RVNL's order book has reached ₹65,000 crore with 50% of the projects from the railway sector. They are also expanding into international markets like Central Asia and UAE, and expect to maintain an order book of ₹75,000 crore. They have also received orders for various metro, electrification, and transmission line projects, and have signed an MoU for projects in Kyrgyzstan.

Deem Roll Tech, a manufacturer of steel and alloy rolls, is launching its IPO next week with a price band of ₹129 per share. The IPO size is ₹29.26 crores and investors can bid for a minimum of 1000 shares. The company plans to use the proceeds for expansion and working capital purposes. Deem Roll Tech has an export presence in over 10 countries and has three manufacturing units in Gujarat.

Stockology is a weekly column by futurologist Mahesh Gowande. He is the founder and director of Ayan Analytics which has developed ZodiacAnalyst. It is a research software, with time and price charting tools, and it is exclusively used along with technical support. Read previous columns here February 18, 2024:  The recovery in Nifty from the low of February 12 indicates confidence.

Hybrid mutual fund schemes are becoming increasingly popular among investors, with total inflows of Rs 20,634 crore in January 2023. This growth is due in part to changes in taxation laws for debt funds, making hybrid schemes a more attractive alternative investment option. The two most popular categories in this segment are arbitrage funds and multi-asset allocation funds, with around 50%-70%.

The Union Ministry of Tourism is adopting a sustainable tourism development model for the Lakshadweep islands to preserve their ecology and prevent overcrowding. With initiatives such as developing lesser-known domestic tourist destinations like Sakleshpura in Karnataka, the Ministry aims to promote sustainable tourism while maintaining the unique features and eco-sensitivity of these places.

Sadhav Shipping, a marine assets service and operating company, will launch an IPO for SMEs on February 23-27. The price band is set at ₹95 per share with a minimum investment of 1200 shares for retail investors and 2 lots for HNIs. The expected listing date is March 1 and the company plans to use proceeds for loan repayment and capital expenditure. Its revenue increased by 13.08%.

SIP investments reached a record high of ₹18,838 crores in January 2024, with inflows surpassing ₹15,000 crores for the seventh consecutive month. This signifies sustained investor confidence in SIPs as a methodical strategy for investing in stocks and mutual funds. The number of active SIP accounts also saw an impressive increase, highlighting their growing popularity among investors.

Belgian investment firm Verlinvest is planning to sell its 8.34% stake in Indian winemaker Sula Vineyards through a block deal, with an estimated size of $52 million. The current share price of Sula Vineyards is Rs 570/share and the block deal is being advised by Kotak Mahindra Capital. Verlinvest first invested in Sula Vineyards in 2010 and has previously sold its stake through a block deal.

In January, single-family homebuilding in the US decreased by 4.7%, likely due to harsh weather conditions. However, permits for future construction increased, hinting towards a rebound in the upcoming months. This is supported by a rise in confidence among builders and expectations of interest rate cuts. Cold weather also affected retail sales and manufacturing in January.

The government has urged BSNL and MTNL to speed up the process of monetizing their land assets in order to reduce their debts. So far, only Rs 550 crore has been generated through this process, compared to an estimated potential of Rs 20,000 crore. Issues such as taxation and permissions from state and local authorities have been cited as reasons for the slow progress.

Indian market bounced back this week, gaining over 1% and erasing previous losses. Positive global markets, domestic inflation data and strong earnings from Indian companies provided support. Nifty rose by 258.2 points, while BSE Sensex increased by 831.15 points. BSE Auto, Oil & Gas, and Banking indices were the top gainers, while Telecom, FMCG, and Metal indices fell.

The study found that individuals aged 26-35 have the highest intention to invest in health and life insurance, FDs, and MFs in next year. This shows a proactive approach towards financial planning. In non-metro areas, there is a rising preference for health insurance as a tax-saving option. However, only 54% of consumers are fully aware of how they can save tax by investing in health insurance.

In summary, the board of international logistic firm Tiger Logistics approved a proposal to split its shares in the proportion of 1:10. The record date has been set as March 4, 2024, and the stock split will result in each shareholder owning ten times the number of shares they previously held. This is expected to improve liquidity for investors.

German Defence Minister stated at Munich Security Conference that it may be necessary for Germany to spend more than 2% of its GDP on defense in order to deter Russia. This comes after the country met the 2% NATO spending target, ramping up spending after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2014. Other government officials have acknowledged that maintaining this level of spending may be challenging.

Rakesh Tikait announced that farmers will hold dharnas in UP, Haryana, Punjab, and Uttarakhand on Feb 21 demanding legal guarantee of MSP. They also plan to march to Delhi in late Feb. if demands aren't met. Govt. officials and farmer leaders will meet on Feb 21 for the fourth round of talks. Protests have been ongoing since Tuesday and have led to clashes with police, with both sides using force.