News Nook: Feb 4, 2026

Indian Sector Specific News:

A) BFSI:

1) PB Fintech Eyes Bigger Role in Insurance, Plans Fundraise

• Policybazaar’s parent PB Fintech wants to become an insurance MGA, which would let it help design insurance products and handle claims, once government rules are finalised. This could change how insurance works in India.
• The company is also planning to raise money through a QIP to fund future acquisitions and expand in India and abroad, while its existing businesses are already generating cash.
• Source: Medianama

2) Bharti AXA Life Insurance Ties Up with Equitas Small Finance Bank

• Bharti AXA Life Insurance has partnered with Equitas Small Finance Bank to sell life insurance products through the bank’s wide branch network across India.
• This partnership will help Equitas customers get easy access to life insurance solutions, while Bharti AXA expands its reach, especially in semi-urban and rural areas.
• Source: The Economic Times

3) SEBI Maintains Status Quo on F&O, Market Stocks Rally

• SEBI has clearly said there will be no new rules on F&O trading and no change in weekly expiry, bringing relief to traders and investors.
• After this assurance, capital market stocks rose, with shares of BSE, MCX and Angel One seeing strong gains.
• Source: Moneycontrol

4) SEBI to Push Corporate Bond Market to Boost Capital Formation

• SEBI will focus more on strengthening the corporate bond market so that companies can raise long-term funds more easily, instead of depending only on banks.
• The regulator wants more companies and investors to participate in bond markets to support faster and stable capital formation in India.
• Source: ANI News

B) Pharma:

1) India-US Trade Deal Promises Policy Clarity, Boosts Indian Pharma Growth

• A proposed India-US trade agreement is expected to give clearer rules for Indian pharmaceutical companies exporting to the United States, helping them plan and grow their business.
• This clarity could make Indian generics more competitive in the lucrative US market and support stronger long-term export growth for leading drug makers.
• Source: The Times of India

C) FMCG:

1) FMCG Leads India’s 2025 Ad Market, E-commerce Sees Fastest Growth

• FMCG remained the biggest advertiser in 2025 with ad spends of ₹36,084 crore, while e-commerce came second at ₹22,132 crore due to aggressive online expansion and customer acquisition.
• E-commerce showed the fastest growth in advertising, rising over 40% overall and more than 55% in digital ads, highlighting the shift towards online, video and performance-based marketing.
• Source: Adgully

D) Agriculture:

1) India-US Trade Deal Boosts Exports, Protects Dairy and Farm Products

• The India-US trade deal keeps Indian dairy and sensitive farm products protected, while allowing zero-duty access for over $40 billion worth of Indian exports to the US.
• Import duties on labour-intensive goods like textiles, leather, marine products and processed food will be reduced, and the 25% punitive tariff on Indian goods will be removed, helping exporters.
• Source: Hindustan Times

E) Energy:

1) India to Cut Russian Oil Imports Under US Trade Deal

• India will stop placing new orders for Russian crude oil as part of a trade deal with the US, though existing purchase commitments will be honoured for now.
• This move helps India get lower US tariffs (cut to 18%) on exports, while Nayara Energy may get an exemption as it depends heavily on Russian oil due to sanctions.
• Source: Telegraph India

2) BPCL Steps Up Petrochemical Push, IOC and ONGC Trim Spending

• BPCL plans to increase its investment sharply, raising capital spending by 35% to ₹25,000 crore, mainly to expand its petrochemical business.
• In contrast, Indian Oil and ONGC are slightly cutting back their capex budgets, showing a more cautious investment approach.
• Source: The Economic Times

F) Infrastructure:

1) Budget 2026 Backs REITs, Infrastructure and Logistics for Long-Term Growth

• Budget 2026 focuses on long-term growth by boosting infrastructure spending and promoting REITs and InvITs to unlock value from public assets and support real estate development beyond big cities.
• Higher capex, logistics reforms and sustainability measures are expected to improve supply chains, reduce costs, and drive growth in housing, offices, data centres and Tier-II/Tier-III cities.
• Source: Business World

2) Budget 2026 Pushes Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Jobs

• The government is boosting manufacturing and job creation by increasing support for electronics, textiles and key industries, while promoting domestic production and reducing import dependence.
• Higher infrastructure spending, support for Tier-II and Tier-III cities, skill development and simpler tax rules aim to create jobs and attract private investment, while keeping the fiscal deficit under control.
• Source: IBEF

Indian Economy and Government Initiatives:

• Outcome Budget data shows repeated targets over multiple years, raising questions on how effectively government capex is translating into measurable results. In sectors like Railways, outcomes have fallen short, with freight volumes lower than earlier levels, highlighting gaps between spending and performance.

Indian Stock Market Update:

• Indian markets ended slightly higher, with Sensex up 78 points and Nifty closing above 25,750, supported by positive sentiment after the India-US trade deal.
• IT stocks saw heavy selling, with the Nifty IT index crashing up to 7% and nearly ₹2 lakh crore in market value wiped out in a single session.