News Nook: Jan 5, 2026

Indian Sector Specific News:

A) BFSI:

1) NBFC Stocks Outperforming Banks in Personal and Consumer Loans to Keep on Your Radar

NBFCs are growing faster than banks in personal and consumer loans because they give quicker approvals, use digital tools, and lend small-ticket loans that banks often avoid, helping them gain a bigger market share.
With rising demand for personal loans, strong NBFCs like Bajaj Finance, Shriram Finance, and Tata Capital are well-positioned to benefit from India’s expanding retail credit market over the long term.
Source: Trade Brains

B) Automobile:

1) Deadline Ends: 27 Lakh Maharashtra Vehicles Yet to Adopt High Security Registration Plates; RTOs to Begin Enforcement

Around 27 lakh vehicles in Maharashtra still do not have High Security Registration Plates (HSRP) even after the final deadline of December 31, 2025, and RTOs will now start strict enforcement to ensure compliance.
HSRPs are mandatory for vehicles registered before April 2019 and help improve security and road safety, with fixed designs that cannot be altered or reused once removed.
Source: The Times of India

C) Pharma:

1) Parliamentary Panel Pitches for Stronger NPPA Powers as Govt Reworks Pharma Policy

A parliamentary panel has asked the government to strengthen the powers of the drug price regulator (NPPA) so it can better control high prices of essential and lifesaving medicines, especially those not currently covered under price rules.
The panel warned that gaps in the current policy allow companies to fix high prices for many drugs, and suggested clearer laws to regularly monitor and control medicine prices and trade margins.
Source: Fortune India

D) Agriculture:

1) India Becomes World’s Largest Rice Producer, Says Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan

India has overtaken China to become the world’s largest rice producer, with output reaching 150.18 million tonnes, helping the country strengthen its presence in global rice markets.
The government also launched 184 new high-yield and climate-resilient crop varieties to boost farm productivity and ensure better-quality produce reaches farmers faster.
Source: NewsONair

E) Energy:

1) India Has 132 Compressed Bio Gas Plants Producing 920 Tonne Per Day Under SATAT: Hardeep Singh Puri

India now has 132 operational Compressed Bio Gas (CBG) plants producing 920 tonnes per day, turning farm and organic waste into clean fuel while boosting rural income and reducing pollution.
The SATAT scheme supports entrepreneurs and energy companies in building a strong waste-to-fuel ecosystem, helping India move towards cleaner and more sustainable energy.
Source: Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas

F) Infrastructure:

1) Indian Real Estate Sees 59% Surge in PE Inflows to $6.7 Billion in 2025: Savills Report

Private equity investment in Indian real estate jumped 59% in 2025 to $6.7 billion, driven mainly by foreign investors, showing strong confidence in the sector’s recovery and long-term growth.
Office spaces, data centres, and residential projects attracted the most funds, with investors favouring income-generating assets and well-established developers.
Source: Savills India Report / TRT Editorial

Indian Economy and Government Initiatives:

India plans to release a new GDP series in 2026 with an updated base year and improved methods to better capture the informal economy and real growth, after the IMF flagged concerns over data quality and outdated measurements. The changes aim to make economic data more accurate and transparent, though they may also impact state finances by altering borrowing limits and central fund allocations.
India needs a strong national competition policy, not just antitrust laws, to remove market distortions, boost competition, and support faster economic growth needed to achieve its long-term development goals.
India’s economy, while showing strong headline growth, is under strain due to weak tax revenue and shrinking fiscal space, creating a policy stalemate where fiscal and monetary moves are struggling to ease underlying fragility.

Indian Stock Market Update:

Indian markets closed lower, with Sensex falling 322 points and Nifty ending at 26,250, dragged down by heavyweights like HDFC Bank, Infosys, Wipro, and ONGC.
IT, telecom, and oil & gas stocks declined 0.5–1%, while realty stocks jumped 2% and FMCG, metals, and consumer durables saw modest gains.
Midcap and smallcap stocks ended largely flat, showing limited broader market movement despite sector-wise volatility.

Bonus Briefs:

US sanctions had forced India to stop buying Venezuelan oil in 2020, leaving nearly $1 billion in unpaid dues to ONGC Videsh stuck and sharply reducing oil production from Indian-operated fields in Venezuela.
A possible US-led takeover or restructuring of Venezuela’s oil sector could ease sanctions, allowing audits, dividend payments, and recovery of India’s pending dues.
Once restrictions are lifted, Indian companies could restart operations, raising production from 5,000–10,000 barrels/day to up to 1 lakh barrels/day using existing equipment and expertise.
For India, renewed access to Venezuelan oil would diversify crude supplies, reduce reliance on Russia and the Middle East, and improve negotiating power on oil prices.