Business
Asian stocks today: Markets track Wall Street losses; HSI falls over 240 points, Kospi dips 2.4% – The Times of India
Asian stock markets slipped on Friday as tracking Wall Street losses, as a weak stream of US economic data and uncertainty over future interest rate moves weighed down investor confidence.Hong Kong’s HSI dipped 241 points to 26,244. Kospi reached 3,929, falling 96 points or 2.4%. Japan’s Nikkei also fell 1.7% or 905 points. Shenzhen, meanwhile, inched 24 points, trading at 13,477 at 11:15, AM IST.The latest pressure point for investors came from figures released by the outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. Its report showed that US layoff announcements surged to their highest level in 22 years last month. According to the firm, this year has marked the worst period for job cuts since 2020, when the pandemic severely disrupted the labour market.Because of the longest-running US government shutdown, several federal departments remain closed, leaving markets to rely on private data to gauge the state of the economy. Although private hiring data a day earlier suggested an increase in employment, the Challenger report reignited concerns about the labour market and prompted renewed speculation that the Federal Reserve might lower borrowing costs again in December.That expectation was tempered by messaging from Fed officials, who indicated that a further rate cut is not assured. Their comments echoed recent remarks by Fed chair Jerome Powell.Several policymakers highlighted that while stabilising employment is part of the Fed’s mandate, inflation remains a central worry. Cleveland Fed chief Beth Hammack said she continues to be “concerned about high inflation and believe policy should be leaning against it”. In prepared remarks, she added: “To me, comparing the size and persistence of our mandate misses and the risks, inflation is the more pressing concern,” describing policy as “barely restrictive”.Chicago Fed president Austan Goolsbee told CNBC that making policy decisions without full government data due to the shutdown leaves him “even more uneasy.” A policymaker from the St Louis Fed also cautioned that lowering rates now would remove the downward pressure still needed to contain inflation.Asian indices responded to the Wall Street downturn. Tokyo and Seoul both declined more than two percent after recently setting record highs. Hong Kong, Shanghai, Sydney, Taipei and Manila also traded in the red, while Singapore, Wellington and Jakarta managed to edge higher.The weakness followed a rally in recent weeks that pushed several global markets and especially technology stocks, to historic levels. Heavy investment in artificial intelligence and expectations of an easing in US monetary policy helped fuel that rise. Chipmaker Nvidia even crossed a milestone, becoming the world’s first $5 trillion company.
Business
BrewDog owners say craft beer company could be sold off
Craft beer brand BrewDog could be sold off after the company started the process to find new investors.
The Scottish beer brand recently announced plans to close all of its distilling brands, meaning it would no longer produce any of its spirits, including Duo Rum, Abstrakt Vodka, and Lonewolf Gin, at its distillery in Ellon, Aberdeenshire.
The company, which was founded in 2007, said it made the decision to focus on its beer brands, including the highly-popular Punk IPA, Elvis Juice, and Hazy Jane.
Now, in a statement, a spokesperson for BrewDog said the company had appointed Alix Partners to “support a structured and competitive process to evaluate the next phase of investment for the business.”
The statement said: “As with many businesses operating in a challenging economic climate and facing sustained macro headwinds, we regularly review our options with a focus on the long-term strength and sustainability of the company.
“Following a year of decisive action in 2025, which saw a focus on costs and operating efficiencies, we have appointed AlixPartners to support a structured and competitive process to evaluate the next phase of investment for the business. This is a deliberate and disciplined step with a focus on strengthening the long-term future of the BrewDog brand and its operations.”
Although no decisions have been made, a sale is under consideration.
In a statment BrewDog added: “BrewDog remains a global pioneer in craft beer: a world-class consumer brand, the No.1 independent brewer in the UK, and with a highly engaged global community. We believe that this combination will attract substantial interest, though no final decisions have been made.”
According to reports by Sky News, AlixPartners had begun sounding out prospective buyers in the last few days.
The company, which has 72 bars worldwide and four breweries in Scotland, the US, Australia, and Germany, said its breweries, bars, and venues will continue to operate as normal. It employs 1400 people across the organisation.
BrewDog’s founders James Watt and Martin Dickie are the company’s major shareholders alongside private equity company TSG, which invested £213 million in 2017, making it a 21 per cent shareholder.
In 2024, the beer brand grossed £357 million in sales, and it is a major independent brewer with 4 per cent market share in the UK grocery market.
Business
Craft beer brewer BrewDog could be broken up as sale process begins
Beermaker BrewDog could be broken up after consultants were called in to help look for new investors.
The Scotland-based brewer, which makes craft beer such as Punk IPA and Elvis Juice, has appointed consultants AlixPartners to oversee a sale process.
Last month, BrewDog announced it was closing its distilling brands, sparking concerns for jobs at its facility in Ellon, Aberdeenshire.
The company, which was founded in 2007, said it made the decision to focus on its beer products.
No decision has been made in respect of the sale process.
A spokesperson for BrewDog said: “As with many businesses operating in a challenging economic climate and facing sustained macro headwinds, we regularly review our options with a focus on the long-term strength and sustainability of the company.
“Following a year of decisive action in 2025, which saw a focus on costs and operating efficiencies, we have appointed AlixPartners to support a structured and competitive process to evaluate the next phase of investment for the business.
“This is a deliberate and disciplined step with a focus on strengthening the long-term future of the BrewDog brand and its operations.
“BrewDog remains a global pioneer in craft beer: a world-class consumer brand, the number one independent brewer in the UK and with a highly engaged global community.
“We believe that this combination will attract substantial interest, though no final decisions have been made.
“Our breweries, bars, and venues continue to operate as normal. We will not comment on any further speculation.”
Brewdog operates 72 bars around the world as well as four breweries.
Business
‘Better to abolish RERA’: Supreme court says law helping defaulting builders
New Delhi: The Supreme Court has raised serious concerns over how real estate regulatory authorities are functioning across the country. Taking a sharp view, the top court said it may be “better to abolish” these bodies, suggesting they have failed to protect homebuyers and instead appear to benefit defaulting builders. The court added that states should reconsider the very need for such authorities if they are not serving their intended purpose.
A Bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi said states should rethink the original purpose behind introducing RERA. The court observed that instead of protecting homebuyers, the law appears to be helping defaulting builders and not serving its intended role.
Expressing strong concern, CJI Surya Kant said states should reflect on the purpose for which RERA was created. He suggested the institution is failing to serve homebuyers and instead appears to benefit defaulting builders. “All states should now think of the people for whom the institution of RERA was created. Except facilitating builders in default, it is not doing anything else. Better to just abolish this institution,” CJI Kant said, quoted by Bar and Bench.
Last year, the High Court had stayed the state government’s decision to shift the RERA office, pointing out that the move was taken “without even identifying an alternative office location”. The court also noted that transferring 18 outsourced employees to other boards and corporations, as requested, “would render the functioning of Rera defunct”.
The Supreme Court, however, set aside the High Court’s order and allowed the state government to shift the RERA office to Dharamshala. It also permitted the relocation of the appellate tribunal to the same location. “With a view to ensure that persons affected by Rera orders are not inconvenienced, the principal appellate is also moved to Dharamshala,” the apex court said.
What Is RERA And Why It Matters
RERA, introduced in 2016, was aimed at addressing project delays, improving transparency and safeguarding homebuyers’ interests. Earlier, each state and union territory operated its own RERA website. However, in September 2025, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs launched a unified RERA portal that brings together data from across states and UTs on a single platform.
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