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India’s weight-loss drug market is bracing for a major shake-up as Novo Nordisk’s aggressive price cuts force domestic players to rethink their strategy, Rica Bhattacharyya and Teena Thacker report for The Economic Times. The Danish drugmaker has slashed Wegovy prices by up to 37%, bringing monthly doses down to ₹10,850–16,400, the report says. Ozempic may soon be priced 5–10% lower than Wegovy, putting significant pressure on generic manufacturers that had earlier planned monthly launch prices of ₹7,000–8,000, according to leading diabetologist Dr. Rajiv Kovil. Novo Nordisk has also tied up with Emcure to roll out a second semaglutide brand, adding to the pricing squeeze. Industry experts predict that this early reset could trigger faster-than-expected price erosion across the GLP-1 segment, well before generics flood the market. "At least 50% price cuts from current (semaglutide price) levels is something the generics companies may start with depending on how many players are in the market in the first wave," said Vishal Manchanda, pharma analyst at broking firm Systematix Group. With nearly 10 companies such as Dr Reddy's, Sun Pharma, Lupin, Mankind, Zydus, Cipla, Hetero and Alkem, set to enter the first launch wave, India’s GLP-1 landscape is entering its most competitive phase yet, the report adds. How will these pricing shifts impact India’s obesity care landscape? Share your thoughts in the comments section. Source: https://lnkd.in/dxnmyGN6 ✍ Dhritiman Deb 📸 Getty Images #Pharma #Healthcare #ObesityCare #WeightLossDrugs #Ozempic #Wegovy

When is the right time to make a career switch? In an interview on CNA’s Work It podcast, Ivan Aw, a vice president at UOB, shared that in hindsight, he would not have waited so long to move from personal finance into an AI role within the bank. https://lnkd.in/dH7RusGY Aw, who spent 16 years in his previous role, said he loved his work and felt established – but often questioned whether he had more to offer and if he could step out of his comfort zone. Each time, he concluded that the timing wasn’t right. Looking back, he now wishes he had made the leap earlier. “I loved what I was doing before. But one thing I would change is that I wouldn’t wait so long to make the switch,” he said. “Don’t wait for the perfect timing – make the perfect timing.” 💬 When do you think is the right time to make a career switch? Vote in the poll below and share your thoughts in the comments.

The Indian legal sector is witnessing a surge in mergers among small and mid-sized law firms, Maulik Vyas reports for The Economic Times (ET). Scaling up, meeting client demands for multi-disciplinary expertise, cross-border advisory, talent acquisition, and comprehensive services are primary contributing factors, the report says. Recent examples include boutique tax firm Krishnomics Legal merging with Khaitan Legal Associates, Burgeon Law joining IC RegFin Legal, SJ Law integrating into Solicis Lex Advisory, and Tandon & Co merging with Aretha Legal. These consolidations aim to combine complementary strengths, expand bandwidth, and deliver seamless service, the report says further. "We adopted a transition model similar to what leading global firms use, i.e., unified but not abrupt integration of workflows and a clear practice-area ownership to ensure consistent execution with clients seeing continuity coupled with augmented capability," Tejesh Chitlangi, Managing Partner of RegFin Legal, told ET. Rising investment flows, complex regulations, and increased transactions are also key drivers. The Indian legal market, valued at $2.49 billion in 2025, is projected to reach $3.37 billion by 2030, growing at 6.24% annually, the report adds. "Talent acquisition and risk management are now the new mantras of law firms in India. Partly also because domestic firms are anticipating the entry of foreign law firms and want to consolidate their position before doors formally open for the foreign firms," says AMEET MEHTA, Managing Partner at law firm Solicis Lex Advisory. How do you think this trend will shape law firms? Share your thoughts in the comments section. Source: The Economic Times - https://lnkd.in/gh6zyrQY ✍: Novinston Lobo 📸: Getty Images #LawFirms #LegalSector #BoutiqueFirms #Mergers

Systematic Investment Plan (SIP) contributions from smaller towns into active equity schemes has crossed ₹10,000 crore, Abhishek Kumar reports for Business Standard. Locations beyond the top 30 cities, known as B30 markets, logged ₹10,080 crore in October, compared to just ₹2,832 crore in March 2021, the report says. “The steady rise in SIP inflows from B30 locations signals more than just geographical expansion. It reflects a structural shift in how India saves and invests,” says Suranjana Borthakur, Head of Distribution and Strategic Alliances at Mirae Asset MF. The pattern is visible across SIP categories. In October, B30 regions contributed ₹12,130 crore to total SIP inflows of ₹29,529 crore, indicating expanding interest in hybrid, passive, and debt schemes as well, the report says further. “This is mainly due to increasing penetration of distributors in smaller towns. Steps like micro-SIPs of ₹250 or lower have also contributed. The massive multimedia campaign by the Association of Mutual Funds in India using celebrities like M S Dhoni and Sachin Tendulkar has helped MFs strike the right chord with investors,” says Sunil Subramaniam, CEO of Sense and Simplicity. Do you see this surge from smaller towns changing the future of investing in India? Share your thoughts in the comments section. Source: https://lnkd.in/dicrbkAa ✍ Dhritiman Deb 📸 Getty Images #MutualFundsIndia #PersonalFinance #SIPGrowth #SmallTownInvestors

Brands are increasingly experimenting with Artificial Intelligence (AI) ads, Sowmya Ramasubramanian reports for Mint. Brands across India — from Coca-Cola and Pidilite to startups like Naturally Yours and Plum Goodness — are turning to generative AI tools such as Gemini and ChatGPT to produce faster, cheaper ad campaigns. “Clearly, AI has crashed the time from concept to first draft to revision to final. This has been the most significant impact of AI on our creative processes, even though we are still in early stages of adoption," says Shankar Prasad, Founder and CEO of Plum Goodness. Startups like Hypergro and Dashverse, who are key players in the generative AI space, are thus drawing investor interest, with recent funding rounds of ₹7 crore and $13 million, respectively. This capital will be used to scale AI-led marketing tools. However, a few experts also warn of creative absence and brand dilution. “AI is a great co-pilot to test and refine concepts. However, completely replacing human creativity isn’t something we are ready for,” adds Siddharth Jhawar Manager at Moloco. How do you think AI generated ads will impact brand perception and authenticity? Share your thoughts in the comments section. ✍: Nakul Ghai 📷: Getty Images Source: Mint: https://lnkd.in/dtChHE24 #Brands #Advertising #Engagement

Blinkit is the most preferred quick commerce application in India, Udisha Srivastav reports for Business Standard, citing a survey by Bank of America. Over 31% respondents opted for Blinkit, followed by Swiggy Instamart (19%), Flipkart Minutes (14%), and Zepto (12%). Top reasons for choosing q-commerce include fast delivery, avoiding offline shopping, attractive discounts, free delivery, and wider assortment. Between March and November this year, people who order on quick commerce at least once a day increased from 8% to 17%, while those who order more than twice increased from 3% to 11%, the survey adds. Meanwhile, India’s quick commerce sector is witnessing a surge in last-mile delivery hiring, Disha Acharya and Pranav Mukul report for The Economic Times. Platforms like Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy Instamart now employ 450,000–500,000 active delivery partners monthly, up 70–80% from last year’s 250,000–300,000. In fact, festive-season payouts rose 10–15%, with riders earning up to ₹50,000 monthly, the report says. "Delivery riders have shown a better retention rate in quick commerce compared to food delivery in recent quarters because of more orders, better incentives, and dark stores, which act as a place to rest for them,” said Madhav Krishna, CEO of Vahan. Dark-store expansion is accelerating, with Blinkit operating 1,816 stores and planning 3,000 by March 2027; Instamart and Zepto each run over 1,000, adds the report. How do you think quick commerce will shape the retail landscape in India? Share your thoughts in the comments section. Source: Business Standard - https://lnkd.in/gyRqqA-9 The Economic Times - https://lnkd.in/g2CvXNAX ✍: Novinston Lobo 📸: Getty Images #QuickCommerce #Blinkit #GigWorking #DeliveryWorkers #India

Hyderabad has overtaken Bengaluru as India’s top GCC destination, shivani shinde reports for Business Standard. Hyderabad has emerged as the leading hub for Global Capability Centres (GCCs), accounting for 46% of all new GCCs set up between January and November 2025, compared with Bengaluru’s 33%, according to a study by UnearthIQ, the report adds. In total, 85–95 GCCs were established during this period — with over 60 new entrants and 25 expansions, the report says further. Hyderabad added more than 41 of these, followed by Bengaluru, Chennai, and Pune.The city offers cost advantages, strong infrastructure, and a pro-business ecosystem, the report says. “These centres are a reflection of trust in our talent, faith in our governance and confidence in our shared future,” says Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu, Hyderabad’s Deputy Chief Minister. Global names such as Vanguard, StarRez, T-Mobile, and Goodyear were among those expanding their GCC footprint in India, adds the report. What factors have helped Hyderabad surpass Bengaluru as India's top GCC hub? Vote in our poll and share your thoughts in the comments section. ✍: Nakul Ghai Source: Business Standard: https://lnkd.in/gkqPbsz4 The Hindu: https://lnkd.in/djK-zDu3 #GCC #Hyderabad #Talent

Bengaluru has positioned itself as a leading startup hub for women entrepreneurs in India, The Times of India reports, citing data from KDEM, 3One4 Capital, and Startup Karnataka. Between 2010 and 2025, the city hosted 668 women-led startups, raising $13.4 billion, outpacing Delhi-NCR and Mumbai. While Delhi attracted $10 billion in funds with 712 startups, Mumbai raised $3.6 billion with 465 startups. Prashanth Prakash, Partner at Accel, said, "Bengaluru is evolving from the economic engine of the country to the innovation engine that gives India leverage globally. Today, 80%–90% of all venture funding is housed in this city”. Globally, it ranks as the fifth-largest unicorn hub, housing 53 unicorns valued at $192 billion, representing 42% of India’s total unicorn valuation. The city leads in sectors like avionics, aeronautics, electronics and electrical engineering, space technology, AI, quantum computing, biotechnology and other high-tech industries. What will make Bengaluru emerge as a global hub for women entrepreneurs? Vote in our poll and share your thoughts in the comments section. Source: The Times Of India - https://lnkd.in/gh3PCVic ✍: Novinston Lobo #Bengaluru #WomenEntrepreneurers #Startup #Funding

Maharashtra has emerged as the top-performing automotive market in Q2 FY26, leading both passenger vehicle (PV) and commercial vehicle (CV) sales, reports businessline, citing data from the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM). The state recorded 1,31,822 PV sales between July and September, cementing its position at the forefront of India’s automotive landscape. Total PV sales across India reached 10.39 lakh units in Q2, up from 10.12 lakh units in Q1, the data says. In the CV segment, Maharashtra again held the top spot with 37,091 CVs sold in Q2 FY26, followed by Gujarat with 22,491 units and Uttar Pradesh with 19,009 units. Maharashtra also ranked second in two-wheeler sales at 6,29,131 units, trailing only Uttar Pradesh, while being placing fourth in three-wheelers with 21,100 units sold, adds the report. Why is Maharashtra emerging as India’s top automotive market? Vote in our poll and share your thoughts in the comments section. Source: https://lnkd.in/dy8gbgdX ✍ Dhritiman Deb #PassengerVehicles #CommercialVehicles #MaharashtraGrowth

Campus hiring remains steady for top engineering graduates, despite an IT slowdown, Sreeradha Basu and prachi verma report for The Economic Times. Final placements for the Class of 2026 at institutes such as the Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani (BITS Pilani) and several National Institutes of Technology (NITs) are holding firm, with more recruiters, higher packages, and record pre-placement offers, the report says. “The number of students placed in the initial two months of the placement season is approximately 5% ahead of last year,” says Prof. V Ramgopal Rao, Group Vice-Chancellor at BITS Pilani. Sectors like core engineering, electronics, semiconductors, banking, and consulting are leading demand. Prominent companies among campus recruiters include Graviton, Quadeye, Google, Microsoft, Cisco, IBM, Qualcomm, Micron, Nvidia, Texas Instruments, AMD, General Electric, Uber, and Flipkart, the report says further. BITS Pilani reports that during the first phase of the recruitment cycle, the average yearly salary stood at ₹29 lakh. Some of its students also received offers exceeding ₹1 crore, with a few securing positions in companies located in Japan, Taiwan, the Netherlands, and the UK. NIT Warangal, on the other hand, logged its highest-ever domestic package at ₹1.27 crore, while NIT Jalandhar saw top offers of ₹1.16 crore from Flow Traders. An increasing demand for AI, data analytics, and semiconductor roles, is the key reason for this, note experts. How can engineering graduates stand out in the job market? Share your thoughts in the comments section. ✍: Nakul Ghai 📷: Getty Images Source: The Economic Times: https://lnkd.in/dxR4bHt8 #Campusrecruitment #Talent #Engineering