Mid-September 2025 has brought a mix of global monetary decisions, corporate strategies, and sectoral shifts. Here’s a roundup of the biggest developments investors need to track.
🏦 Fed Rate Cut Likely on 17-Sep
The two-day Federal Reserve meet will end with Jerome Powell expected to cut rates by 25 bps, with CME FedWatch assigning a 100% probability. Weak labour data supports the cut, though CPI inflation ticked up to 2.9% in August. The debate now is whether the Fed will stick to small cuts or deliver deeper easing.
💻 Oracle’s AI Bet Powers Stock Surge
Oracle stock soared 34% in a single day, briefly pushing Larry Ellison ahead of Elon Musk in net worth. The rally is driven by Oracle’s massive AI push, with its order book swelling to $455 billion, up 350% YoY. Multiple billion-dollar AI deals and strong cloud business growth have transformed Oracle into one of the hottest AI plays.
🪙 Gold Loans Shine Despite RBI Curbs
Even with RBI tightening norms, gold loan companies are booming. Rising gold prices — now above ₹1,10,000/10 gm — and strong demand have pushed growth from expected 15% to over 40%. Global de-dollarization trends are also fuelling gold demand, making gold loan NBFCs a sweet spot in lending.
🏥 Apollo Strengthens Oncology Arm
Apollo Hospitals acquired IFC’s 31% stake in Apollo Health and Lifestyle Ltd (AHLL) for ₹1,254 crore, giving it full control. The move, pending CCI approval, will help Apollo integrate diagnostics and oncology. The group plans to double its oncology business to ₹5,000 crore in three years.
📈 IPO Frenzy — But Losses Pile Up
2025 has seen a rush of new-age tech IPO filings, but half the names are deep loss-making firms like PhysicsWallah, Meesho, Flipkart, PhonePe, and Zepto. Collectively, 21 start-ups reported ₹12,000 crore in losses. SEBI mandates operating profits in at least 2 of the last 3 years for IPOs — a hurdle many may struggle with.
📱 Hike App to Shut Down
Kavin Mittal, founder of Hike and son of Bharti Airtel’s Sunil Mittal, is winding down Hike after 13 years. While the platform had promise, regulatory curbs on gaming pushed it to the brink. Kavin plans to focus on AI, clean energy, and other tech ventures going forward.
🚗 Auto Sector on the Fast Lane
Indian auto companies are on a roll as GST cuts, 90% bank financing, and lower loan risk weights boost sales. Festive discounts are adding fuel to demand. Maruti’s CEO highlighted that India is now well-placed to become a global supply chain hub for autos.
🏠 Housing Stress Persists
Home loan growth slowed to 10% from 17%, with PSB delinquencies spiking to 2.85% in small-ticket loans. ARCs purchased ₹1,713 crore of stressed home loans in Q1FY26, up 245% YoY. Despite policy rate cuts, real estate recovery remains elusive.
📌 Conclusion
From Fed policy shifts and Oracle’s AI-driven rally to gold loan growth and auto sector boom, mid-September headlines capture both opportunity and risk. For investors, the key is balancing AI optimism, gold resilience, and domestic consumption with looming risks in housing and loss-making IPOs.
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