TMS Ep640: SC on Patanjali, Blinkit, Vodafone Idea stock, CBAM

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court came down heavily on Patanjali Ayurveda for what it called "misleading" advertisements and restrained Yoga guru Ramdev-controlled firm from advertising its medicinal products. The direction came on a petition filed by the Indian Medical Association. But where does the buck stop? And what is the way out? 

After the Supreme Court corridors, let us now see how firms are competing to make our daily lives better. Quick commerce platform Blinkit is stepping into the turf of e-commerce giants Flipkart and Amazon. After groceries, vegetables, fruits and mid-range electronic gadgets, the Zomato-owned firm is looking to expand its shelves by adding a range of new products from various categories. So soon, you can get a new phone or maybe a laptop within 10 minutes of placing the order. But can Blinkit take on Flipkart and Amazon? 

But these quick commerce firms are also giving a tough time to humble kirana stores as their sales are dipping. These startups now make up 40-50% of all e-commerce sales of FMCG firms. Moving on, Vodafone Idea crashed up to 14% in the last session after its plan to raise Rs 45,000 crore prompted sharp selling in the counter. This comes after the stock had rallied 163% in the last one year in anticipation of a turnaround aided by fund infusion. So, why did the fundraising announcement disappoint investors? 

Huge debt is clearly casting a long shadow over Vodafone Idea. Moving on, Indian steel and aluminium exporters are staring at tough times ahead as the European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism has entered the transition phase. Beginning January 2026, when the new tax regime will come into force, select imports into the EU will face 20-35 % tax. Listen to this episode of the podcast for answers.