic about future growth.

OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, has accused Chinese AI startup DeepSeek of using its proprietary models to train a competing system through a method called "distillation." This technique involves using outputs from larger AI models to improve smaller ones. Microsoft's security team detected suspicious activity last fall, where individuals linked to DeepSeek allegedly extracted large amounts of data through OpenAI's application programming interface (API). OpenAI asserts that this action violates its terms of service, which prohibit using its outputs to develop competing models.

On January 29, ITC Hotels shares began trading on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) at ₹180 per share, marking a 31% decrease from the anticipated price.

This listing follows the company's demerger from ITC Limited, aiming to focus on its core hotel business. Analysts had projected a listing price between ₹200 and ₹300. The lower-than-expected debut has raised concerns among investors about the company's market valuation and future performance.

Former Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger praised DeepSeek’s open-source AI model, R1, which briefly overtook OpenAI’s ChatGPT in popularity.

He highlighted three key lessons: cheaper computing expands markets, innovation thrives under constraints, and open-source technology wins. Gelsinger, who lost his position as Intel’s CEO in December 2024 due to corporate struggles, is now chairman of Gloo, a faith-based messaging platform. He revealed that his Gloo engineers are already using R1, reinforcing its growing impact in AI development.

Gold rate in Delhi today is 82413.0/10 grams , and last week , the price on 22-01-2025 was ₹ 81267.0 /10 grams. Silver rate in Mumbai today is   98800.0 / Kg. Gold rate in Chennai today is. 82261.0-10 grams. Silver rates in Delhi and Mumbai are also at an all-time high. Read the full article here : and silver-prices-at-an-all-time-high-of   8.3 % and 5.8 % respectively.

Reliance Industries chairman and MD Mukesh Ambani said green energy and artificial intelligence will shape the future of humanity. He said the transition from fossil fuels to clean and green energy has to be accelerated. Ambani said within a couple of years , India will emerge as the third largest economy in the world. “ We must not allow economic growth endanger planet earth and further worsen the climate crisis , ” he said.

Wall Street saw a major sell-off on January 27, with the Nasdaq plunging 3% as China’s AI giant DeepSeek disrupted Big Tech. Nvidia’s stock plummeted 17%, leading losses, while fears grew over DeepSeek’s affordable AI models threatening US dominance. The Chinese startup surged in popularity, topping Apple’s App Store, raising concerns about its impact on Silicon Valley leaders. Investors dumped shares of tech firms that previously thrived on AI hype, triggering widespread losses in the market.

Ministry of Finance has reportedly printed newspaper advertisements seeking applications for the post of Chairperson for capital markets regulator , the Securities and Exchange Board of India ( SEBI ). All applications have to be sent on or before February 17 , 2025 , says a purported image of a newspaper ad. The role will be based in Mumbai where SEBI is headquartered and the appointment will be for a maximum period of five years from the date of assumption or till attaining the age of 65 years of the appointee , whichever is earlier , as per the ad and a Mint report. Term of current SEBI Chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch will come to an end on February 28 , 2025. Buch was appointed in March 2022 for a period of three years and was also the first woman to be appointed as SEBI chief.

Top Loser:

1. HCL Technologies Ltd: Declined by 4.51%, closing at ₹1,711.95.

2. Tech Mahindra Ltd: Declined by 4.01%, closing at ₹1,653.90.

3. Wipro Ltd: Declined by 3.80%, closing at ₹307.95.

4. Hindalco Industries Ltd: Declined by 3.30%, closing at ₹586.90.

5. Shriram Finance Ltd: Declined by 3.00%, closing at ₹511.65.

Top Gainer:

1. ICICI Bank Ltd: Gained by 1.55%, closing at ₹1,227.95.

2. Britannia Industries Ltd: Gained by 1.46%, closing at ₹5,176.25.

3. Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd: Gained by 1.08%, closing at ₹2,831.60.

4. Hindustan Unilever Ltd: Gained by 1.05%, closing at ₹2,392.85.

5. State Bank of India: Gained by 0.68%, closing at ₹749.20.

The Finance Ministry has invited applications for the position of the next SEBI Chairperson, as Ajay Tyagi's term nears its end.

Candidates need expertise in capital markets, economics, or finance, along with 25 years of experience in related fields. The selected candidate will lead SEBI, India's capital markets regulator, for a 5-year term. Interested applicants can submit their applications by February 28. SEBI plays a critical role in overseeing stock markets, protecting investors, and ensuring market stability, making this a key appointment for India's financial sector.

Monday, January 27, is pivotal for the stock market as 80 companies are set to announce their Q3 earnings. Major names include Tata Steel, Coal India, Indian Oil, Adani Total Gas, Canara Bank, and ACC. Bajaj Housing Finance, Union Bank of India, and Railtel Corporation will also release results. ICICI Bank already reported a 15% rise in PAT to ₹11,792 crore for Q3 FY25. Other companies announcing results today include Emami, Adani Wilmar, Petronet LNG, Sundram Fasteners, and Prataap Snacks, spanning industries like logistics, chemicals, and manufacturing.