Market News Today

India's paints industry is set to grow from $9.6B (2024) to $16.5B by 2030 (9.4% CAGR), fueled by urbanization and housing. It faces margin pressure, competition, and $219M H1 FY26 raw material imports.

India's cement industry faces high CBAM risk from Jan 2026, with 11.5% exports to EU and 65% carbon-payment intensity. Firms like UltraTech are investing in low-carbon tech and internal carbon pricing ($10/tonne CO2) to gain competitive advantage.

Bengaluru partners with cement factories statewide to reuse low-value plastic waste, diverting hundreds of tonnes from landfills. This initiative reduces landfill pressure, supports industrial energy needs, and reinforces circular economy practices, complementing existing waste-to-energy efforts.

New Delhi and Stockholm rolled out seven next-phase low-carbon innovations in steel and cement. These scalable solutions, crucial for India's peak construction decade, aim to reduce emissions in urban development by transforming materials and processes.

FORREC and Neelabh Kapoor collaborate to develop experiential destinations in India. This partnership aims to drive urban growth through entertainment, leisure, and mixed-use projects, reflecting growing investor confidence in destination-making.

Pune-based Justo RealFintech acquired Hustlewin, boosting its Pune market presence and sales capacity. This strategic acquihire adds over Rs 20 crore annual revenue from FY27, integrating Hustlewin's 1,000+ unit sales (Rs 900 crore value) and 25 professionals.

Lodha Developers partners with Gurugram's MRG Group for two premium Delhi-NCR projects, targeting over Rs 3,600 crore revenue. The collaboration focuses on high-end residential and commercial developments, emphasizing design, sustainability, and urban liveability.

PP markets show sharp divergence across regions. China continues to face deep bearish pressure, with futures trading below COVID-era levels. In contrast, India has seen a modest, sentiment-driven price hike by RIL amid lean inventories and a thin import pipeline. While demand remains cautious, limited availability is restricting downside risk.

Kolkata's air quality surpassed Delhi's for a week in December, with severe particulate matter levels. Experts demand over 20 monitoring stations, currently less than half needed, to accurately assess pollution and inform urgent public health and urban planning reforms.

Kolkata Metro opens Act Apprentice Recruitment 2026 for 128 technical posts across trades like fitter, electrician, machinist, and welder. Applications are online from late December to January 2026 for the 2026-27 training cycle.