Corporate News - December 2025

ECONOMY

(1.) Government to release new series of retail inflation, GDP data from February, IIP from May next year

The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has announced the release of new macroeconomic data series with revised base years, marking an important update to India's key economic indicators.

A new Consumer Price Index (CPI) series with 2024 as the base year (2024 = 100) will be released on 12 February 2026, updating the measurement of retail inflation. This will be followed by the release of revised National Accounts data, with FY 2022–23 as the base year, on 27 February 2026.

In addition, a new Index of Industrial Production (IIP) series, also using FY 2022–23 as the base year, is scheduled for release on 28 May 2026.

Ahead of these releases, MoSPI will conduct a pre-release consultative workshop on the base revision of GDP, CPI and IIP, aimed at engaging stakeholders and strengthening transparency around the updated methodology.

(2.) Govt. rolls out Interest Subvention Scheme guidelines for MSME exporters worth Rs. 5,181 crore

The commerce ministry on 2nd January, 2026 launched two more components of its Export Promotion Mission, including an interest subvention scheme for pre-shipment and post-shipment export credit under the 'Niryat Protsahan' initiative. These initiatives are part of the wider Export Promotion Mission approved by the Cabinet November 2025 with an outlay of Rs. 25,060 crore for the period 2025-26 to 2030-31. The interest subvention scheme is intended to help MSMEs access export credit at competitive rates below prevailing market levels.

The tentative outlay for the interest subvention scheme for exporters is Rs 5,181 crores over a six-year period from 2025 to 2031. Each exporter can get up to Rs. 50 lakh per Importer Exporter Code (IEC) in 2025–26. The rates will be reviewed twice a year, in March and September, taking into account domestic and global benchmarks.

The detailed guidelines for the scheme will be issued by the Reserve Bank of India soon.

TECHNOLOGY

(3.) Nvidia aims to begin H200 chip shipments to China by mid-February of 2026

Nvidia has told Chinese clients it aims to begin shipping H200 AI chips to China before the Lunar New Year in mid- February. Initial deliveries are expected to come from existing inventory, totalling to 5,000–10,000 modules (around 40,000–80,000 chips).

The plan remains subject to Chinese government approval, with no purchases yet cleared. Nvidia has also indicated it may add new production capacity, with orders opening in Q2 2026.

If approved, the shipments would mark the first H200 deliveries to China since U.S. President Donald Trump said such sales would be allowed with a 25% fee, signalling a shift from the previous U.S. ban on advanced AI chip exports.

Despite being from Nvidia's older Hopper line, the H200 is far more powerful than the China-specific H20 chip, making it attractive to firms such as Alibaba and ByteDance, even as Beijing weighs the impact on domestic chip development.

ESG

(4.) Canada Taps Climate Institute to Lead National Sustainable Finance Taxonomy

The Government of Canada has moved from commitment to execution on its long-anticipated sustainable finance taxonomy, outlining concrete steps to define “green” and “transition” investments in the domestic market. François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Finance and National Revenue, confirmed that the Canadian Climate Institute has been appointed to lead the arm's-length development of Canada-specific sustainable investment guidelines.

The work will be undertaken in partnership with Business Future Pathways, an investor-led initiative bringing together major financial institutions and technical experts. The guidelines will function as a voluntary market tool, enabling investors, lenders and other stakeholders to clearly identify qualifying green and transition activities.

Built on independent governance and aligned with global best practices, the taxonomy is designed to be interoperable with leading international, science-based frameworks. By prioritising clarity, credibility and international alignment, the initiative aims to strengthen investor confidence and position Canada competitively as global demand for low-carbon investment continues to grow.

(5.) UAE Sustainable Finance Working Group sets execution agenda at Abu Dhabi Finance Week 2025

At Abu Dhabi Finance Week 2025, the UAE Sustainable Finance Working Group issued its fourth formal statement, marking a transition from consultation to execution. The statement aligns with national strategies, including the UAE Green Agenda 2015–2030, National Climate Change Plan 2017–2050, and the Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative, and reflects the operational rollout of the UAE Climate Change Law.

Coordinated by the Financial Service Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of Abu Dhabi Global Market, the Working Group brings together regulators, ministries, and market authorities and is now delivering policies across four core workstreams. Progress under the second workstream focuses on sustainability disclosures. The Sustainability Disclosure Principles for Reporting Entities (launched in 2024) standardise ESG reporting, define materiality and timelines, and align UAE requirements with global standards, including the ISSB. Under the third workstream, the Group continues developing a UAE Sustainable Finance Taxonomy that meets domestic needs while remaining internationally interoperable.

(6.) New York Release Regulation Requiring Mandatory GHG Reporting for Large Emitters form 2027

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Amanda Lefton announced the finalization of new regulations to implement mandatory Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions disclosure from carbon-intensive sectors, with reporting slated to begin in 2027.

The new reporting requirements come as the federal government under the Trump administration has pulled back on initiatives to provide transparency into corporate and industrial emissions, including plans to by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) end the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP), and moves by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to stop the implementation of its own new climate reporting rules. The finalization of DEC's regulations follows a directive issued by New York Governor Kathy Hochul earlier this year to advance a Mandatory Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program, aimed at providing information on major polluters in the state, informing policies to reduce GHG emissions and to assess compliance with emissions reduction programs, and to help the state meet its emissions reduction goals.

Under the new regulation, facilities included in the new rules will be required to annually provide certain GHG emission data to DEC starting in June 2027, reflecting the previous year's emissions. In addition, some large emission sources will also be required to verify their emissions data report annually using DEC-accredited third-party verification services.

(7.) EU Council Adopts Revised EUDR, Marking Final Step in Delay of Supply Chain Deforestation Law

The European Council has formally adopted amendments to the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), completing the legislative process to introduce a one-year delay and operational simplifications to the law. The revised EUDR will now apply from end-2026 for large companies and mid-2027 for small and micro-operators.

Key Changes and Simplifications

• Streamlined due diligence: Only operators that first place relevant products on the EU market are required to submit due diligence statements. Downstream operators are no longer required to file separate submissions and must instead retain the reference number of the original statement. This approach enables a single submission across the supply chain via the EUDR IT system.

• Relief for small and micro-operators: Compliance requirements are eased through a one-off, simplified declaration, with no repeated submissions required where information is already available.

• Reduced scope: Certain printed products, including books, newspapers and printed images, have been removed from the regulation's scope due to their limited deforestation risk.

Looking ahead, the European Commission is required to conduct a further review of the EUDR by April 2026 to assess its administrative and economic impacts, which may lead to additional simplifications. The revised regulation will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union and will enter into force three days after publication.

MERGER & ACQUISITION

(8.) India's M&A seen topping $60 bn in 2025 driven by financial services sector

Mergers and acquisitions in India are expected to cross $60 billion by the end of 2025, driven by accelerating consolidation, particularly in the financial services sector, which has attracted around $10 billion in deal value this year.

Banks and financial institutions accounted for a significant share of deal activity, with over $6 billion infused into mid-sized banks by global investors. Advisors note a strategic return of foreign capital to the sector, supported by the RBI's openness to investment from friendly jurisdictions, as banks seek growth beyond capital markets alone. Large non-financial transactions also contributed to volumes, including Tata Motors' $4.5 billion acquisition of Iveco, Schneider Electric's $6.4 billion stake increase in its India arm, and deals by JSW Paints, Torrent Pharma, and others. Improved balance sheets, ongoing reforms, and opportunities through the bankruptcy process are further enabling consolidation.

Deal momentum is expected to continue into 2026, with sustained consolidation in financial services and rising activity in technology, IT (AI and cloud), healthcare and hospitals, and specialty chemicals, as companies pursue scale, capabilities, and long-term growth.

(9.) Piramal Finance to sell 14.72% stake in Shriram Life Insurance for Rs. 600 crore

Piramal Finance has entered into a share purchase agreement to sell its entire 14.72% equity stake in Shriram Life Insurance Company Ltd. (SLIC) to Sanlam Emerging Markets (Mauritius) Limited (SEMM) for Rs. 600 crore.

The transaction is expected to close in the quarter ending 31 March 2026, subject to regulatory approvals, including clearance from the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI). SLIC contributed Rs. 12.68 crore to Piramal Finance's FY25 revenue, accounting for 0.12%, primarily through dividends.

Piramal Finance said the divestment aligns with its strategy to monetise non-core assets and strengthen its balance sheet. SEMM is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sanlam Emerging Markets Pty. Ltd. and part of the Sanlam Group, a pan-African financial services group headquartered in South Africa with operations across 30+ countries.

Continue reading Back to Home