TMS Ep170: Ambuja and ACC, Sonam Wangchuk, IPO size, USFDA's Form 483

The race to acquire Ambuja Cements and ACC seems to be entering the final lap now. The two top contenders -- Gautam Adani and Sajjan Jindal -- are now vying to take over the two leading domestic cement companies owned by international building materials giant Holcim which is now exiting India after 17 years. There are some other contenders too, like India’s top cement maker Ultratech. But why do all these leading firms want to buy Holcim’s stake? And why did the Switzerland-based company decide to quit India which contributes 27% of its global sales volumes. 

Holcim’s decision to pull the plug on an emerging market like India has indeed baffled many. But, if reports are to be believed, it is doing so due to its commitment to check global warming. Similarly, but not on that scale, a 55-year-old engineer from Ladakh has been doing his bit to spread awareness about climate change for decades now. Sonam Wangchuk is now a familiar name in India, thanks to his now resounding voice on climate change and innovations in the cold mountains. His latest one is a carbon-neutral solar building that stays warm even in freezing conditions and can help clean the toxic air of Delhi and NCR. Business Standard's Nazia Iqbal caught up with him in Ladakh to know more.

Like the weather, markets too are going through a volatile phase. Volatility in the secondary market against the backdrop of US Fed rate hike and ongoing Russia-Ukraine war has seen two companies – Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) and Delhivery -- trim the size of their initial public offers in May. Will more companies follow the suit as the markets are likely to remain choppy? 

It may have hit the economy and markets adversely, but the pandemic was in a way good for the Indian pharma industry. India makes about 60% of the world’s vaccines and 20% of generic drugs. The US is a major export destination. On its part, the US administration carries out regular inspections at offshore drug making units to ensure that they stick to the standards. In one such recent check, the US FDA has issued Form 483 to a firm. This episode of the podcast demystifies the Form 483 and more.