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India could see a shift in foreign direct investment (FDI) trends in the second term of Donald Trump (Trump 2.0) as President of the United States, says a research report by the State Bank of India. The report highlighted that under his first term, Trump 1.0, the Trump administration made sweeping regulatory changes aimed at attracting investments back to the U.S., which impacted FDI inflows globally, including India. It added that if similar policies are reintroduced in Trump 2.0 also, it could create challenges for emerging markets like India, which rely on FDI as a significant driver of economic growth. Notably, a recent Kotak report highlighted that a complete Republican control over all arms of the US government would mean increased US earnings via corporate tax cuts, higher tariffs on imports into the US and greater US fiscal deficits. The first two could spell doom for emerging markets like India and China, since foreign investors will make a beeline for investing more money in the US markets, which will come at the cost of intense selloff in emerging markets. However, higher fiscal deficits will eventually lead to the dollar weakening after the initial euphoria dies down. "India may see shifts in foreign direct investments (FDIs) during Trump 2.0. The Trump 1.0 administration saw significant regulatory changes aimed at attracting investments back to the US," the SBI report stated. However, given that India has been gradually diversifying its sources of FDI (foreign direct investments), this trend could serve as a buffer against any potential decline. Moreover, domestic institutional investors have been stepping up big time, maintaining some balance to the massive exodus of FIIs over the past month. So far in November 2024, FIIs have withdrawn Rs 19,849 crores from the cash segment in Indian markets, while DIIs have poured in Rs 14,014.18 crores as of November 10th, 2024. "India is no longer dependent on the traditional sources of FDI inflows... unlike the recent past, FDI is now coming in many new sectors," noted the SBI report. Unlike a decade ago, when most FDI inflows came from a limited number of traditional sectors, India is now attracting investment in a wide array of industries, including renewable energy, sea transport, medical devices, and surgical appliances. Data suggests over the last 24 years, i.e., between April 2000 and June 2024, FDIs have poured in $1,013.4 billion in the Indian economy. Out of this, 67%, i.e., $689.88 billion, has come in just the last 10 years. The report added there are up to 12 emerging sectors showing strong FDI interest, which could help offset any loss of inflows in conventional sectors if there is a shift in global investment patterns under another Trump administration. In the last financial year, the top 5 sectors that have received the highest quantum of FDI inflow include the services sector (finance, banking, insurance, and business) which makes up about 16% of the inflows. This is followed computer software &amp; hardware, which constitute around 15% of total FDI flows. Trading and telecommunications follows with a share of 6% each, and Automobile Industry comes next with a 5% share. In the short term, the potential for increased U.S. tariffs, more restrictive H-1B visa policies, and a stronger dollar could bring some volatility to India's trade and investment landscape. However, in the long term, these challenges might also encourage India to expand its manufacturing capabilities, diversify export markets, and focus on becoming economically more self-reliant. Notably, India has maintained a merchandise trade surplus with the U.S. despite tariffs imposed during Trump's first term. This indicates that Indian exports have remained resilient, and there is potential to strengthen this trade relationship further by capitalizing on emerging sectors and reducing dependency on traditional industries. Suman Chowdhury, Executive Director &amp; Chief Economist, Acuité Ratings &amp; Research Limited cautions that in the medium to long term, the trade relationship with the US may see a structural improvement. "Higher tariff and trade restrictions in the US with China should translate into better opportunities for exports of manufactured goods from India", he adds.

FDIs may shift to US under Trump 2.0 but it is unlikely to severely impact FDIs inflow to India, says SBI Report

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Emerging markets stocks are set for their worst monthly decline since January. </li><li>The slump comes as investors price in higher odds of a Trump win in the upcoming US election.</li></ul>It's been a tough month for emerging market stocks as the odds of a Donald Trump election win rise — and with it, the odds that his proposed tariff plan will actually see the light of day. Emerging market stocks are headed for their worst monthly decline since January, with the MSCI Emerging Markets Index falling for a fourth day on Thursday for a 3.1% decline this month.A select few EM stocks have taken the biggest hits, with Samsung, Alibaba, Tencent, and Meituan accounting for more than half of the index's fall. The decline comes as the market prices in higher odds of a win for former President Donald Trump with just two weeks until the election.On crypto betting market Polymarket, Trump's odds of winning soared as high as to 66% on Tuesday, their highest since President Joe Biden was still in the race in July. Odds are now slightly lower at 62%.Polls, meanwhile, are much closer, with the most recent national polling average compiled by <a target="_blank" href="https://www.realclearpolling.com/polls/president/general/2024/trump-vs-harris">RealClearPolitics</a> showing Harris at 48.7% versus 48.5% for Trump.Trump has proposed raising tariffs on imports from all countries to as high as 20% and has said imports from China would be <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-impose-tariffs-china-if-elected-2024-2">subject to a 60% tariff</a>.Investors' fears of a damaging trade war aren't unfounded. In 2018, Trump's trade war with China led to a significant underperformance compared to US stocks, and strategists say the election's outcome is again pushing investors away from EM shares as uncertainty builds. "US elections have become a key driver of uncertainty as risk positioning is clearly fluctuating to a more cautious stance. In our recent client interactions, we have sensed global EM investors' appetite to increase risk budgets over the next weeks may have been significantly reduced," analysts from Citi wrote in a note last week.The strategists note that the latest sentiment is a sharp contrast from a month ago, when investors were pricing in higher odds of a Harris win."There has been a significant change in investor sentiment, and investors' risk budgets have likely been changing as a function of that."Other factors, like rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and a bond market sell-off, are also driving investors away from riskier assets. Investors are also expressing disappointment in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-economy-aggressive-monetary-stimulus-interest-rate-rrr-2024-9">China's stimulus measures</a>, which <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chinas-stimulus-boosts-emerging-markets-stocks-2024-9">initially fueled a rally</a> in EM stocks last month.

Prospects of a Trump win and huge tariffs spark worst sell-off for emerging market stocks in 10 months

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Emerging markets' stocks climbed to their highest since April 2022 on Tuesday.</li></ul>China's latest efforts to prop up its sluggish economy appears to be having spillover effects on markets around the world. Emerging markets indexes climbed to their highest level since April 2022. The MSCI equity index for emerging economies rose 2% on Tuesday, fueled by gains from Hong Kong-listed shares of Chinese companies like Tencent Holdings Ltd. and Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.The boost comes shortly after China introduced a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-economy-aggressive-monetary-stimulus-interest-rate-rrr-2024-9">swath of new stimulus measures</a> to prop up its sluggish economy and boost domestic demand.The policies include cutting a key short-term interest rate, lowering the reserve requirement ratio that dictates the amount of capital banks must hold, and introducing 800 billion Chinese yuan in liquidity support.The new stimulus measures also boosted China's CSI 300 of Shanghai- and Shenzhen-listed shares, with the index closing 4.3% higher on Tuesday in its best day in four years.And the Stoxx Europe 600 index climbed as much as 0.9%, led by luxury stocks amid hopes that sluggish Chinese consumer spending will rebound.The Chinese stimulus measures—plus a big rate cut from the US Federal Reserve last week and expectations for further easing—are raising investor confidence in the world's two largest economies.Yet, some analysts remain wary that China's stimulus measures won't have drastic enough impacts to actually rescue the country from its <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-economy-growth-consumer-spending-demand-real-estate-debt-crisis-2024-8">economic woes</a>."Today's announcement is not a game changer," Yingrui Wang, an economist at AXA Investment Managers, said in a Tuesday note. "A coordinated fiscal policy in the near term will be important and necessary for an efficient transmission."Goldman Sachs analysts echoed that sentiment, and said that the government's policy rate and lower reserve requirement, plus rare guidance on future policy, all point to signs that policymakers are increasingly worried about growth headwinds.But the analysts say further support for domestic demand is still necessary."More demand-side easing measures — especially fiscal easing — are likely to be needed to improve China's growth outlook," the analysts said in a Tuesday note.In recent months, China's economy has struggled to escape <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/pets-sports-disney-linabell-china-consumer-economy-demand-spending-property-2024-9">weak consumer sentiment</a> and continues to face a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-economy-housing-market-real-estate-crash-investors-outlook-construction-2024-3">struggling property sector</a>. Analysts have said the government's target of "around 5%" GDP growth by the end of the year is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-growth-targets-axa-investment-property-sector-industrial-production-2024-9">increasingly unlikely</a> as the government's macro policy has <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-economy-gdp-macro-policy-retail-demand-labor-market-forecast-2024-9">moved too slowly</a> to spark a rebound.

China's latest stimulus boosts emerging-market stocks to the highest level in 2 years 

​9 Global consumer trends you need to know in 2024, according to McKinsey & Co​

<ul><li><keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="India" source="keywords">India</keyword> has overtaken the <keyword id="19899478" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="US" source="keywords">US</keyword> to become the second biggest market for <keyword id="20704187" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="5G-smartphones" source="keywords">5G smartphones</keyword>.</li><li><keyword id="19894961" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Apple" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Apple" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Apple">Apple</keyword> leads 5G smartphone shipments with a 25% market share.</li><li>The share of 5G smartphones is expected to rise to 65% in 2025.</li></ul>India has emerged as the second biggest market for 5G smartphones in the world, beating the US to take its spot, amid a rise in 5G smartphone shipments across the world. According to a report by Counterpoint Research, global 5G smartphone shipments recorded a 20% growth in the first six months of 2024 amid a decline in 5G smartphone prices. <h2>5G smartphone share crosses 50%</h2>For the first time, the share of 5G smartphones in the overall smartphone shipments crossed 50% in the first half of 2024. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="113091114" title="Apple iPhone 16 to launch on September 9 – design, specs and everything we know so far" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> “5G handset shipments have been growing steadily and with the increased availability of 5G handsets in the budget segment, the emerging markets have witnessed high growth in this segment,” said Prachir Singh, senior analyst, Counterpoint Research. <h2>India emerges as the second biggest market for 5G smartphones</h2>India has emerged as the second biggest market for 5G smartphones behind <keyword id="19894886" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="China" source="keywords">China</keyword> in the first six months of 2024, overtaking the US. As per the report, strong shipment of 5G devices from Xiaomi, <keyword id="19897758" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Samsung" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Samsung" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Samsung">Samsung</keyword> and Vivo, among other brands in the budget segment helped fuel the rise of 5G devices in the country. “Other emerging markets also witnessed high growth in 5G handsets. Consumers in emerging markets are looking at 5G handsets as an upgrade to their devices, even in the lower price segments,” Singh added. India recorded the highest growth in 5G smartphone shipments among the top five countries. India’s 5G smartphone shipments increased by 60% from H1 2023 to H1 2024. During the same period, China recorded a 14% growth, while the US recorded a mere 2% growth. Out of the total 5G smartphones shipped globally, 32% were shipped to China, followed by 13% each to India and the US. <h2>Apple leads 5G smartphone shipments</h2>With all of Apple’s smartphones being 5G enabled, the Cupertino tech giant leads the 5G race, accounting for over 25% of 5G smartphone shipments. Samsung comes in second with a 21% share. “ As the democratisation of 5G handsets increases with increasing 5G penetration in lower price segments as well as increasing expansion of 5G networks, this trend will further grow. The ongoing global premiumization trend will further fuel this growth. According to our market outlook, 5G share will cross 57% in 2024 and 65% in 2025,” said Tarun Pathak, research director, Counterpoint Research. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/apple-iphone-16-to-launch-on-september-9-design-specs-and-everything-we-know-so-far/articleshow/113091114.cms">Apple iPhone 16 to launch on September 9 – design, specs and everything we know so far</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/webstories/shree-tirupati-balajee-agro-trading-ipo-price-band-to-risk-factors-all-you-need-to-know/slidelist/113082663.cms">Shree Tirupati Balajee Agro Trading IPO – Price band to risk factors, all you need to know</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/gopro-hero-13-black-and-hero-launched-starting-at-23990/articleshow/113067269.cms">GoPro Hero 13 Black and Hero launched starting at ₹23,990</a>

India beats the US to emerge as the second-biggest market for 5G smartphones

<ul><li>The <keyword id="8194701" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="refurbished-smartphone" source="Orion">refurbished smartphone</keyword> market has recorded rapid growth in India.</li><li>While the unorganised sellers dominate the market, the organised sellers are also growing.</li><li>Affordability and shorter upgrade cycles are among the factors fueling the refurbished smartphone market.</li></ul> India's refurbished smartphone market is experiencing significant growth, outpacing the new smartphone sector. This reflects a maturing market which is increasingly catering to consumers looking for affordable yet reliable options. According to a report by Counterpoint Research, unorganised sellers dominate the refurbished smartphone market, accounting for 77% of transactions. The Indian refurbished smartphone sector has traditionally been dominated by unorganised players, offering devices at a fraction of the cost of the new models. However, the introduction of value-added services like warranties, quality assurance, and after-sales support by emerging e-commerce platforms is beginning to formalise this market, enhancing consumer trust and driving further growth. <h2>What’s fueling the refurbished smartphone market</h2><h3>Affordability</h3><keyword id="2698558" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="refurbished-smartphones" source="Orion">Refurbished smartphones</keyword> offer consumers access to higher-end hardware at lower costs, making premium technology more accessible to a broader audience. This aspect is particularly appealing in a price-sensitive market like India. <h3>Shorter upgrade cycles</h3>With technology evolving rapidly, many users prefer to upgrade their phones more frequently. Refurbished devices provide an avenue for this without the high cost associated with new purchases. <h3>Environmental impact</h3>There's a growing awareness of the environmental benefits of using refurbished products, which reduces electronic waste and the demand for new manufacturing, which is resource-intensive. <h3>Consumer confidence</h3>The entry of organised players who provide guarantees and quality checks on refurbished devices has significantly boosted consumer confidence. These services add a layer of reliability to what was once a market fraught with uncertainty about product condition and longevity. Despite the growth in the unorganised sector, there's a noticeable trend towards formalisation. E-commerce platforms specialising in refurbished goods are expanding, providing consumers with the convenience of online shopping backed by credible service commitments. The report also notes that this growth is not just contained within India. Globally, the refurbished smartphone market is on an upward trajectory, with similar trends observed in markets like Latin America, suggesting a broader international shift towards sustainable consumption in electronics. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/moto-g35-5g-with-120hz-5000mah-battery-launched-at-9999/articleshow/116172283.cms">Moto G35 5G with 120Hz display, 5,000mAh battery launched at ₹9,999</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/redmi-note-14-pro-and-redmi-note-14-pro-launched-in-india-starting-at-24999/articleshow/116134415.cms">Redmi Note 14 Pro and Redmi Note 14 Pro+ launched in India starting at ₹24,999</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/vivo-x200-and-x200-pro-camera-centric-to-launch-in-india-on-december-12/articleshow/115930004.cms">Vivo X200 and X200 Pro camera-centric smartphones to launch in India on December 12</a>

India's refurbished smartphone market witnesses accelerated growth

<ul><li>The Indian electric two-wheeler market has reported a year-on-year decline in sales.</li><li><keyword id="19897349" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ola-Electric" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Ola Electric" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Ola Electric">Ola Electric</keyword> continues to lead the market but its market share has declined.</li><li>TVS Motor and Bajaj Auto occupy the second and third spots respectively.</li></ul>The Indian electric two-wheeler market recorded good growth in November 2024, recording the third-best month this year. The month of November was good for Indian electric two-wheeler makers, which comes as a treat after a record-breaking festive month of October 2024. October 2024 emerged as the best month for automakers in 2024, with 1,39,783 electric two-wheelers sold during the month. In November 2024, 1,18,924 electric two-wheelers were sold in India, up from 92,116 electric two-wheelers sold in November 2023, recording a 29% year-on-year growth. Electric two-wheelers continue to form the bulk of electric vehicle (EV) sales in India, with EV two-wheelers making up 62% of Indian EV sales in November 2024 in terms of numbers. <h2>Ola Electric leads, but market share declines</h2>Ola Electric continues to lead the Indian electric two-wheeler market with sales of 29,191 scooters in November 2024, down from 30,073 scooters sold in November 2023. The company’s market share continues to decline, with the company commanding a market share of 24.5% in November 2024, down from 33% in November 2023. The company has been under the scanner for<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/the-ola-electric-saga-are-surge-in-complaints-and-declining-market-share-a-wake-up-call-for-bhavish-aggarwal/articleshow/114120828.cms"> rising customer complaints</a> and has also received a notice from the Central Consumer Protection Authority, the country’s consumer watchdog. While the company has said that it is rapidly expanding its service network, complaints on social media continue to pile up. <h2>TVS Motor and Bajaj Auto fight for the second spot</h2>India’s legacy automakers TVS Motor and Bajaj Auto continue to fight closely for the second spot. TVS Motor recorded a sale of 26,971 electric scooters in November 2024, up from 19,155 scooters sold in November 2023, recording a growth of 40.8%. The company’s market share has increased from 21% in November 2023 to 23% in November 2024. On the other hand, Bajaj Auto has emerged as a close third, with 26,163 electric scooters sold in November 2024, up from 11,843 electric scooters sold in November 2023, recording a 120.92% year-on-year growth. The company commands a 22% market share in November 2024, up from 20% in November 2023. It's not just the second spot, TVS Motor and Bajaj Auto are now inching close to Ola Electric and if the trend continues, may even dethrone the Bhavish Aggarwal-led company in the coming months. Ather Energy is in the fourth position, with 12,741 electric two-wheelers sold in November 2024, up from 9,342 scooters sold in November 2023, recording a 36.38% year-on-year growth. The company has slightly increased its market share from 10% in November 2023 to 11% in November 2024. Hero MotoCorp takes the fifth spot with 7,309 electric scooters sold in November 2024, up from 3,047 scooters sold in August 2023, recording a 139.88% year-on-year growth. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/vivo-x200-and-x200-pro-camera-centric-to-launch-in-india-on-december-12/articleshow/115930004.cms">Vivo X200 and X200 Pro camera-centric smartphones to launch in India on December 12</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/oneplus-13-with-snapdragon-8-elite-to-be-launched-globally-in-january/articleshow/115920790.cms">OnePlus 13 with Snapdragon 8 Elite to be launched globally in January</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/nothing-will-reportedly-launch-three-phones-in-2025-including-the-phone-3/articleshow/115891768.cms">Nothing will reportedly launch three phones in 2025, including the Phone (3)</a>

Electric two-wheeler sales grow in November 2024 – TVS and Bajaj fight for the second spot

<keyword id="21354159" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Indian-government-bonds" source="keywords">Indian Government Bonds</keyword> are set to be included in the JP Morgan Government Bond Index, <keyword id="20036608" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Emerging-Market" source="keywords">Emerging Market</keyword> (GBI-EM) from June 28. The inclusion will take place over a period of 10 months starting June 28, 2024, through to March 31, 2025. India will have a 1% weightage in the <keyword id="19967624" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="JPMorgan" source="keywords">JPMorgan</keyword> Emerging Market (EM) Bond index, which will gradually rise to 10% over a 10-month period, at an inclusion rate of about 1% weight per month. The inclusion is estimated to bring $20-25 billion of inflows into the Indian bond market. However, India's index-eligible bonds have already attracted $10 billion since the inclusion was announced in September last year. On September 21, 2023, Global index provider JPMorgan announced that it would include Indian government's bonds in its emerging market indices. Only Indian government bonds issued by the Reserve Bank of India (<keyword id="19899808" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="RBI" source="keywords">RBI</keyword>) under the <keyword id="12313402" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Fully-Accessible-Route" source="Orion">Fully Accessible Route</keyword> (FAR) will be included in the indices. All FAR-designated IGBs maturing after December 31, 2026, will be eligible to be included in the JPMorgan Emerging Market (EM) Bond index. In the post-monetary policy press conference on June 7, RBI Governor <keyword id="6359111" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Shaktikanta-Das" source="Orion">Shaktikanta Das</keyword> said the central bank is not worried about the big <keyword id="20072947" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="foreign-fund-inflows" source="keywords">foreign fund inflows</keyword> from global bond inclusion. "The RBI has a number of instrumentalities to manage the flows. We have managed it in the past and we will manage it in future also. No worries on that," Das said. Experts believe the index inclusion-related heavy flows is likely to boost demand for Indian government securities in the current fiscal, once short-term liquidity issues in certain papers get sorted. Vishal Gupta, Co-founder of IndiaBonds.com says the inclusion of Indian government bonds in JP Morgan Index is a watershed moment for the <keyword id="22201110" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="fixed-income-markets" source="keywords">fixed-income markets</keyword> in India. "This compulsorily puts Indian bond markets on the radar of global bond investors and although initial investments are supposed to be to the tune of $25-30 billion, index inclusion paves the way for this number to keep growing in the next few years," said Vishal Gupta. Gupta further added that it is important to grow the investor base for any market, and index inclusion helps in expanding the number of players, which further benefits everyone in the form of additional market liquidity. "Global investors have been looking to allocate capital to emerging markets given their reluctance to invest in other large countries like Russia or China in the past couple of years. Hence, the timing of this index inclusion is also almost perfect. I reckon investments will start via government bonds initially, but filter into AAA to lower credit ratings as well in the years to come", he continued.

Indian government bonds to be included JP Morgan Govt bond Index from June 28

<ul><li>The global foldable smartphone shipments have declined by 1% in Q3 2024.</li><li>Samsung has emerged as the top company in foldable smartphone shipments in Q3 2024.</li><li>Samsung continues to account for over half of the market share, despite a huge decline in shipments.</li></ul>The global foldable smartphone shipments declined for the first time in Q1 2024, recording a 1% year-on-year decline. This marks the first decline for foldable smartphones in Q3. According to a report by Counterpoint Research, one of the factors for the decline in shipments was Samsung’s<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/samsung-galaxy-z-fold-6-review/articleshow/112497472.cms"> Galaxy Z Fold 6</a> and<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/samsung-galaxy-z-fold-6-galaxy-z-flip-6-galaxy-ring-and-more-launched/articleshow/111637913.cms"> Galaxy Z Flip 6</a> smartphones not performing as expected. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112497472" title="Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 review – the complete package" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> “The global foldable market appears to have entered a transitionary phase where it is facing challenges as it progresses from a niche segment to the mainstream. User satisfaction is particularly high with book-type foldable devices, but the prohibitively high prices remain the biggest obstacle to mass adoption,” said Jene Park, Senior Analyst, Counterpoint Research. <h2>Global foldable smartphone market share</h2> <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#000000;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Company </td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#000000;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Q3 2024 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Samsung </td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">56% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Huawei </td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">15% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Honor </td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">10% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Motorola </td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">7% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Xiaomi </td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">6% </td></tr></tbody></table> Source: Counterpoint Research Samsung has emerged as the market leader in Q3 2024, with a market share of 56%, down from 70% in Q3 2023. While the company’s Galaxy Z Fold 6 performed decently, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 failed to match its predecessor’s sales. The company recorded a 21% year-on-year decline in shipments. Huawei has emerged second, with a 15% market share in Q3 2024, up from a 13% market share in Q3 2023. The company recorded a 23% year-on-year growth in shipments. Honor and Motorola take the third and fourth spots, with a 10% and a 7% market share respectively. Both companies have recorded good growth. While Honor has recorded a 121% year-on-year growth, Motorola has recorded a 164% year-on-year growth. Xiaomi is in the fifth position, with a 6% market share. The company recorded the highest year-on-year growth at 185%. This growth was driven by the Mix Flip, the company’s first clamshell smartphone. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/honda-activa-e-and-qc1-electric-scooters-unveiled-in-india-to-go-on-sale-in-2025/articleshow/115725242.cms">Honda Activa e and QC1 electric scooters unveiled in India, to go on sale in 2025</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/indias-pc-market-reaches-new-high-with-4-49-million-shipments-in-q3-2024/articleshow/115719599.cms">India’s PC market reaches new high with 4.49 million shipments in Q3 2024</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/realme-gt-7-pro-with-snapdragon-8-elite-chipset-launched-starting-at-59999/articleshow/115689685.cms">Realme GT 7 Pro with Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset launched starting at ₹59,999</a>

Global foldable phone shipments decline in Q3 2024, Samsung leads with 56% market share

Imagine a bustling jewellery market teeming with diamonds and gold. Amidst this glittering chaos, a small stall is trying to sell handcrafted gemstones. Even as newer and shinier outlets keep cropping up, all vying for attention, this gemstone store offers some of the oldest yet valuable jewels at a discount. Though they lack immediate sparkle, these rare gems reveal their value to the discerning buyer. This is how South Korea appears for many experts in global capital markets: a trove of undervalued gems, overshadowed by brighter, more aggressively marketed investment options. This undervaluation, known as the "<keyword id="24399183" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="korean-discount" source="keywords">Korean Discount</keyword>," reflects how South Korean companies are priced much lower than their global peers despite robust fundamentals — strong financial performance and consistent profitability. Contributing factors are many, ranging from opaque governance structures to geopolitical risks. But the fact stays, if you are a seasoned conglomerate listed in South Korea, you are likely undervalued. <keyword id="19906087" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="hyundai" source="keywords">Hyundai</keyword> Motor India Ltd. (HMIL), a subsidiary of the Korean giant Hyundai Motor Company (HMC), recently sought to escape this valuation trap by listing in India, a market where investor optimism commands premium pricing. But its valuation raised many eyebrows! Now that a month and a half has gone by since its listing, time is apt to examine if this gamble paid off. Will <keyword id="93460" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="hyundai-india" source="Orion">Hyundai India</keyword> justify its high valuation? Or does the listing highlight broader questions about the overheated valuation dynamics of Indian markets? A record-breaking <keyword id="19898327" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ipo" source="keywords">IPO</keyword> but questions remain Hyundai Motor India’s mega Initial Public Offering (IPO), launched in October 2024, broke records by raising ₹27,870 crore, making it India’s largest-ever IPO. The offer was oversubscribed by 2.37 times, highlighting robust demand. But many investors remained sceptical: was this IPO an honest attempt to expand Hyundai’s footprint in India or was it trying to offer a way to cashout for existing investors and promoters? Or perhaps, is it an attempt by the Korean chaebol — a large family-owned business conglomerate — to break free from the aforementioned “Korean Discount”? When shares listed on October 22, these concerns seemingly weighed on the minds of most investors and the stock promptly dipped 5% below the issue price on the day. A tepid grey market performance had already foreshadowed this muted debut in the Indian markets. Now, after almost 35 trading sessions on Indian market, the stock remains almost exactly at price it listed on October 22 at Rs 1820—no gain, no loss. <h3>The gamble of hyper-valuation</h3>Much of this hesitation stemmed from Hyundai’s valuation. On listing, Hyundai was valued at $18 billion, positioning it as one of India’s most valuable automotive companies. However, such high valuations often temper investor enthusiasm, resulting in more cautious short-term outcomes. For most investors, the Price-to-Earnings (P/E) ratio is the most preferred parameter to gauge if a company is overvalued or undervalued. With a P/E ratio of 26.3, HMIL was priced significantly above the Indian automotive industry average of 24.4. Globally, automotive companies operate with much lower P/E ratios, reflecting mature market conditions and slower growth trajectories. HMIL’s South Korean parent Hyundai Motor Company (HMC) trades at a meagre 3.07, believe it or not! For Indian investors, the high premium hinted at overvaluation despite Hyundai’s strong domestic position. Such stark difference in valuation obviously sparked debates — is the Indian market assigning a premium to Hyundai Motor India’s growth potential, or is it simply reflecting the general exuberance around the prospects of the Indian economy? Another concern is the allocation of IPO proceeds. Hyundai’s IPO was structured as an offer for sale (OFS), meaning all funds raised would flow to the parent company rather than Hyundai India’s operations. Although Hyundai has committed to investing in R&amp;D for EVs and hybrids, critics argue that the lack of immediate reinvestment in India’s operations reflects a missed opportunity for domestic growth. Despite the early disappointment, Hyundai was confident that the valuation was fair. It did have some factors going for it, in addition to the fact that other auto giants like Mahindra &amp; Mahindra and <keyword id="19909974" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="maruti-suzuki" source="keywords">Maruti Suzuki</keyword> command even higher P/E ratios. And looking at the company fundamentals, it does seem like Hyundai is playing a long-term game. <h3>Hyundai in India: A proven track record</h3>Despite the initial stumble, Hyundai India’s long-term story is compelling. Since entering the Indian market in 1996, the automaker has sold over 8 million vehicles and firmly occupies the second spot in the domestic passenger vehicle market, trailing only Maruti Suzuki. Hyundai’s blockbuster SUV offerings, like the Creta and Venue, have been critical in building this dominance. Despite some challenge from Maruti Suzuki Brezza and Tata Punch, Creta has retained the tag of ‘most-selling SUV in India’ successfully so far this year. <div type="image" title="Hyundai" agency="Business Insider India" msid="116156234" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Selling over 17,000 units per month on average this year, Creta has edged past major competitors to be the most-selling SUV in India in 2024. As Indian consumers preference continues to shift gradually towards premium products over budget segments, Hyundai stands to benefit (Wikimedia Commons / Canva)&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Selling over 17,000 units per month on average, Creta has edged past major competitors to be the most-selling SUV in India in 2024. As Indian consumers preference continues to shift gradually towards premium products over budget segments, Hyundai stands to benefit (Wikimedia Commons / Canva) Hyundai India’s market share of 14% in October 2024 underscores its clout. The company’s ability to tap into India’s premiumisation trend, where consumers increasingly prefer high-end vehicles, positions it well for growth. With plans to expand in electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid technology, Hyundai is poised to capitalise on both domestic demand and export opportunities. The company’s ability to capitalize on its strong brand, extensive dealer network, and leadership in segments like SUVs and exports will determine its future performance. Hyundai’s strategic focus on expanding electric vehicle production also aligns with global trends towards sustainability, potentially positioning it as a leader in the segment. By listing in India, Hyundai aims not only to expand its operations but also to make India a global manufacturing and export hub for its products, especially SUVs and EVs. Therefore, despite early setbacks, Hyundai’s gamble seems to have paid off. The stock has rebounded, gaining 5% in the past month. More good news came in this week, as positive projections from Morgan Stanley and JPMorgan forecast an impressive 17-28% upside for the stock over the next year, reflecting growing investor optimism. <h3>A strategic pivot from the Korean Discount?</h3>The Korean Discount has long plagued South Korea’s chaebols, including Hyundai. Experts attribute this to several factors: <ul> <li>Chaebol Governance: South Korea’s conglomerates, known as chaebols, are often criticised for opaque governance structures and excessive family control.</li> <li>Geopolitical Risks: Tensions with North Korea contribute to investor caution, adding a layer of perceived risk.</li> <li>Limited Domestic Liquidity: South Korea’s relatively small investor base can constrain market activity and valuation potential.</li> </ul> By listing in India, Hyundai sought to unlock better valuations for its subsidiary, leveraging the optimism of Indian markets. India’s stock market has a trailing P/E ratio of 24.4, far above South Korea’s Kospi average of 16-17. The Indian market’s appetite for high-growth stories provides a fertile ground for companies like Hyundai to escape the valuation constraints of their home market. A successful IPO could encourage other such conglomerates to follow suit, setting a precedent. While Hyundai India has a robust track record, its future success hinges on navigating key challenges: <ul> <li>Supply Chain Vulnerabilities: Hyundai relies heavily on its Chennai plant, making it vulnerable to disruptions.</li> <li>Intensifying Competition: Domestic rivals like <keyword id="19906967" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="tata-motors" source="keywords">Tata Motors</keyword> and MG Motors are making aggressive inroads into the EV market.</li> <li>Policy Risks: The automotive sector’s reliance on government incentives for EVs and hybrids adds a layer of unpredictability.</li> </ul> High valuations come with risks. Hyundai will need to prove that it can sustain its growth trajectory in India, fend off competition from established players like Maruti Suzuki and Tata Motors, and navigate challenges such as supply chain disruptions and regulatory hurdles. If Hyundai successfully capitalises on its strong brand and market leadership, it could not only redefine its value but also serve as a case study for other Korean companies seeking better recognition and valuations in global markets. <h3>Is Hyundai saga a reflection of overheated Indian markets?</h3>The bigger question here is, does Hyundai’s IPO highlights a broader narrative about Indian markets’ premium valuations? With a trailing P/E ratio of 24.4, Nifty 50 index is among the highest in emerging markets. India’s stock markets consistently command a premium due to robust retail participation, strong economic growth prospects, and a burgeoning middle class. While this premium reflects optimism about India’s long-term growth story, it also signals potential risks of overvaluation, particularly in sectors like technology, automotive, and consumer goods. With a record ₹94,017 crore outflow by Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) in October 2024, concerns about overheated valuations are mounting. Sustaining such unprecedented valuations required companies to consistently perform above global averages, and retaining robust earnings growth quarter after quarter remains a challenge in today’s uncertain world. For Hyundai, the high valuation is both an opportunity and a risk. While it underscores investor confidence, it narrows the margin of safety, making the stock vulnerable to corrections during economic downturns. Take for example, the high-profile IPO of Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) that raised over ₹21,000 crore. Its listing was met with disappointment as the stock began trading at a 9% discount to its issue price, and subsequent performance has remained subdued. LIC’s post-IPO journey also highlights how inflated valuations can lead to long-term underperformance, as the stock gave only 12% return over the past 30 months when even the Nifty 50 index went up by over 44%. This happens when when the company's growth narrative fails to align with its pricing. Despite being a household name with a dominant market share, LIC's stock has struggled to meet expectations, partly due to concerns about its operating efficiency and the limited use of IPO proceeds for growth initiatives. Make no mistake, Hyundai Motor India’s IPO is a landmark event! It showcases the potential for Korean companies to leverage emerging markets like India for better valuations. It also shows that strong fundamentals can help justify a company such premium valuations even amidst bearish economic prospects. However, it also serves as a cautionary tale about the risks of overvaluation. For Hyundai, the next steps involve proving its long-term growth story, navigating competitive challenges, and maintaining investor confidence. For Indian markets, Hyundai’s IPO underscores the need to balance optimism with realistic expectations as they continue to evolve as global investment hotspots. To sustain the country’s economic narrative as a land of unmatched opportunities, corporate India must work on improving long-term fundamentals and mitigating long-term risks. As global investors watch closely, Hyundai India’s success or failure could shape how international companies view India as a listing destination in the years to come.

Tackling the 'Korean Discount': A deep dive into curious case of Hyundai Motor India's market listing

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Jasper is a marketing platform that provides AI-driven strategies to its clients.</li><li>The company is using emerging tech to target businesses interested in AI-based marketing products.</li></ul>For "CXO AI Playbook," Business Insider takes a look at mini case studies about AI adoption across industries, company sizes, and technology DNA. We've asked each of the featured companies to tell us about the problems they're trying to solve with AI, who's making these decisions internally, and their vision for using AI in the future.Jasper is an artificial-intelligence marketing platform founded in 2021. The company is fully remote, with 230 employees based in the US, Europe, and Australia. Jasper provides content strategy, integrated marketing campaigns, and public relations to companies including Prudential, Ulta Beauty, Morningstar, and iHeartMedia.<h2 id="15303c4e-ff18-41d1-b714-727cc90ea9f0">Situation analysis: What problem was the company trying to solve?</h2>Jasper has focused on helping clients automate their copywriting using their own brand voice for materials such as blogs, sales <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/goblin-tools-artificial-intelligence-review-ai-for-emails-2023-12">emails</a>, and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/strategies-to-manage-grow-small-business-social-media-accounts-2021-3">social-media posts</a>. Loreal Lynch, Jasper's chief marketing officer, said the company also offered a self-service AI writing assistant.But as free generative-AI tools like ChatGPT became widely available, Jasper's services evolved. The company started by building products with AI to help clients improve their overall marketing programs. Then Jasper used AI to build a sales pipeline to target companies interested in its AI-based marketing products.Lynch said the goal was to engage prospective clients with "a very personalized campaign where we could automate the creation of a personalized email, a personalized web experience, and a landing page."<div type="image" title="Headshot of Loreal Lynch" height="800" width="800" msid="115425901" hostid="261" sizebytes="26922"></div><h2 id="e69ced26-78c1-420d-843a-4a326679582c">Key staff and partners</h2>Tom Newton, the company's vice president of revenue marketing, said Jasper's marketing team developed the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/marketing-industry-using-ai-save-time-money-boost-productivity-study-2023-6">AI-powered account-based marketing workflow</a>. This program could target companies with tailored <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-use-ai-for-content-creation-digital-marketing">content</a> in the hope of turning them into clients. The company's design and web teams were also involved in its development.<h2 id="6a422697-1d8b-4827-b9da-21e5f360090a">AI in action</h2>Lynch said Jasper used its AI-driven workflow to perform several functions in order to help attract business.First, the program scraped the websites of enterprise companies that Jasper hoped to sign up as clients and gathered information such as company details, brand voice, and email addresses. Newton told Business Insider that this approach identified 2,000 email accounts for prospective clients to target.Then, using the details collected from the websites, Jasper's AI ABM workflow created <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-artificial-intelligence-is-used-in-marketing-strategy-2024-5">a mock landing page</a> for each company.<div type="image" title="Screenshot of Jasper's mock landing page for Kroger, with an image of two cups and a bowl filled with oranges, apples, and cinnamon sticks on the right side." height="1572" width="2880" msid="115425899" hostid="261" sizebytes="179376"></div>Newton said the AI program created and sent a personalized email to each of these companies this year. The email included a link to the sample landing page and a message advertising Jasper's services. The goal was to showcase Jasper's tools to prospective clients.Jasper's AI tool followed up with two additional emails per company.With AI, Jasper generated emails and sample web content in a fraction of the time it would take traditional marketing teams. Lynch said the campaign also helped expand the company's sales efforts.<h2 id="3e5670ff-c4d4-49f9-b8f9-a4cf1710383c">Did it work, and how did leaders know?</h2>Newton told BI that Jasper acquired 12 customers using the AI ABM workflow.Additionally, Jasper said that based on the hours invested in developing the workflow compared with the revenue generated, the initial campaign achieved a return on investment of 20 times for the company. Newton also said its <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-email-inbox-revolution-chatgpt-google-openai-shortwave-productivity-tools-2023-3">AI-generated emails</a> performed significantly better than traditional email marketing, achieving 2.9 times the number of opens, 11 times the number of clicks, and four times the number of responses."It's a level of impact that's kind of unreal," Newton said. "Not only can humans not realistically build this many customized experiences at scale, but also we're driving outsized impact on revenue and moving the needle as a business with this tool."<div type="image" title="Headshot of Tom Newton" height="4032" width="3024" msid="115425902" hostid="261" sizebytes="519508"></div><h2 id="41ef074a-a234-4675-8f7a-cd8fc681bc04">What's next?</h2>Lynch said the ABM workflow is now part of Jasper's internal process to attract customers and generate revenue. The company is also offering it to its customers as a service designed to boost their own businesses."Something like this can be really transformational for an enterprise marketing team," she said.Jasper continues to expand its AI services. It recently launched an AI image suite to help customers <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-platform-runway-lets-users-transform-images-videos-with-words-2023-5">edit images at scale</a>, such as by changing colors or adding graphics for holiday marketing campaigns, Lynch said.The company is also working on using AI to automate and scale content tailored around keywords to help customers improve their search-engine rankings.

One marketing firm is merging AI and account-based marketing to attract new businesses. It's already achieved a 20x ROI.

Issues related to data privacy and rising <keyword id="20127272" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="online-frauds" source="keywords">online frauds</keyword> are emerging as significant hurdles in the growth of e-commerce in India, said the <keyword id="20613906" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Economic-Survey" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Economic Survey" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Economic Survey">Economic Survey</keyword> 2023-24 tabled in Parliament on Monday. Citing third-party data, the survey said that the e-commerce industry in India is expected to cross USD 350 billion by 2030 and called for the need to educate users on the safe use of e-commerce platforms. "The rise of e-commerce is constrained by inadequate skills required for online selling, such as cataloguing. <keyword id="22505774" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="data-privacy-issues" source="keywords">Data privacy issues</keyword> and increasing online fraud have turned out to be the most significant hurdle in the growth of e-commerce in India. It becomes imperative to educate users on the safe use of e-commerce platforms," the survey said. The survey mentioned that India's e-commerce market has gained significant momentum during the past few years, owing to technological advancements, evolving new-age business models coupled with government initiatives like the Digital India program, UPI, One District - One Product (ODOP), Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), new foreign trade policy, easing of FDI limits and Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) (Amendment) Rules 2021. It has identified data privacy and <keyword id="19906883" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="cybersecurity" source="keywords">cybersecurity</keyword> as critical concerns in the <keyword id="22505776" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="digitisation-of-services" source="keywords">digitisation of services</keyword> in the country and called for adopting strong security measures, compliance with privacy regulations, and innovation, among others. "Data privacy and cybersecurity have become critical concerns with the increasing digitisation of services," according to the survey. It said that the government is spearheading data protection laws and cybersecurity policies to safeguard consumer data and strengthen cybersecurity measures in the services sector. "To further embrace technology with confidence, ensuring the adoption of strong security measures, compliance with privacy regulations, and fostering innovation in security technologies are essential," the survey noted. It said the future of e-commerce is built on the enhanced <keyword id="20290101" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="user-experience" source="keywords">user experience</keyword> through <keyword id="19899640" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="AI" source="keywords">AI</keyword>, seamless <keyword id="21332958" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="digital-payment-methods" source="keywords">digital payment methods</keyword>, innovations like UPI, and business engineering data analytics for business operations and enhancements. The survey mentioned that the buyer ecosystem in India is evolving at a very sharp rate, and business models will need to innovate to serve the needs of a diverse shopper base regarding service expectations, price sensitivity and language requirements. "Local language platforms are needed as the shopper base expands to tier-2 and tier-3 cities. Growing startups and innovative social media platforms provide an opportunity to test unique business models that might be targeted to specific demographic cohorts," the survey said.

Data privacy issues, online frauds emerging as e-commerce growth hurdles: Eco Survey

<div type="image" title="In 2024, India has seen around $12.2 billion worth of IPOs, including mainboard and SMEs" msid="113878163" hostid="261" sizebytes="45300" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;In 2024, India has seen around $12.2 billion worth of IPOs, including mainboard and SMEs&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Missing some action, adrenaline rush, and thrill in your life? Are the good old, albeit mundane money investment avenues like mutual funds and fixed deposits not making the cut for you? Want to experience a heart-pounding, financial rollercoaster that will constantly keep you and your portfolio on tenterhooks? Well then, welcome to the world of initial public offers (IPOs), especially those brought to you by SMEs, or <keyword id="6375845" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Small-and-Medium-Enterprises" source="Orion">small and medium enterprises</keyword>. Truth be told, <keyword id="19938687" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sme" source="keywords">SME</keyword> IPOs have been all over the bourses this year. So far, 2024 has seen 206 SMEs debuting on both BSE and NSE, out of which 146 listed in gains and 46 listed in losses. Odds seem good, right? In contrast, the year has only seen 63 IPOs from the elder brother i.e. mainboard, only 48 of which managed to post any listing gains. And getting an allotment has also been a major uncertainty, given the unusually high demand this year. <h2 style="margin-bottom: 0.7em; line-height: 1.3; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 24px; background: 0px 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">So, what's an <keyword id="5559702" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="SME-IPO" source="Orion">SME IPO</keyword>, you ask?</h2>Think of a mainboard company as Shah Rukh or Salman Khan—well-established, financially stable, strong legacy of profitability, and fairly well-known. On the other hand, SMEs are your Prateek Gandhi (Harshad Mehta, Scam 1992), Siddhant Chaturvedi (MC Sher, Gully Boy) or Avinash Tiwary (Majnu, Laila Majnu). While they are doing super well, they are yet to make it big like the Khans. They’re currently underdogs, lesser known, but who knows? They can be the next big thing in the future! And SME IPOs are getting a stellar reception. In 2023, 182 such IPOs had raised a substantial Rs 4,967 crore. In 2024, more than 200 companies have already raised over Rs 7,500 crore, and we have four months to go. This, with one quarter of the year still remaining. <div type="image" title="In 2024, India leads IPO activity in the Asia-Pacific region" height="900" width="1200" msid="113875643" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;In 2024, India leads IPO activity in the Asia-Pacific region&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> But what does it take for a company to be classified as a small enterprise? The company has to have an annual turnover/income of up to Rs 50 crore, and for a medium enterprise to be called so, its annual income has to be up to Rs 250 crore. When such companies go public, in a bid to raise funds from investors and expand their operations, they launch an <keyword id="19898327" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ipo" source="keywords">IPO</keyword>, but not on the main exchange, but separately, on NSE’s Emerge and BSE’s SME platform. As of September 2024, <keyword id="4484133" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="NSE-Emerge" source="Orion">NSE Emerge</keyword> has 147 listed participants, while <keyword id="1885131" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BSE-SME" source="Orion">BSE SME</keyword> has 155 market makers. Mounting an SME’s IPO is comparatively less stringent than their mainboard counterparts, as far as regulations are concerned since their DRHPs (draft red herring prospectus) are not filed with SEBI. So, wouldn’t a lenient treatment make them inherently riskier? Why are they so appealing, you ask? <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/a-company-with-8-employees-looking-to-raise-12-crore-ended-up-getting-applications-worth-over-4700-crore/articleshow/112824522.cms">Delhi firm with just 8 employees seeks ₹12 crore via IPO, gets ₹4,700 crore worth of investor applications!</a> Well, for one, some of them have delivered exceptional returns—we’re talking 100%, 200%. Consider this—Owais Metal and Mineral Processing, which launched its IPO in February this year, delivered a whopping listing gain of 201%. Another SME, Maxposure, whose IPO was out in January 2024, had earned its investors listing gains worth 317.40%! Apparently, higher risks also mean higher returns, and also super high investment. Most SME IPOs need a minimum investment of Rs 1,00,000 or more, as opposed to mainboard IPOs, where you can buy one lot of shares for anywhere between Rs 14,000-15,000. Even the minimum trading lot size for SME shares is about 10,000. In short, you’d have to potentially empty your pockets to invest in an SME IPO. And still, there’s no guarantee that the listing will fill your wallets. For all you know, your pockets before and after the IPO is listed might stay the same - EMPTY! There's also the question of whether or not these SMEs are able to maintain their listing day mojo, or do they just fizzle out thereafter? Data from Prime Database highlights more instances of the latter. As of August 2024, about 166 SME IPOs had made it to the exchanges. Around 72 of them, or close to 50%, could not sustain their momentum going ahead, and were trading below their listing day prices. Consider this. The post listing gains of Medicamen Organics, whose IPO came out in June 2024, earned its investors massive listing gains of over 300%, by listing at Rs 137.85, significantly higher than its price issue price, which was set between Rs 32-34. But as of October 1, 2024, the stock was trading at Rs 64.2. Talk about falls. Additionally, risks of pump-and-dump, and illiquidity, among others makes SME IPOs dangerous See, you're largely venturing into unknown, pitch-dark territories, without much light to guide you. For starters, SME IPOs face less scrutiny from market watchdog SEBI. This also means they are able to list quickly, just 3-4 months. On the other hand, mainboard IPOs can take upto a year before they are cleared for listing. Also, there is far less information and disclosures available about their financials, fundamentals and performance to investors for making an informed decision, as compared to mainboard stocks. Then there’s the issue of illiquidity. Once purchased, you might find it hard to sell off your SME stocks, since they are not traded as frequently in the market, which means lower liquidity. Trivesh D, COO, Tradejini explains that liquidity is a major concern for such stocks. “These stocks typically have a smaller free float, and are traded in lots, which can lead to volatility and sharp price swings. This means it can be challenging for investors to buy or sell shares without significantly impacting prices. Additionally, speculative trading practices, like 'pump-and-dump' schemes, can inflate stock prices, leaving retail investors vulnerable to sudden drops”. Recently, SME IPOs have gained notoriety for price manipulation via showing fictitious sales and revenue in their books of accounts, selling of promoter holdings at inflated prices, and being the facade for many infamous pump and dump schemes. This is where select people create frenzy, or mass euphoria over a particular stock or company, causing its prices to soar, and then dumping them, or selling their shares at this massive price to make a killing! Infact, it's not just the promoters, but also the investment banks floating these IPOs. At present, SEBI is investigating around 6 investment banks which have allegedly charged SMEs a staggering 15% of funds raised via IPOs as fee, as opposed to the standard 1-3%. In March 2024, SEBI chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch had also highlighted witnessing signs of manipulation in the SME space. “We do see signs of manipulation in the SME segment. We are able to see certain patterns.” Buch had observed back then. Adds Kresha Gupta, Founder &amp; Director, StepTrade Share Services, “Investing in SME IPO comes with significant risks, despite their impressive returns in recent years. Limited participation from institutional investors and public in some SME IPOs also mean that those companies may lack the support and stability that comes with larger-scale investments” “Additionally, many SMEs may not have strong fundamentals to justify their valuations. High P/E ratios can be misleading, and while some IPOs have delivered impressive returns, they often come with significant volatility, continues D of Tradejini. <h2 style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0.7em; font-family: &quot;Open Sans&quot;, sans-serif; font-weight: 700; line-height: 1.3; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 24px; list-style: none; background: 0px 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; text-transform: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">So, should I stay away?</h2>Yes, and No. Yes, if you don't want to do your homework of researching the company thoroughly beforehand. Anand K. Rathi, Co-Founder of MIRA Money suggests asking a couple of questions before investing your hard earned money: <ul><li>What is the company's financial performance over the past 3-4 years?</li><li>What is the company's governance structure?</li><li>Is the financial success driven by the IPO, or is it a result of consistent performance?</li><li>Does the company have what it takes to scale its operations to the next level?</li><li>Are the company’s promoters trustworthy, capable and experienced?</li><li>What is the level of participation by large, institutional investors?</li></ul> But staying away completely? Not necessary. Gupta adds that retail investors, in particular, should avoid viewing SME IPOs as quick money-makers based on their short-term performance, as this can certainly lead to poor investment decisions. “To mitigate risks, investors should always focus on long-term fundamentals rather than just short-term price movements. Key indicators include the participation of institutional investors like DIIs and FIIs. This often signals confidence in the stock”, she continues. A red flag you should look out for is if a company is only offering OFS, or Offer for Sale. This can indicate early investors looking to exit, potentially signaling weaker future growth. That's why it is better to look for companies which are raising capital for expansion purposes. This is a sign of healthy business growth prospects and improving fundamentals. In conclusion, backing the underdog, or SMEs, is not a bad proposition, but not without its risks. Investing in SME IPOs is like riding a unicorn—but you don't know whether you're riding it to rags or riches! So, take your pick.

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