Business
Adani to acquire Holcim’s stake in Ambuja Cements and ACC Ltd
The Adani Family, through an offshore special purpose vehicle, announced that it had entered into definitive agreements for the acquisition of Switzerland-based Holcim Ltd’s entire stake in two of Indias leading cement companies -Ambuja Cements Ltd and ACC Ltd.
Holcim, through its subsidiaries, holds 63.19 per cent in Ambuja Cements and 54.53 per cent in ACC (of which 50.05 per cent is held through Ambuja Cements). The value for the Holcim stake and open offer consideration for Ambuja Cements and ACC is $10.5 billion, which makes this the largest ever acquisition by Adani, and India’s largest ever M&A transaction in the infrastructure and materials space.
“Our move into the cement business is yet another validation of our belief in our nation’s growth story,” said Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani.
“Not only is India expected to remain one of the world’s largest demand-driven economies for several decades, India also continues to be the world’s second largest cement market and yet has less than half of the global average per capita cement consumption. In statistical comparison, China’s cement consumption is over 7x that of India’s. When these factors are combined with the several adjacencies of our existing businesses that include the Adani Group’s ports and logistics business, energy business, and real estate business, we believe that we will be able to build a uniquely integrated and differentiated business model and set ourselves up for significant capacity expansion.”
Adani added: “Holcim’s global leadership in cement production and sustainability best practices brings to us some of the cutting-edge technologies that will allow us to accelerate the path to greener cement production. In addition, Ambuja Cements and ACC are two of the strongest brands recognised across India. When augmented with our renewable power generation footprint, we gain a big headstart in the decarbonisation journey that is a must for cement production. This combination of all our capabilities makes me confident that we will be able to establish the cleanest and most sustainable cement manufacturing processes that will meet or exceed global benchmarks.”
“I am delighted that the Adani Group is acquiring our business in India to lead its next era of growth,” Holcim Ltd CEO Jan Jenisch said. “Mr Gautam Adani is a highly recognised business leader in India who shares our deep commitment to sustainability, people and communities. I would like to thank our 10,000 Indian colleagues who have played an essential role in the development of our business over the years with their relentless dedication and expertise. I am confident that the Adani Group is the perfect home for them as well as our customers to continue to thrive.”
With India’s cement consumption at just 242 kg per capita, as compared to the global average of 525 kg per capita, there is significant potential for the growth of the cement sector in India. The tailwinds of rapid urbanisation, the growing middle class and affordable housing together with the post-pandemic recovery in construction and other infrastructure sectors are expected to continue driving the growth of the cement sector over the next several decades.
Ambuja Cements and ACC currently have a combined installed production capacity of 70 MTPA. The two companies are among the strongest brands in India with immense depth of manufacturing and supply chain infrastructure, represented by their 23 cement plants, 14 grinding stations, 80 ready-mix concrete plants and over 50,000 channel partners across India.
Both Ambuja and ACC will benefit from synergies with the integrated Adani infrastructure platform, especially in the areas of raw material, renewable power and logistics, where
Adani Portfolio companies have vast experience and deep expertise. This will enable higher margins and return on capital employed for the two companies. The companies will also benefit from Adani’s focus on ESG, Circular Economy and Capital Management Philosophy.
The businesses will continue to be deeply aligned to UN Sustainability Development Goals with clear focus on SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG 13 (Climate Action).
The acquisition is subject to regulatory approvals and conditions.
Business
Commercial LPG cylinder prices reduced across metros from November 1

New Delhi, Nov 1: State-run oil marketing companies have reduced commercial LPG cylinder prices across metros, offering a slight relief to businesses, starting from Saturday.
The move will provide marginal relief to thousands of small and medium-sized businesses.
According to the latest revision announced by state-run oil marketing companies (OMCs), the 19-kg commercial LPG cylinder will now cost Rs 1,590.50 in Delhi, reflecting a Rs 5 cut from the previous rate of Rs 1,595.50.
With the highest drop of Rs 6.50 per cylinder among the metros, the charge in Kolkata will now be Rs 1,694 per cylinder. Chennai will now charge Rs 1,750 (down Rs 4.50), while Mumbai now charges Rs 1,542 (down Rs 5).
For businesses that depend significantly on LPG for their everyday operations, like restaurants, hotels, and catering services, the most recent revision provides a small reprieve following a hike of Rs 15.50 that was put into effect late in September.
However, domestic LPG prices have not changed and are the same in every city.
Earlier in September, OMCs had reduced the price of commercial LPG gas cylinders by Rs 51.50. Following the revision, a 19-kg commercial LPG cylinder in Delhi was available at Rs 1,580.
Earlier, OMCs had reduced the price of a 19 kg commercial LPG gas cylinder by Rs 33.50. Before that, prices had been reduced by Rs 58.50 on July 1.
Earlier in June, oil firms had announced a Rs 24 cut for commercial cylinders, setting the rate at Rs 1,723.50. In April, the price stood at Rs 1,762. February saw a small Rs 7 reduction, but March reversed this slightly with a Rs 6 increase.
Meanwhile, the Centre had announced to provide 2.5 million free LPG connections under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) during the festival season.
Business
Nifty, Sensex end 4-week winning streak amid profit booking

Mumbai, Nov 1: Indian equity benchmarks ended their four-week winning streak, closing marginally lower this week amid profit-booking and mixed global cues.
Benchmark indices Nifty and Sensex dipped 0.65 and 0.55 per cent during the week to close at 25,722 and 83,938, respectively.
Market optimism was bolstered during the first three sessions by positive domestic economic data and China’s approval for few Indian companies to import rare earth magnets.
However, sentiment turned cautious after the US Federal Reserve cut its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points to the 3.75 per cent–4 per cent range.
“India’s industrial output rose 4 per cent YoY in September 2025, supported by strong manufacturing activity. The US Federal Reserve hinted that the 25-bps cut might be the final one in 2025, which dampened hopes of further near-term easing,” said Ajit Mishra- SVP, Research, Religare Broking Ltd.
Further, steady corporate earnings and continued FII inflows through October helped cushion the downside, he added.
Metals, energy and realty stocks were the major contributors to the rally, while auto, pharma and IT stocks experienced profit-taking.
“While PSU banks surged on reports of a potential hike in foreign investment limits, metal counters gleamed on renewed optimism after China’s pledge to rein in steel overcapacity and signs of progress in US-China trade talks,” added Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Investments Limited.
Analysts said that capital market stocks lost momentum as SEBI’s proposed overhaul of TER structures weighed on sentiment.
Support for the Nifty is currently located close to the 25,600 zone and the 25,400 zone, while resistance is seen around 26,100, analysts said.
In the upcoming holiday-shortened week, investors are looking for cues from the final readings of the HSBC Manufacturing PMI and HSBC Services and Composite PMI data.
Investors are also keen on the India-US trade deal and trends in developed markets, while on the earnings front, several index heavyweights are set to announce their quarterly results.
Business
India aims 300 million tonnes of crude steel production capacity by 2030

New Delhi, Oct 31: India aims to achieve 300 million tonnes of crude steel production capacity by 2030, Union Minister of State for Steel, Bhupathiraju Srinivas Varma, said on Friday.
In a meeting with Sara Modig, State Secretary to Minister for Energy, Business and Industry, Sweden, here, in presence of Swedish Ambassador to India Jan Thesleff and other officials, the minister highlighted India’s growing steel sector, driven by visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Notably, India’s domestic steel demand is growing at an impressive 11-13 per cent, fuelled by large-scale infrastructure projects, while global demand faces a slowdown, according to Steel Ministry.
The discussions were held to explore collaboration opportunities in the field of research and development in Green Steel production and other advanced technologies to reduce carbon emissions.
Varma reaffirmed the invitation extended to Sweden to participate in Bharat Steel 2026, an International Conference-cum-Exhibition dedicated to the steel industry, scheduled to be held on April 16–17, 2026, at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
Meanwhile, the growth rate of India’s eight core industries was recorded at 3 per cent in September this year compared to the same month of the previous year, with the steel and cement sectors recording strong growth during the month, data released by the Commerce and Industry Ministry showed.
Steel production surged by a robust 14.1 per cent in September compared to the same month of the previous year on the back of increased demand from big-ticket infrastructure projects being carried out by the government. The cumulative growth of steel during April to Sept of 2025-26 increased by 11 per cent over the corresponding period of the previous year.
The government imposed a 12 per cent temporary safeguard duty on certain steel imports in April 2025 to protect the domestic market. These measures follow previous actions and are part of ongoing efforts to safeguard the industry while promoting self-reliance under initiatives like ‘Make in India’.
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