ESOPS
ET Prime Special Series: Multibagger or IBC – Part 84: Can rising demand for decorative features drive this auto ancillary's growth?
A car can change its engine and still look almost the same. It can also keep the same engine and look so different that buyers happily pay more for it. That is the peculiar corner of the automobile industry this story explores. For one listed supplier, the shift to EVs may be less threatening than it sounds. The bigger question is whether changing consumer preferences can help it build a more valuable business.
Taxpayers fret over loose ends in amnesty scheme, seek CBDT clarity on foreign asset disclosure rules as deadline nears
Many taxpayers are unsure if they need to report various accounts due to ambiguous regulations. Clarification is being sought from the Central Board of Direct Taxes regarding ownership versus authority, among other things.
Life Insurance Corp of India reports higher premium income in H1, net profit rises around 22%
Life Insurance Corporation of India reported a 21.52% increase in net profit for the first half of FY27. Total premium income rose by 11.64%, reaching Rs 2,74,269 crore during this period. Individual new business premium income increased by 14.86%, while renewal premium income grew by 4.68%. LIC sold approximately 70.97 lakh individual policies, reflecting a minor decrease from last year.
ShareChat’s FY26 revenue jumps 40% to Rs 1,016 crore on microdrama push; net loss widens
However, its loss before tax widened to Rs 1,978 crore in FY26 from Rs 1,105 crore in the previous year, largely due to higher accounting expenses related to its convertible debt instruments, forex losses and employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs), cofounder and CFO Manohar Singh Charan told ET.
Irdai tightens ESOP norms, share transfer rules for insurers
Irdai has implemented stricter rules regarding employee stock option plans for insurance companies to regulate ownership stakes. Senior executives and directors must seek approval to exceed prescribed shareholding limits under these plans. Insurers are required to monitor direct and indirect share allotments to prevent regulatory breaches.
With G-sec yields rising, countries have no alternative but to increase their bullion holdings
In India yield on T-year G secs has increased by 0.4 percentage points over the same period. Unfortunately, governments are confronting these higher borrowing costs precisely at a time when debt is elevated, with global public debt expected to exceed 100% of GDP by 2030, a level last reached in the immediate aftermath of WW2.

Banks seek microloan guarantee extension
IDFC First Bank and small finance banks such as AU, Jana and Suryoday were among the biggest users of the scheme to reduce credit risk. They have set aside the guarantee fee for the current fiscal year, expecting the government to reopen the window soon, people aware of the matter said.

See data centres less as energy-sucking private warehouses, and more as quasi-public utilities
We need data centres. They run far more than ChatGPT. Search, banking, streaming, social networks, cloud software, government services, hospitals and almost every company's digital operations depend on them. AI simply raises the requirement dramatically. Google says its Vizag hub will provide new subsea connectivity for India. IEA says electricity use by AI-focused data centres jumped 50% in 2025. A country without serious compute infrastructure risks becoming a consumer, rather than a producer, of the AI revolution.

India's ESOP tax rules need reform to ease employee burden
India’s ESOP tax rules impose tax on unrealised gains before employees receive cash, creating liquidity pressures. Reforming taxation through deferrals or concessional rates could encourage employee ownership and ease the burden.

Nintendo is restocking the special edition Switch 2 for the 40th anniversary of ‘The Legend of Zelda’: Know the features and when it can be purchased
In a thrilling announcement, Nintendo has confirmed a restock of the highly sought-after limited edition Switch 2, inspired by The Legend of Zelda. This console flew off the shelves during its initial release, driving resale prices through the roof. Bill van Zyll, Vice President of Latin America, hinted at the restock's arrival but held back on specifics.

SoftBank sold 1.2% stake in Ola Electric between January-October
The investor also sold rights entitlements to subscribe to an additional 1.12 crore shares, according to a disclosure filed with the stock exchanges. Ola Electric is in the process of raising Rs 1,000 crore through a rights issue of partly paid-up equity shares.

I-T likely to send notices over undisclosed foreign property
The Income-Tax Department will send notices to resident Indians regarding undisclosed foreign properties. Information was obtained through spontaneous exchanges and prior investigations into overseas assets. The FAST-DS scheme allows individuals to voluntarily disclose properties without facing penalties or prosecution. This opportunity aims to regularize the foreign assets of small taxpayers effectively. Overall participation in the scheme has been lower than anticipated due to its limitations.

Vishal Mega Mart shares sink 8% as Q2 margin takes a hit despite profit growth
Vishal Mega Mart shares fell sharply on Wednesday after the retailer reported a 110-basis-point year-on-year contraction in EBITDA margin to 12.1% in Q2FY27. Net profit rose 3.7% to Rs 157.9 crore, while revenue increased 14% to Rs 3,398.5 crore. The company attributed margin pressure to a shift in festival timing.

ESOP Muddle: 7 ways ESOPs are used to trick accounts, taking minority shareholders for a ride
Companies do not always pay employees through salaries and bonuses. Sometimes, they reward them with shares – or the right to buy shares at favourable prices. But promoters can use this to dress up profits.

Forget IPO, cash us out: Flipkart alumni press Walmart again
Former executives asked Flipkart parent Walmart to delink their liquidity from the Bengaluru-based ecommerce company’s proposed initial public offering, according to people aware of the development. They raised the demand in a fresh email sent earlier this week to the US retail major’s board, the people said.

Flipkart ex-staff push for Esop buyout; Wipro, Tech Mahindra’s Q2 report
Happy Friday! Former Flipkart employees are asking Walmart to cash out their vested stock options. This and more in today’s ETtech Morning Dispatch.

Zetwerk IPO eyes big returns; Flipkart alumni seek Esop buyback
Zetwerk’s early investors are poised for big gains as the platform prepares to go public. This and more in today’s ETtech Top 5.

The ET Startup Awards 2026 special
Happy Monday! The Economic Times Startup Awards (ETSA) 2026 ceremony brought together the country’s top founders, investors, and policymakers in Bengaluru for a Friday evening of sharp insights and spirited conversations.

Former Flipkart group employees launch petition seeking inclusion in proposed $2 billion Esop buyback
On October 10, a group of former executives launched a petition aiming to bring together 20,000-30,000 former employees of Flipkart and its group companies, including Myntra, Cleartrip, Shopsy, Super Money and ANS Commerce. The petition calls for their inclusion in the planned $2 billion Esop buyback.
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