Business
Warner Bros rejects Paramount’s $60 billion buy offer; looking at alternatives: Report – The Times of India
Entertainment giant Warner Bros Discovery’s board has reportedly turned down a nearly $60 billion takeover offer from Paramount Skydance, a source told Reuters on Tuesday (local time). The company also announced that it will now look at other options for a possible sale.The board had rejected a mostly cash offer of around $24 per share for the company, whose assets include the Warner Bros film and TV studios, CNN, several cable networks, and the HBO Max streaming service. Shares of Warner Bros Discovery closed 11% higher on Tuesday.According to another source, Comcast may review the media giant’s assets as well. Netflix is also among the interested buyers, CNBC reported, following earlier reports that Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison had been in talks to buy the entire company.Warner Bros, known for film franchises like Harry Potter and DC Comics, announced in June that it planned to divide its business into two parts by next year: one focused on studios and another on cable networks. The move aims to separate its fast-growing streaming segment from its weaker cable operations.The company said its board will now weigh several options, including going ahead with the planned split, selling the entire company, or pursuing separate deals for its Warner Bros or Discovery Global businesses. It is also considering another structure that could merge Warner Bros with a spinoff of Discovery Global.
Major shake up
A sale or breakup of Warner Bros Discovery would be one of the biggest shake-ups in the global media landscape. The rise of streaming has already changed how audiences watch content, pulling viewers away from traditional TV and cutting into advertising income.Any buyer of Warner Bros Discovery would gain control of a major Hollywood studio and a leading streaming platform but would also take on its massive $35 billion debt.The company, valued at around $45.36 billion, has seen its shares rise more than 46% since early September, when reports of Paramount’s interest first emerged.“Paramount is the most likely to purchase the company. For Netflix, a purchase would make more sense following the planned split because the studio would be very valuable to Netflix but the TV networks not as much,” said eMarketer senior analyst Ross Benes told Reuters.Warner Bros Discovery had already rejected an earlier bid from Paramount, which offered about $20 per share, as it was seen as too low, two sources told Reuters.Bank of America research analyst Jessica Reif Ehrlich estimated that the company’s full value was closer to $30 per share, given its rich portfolio of entertainment assets. “Given the company’s wealth of premium IP (Harry Potter, DC, Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, etc.) and robust library, we continue to believe Warner Bros is an extremely attractive potential acquisition target,” she said in an investor note.Meanwhile, Comcast is preparing to spin off its NBCUniversal cable channels, such as USA Network and CNBC, into a new company called Versant later this year.“Potential WBD suitors, including Paramount, Comcast, Netflix, Amazon and Apple, could see value in moving sooner rather than later to acquire the entirety of WBD versus waiting to purchase just the streaming and studios assets,” Seth Shafer, principal analyst at S&P Global Market Intelligence Kagan told the news agency.
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Shares of metal companies rallied sharply on October 24, defying the broader market downturn
Metal Stocks
Metal Shares Gain: Shares of metal companies rallied sharply on October 24, defying the broader market downturn. The surge pushed the Nifty Metal index up more than 2% to 10,457.40 in early trade before paring some gains to trade 1% higher at 10,359 around noon.
Here are the key factors driving the rally in metal shares:
1. Trump–Xi Meeting Hopes Ease Trade Concerns
Global metal prices surged after the White House confirmed that U.S. President Donald Trump will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea on October 30, as part of Trump’s Asia visit.
The announcement came amid renewed trade tensions following Trump’s plan to raise tariffs on Chinese imports to 155%. Investors are now hopeful that the meeting could ease trade hostilities, improving the global demand outlook for metals.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump’s itinerary includes stops in Malaysia, Japan, and South Korea, following his address at the APEC CEO Summit.
2. Metal Prices Rise on Tight Supply and Global Stimulus Hopes
Aluminium prices on the London Metal Exchange (LME) climbed past $2,850 per tonne, supported by strong demand and tightening supply. The rally was further fueled by expectations of monetary easing from major central banks.
Adding to the supply crunch, a smelter in Iceland temporarily shut operations due to equipment failure, likely affecting 100 kt of production. Copper prices also advanced about 2% on the LME.
3. US Fed Rate Cut Expectations Lift Sentiment
Optimism around further rate cuts by the U.S. Federal Reserve added to the positive momentum. According to a Reuters poll, the Fed is expected to cut interest rates by 25 basis points to 3.75–4% on October 29, with another potential cut in December.
Lower rates generally boost non-yielding assets like commodities, supporting investor appetite for metals.
4. Top Metal Gainers
National Aluminium Company (NALCO) shares have gained more than 4 percent, while Hindalco Industries and Hindustan Copper shares have gained more than 3 percent each. Vedanta shares were up nearly 3 percent.
Earlier during the day, Hindalco shares hit a 52-week high of Rs 826.50 apiece. This comes after its subsidiary Novelis said that its fire-damaged plant in Oswego will restart by the end of December, earlier than expected.
Hindustan Zinc shares gained around 2 percent, while NMDC, Jindal Stainless Steel, Steel Authority of India (SAIL) and Jindal Steel and Power shares were up around 1 percent each.
Heavyweights Tata Steel and JSW Steel shares were trading in the green with marginal gains.
Bucking the trend, APL Apollo Tubes, Welspun Corp and Adani Enterprises shares were trading in the red.
Disclaimer: The views and investment tips by experts in this News18.com report are their own and not those of the website or its management. Users are advised to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.
Aparna Deb is a Subeditor and writes for the business vertical of News18.com. She has a nose for news that matters. She is inquisitive and curious about things. Among other things, financial markets, economy, a…Read More
Aparna Deb is a Subeditor and writes for the business vertical of News18.com. She has a nose for news that matters. She is inquisitive and curious about things. Among other things, financial markets, economy, a… Read More
October 24, 2025, 13:33 IST
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Stock Market Today: Indian stock markets started Friday’s session on a negative note
Sensex Today
Sensex Today: Indian benchmark indices traded lower on Friday, weighed down by reports that the US is considering a fresh probe against China regarding their 2020 trade deal. Rising crude oil prices, driven by US sanctions on Russia, further dented market sentiment.
By 12 PM, the Sensex was at 84,354.58, down 201.82 points or 0.24%, while the Nifty stood at 25,823.90, down 67.5 points or 0.26%.
On the Sensex, Hindustan Unilever (HUL), Kotak Bank, Axis Bank, Titan, Power Grid, ITC, Adani Ports, NTPC, Tech Mahindra, Eternal, and Maruti Suzuki were the top losers, falling up to 3.5%. On the upside, ICICI Bank, Tata Steel, Bharat Electronics (BEL), M&M, Bharti Airtel, HDFC Bank, and SBI led the gains.
Broader markets were muted, with the Nifty Midcap 100 down 0.05% and the Nifty Smallcap 100 sliding 0.18%.
Sector-wise, the Nifty Metal index led the rally with 1% gains, followed by the Nifty Realty index, up 0.5%. The Nifty FMCG index lagged, declining 1.16%.
Global Cues
Across Asia, markets traded higher after the White House confirmed that US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold discussions next week during Trump’s Asia visit. Japan’s Nikkei 225 advanced 1.1%, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng rose 0.95%, and South Korea’s KOSPI gained 1.29%.
Overnight, US markets closed higher, led by gains in technology stocks following upbeat corporate earnings. The S&P 500 climbed 0.6%, the Nasdaq Composite surged 0.9%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.3%.
Aparna Deb is a Subeditor and writes for the business vertical of News18.com. She has a nose for news that matters. She is inquisitive and curious about things. Among other things, financial markets, economy, a…Read More
Aparna Deb is a Subeditor and writes for the business vertical of News18.com. She has a nose for news that matters. She is inquisitive and curious about things. Among other things, financial markets, economy, a… Read More
October 24, 2025, 08:53 IST
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Maruti Suzuki Jimny 5-Door: Maruti Suzuki announced that the Jimny 5-door has achieved a landmark milestone, surpassing a cumulative export figure of 1 lakh units from India. The export journey for the Jimny 5-door began in 2023, shortly after its India debut. This SUV, manufactured exclusively in India, is being exported to over 100 countries, including Japan, Mexico and Australia.
Jimny 5-door’s entry in Japan in January 2025, under the name “Jimny Nomade”, sparked off an overwhelming response with orders crossing the 50,000 mark within days of introduction.
Speaking on the milestone, Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India Limited, said, “The Jimny has over half a century of heritage globally. Jimny 5-door crossing 1 lakh export mark is a proud achievement for Maruti Suzuki. We are deeply thankful to customers around the world for their trust in this acclaimed SUV. Jimny’s strong off-road DNA, reliable performance and uncompromising quality have earned admiration in over 100 countries.”
He added, “The Jimny, along with 16 other models exported by Maruti Suzuki, stands as a shining example of ‘Make in India for the World’. The year-on-year rise in the Company’s exports reflects the love and confidence of customers in our products and highlights India’s rise as a hub for world-class automobile manufacturing.”
In the official statement, the company said, “This achievement reinforces Maruti Suzuki’s robust and sustained export growth trajectory. With over 2 lakh vehicles exported in H1 FY 2025-26, the Company grew by around 40% and recorded its highest-ever half-yearly export volume.”
“Maruti Suzuki commands over 46% share in India’s passenger vehicle exports. In FY 2024-25, the Company had exported over 3.3 lakh vehicles,” it further said. Maruti Suzuki has demonstrated significant growth in export volumes over the past five financial years, culminating in a record high of 332,585 units in 2024-25, up from 96,139 units in 2020-21.
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Metal Stocks Shine: NALCO, Hindalco Jump Up To 4.5% As Nifty Metal Index Surges 2%
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