CHEMICALS
Caught between costly inputs and cautious buyers, India Inc takes a hit
Companies in India's consumer goods, automobile, and paints sectors are increasing prices to offset rising costs. The West Asia conflict has severely impacted input and logistics expenses across various industries. While some companies have raised prices, they are still absorbing part of these costs to maintain demand. Consumer giants like Hindustan Unilever and Asian Paints report pressure on their margins despite price hikes.
Ahead of Market: 10 things that will decide stock market action on Thursday
Indian markets extended their winning streak to nine consecutive regular sessions on November 11, with Sensex rising 773 points and Nifty gaining 210 points. Strong broader market participation, renewed buying interest and positive investor sentiment supported the rally.
Time to shed fear and think positive? 5 mid-cap stocks from different sectors with upside potential of up to 33%
Mid-cap stocks tend to move more than large-caps. And that works both ways. They rise faster when the market is rising, and fall harder when it is falling. Keep that in mind as the market’s mood changes for the better because oil prices are dropping and the macro worries responsible for the long sell-off are starting to go away.
India drawing up list of export snags in South Asia
India is identifying regulatory and market-access barriers in seven South Asian countries to expand exports and reach its $1-trillion target. Merchandise exports to these markets fell 1.3% to $25.7 billion in FY26. The government is examining certification delays, tariffs and product standards while exploring opportunities in chemicals, pharmaceuticals and textiles.
NTPC submits two coal gasification project proposals under govt's Rs 37,500 crore scheme
NTPC Limited has submitted proposals to establish coal gasification projects for producing urea, methanol, and dimethyl ether. The Ministry of Coal announced that applications for the third round will open on November 10. January 11, 2027, is set as the deadline for these applications. The government's initiative aims to expand domestic production and support the broader use of indigenous resources.
Researchers tested tobacco plants engineered to emit isoprene; after 10 days, hornworms feeding on those leaves were smaller than those on ordinary plants
Research conducted at Michigan State University revealed that isoprene emissions from plants deter pest herbiory effectively. This chemical causes plants to release hormones that make their leaves less digestible for insects. Interestingly, soybean plants possess genes allowing them to produce isoprene when damaged, enhancing their resilience. However, the increase of isoprene in the atmosphere poses a risk for air quality due to ground-level ozone formation.
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India, US vow to jointly act against emerging drug threats
India and the US have agreed to strengthen cooperation against emerging narcotics threats, including illicit drug trafficking and the diversion of synthetic drugs and chemical precursors. At a bilateral meeting in New Delhi, both sides discussed intelligence sharing, coordinated enforcement, precursor control, pharmaceutical supply chains and measures to reduce drug demand.

From tyres to footwear: How Brisil is finding new uses for rice husk ash
Rice husk ash is often treated as industrial waste. Vadodara-based Brisil converts it into green silica—a material used in tyres, footwear, paints, toothpaste, and rubber products, offering industries a lower-carbon alternative to silica made from mined sand and quartz.
DPIIT seeks Fillip for local mfg of 100 goods in budget
DPIIT has examined 500 heavily imported products to identify opportunities for boosting domestic manufacturing. The department plans to share its findings with the finance ministry for the FY28 budget recommendations. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal met with Skoda Auto Volkswagen to promote electric vehicle manufacturing and increase localization. High import dependence is classified based on the percentage of domestic demand met by imports.

We had got things so wrong on pollution
Firecrackers are continuously burst during Diwali, contributing to significant air pollution in India. This practice leads to toxic air conditions that affect public health. Recent evaluations showed that 99 out of the world's 100 most polluted cities are in India. The cultural significance of these practices has overshadowed the health implications associated with them. Ultimately, the trend reveals a collective indifference toward pollution and its harmful effects.

GCC clears 400 tonnes of firecracker waste after Deepavali; 200 tonnes more targeted
The Greater Chennai Corporation has cleared around 400 tonnes of firecracker waste since Deepavali and expects to remove another 200 tonnes in the coming days. It has deployed 600 additional sanitation workers and 350 vehicles across its 15 zones.

Govt may extend support measures in FY28 Budget to boost manufacturing of 100 products: Official
The government may announce Budget 2027-28 support measures to boost domestic manufacturing of 100 products, including auto components, chemicals and machinery, to reduce import dependence. DPIIT has identified the products after consultations with ministries and industry.

Keralam testing random fuel samples for ethanol density: State Minister Anoop Jacob says 'major concern' raised in Karnataka
Keralam's Food and Civil Supplies Minister Anoop Jacob recently declared a program to collect petrol samples for ethanol testing, aiming to address concerns voiced by Karnataka officials regarding excessive ethanol blending. Jacob underscored the necessity of consumer transparency regarding fuel components, noting that inspections in Kochi have uncovered samples currently being tested, thus igniting pivotal discussions about fuel quality across Indian states.

Cancer drug prices to fall by up to 96% from November 9; consumers set to save Rs 3,502 crore annually
Starting November 9, consumers in India will benefit from significantly reduced prices on 137 anti-cancer drugs. The government has capped trade margins on these medications, leading to an estimated annual savings of Rs 3,502.31 crore for consumers. Price reductions have been reported across 1,225 formulations, with some reductions exceeding 50 percent.

No explosive material found at Vasundhara Police Outpost blast site: DCP Rizul Kumar
Preliminary investigations into the explosion at the Vasundhara police chowki under the Indirapuram police station area have revealed no traces of explosive materials, gunpowder, or chemical residue at the scene, DCP Rizul Kumar said on Saturday.

ETtech Deals Digest: Eloelo leads as weekly funding rises to $142 million, down 35% on-year
Eloelo led deal activity with $80 million, followed by Peppermint Robotics at $10.6 million, altM at $10.3 million, Two Point O Capital at $10 million, and PowerUp Money at $10 million. Crane Venture Partners was among the most active investors, backing Peppermint Robotics and Armatrix. Omnivore invested in altM and Two Point O Capital, while Flourish Ventures backed PowerUp Money.

Quant Small Cap Fund adds Jio Platforms and 4 others; increases stake in Adani Power, 5 more
Quant Small Cap Fund added Jio Platforms, Primo Chemicals and three other stocks to its portfolio in October. The fund also increased exposure to Adani Power and LIC Housing Finance, exited five stocks and trimmed holdings in three others.

Calcutta HC grants interim injunction in favour of NOCIL Limited in patent suit
Calcutta High Court recently granted an interim injunction in favor of NOCIL Limited against Finorchem Ltd. The injunction relates to a suit concerning patent infringement of a chemical process developed by NOCIL. Justice Ravi Krishan Kapur observed that the balance of convenience favored NOCIL and that irreparable injury would result without the injunction. NOCIL holds process patents for manufacturing 4-Aminodiphenylamine, a chemical used in rubber applications.

Centre planning to use component scheme to feed chip ecosystem
Investment approvals under ECMS may therefore focus on items like precision-manufacturing equipment such as micro-tools, computer numerical control machines, PCB drills and industrial automation equipment, officials said. The sixth tranche of ECMS investment applications will be announced on Friday.

Smelling pages of a new book
Smelling a new book provides a sensory experience tied to memory and emotion. Chemical compounds in the book create a distinctive fresh smell. This scent enhances anticipation of the reading experience that has yet to unfold. E-readers, despite their technology, cannot replicate this sensory pleasure associated with printed books.

Berger Paints to hike prices as rising raw material costs squeeze margins
Berger Paints India has reported a rise in profit driven by strong performances in several divisions. The company plans to raise prices and implement cost-efficiency measures in November to safeguard margins. Despite these efforts, escalating raw material costs and forex volatility may pressure near-term margins. Revenue has increased year-on-year, but expenses have surged even more significantly. The industrial segment has shown high volume growth despite declining margins.

altM raises $10.3 million to scale production of specialty chemicals from agricultural waste
Founded in 2022 by former Tesla manufacturing executives Apoorv Garg and Yugal Raj Jain, altM develops specialty chemicals and biomaterials by converting agricultural residue such as sugarcane bagasse and rice straw into industrial inputs that can replace conventional fossil-derived materials.

Japan Investment Corp to sell JSR to Mitsui Chemicals in an over $8.20 bn deal: Report
Japan Investment Corp intends to sell its semiconductor materials subsidiary JSR to Mitsui Chemicals in a significant transaction. This deal is projected to exceed 1.3 trillion yen and may occur within the month. JSR, a manufacturer of photoresists, was acquired by JIC two years ago for approximately 900 billion yen. Mitsui Chemicals is expanding its chip materials business amidst rising valuations due to AI investments.

Missed Reliance Industries’ historic 12% one-day rally? Here’s what technical analysts are saying
Reliance Industries experienced a remarkable increase in share price after reporting impressive Q2 earnings, which significantly boosted its market capitalization. The firm’s net profit surged by 41% year-over-year, fueled by strong performances in its oil-to-chemicals and digital services segments. Analysts express optimism, with several brokerages setting ambitious target prices. Current technical indicators also reveal a favorable price trajectory, suggesting room for further growth following this positive oil sector performance.

Interstellar Object 3I/ATLAS: 3I/ATLAS may have come from a star system older than our sun, James Webb Telescope observations suggest
Recent findings from the James Webb Space Telescope have unveiled intriguing chemical signatures surrounding the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS. This comet likely originated in a stellar nursery billions of years prior to the Sun's birth. Its significant methane presence hints at a primordial formation, coupled with low metallicity and high cosmic ray exposure. The uncommon water-ice grains shed light on the icy building blocks of other star systems.

Did comets help start life on Earth? A new study questions the idea and scientists are baffled
Scientists have been researching for a long time whether comets brought important chemicals to early Earth. A new study has examined whether those chemicals could survive the journey. However, the results have raised questions about a familiar idea, but the mystery remains open.

Oil-to-chemicals business powers Reliance Industries' record quarterly net profit, up 34% to ₹29,550 crore
Reliance Industries Ltd has set a new benchmark with a record net profit of ₹29,550 crore for the September quarter, fueled by significant advancements in the oil-to-chemicals and digital segments. With a yearly revenue surge of 28.5% to ₹3.38 lakh crore, the O2C division's Ebitda skyrocketed 68%, reflecting the advantages of elevated energy prices and the firm’s adaptability in challenging market scenarios.

Middle East war helps lift Reliance’s oil-to-chemicals earnings to an all-time high
Reliance Industries' oil-to-chemicals sector reported record earnings due to soaring global fuel prices. The firm credited this success to the rise in energy costs and improved refining margins for the second quarter. While rising crude oil and transport fuel prices bolstered revenue, increased procurement and transportation expenses served as a constraint on overall earnings.
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